Tag: 2017

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News

Challenge Yourself All Month Long With This Music Writer Exercise

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Our pal Gary Suarez developed a great exercise for music writers in early 2015 that has since been resurrected for February 2017. We plan to participate and hope the rest of you will as well. Here are the rules:

Each day in February, listen to 1 full album you’ve never heard, from start to finish. Once complete, write one tweet about the album you just heard and tag it with #MWE so others can follow your efforts.

You can choose any album you wish, but if you’re stumped please do not hesitate to ask us and other for recommendations. In fact, we may post some on here just in case.

Are you in?

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News

The path to success begins with a single decision

This Monday feels like the first real Monday in 2017. Yesterday was not a major holiday, nor was the weekend filled with global celebrations. Yesterday was just another Sunday and today is just another Monday. There will be 50 more of them this year.

For many of you, this week will be the first proper week you live in the new year. Some are just returning to school and/or work, while others who have already returned to everyday life can expect a steady uptick in business as everyone else gets back into the swing of things.

As your schedule fills you are going to be tempted to continue living life the same way you have for as long as you can remember, but just doing the same thing over and over is never going to get you any closer to achieving your goals.

All paths to success begin with a single decision: Today will be different.

Today is the day you break from your old routine and begin working toward new, healthier and more productive daily habits that will help you reach the goals you’ve set for yourself.

Start simple. If you make just one change today that you can repeat tomorrow and every day thereafter then you have already taken a major step toward achieving your goals. A few examples:

  • Go to bed at a better time
  • Eat a healthy meal
  • Spend thirty minutes working on that project you keep telling yourself will soon be finished
  • Disconnect from screens and technology
  • Start something new
  • Read
  • Exercise

If you come up with something more suited to your individual goals, go for it. Just be careful to not overwhelm yourself. You cannot change your behavior all at once.

Once you can commit to doing just one thing differently on a regular basis you can set towards changing more aspects of your life. If you go too fast and demand too much from yourself there is a chance you will lose interest in trying to change altogether. Stay focused and take your time.

Never underestimate how easy it is to settle back into old habits.

James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also the Film Editor for Substream Magazine, host of the Inside Music Podcast, and a 10-year music writing veteran. If you enjoy this article and want more stuff like it – or if you hated it so much you have to say something – follow James on Twitter.

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Job Board News

New openings:

Email Marketing Coordinator (AEG Live – Los Angeles) 

The email marketing coordinator is a junior-to-mid level role. The incumbent will own, produce, and execute multiple email campaigns per week in a fast paced, rapid-growth environment dedicated to helping customers get to see their favorite performers at events across the country. If you are a detail-oriented person who can quickly master new tools and manage multiple deliverables at once with accuracy, we want to talk to you.

Day-to-Day Manager (Little Empire Music – Los Angeles) 

Assist in day-to-day management for Little Empire artists, with an emphasis on in-house marketing, digital and publicity coordination. You will be working hand in hand with the executive management. Applicants should have prior experience in a similar position.

Sr. Marketing Manager, Social Impact (Spotify – NYC) 

As a Senior Marketing Manager for Social Impact, you’ll be responsible for developing programs that change the world through music.  

You’ll have ownership over programs that aim to solve real social issues and contribute to brand and business goals.  You’ll be responsible for the development, execution, communication, and measurement of programs that align with our global strategy.  

You’ll source and evaluate public sector partners and work cross-functionally across all of Spotify to turn strategy into tangible programs.  We’re a small team, so come prepared to lead projects from research through optimization, and help us shape the future of Social Impact at Spotify.  

Senior Manager Marketing & Promotions (Staples Center -Los Angeles)

The Senior Manager of Marketing & Promotions is responsible for all marketing assets for shows at Microsoft Theater. This position will work closely with talent buyer(s) to develop, execute, manage and sustain marketing and promotional plans as well as identify venue and community strategies to advance new and current commerce. This position will work in conjunction with artist management, radio/TV, print, outdoor, digital and venue marketing team to create and develop an effective marketing plan that will reach the correct demographic and target customers appropriate for each show. This position will also be responsible for maintaining and tracking budgets to make sure funds are allocated correctly.

