With the industry slowing down ahead of the holidays, now is the perfect time to position yourself for success in 2022. We can help.
Everyone has a plan. If you do not think you have a plan right now, then your plan is to fail. That may sound like high school football coach gibberish, but it does carry some weight in the music business. Everyone who has ever gotten anywhere has made a plan to get there, and we are going to help you succeed in 2022 by doing just that. We’re going to make a plan.
But plans are more than just goals. Generally speaking, most people think about plans as a destination. They want to climb a mountain or release an album or go on tour, but they don’t make much of a plan to get there. Success depends on the details surrounding your project. When will you make time to do something, and how will you afford to do it? What skills do you need? Who will help you? All of these things and much more need to be answered if you want any chance of success in music.
In this Music Biz update, host James Shotwell begins by taking stock of the entertainment industry. Between the massive delays with physical media, the ongoing pandemic, and wavering consumer confidence, we live in a ‘new normal’ that demands new plans. James then guides users through the planning process, including establishing a series of checks and balances to ensure your goals are reached. Check it out!
Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.
As the world races to stop the spread of yet another COVID variant, many in music are beginning to worry about what might happen to live music if the US enters another lockdown.
We have to talk about COVID-19. Regardless of your feelings or beliefs regarding the novel coronavirus, there is no denying that we are still living in a global pandemic. The recent return of live music seems to tease normalcy, but the latest headlines tell a much scarier story.
The most recent COVID variants are the most aggressive yet. Both the Delta variant and far more recent Delta+ are more transmissible and deadly than previous iterations of the virus. Worse yet, everyone is at risk, including the vaccinated and those with antibodies. The spread is out of control, and many believe a fresh round of cultural restrictions is on the horizon.
In this Music Biz update, host James Shotwell tells you everything you need to know about the Delta variant, the battle against COVID-19, and the growing concerns around the industry regarding the future of live music.
Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.
TikTok is the leading platform in music discovery right now, and we can help you build the following needed to get your next release heard.
Nobody anticipated the way TikTok would revolutionize the music industry. In a few short years, the video-sharing app has catapulted hundreds of songs onto the charts and helped countless artist elevate their career. It’s also become one of the most widely used social media platforms on the planet, with more than 1-billion downloads worldwide and daily users that number in the hundreds of millions.
As soon as Lil Nas X and “Old Town Road” to pop culture by storm, industry executives everywhere began flocking to TikTok in hopes of finding the next big thing. Artists, seeing how the once unknown rapper became a household name, followed suit.
But time has taught us that many musicians still don’t know how to build a following on TikTok. Going viral on the app is not as easy as some make it seem, and getting your song to takeoff is even more challenging. For every artist who cuts through the noise, hundreds, possibly thousands, do not.
You and your music deserve to be heard. TikTok can launch artists from any genre into the global spotlight, but you cannot achieve that success level through promotional posts alone. TikTok’s algorithm is brilliant, and overcoming it requires active participation in the app’s massive community.
In this Music Biz update, host James Shotwell shares five growth strategies for musicians. These tips are easy to implement and can make a massive impact on reach and engagement in as little as one month.
Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.
Zire is one of many new services advertising cheap music promotion on social media, but are their claims too good to be true? We found out.
Every musician knows the experience of swiping through stories on Instagram and seeing advertisements for services they’ve never heard of promising impossible things. Some offer to ‘unlock’ an artist’s true potential with a course or livestream event. Others promise to help “maximize” reach or “get guaranteed” exposure in exchange for a small amount of money.
If you’re anything like us, then these advertisements are probably met with an eye-roll. You feel your gut warning you to keep scrolling because the claims in the ad seem too good to be true. After all, if meaningful success costs less than $100, wouldn’t everyone do it?
Sometimes things are different. Sometimes you stare at the ads and its slick animation, wondering if maybe the reason you haven’t heard of this service is because nobody you know has tried it yet. Perhaps you even tell yourself that the promises being made aren’t unrealistic. Maybe these companies do have all the answers, and you’re the only one whose thought to give them a try!
You should always trust your gut. If your instincts are telling you that something is too good to be true or someone is offering something you know cannot be delivered for next to nothing, then you are a fool to consider otherwise.
But on the off chance you’re still considering these companies, we went ahead and spent money for you. We found Zire, one of many companies promising cheap promotion on multiple high-profile websites and apps for a small amount of money, and we bought a one-week campaign. We partnered with the band You, Me, And Everyone We Know to see what would happen when their single, “F.I.N.E.,” was promoted on the service. The results are not shocking, but they are worth discussing.
