Tag: Music Scams

Categories
Industry News News

BEWARE! New Scam Targets Independent Musicians On Spotify

Spotify Scam

A group of deceptive independent musicians recently uncovered a secret way to game one of Spotify’s most popular playlists for new music discovery.

We make a lot of content about scams in the music industry, and for a good reason. Nothing infuriates more than people taking advantage of dreamers for selfish personal gain. People shouldn’t be afraid to trust others with their aspirations, especially on Spotify of all places, but such is the world we live in.

Billboard recently reported on a new scam involving independent artists who leverage the following of other independent musicians for personal gain. These performers upload songs to Spotify with other, larger artists tagged as featured on the music. That tag gets the attention of Spotify’s algorithm, which then takes the material and distributes it to the release radar of people who follow or frequently listen to the more popular artist (who—to be clear—is not actually on the track in question).

When fans realize they’ve been lied to, the artist perpetuating the myth has already earned another stream for their song. Multiply that by hundreds if not thousands of incidents, and deceptive musicians could easily see a sizable boost in their streaming revenue through continual use of this tactic.

There’s a related problem that also needs addressing. Major label artists do not have to worry about similar scams being attempted with their likeness. As Music Biz host James Shotwell details in his latest video, Spotify has a manual review process to ensure the top of the charts cannot be fooled by deceptive business practices. That forces us to ask: Why don’t independent artists get the same treatment?

No views Aug 18, 2022 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.

Categories
Industry News News

How Digital Scam Artists Prey On Unsuspecting Musicians [Video]

If you’ve ever received a DM from an individual promising something that felt too good to be true, this video on scam artists is for you.

When I was beginning my career, my grandfather offered me advice that I carry to this day. “Wherever there are dreamers,” he told me, “there will be people looking to make a quick buck by exploiting that dream.” He knew scam artists were everywhere, but I’m not sure even my grandfather understood how prevalent such tricksters would be in 2022.

Every artist with an online presence has encountered a scammer. Maybe they posed as a fan to get friendly before trying to sell them special services, or perhaps they’re pretending to be a major record label exec. Either way, scammers are everywhere, and they target the hungriest artists because they know desperate people rarely think things through.

Ever since our first article on scam artists, musicians worldwide have contacted us regarding direct messages, emails, phone calls, and even business cards they’ve received from people they felt were trying to scam them. More often than not, those concerns were later validated when we uncovered the truth behind the false goods these individuals were promising.

We are still receiving messages from concerned artists. One musician, Jamal, even sent us screenshots and an in-depth description of their interactions with a scammer. We asked for permission to share their experiences with you, and thankfully, they agreed.

Music Biz host James Shotwell shares a step-by-step guide to understanding how scammers operate on social media in the video below. He shares Jamal’s experiences, including screenshots of his conversations, and even places a call to Warner Music Group. 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.

Categories
Artist Advice Editorials Industry News News

We Tried A Cheap Promo Service So You Won’t [VIDEO]

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.

Categories
Industry News News

Exposing The Biggest Scams In Music Today [Video]

Scam artists continue to profit off the dreams of musicians caught in the struggle, but we have three tips that will make you more successful than their schemes ever could.

Scam artists will always exist in every facet of any business. That is because dreamers aspire to reach their goals, and enough of them are willing to pay for so-called experts to advise them that con artists can continue making money. After all, who wouldn’t want to be an overnight success?

There is a dark side to the world of self help and advice that rarely gets acknowledged. While many people do legitimately want to see artists succeed, there are many more who see aspiring stars are targets for their money-making schemes. As the saying goes, “If you want to make money in music, exploit the dreams of musicians.”

We’ve all seen these scams online. You probably see ads for playlist placements, music mentorships, and “direct access” to A&R reps on a regularly on social media. You may even consider looking into these services. The lucky ones don’t let their curiosity lead to spending money, but not everyone is that fortunate. A lot of artists spend money on these people and companies making impossible promises on the off chance they might be legit, and every single time, the artist ends up losing money without advancing their career.

The reason these scams never work out is because they ignore the three rules of music success:

  • Make great content
  • Network with your peers
  • Be a decent human being

Anyone promising mentorships in exchange for annual fees or placement in front of prominent tastemakers for a one-time charge are lying about the essential building blocks of any career. The musicians that are big right now, whether they’re bonafide celebrities or someone who seems to appear overnight, got where they are through hard work, networking, and being someone people enjoy knowing. Those three things are the cornerstone to any legitimate career in this, or any other, field.

That doesn’t mean that all scammers are bad people. Some do offer interesting advice in a very broad sense. They’ll talk about the need to hustle hard, believe in yourself, and consistently release new content to keep people engaged, all of which are good. But that kind of vague motivational fodder will only get you so far in this business.

For more insight on con artists and how to spot them, check out this video our friend Jesse Cannon made on the scammer you’re most likely to find in music.

Categories
Industry News News

Scammers Targeting Artists With Fake ‘Warner Music Group’ Offer

In a time when artists need more help than ever, a group of scammers is trying to take advantage of musicians with a fake email offer from the biggest names in music.

Being an up and coming independent artist is difficult. Being an up and coming independent artist in the time of Covid-19 is nearly impossible. The novel coronavirus has forced the cancelation of all live performances, which has significantly impacted everyone’s ability to make money. Couple that with the decline in physical album sales and song streams, and the current music landscape can appear pretty bleak. Everyone needs help, and those in a position to offer assistance never know where to start.

Whenever times of crisis arise, scam artists come out of the woodwork to take advantage of the situation. Examples of that behavior are everywhere, from price-gouging retailers on Amazon to so-called “natural” healers offering a cure to the virus sweeping the globe. The latest scam is specifically targeting the vulnerable independent talent trying to make ends meet while chasing their dreams.

A new email scam hitting the inboxes of up and coming artists is circulating online. The message finds con artists posing as Warner Music Group (WMG) execs and promising lucrative promotional deals in exchange for sizable upfront fees. The initial message comes complete with the WMG letterhead and (fake) phone number for the WMG offices. You can view an example below:

Aside from the web address and office address, the contents of this email are a lie, but many vulnerable artists may be fooled.

Experienced industry professionals will tell you the above message is a sad attempt at selling a lie. The kind of promotion offered by the scam letter does not exist, but that understanding may not be as obvious to young artists desperate to get ahead.

Those who do proceed with the offer and respond are sent a form to fill out and return detailing their personal and professional information. The message, again, appears fairly legit at first glance. There is even a space reserved for “WMG representative” to sign off on receipt of the information.

Cracks in this scam begin to appear at the end of the information sheet. The program claims to be supported by eleven industry groups and organizations, including Universal Music Group and Billboard. Those entities have no connection to Warner Music Group, nor does a program exist that involves all eleven companies promoting a single artist.

If anyone decides to pursue the scam further, a third form is sent. The email asks the participating artist to choose a “Benefit Plan” that costs between $200 and $1500 upfront. The plans promise branded promotions and claim to boost the artist’s revenue by thousands of dollars.

Of course, once someone pays for their selected plan the scammers disappear and never deliver on anything they promise.

Scams promising young artists high levels of exposure in exchange for money are as old as the industry, but con artists are getting increasingly convincing. If it is not clear by now, you should never pay for promotion from someone you do not know. If a major label wants to work with you, they will go above and beyond to establish a relationship, and they definitely won’t ask for money.

If you receive anything that sounds too good to be true, feel free to contact us for assistance. Email james@haulix.com, and we will do our best to help.

Exit mobile version