General Manager, Live Music Venue (Live Nation – Houston) 

Full responsibility for all aspects of venue business operations.  Recruits, hires, trains and develops Department Heads and Managers;  resolves TeamMember and Guest conflicts/concerns;  complying to workplace standards;  communicates; ensures optimal guest experience and guest relations;  maintains and enforces all HOB standards and policies;  enhances revenues and controls costs.

Director of Marketing, Fender Digital (Fender – Los Angeles) 

The Director of Marketing, Fender Digital is responsible for setting the strategy and leading the planning and execution of all marketing initiatives to drive global growth and consumer adoption of Fender Digital (FD) products and services. Fender Digital is focused on the development of digital products and services designed to compliment Fender’s core physical product experience and accompany players on their musical journey, from first-time player to lifetime musician.

Reporting directly to the Chief Marketing Officer, and dotted line to the GM Fender Digital, the head of marketing will build and lead a fast-moving, growth-oriented core Fender Digital marketing team, accountable for the development and execution of all marketing initiatives, branding strategies, content and marketing programs across all FD product platforms and channels, including .com, Ecomm, Fender Connect, Fender Applications and new Fender Products scheduled for release, starting in 2017.

Marketing and Publicity Assistant (Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) – New York) 

Marketing assistant duties entail the creation of digital and print marketing collateral, the collection of sales data, and other tasks as needed to expand awareness of cinema at BAM and cultivate film audiences while helping to meet revenue and strategic goals.

Publicity assistant duties entail research on film programming, the creation of press materials, responding to journalist requests and inquiries, assisting the Publicity Manager at events and screenings, and other tasks as needed to help BAMcinématek – BAM’s repertory film program – garner press and publicity, enhance its reputation in the field, and reach its revenue goals.

Junior Designer (SFJAZZ – San Francisco) 

Under the direction of the Director of Marketing, the Junior Designer is responsible for brand management for SFJAZZ, design, production of advertising (online, print, digital and broadcast), collateral development, and graphics. This is a hands-on position requiring a positive attitude, organizational and communication skills, clear understanding of and experience in branding, the ability to work in a collaborative team environment, the talent to create compelling and appropriate design solutions, and the discipline to manage multiple large projects responsibly. This person works collaboratively with another Graphic Designer within the Marketing Department.

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News Podcasts

Our podcast will soon return

Inside Music is a podcast about the lives of professionals in the music business. Each week, host James Shotwell chats with an artist or industry tastemaker to learn how anyone can navigate the world of entertainment.

You may have noticed a recent lack of updates regarding the future of our podcast, Inside Music. We did not intend to go dark, but sometimes things happen that are out of your control. Here’s the story…

Roughly a week before Christmas we posted episode 99 with special guest Michael McCarron of PunkOut. In the introduction to the episode, we teased the release of episode 100 with special guest Matt Brown, founder of Haulix. Our intention at the time was to record and release that episode in time for everyone’s holiday travels.

As you no doubt know by now, episode 100 has yet to be released. A few things came up behind the scenes that made recording an episode with Matt Brown in the time we had left before the new year essentially impossible. We were frustrated by this, but hey – life happens. Sometimes you cannot control what comes your way.

We are currently outlining the next several months of Inside Music and hope to relaunch with new episodes in the week ahead. Until then, please subscribe to our show on iTunes and catch up on any episodes you may have missed.

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News

Please stop leveraging celebrity deaths for your personal gain

We lost a lot of great people over the last twelve months. David Bowie, Prince, George Michael, and Carrie Fisher are just a few of the entertainers who died in 2016, and there are many around the world still mourning their passing.