In this Music Biz update, host James Shotwell walks through the Zire platform. He showcases the site’s slick animations, automated ad creation, and seemingly in-depth analytics. He also compares the result of a $40 promotion to the typical engagement You, Me, And Everyone We Know sees on their Spotify profile. Check it out:
Some highlights:
To their credit, Zire’s creation process is simple. Artists find a song, upload photos, connect social accounts, and set parameters for their ad.
Our one-week, $40 campaign included ads on Rolling Stone,Pitchfork, Genius, Ultimate Classic Rock, and more.
Despite asking users to upload photos, Zire auto-generates dozens of ads using stock images that users have no choice in using. These images didn’t reflect the look or sound of the band.
The most impressions our ad received was on a website that has not been updated for over a year. Worse, the site had nothing to do with the style of music the band plays.
According to Zire, our one-week campaign generated over 27,000 impressions. Of those, less than 600 clicked through to a streaming service.
Based on Zire’s audience insight, most of our impressions were from advertisements shown to people ages 45-55, which is much higher than the band’s target demographic. Zire does not allow users to set age parameters during the ad creation process.
Ads were shown to people worldwide, including countries where the band has no footprint or any ability to visit in the foreseeable.
Compared to previous weeks, You, Me, And Everyone We Know saw no measurable change in consumption or followers.
Of the roughly 550 Spotify plays that the Zire ad potentially made possible, the band generated $2.20 in revenue.
In summary:
We spent $40 to make roughly $2.20 with ads that cast the widest net possible. Zire’s insights tell us there were nearly 30,000 impressions, but only about 600 got people to visit a streaming service. We have no way of knowing if those individuals actually listened to the band.
Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.
Getting an offer from a record label was once the dream of every musician, but today’s artists recognize other ways to get ahead.
The music industry is in a constant state of evolution. That has always been true, but technology has hastened the speed of change. Marketing today looks nothing like it did a decade ago, which itself felt far removed from the marketing efforts of the late 1990s. That is one of the countless examples of how the industry is evolving, and change won’t be stopping anytime soon.
Record labels were once the height of an artist’s aspirations. “If only I can get the attention of a label,” many musicians thought, “then the world will notice me.”
But time has taught us that isn’t true. There are many musicians with record deals who face the same fate as those without. These artists may get the resources that labels offer, but no amount of money or corporate planning can guarantee success.
The truth is that the consumer always dictates who is and is not successful. Major label money can do a lot, but so can a teenager with 4-million TikTok followers who love to watch them dance.
That brings us to a question that seems to come up every year: Do you need a record label? After all, is the debt artists accept for a shot at success worth the risk of nobody listening to their creative output? Is trusting yourself and your team the smarter and more fiscally responsible path?
In the latest Music Biz video, host James Shotwell investigates the necessity of record labels in 2021. He shares the questions every artist should ask before entertaining any recording contract offers and warns of the drawbacks to staying independent. He even shares an example of one musician who ignored major label money and had a better career as a result.
Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.
No industry is harder to conquer than music, but following these basic business principles will help anyone stay ahead of their competition.
Don’t let the glitz and glamor of superstars lead you to lose sight of the truth — music is a business. Like any other industry, the music business makes, packages, and sells products to consumers. It is not that far removed from fashion, tech, or even pharmaceuticals.
Too many people, ourselves included, lose sight of the business element in music. We want to believe that success is a result of creativity and that the most artistic person is the one who ultimately gets ahead. But we all know that is a lie. We know that the best songwriters and most skilled musicians rarely reach the top of the charts. Even when they do, they often align themselves with a person or group that culture sees as a hot commodity. Talent alone is rarely, if ever, enough.
It’s important to view music as a business because there are countless principles that — more often than not — dictate who succeeds. These are rules and theories that any person studying business in college would learn, and they’re widely available in countless variations published through any book promising “get rich” tips and “guaranteed success.”
In this episode of Music Biz, host James Shotwell shares eight timeless business principles and how they apply to your music career. He offers examples of success and explains where people often make mistakes. There are many more principles to share, and we will continue to post them here as time allows.
Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.
After two straight years of radio and streaming success, DaBaby has created a blueprint for artists that everyone should follow.
It’s hard to find a more public figure in music than DaBaby. With almost half a dozen releases in a two-year span, not including guest verses and high-profile appearances, the North Carolina rapper turned superstar is a staple of pop culture conversation. He’s achieved a level of success where every single makes an immediate chart appearance, and every artist looking for attention asks for his help. In essence, he is the go-to creative for anyone trying to capture the pop and hip-hop spotlight.
But DaBaby did not reach his current level of success overnight. There was no singular event or track that catapulted the rapper from underground sensation to platinum-selling star. DaBaby’s achievements were earned over time, and it took years of scattershot marketing efforts to find an approach that could create a lasting impact. His tireless work ethic and constant fan engagement are now ushering in a new standard for artists in all genres that may seem insurmountable at first but is entirely within reach.