Social media allows us to grieve as a global community. The first place anyone learned of any celebrity passing this year was most likely Facebook or Twitter, and if you commented at all about any one death you probably did so on those platforms as well. It’s good to share. It’s good to come together to celebrate life.

As a person or group with a little a following of any size you have probably felt compelled to say something in about a celebrity death. You may have even shared a photo or video featuring the departed’s best work. This is healthy and perfectly fine, but it is very easy to react in a way that may lead some to believe you are trying to personally benefit from the loss of another human.

To illustrate this point I found two recent examples of artists exchanging genuine sentiment with a shameless attempt at easy promotion.

First up, Smash Mouth. The pop-rock icons behind “All-Star” and “Walking On The Sun” have made a bad habit of sharing branded photos alongside tweets referencing celebrity death. Take a look at this:

The intent here is fine. Smash Mouth are likely fans of Star Wars, but they had nothing do with the film and certainly are not the people responsible for this photo of Carrie Fisher in her Princess Leia costume, so why slap that wavy logo on the image in this tweet? What does branding have to do with sharing genuine emotion?

This isn’t the first time Smash Mouth have attempted this, either. The band also posted and later deleted a similar tweet about the passing of George Michael:

The second example is one of many that can be found in any corner of the internet where custom merchandise is sold. Take a look at the latest shirt design from a band on Imminence Records, which is currently being promoted on Facebook:

The idea of taking something from pop culture and making it work for your brand is nothing new, but there is something particularly displeasing about seeing it done in the wake of someone’s death. No one from Ms. Fisher’s family will receive any money from this design, nor will the money go to one of the many causes Fisher fought for during her life.*

The goal here is to lure consumers into celebrating one person’s life by promoting another person/group altogether. It’s not illegal, but it is morally questionable and painfully transparent.

The moment you begin to consider the death of another person as an opportunity to promote yourself you have veered away from genuine empathy and strolled into marketing trickery as old as time. If you feel something, say something, but not every feeling you have needs to come with a reminder to buy and support whatever it is you do.

*UPDATE: After this story was posted a spokesperson for Imminence Records confirmed that proceeds from the sale of their Carrie Fisher shirt will be going to support mental health organizations.

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News

3 Tips for improving your music blog in 2017

The new year is almost here, which means right now the music business is largely silent. Industry professionals at all levels tend to lay low in the days between Christmas and New Year’s day, which in turn leaves music writers with little to discuss aside from their picks for the best album, song, new artist, video, etc. of the preceding year. That content is good and expected, but if you really want to make the most of this time you should be putting the majority of your effort and focus into deciding how you will further your work in the new year.

The world of digital music writing has changed immensely over the course of 2016. Dozens of sites went under, leaving writers at every level looking for steady employment, and several sites combined forces because doing so was the only way to stay afloat. The value of digital advertising also fluctuated more than ever, which in turn made it increasingly difficult for sites to cover their costs. 2017 will likely be no different, if not worse, so those hoping to do make it through with their job and sanity in tact need to embrace the constant state of change we now exist within and use it to their advantage. Here are three tips to get you started:

Video is more important than ever before

The fact video has become the predominant way people consume information online is no great surprise. This trend has been emerging steadily since the launch of YouTube over a decade ago and shows no signs of slowing anytime soon.

Every major news outlet has upped their video output and smaller sites hoping to play in the big leagues need to do the same.

Create video listicles, film interviews, record exclusive performances, and brand all that content with your logo so people know where to turn when they need the latest/greatest music coverage.

Start a podcast (and if you already have one, keep at it)

The podcast medium garnered a lot of attention in 2016, and it is likely to see even more growth in the new year.

The possibilities with podcasting are seemingly endless; You can record a conversation about a single topic, offer regular news updates, interview people, or simply talk to the world at large — all from the comfort of your home (or anywhere else, for that matter).

Podcasts can be as long or as short as you want, and there is no limit to the amount of podcasts you can record. Find a niche that has not yet been filled an fill it with your voice.

Simplicity is an art. Quality > Quantity.

When everything is available with a few clicks and keystrokes the temptation to try and cover all corners of the entertainment world at all times can be great, but for the sake of your health and sanity you need to resist giving in to such ideas. 

There is no way anyone or any one team can cover everything and do a good job. You can cover everything and be pretty mediocre, sure, but being the best at everything just isn’t in the cards. 

Find what your audience wants and serve that to them as often and as well as you possibly can. 

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News

Some things you just can’t work your way through

Today was crazy. I’m sure your day was crazy as well. Whether you’re employed or forever stuck in job limbo you probably had a full list of things to do that did or did not get completed as planned. Do you keep lists? I keep lists. Sometimes they keep me on track and sometimes they remind me how easily I get distracted.

Things took a turn for the worse when a call came from home. A private family matter has come up that is entirely out of everyone’s control and there is nothing we can really do except continue moving forward — into a holiday that is all about family. I will not get into the details here, but suffice to say it was the kind of thing no one ever wants to receive a call about.

I was in shock. My heart was racing and my body was felt like it was riding a literal rollercoaster of emotions while my brain tried to process everything at the same time my stomach was probably starting to digest the last drops of my morning coffee. The holidays are right around corner and a trip back home was going to happen regardless of the latest developments, but suddenly the distance felt greater and the time even more precious.

It’s funny how we typically only consider the value of certain things – the most important things – in moments of crisis.

Time passed. I don’t know how long. Twenty Minutes. Maybe thirty. A ding from my computer notifying me to an incoming email snapped me back from the daze I had been lost within for the better part of the last half-hour. This week is usually quite slow, but with both major holidays beginning on the weekend people seem to be pushing their time at work a little later than usual. I read two emails and then read them again, trying hard to process easy information. My brain knew what it would typically be doing and wanted to go back to that routine in order to try and calm the rest of my system, but unfortunately for it and me it wasn’t working.

I had already worked on the social posts and blog content for the day, so my brain switched tasks and attempted to focus on those instead. Was everything timed well? Did I need to edit my writing again? I scanned and scrolled, but if I tell you the honest truth it all felt like a blur.

Frustrated, I turned my back to my computer and decided to take lunch. If work could not solve my problems I assumed tacos could. This theory was based on previous experiments that yielded great results, and I thought a little time in the sun might do me good. I put on music, then a podcast, and headed out in hopes of taking deep breathes of cool winter air. The cold wind on my face was a good distraction. The tacos were even better. In the end, however, I  was alone once again with only my thoughts and will for creativity at my side.

We live in a world today that tells anyone with an inkling of creativity that they need to channel everything they experience into their art (and by art I probably mean brand). Did you have a good day? Share some optimism with the world. Did someone break your heart? Write a song about it or draft a screenplay where you say everything you didn’t say in the moment. Take the moments that define who you are and make it something people can connect to because the only way to be anything anymore is to define yourself by being as relatable as possible to the widest, yet most niche demographic we can find.

I’m not saying I wanted to turn my recent family hardship into art or profit, but I am saying that when faced with the need to confront something difficult the thing my brain chose to run to was work. Imagine it as if a part of my brain were poking another part of my brain and slyly suggesting, “Why deal with this when we could do that thing we do with the things we’ve already dealt with? You know, get to work. Create!”

But working right now doesn’t change the fact that there are more important matters at hand. Getting to work will not undo or otherwise void the way life is changing around me and I need to process that. Anyone who finds themselves in a situation where close friends or family come calling needs to know that answering their call and taking action is what matters most. How we deal with things and how we alter our own paths based on the changes we are faced with will come in time, but first we have to step back from our work and art and whatever else we busy ourselves with to fully embrace our new realities. There is healing that needs to happen. You have to acknowledge the pain in order to allow that healing to begin.