In the latest MusicBiz update, host James Shotwell breaks down the four key elements of the DaBaby’s success and what other musicians can learn from each. He examines how transparency, storytelling, and thinking strategically about the streaming era of consumption make a difference in an artist’s career trajectory. He also touches on experimentation and how constant reinvention can hold the attention of increasingly distracted consumers.
Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.
Teenage star Olivia Rodrigo’s song “Driver’s License” is the biggest hit in the world right now, and its success points to a bright future for songwriters everywhere.
It seems like the news is happening too fast for anyone to follow in January 2021. Between the Capitol riots, vaccine distribution, and the presidential inauguration, life is moving fast. Nobody can blame you if music hasn’t been the first thing on your mind, but you really shouldn’t go much longer without experiencing Olivia Rodrigo’s new single, “Driver’s License.” Check it out:
“Driver’s License” is the biggest song in the world right now, and it is breaking new records with each passing day. The song recently set a single-day consumption record on Spotify with more than 17-million streams. It’s the most played track in dozens of countries, and its video has earned over 50-million views in less than two weeks. All this, for a singer-songwriter under the age of eighteen who until recently was relatively unknown to most of the world.
So how did this happen?
The success of “Driver’s License” is no fluke, but it results from several important factors coming together at the perfect moment in time. Rodrigo is a Gen Z star leading a Disney+ series with strong ties to social media, for starters. Her private life is well known to her young audience, and their belief in the starlet made the song a hit on TikTok as soon as its release. There is also a pop music drought resulting from the ongoing Pandemic, and that has left a wide-open field for new voices to gain attention.
But that’s not all. The forward momentum made possible by the factors above could only lift “Driver’s License” to the insane heights it is currently reaching if the song was good (and it is). The track taps into universal feelings of confusion, vulnerability, and heartache, anchored by a story revolving around a pivotal moment in human development that everyone recognizes. It’s a testament to the power of storytelling, and it defies the years of criticism pop music has received for being viewed as shallow or meaningless. “Driver’s License” has meaning, and it is resonating with listeners in a big way.
Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.
With a brand new double-album in stores and millions of monthly listeners, Morgan Wallen sets an example of success in music that others should follow.
Talent doesn’t have a genre. You may love rock music and swear that it’s the only genre you will ever perform, but that doesn’t mean you cannot appreciate the talents of rappers, EDM artists, or country songwriters. Anyone capable of succeeding in the ever-changing, incredibly over-saturated music marketplace is someone with skills that others need to understand. These individuals have cracked the code of getting consumer attention without sacrificing the quality of their material or their sanity. That’s an accomplishment worthy of praise, and great musicians give credit wherever it’s due.
Morgan Wallen is the country star of the moment. After appearing on The Voice in 2014, Wallen moved to Nashville and began working his way through music’s cutthroat business. He traveled tirelessly, performing anywhere that would welcome him for anyone willing to attend, and he put effort into forming strong bonds with other creators trying to get their voices heard. Success did not come overnight. There were peaks and valleys of all kinds, but sometime in the last two years, the masses finally began taking notice of his talent. He’s currently a Billboard and radio chart-topping talent with a brand new double-album, and he continues to work hard at becoming a better, more efficient musician.
In this episode of Music Biz 101, host James Shotwell explores Wallen’s career from his humble beginnings in East Tennessee to the top of the global streaming charts. He searches through the songs and moments that made Wallen a star to understand better how someone from a small town like any other found his way into the pop culture spotlight. Check it out:
Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.
The temptation to deliver surprise releases may be great, but most artists need to think twice before sharing unexpected material with fans.
There is something to be said for the element of surprise and its ability to engage your audience. Everyone loves learning that their favorite artists have new creations to share, but not every creator has a career that can leverage surprise releases in a meaningful way.
In 2020, Taylor Swift made global headlines twice with surprise releases. Her two albums, Evermore and Folklore, were immediate hits covered by everyone in music journalism. The short notice given to fans about the impending releases didn’t matter because, to be frank, she’s Taylor Swift. The world already cares about her and her music, so it doesn’t take long to get people excited about something new.
But you’re not Taylor Swift. You’re most likely not Playboy Carti, Bad Bunny, or any of the other arena level talent surprising fans with new music in recent years. You are an up and coming artist doing your best to stand out from the endless sea of competition. You have to work to make people outside your immediate circle care about new music, and even when you get press, it’s unclear if the reach does anything to move the needle for your career.
In the latest Music Biz 101 clip, host James Shotwell discusses the pros and cons of surprise releases. He works through why this release strategy works better for some than others and offers ways to gauge whether dropping music out of nowhere will help your career. Check it out:
Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.