So yea, today was pretty crazy. I learned something about myself that told me I need to focus on disconnecting from work in order to devote more of my attention to what matters most in the new year. Finding a perfect balance is probably impossible, but it’s worth working toward.

James Shotwell is the Digital Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also the Film Editor for Substream Magazine, the host of the Inside Music podcast, and a 10-year music writing veteran. You should follow him on Twitter.

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News

Make your lyrics available and easy to find

Say what you will about how the age of streaming has decluttered the life of music fans by doing away with the need for physical releases, but ask someone to use those same services to learn the lyrics of their new favorite song and your question will be met with silence. Between Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, Rdio, and Tidal there is not a single platform that allows users to follow along with a song by reading the track’s lyrics. Those wishing to do that music first open an internet browser, Google a few keywords, and then-9 times out of 10-they will find a non-artist owned site to read from. Any ad money generated from this activity goes to the owner of the site that posted the lyrics and not the artists who wrote the lyrics in the first place.

This was rarely the case when CDs were popular. People talk about holding the album in their hands and how the presence of a physical product gave more value to the fact money was being spent, but for me the best part of owning any record was pouring over the lyrics contained within the meticulously crafted booklet included with each album. When I bought a record and no words were within, I was upset. With enough spins you can learn the words to pretty much any song, but there is something far more meaningful about being able to read and understand them from the first or second listen. It frees the mind to focus more on the music as a whole, allowing listening the chance to properly experience each rise and fall as the artist intended, which in turn gives more meaning to the lyrics.

Regardless of how famous or unknown they may be, every artist should make it a point to post their lyrics online through a site or page they control. If not for the sake of controlling the conversation around your content online, then for the sake of fans new and old. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve discovered a promising new band online, only to become instantly discouraged when there was no place for me to read and decipher the content of their music. Fans want to be able to sing along with the songs they love, regardless of whether or not the words are easy to learn (I’m looking at you, Korean Migos), and when artists do not take the responsibility to educate fans about their art it either gets posted by a third party who then profits for no good reason, or it goes uncovered, as is the case for many smaller bands.

Platforms like Purevolume and Bandcamp offer the ability to add lyrics to streams. They understand that part of the music discovery experience is learning to sing along. They know that once someone finds an artist they feel a connection to they will immediately want to know everything they can about that talent, starting with the words behind the music. They want to see what it is about the words that connect with their life, or what it is about the hook that makes them feel inspired. When no lyrics are immediately available, there is a high risk of quick burnout from new new listeners. An artist’s music may be strong, but in an age as flooded with quality artist as today’s music market it requires a lot more than sheer talent to hold the attention the average music consumer. There needs to be a real emotional connection, and while that may begin with the music, it’s often sealed with the words themselves.

Start today. Don’t wait another minute. Chances are high if you’re an artist reading this now you already have some, if not all of your lyrics stored somewhere on your computer or mobile device. Log onto you numerous streaming accounts, as well as your personal website, and post those lyrics as soon as you are able. Afterwards, promote the presence of these lyrics and invite fans to learn the words before your next show. You can also use this approach for regional marketing, challenging various cities to sing along to singles louder than other cities, or simply encouraging a quick refresher of what’s in store before your big show. Whatever you do, get those lyrics online. Please.

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News

Over a dozen Haulix clients nominated for the 2017 GRAMMY Awards

The 59th Annual Grammy Awards will be held February 12 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and broadcast live on CBS. For the first time in six years LL Cool J will step down as host so that late night television personality and viral video superstar James Corden can take the reigns. Today, The Recording Academy revealed the 2017 GRAMMY nominees. You can view the full list of contenders here.

We wanted to take a moment and celebrate the more than a dozen talented performers and groups who received GRAMMY nominations today after relying on Haulix for their promotional distribution needs. We have clients nominated in every single genre, including some of the biggest names in music at the moment. Chance The Rapper, Blink-182, Metallica, Weezer, Korn, Periphery, Sia, and Highly Suspect, and just a few of the artists have used Haulix in the last twelve months to ensure their albums were securely and discreetly shared with members of the industry at large.

Everything in this business is connected. The albums that receive GRAMMY nominations are often the records that have strong promotion behind them, and that is only possible if the records are bringing in money and getting a positive word of mouth. We play an integral role in ensuring that happens by providing a platform that connects industry professionals from all corners of the planet with new and unreleased music in a manner that is safe and secure. By keeping leaks to a minimum and helping artists to fight any unwanted sharing of their material online we have helped hundreds, if not thousands of performers find success in this business and we hope to continue doing so for many years to come.

All that said, this post is not intended to be all about us. We do what we do because we love music, and it makes us extremely happy and proud to see the artists who believe in us receive the recognition we have long known they deserved. Congratulations to everyone. Here’s hoping at least a few of you bring home shiny gold statues in February 2017.

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News

BRACE YOURSELVES: The annual music industry slowdown is coming

As much as things are always changing in the music industry there is still a lot that remains the same. Beginning at the end of October every year, the music business as a whole quietly starts winding down operations in anticipation of the holiday season. Most major PR firms and labels offer employees anywhere from 1-3 weeks near the end of the year because there is little to no new business to be done. Everyone is typically too busy with family and celebrations – as they should be – to care about work, and so far 2016 appears to be no different.

While this is an awesome thing for those fortunate enough to have full-time employment in music it is often frustrating for those on the come up. Bloggers and music writers, for example, have to work harder and harder to keep their readership up as the industry begins to release less and less news. This, all while the number of singles and albums released week to week from notable artists takes a significant plunge.

Similar frustrations exist for independent professionals in management, publicity, production, and all other corners of the industry. Unless you are making enough money to live comfortably for a month without any new income, the end of the calendar year always seems to add a bit extra stress to daily life. Family and holidays help to ease the mind, of course, but such downtimes can start to feel like an attempt at financially treating water if one does not plan in advance.

Knowing the slowdown is coming is a good step toward not losing your mind when work essentially grinds to a halt here in four weeks time, but there are things you can do to prepare as well:

  • Starting today, make a calendar from now until the end of the year detailing all the work you hope to accomplish. If you’re an artist, outline you creative goals as well as your promotion ones. If you run a blog, outline your planned features and when you want them to run. Be specific.
  • Speak with any collaborators, parents, or bandmates you may have about holiday travel plans. Everyone deserves time to disconnect and be with family. Knowing when people plan to unplug can prevent any problems over responsibilities and activity from interrupting someone’s time with their loved ones.
  • Make a plan to disconnect yourself. Contrary to what that crazy voice inside your head may be telling you there are very few, if any, people expecting you to be steadily churning out new work throughout the final two weeks of 2016. All websites see a decline in traffic around Christmas and New Year. Many artists see a decline in attendance at shows as well. People are still enjoying music and engaging with it, but their focus is largely on other, far more important things. Don’t miss out on time with your family because you believe you are able to be the creative that changes this global trend. For once, accept that you, like everyone else, needs a break.
  • Set goals for the new year. Once you plan the remainder of 2016 and set aside time for relaxation you might as well get a head start on your plans for 2017. You’ll no doubt want to hit the ground running once the holidays have all passed, and having a plan of action in place is a good way to ensure that happens.
  • Take time to reflect on – and take pride in – what you have accomplished this year. All creative people that I know are hard on themselves far more often than they should be because they have an insatiable thirst to see what else can be done. While a drive to keep pushing forward is admirable it can also be problematic. There will always be another task to complete or achievement to unlock. The mountain never ends, so if you’re waiting to reach the top before celebrating your successes that time will never come. The end of the year slowdown creates a unique opportunity to disengage from the day to day struggle long enough to look at your body of work as a whole. Don’t miss out.

James Shotwell is the Digital Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also the Film Editor for Substream Magazine and host of the Inside Music podcast. We recommend you follow him on Twitter.

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