Tag: writing

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News

A cure for writer’s block

Writer's Block, Creative Block

If there is one thing that unites musicians and the people who write about them it is the constant struggle to maintain their creativity. It does not matter if you are a blogger or fronting the world’s biggest band, there will be times in this life when you are not able to create at a level you feel is good enough. Call it writer’s block or some mental hurdle; the name doesn’t matter nearly as much as the recognition this resistance is both real and universal. Everyone who attempts to create anything faces these struggles, but that understanding doesn’t make your ability to complete your work any easier.

On a recent episode of his podcast, comedian Joey ‘Coco’ Diaz was speaking with fellow comic Tom Segura about longevity in stand up. Both Joey and Segura are headliners in comedy today, but it took years of hard work and thousands of jokes to reach that level. Still, both men constantly find themselves at a creative impasse. While talking about this on air, Diaz mentioned advice he once received from legendary comedian Paul Mooney when discussing his creative hurdles. Mooney’s advice was summaries in three simple words: get entertained.

I know what some of you are thinking: Get entertained? But I have deadlines! People are counting on me to finish this thing, and it needs to be something great, and it needs to be done now!

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you’re so stuck that you’re reading articles like this about overcoming mental blocks, then the chance of your work being completed to the best of your abilities in the next hour or so is highly unlikely. You have thought about the thoughts you are trying to think too much, which is to say you’ve begun to work yourself in circles. You’re chasing ghosts of ideas you thought you might have at a time other than right now and no amount of searching is going to make them miraculously appear.

Your brain, like your biceps or any other muscle, can only work so much before it needs to rest. To work more efficiently your mind needs exercise, which in the case of creative people includes inspiration in the form of experiences. You are the total of everything you have experienced up to this point, and those experiences have now become both your source of inspiration and – hopefully – income. To continue feeling inspired to create you need to keep taking in new experiences. I say this not just for your work, but for your sanity. You can drive yourself crazy starring at an empty canvas, or you can go out, see or hear or touch or taste or smell something that moves you, then immediately feel the need to create once more purposefully.

That may read like common sense to some readers, but the up and comers still trying to get their foot in the door will think it’s crazy because they’ve been taught this industry does not allow for breaks. Who has time to watch a television show, let alone a two-hour feature film, when emails are flowing like water at all hours of the day? Add to this the need to maintain social channels, which can require posting up to (if not more than) ten separate feeds on any given day, and we haven’t even addressed the actual work any creative is trying to accomplish. Writing songs or stories takes time, but so does finding inspiration, and far too often we forget that fact.

You are only human, and your brain is just a muscle. To perform at your best, you have to rest and exercise, but physically and mentally, on a daily basis. It’s both that simple and that hard, but like any other meaningful routine in life, it is worth the effort.

So the next time you find yourself banging your head against a wall while trying to create your next masterpiece try taking a step back for an hour, night, or even a couple of days. See a movie, go on a hike, or just put on your favorite records. Spend time remembering why you love the thing you do so you can then share that love with the world at large. We’ll be here, ready and waiting to experience what you decide to share.

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News

18 Problems Facing Music Blogs Today (And How To Solve Them)

Music blogs were once widely considered an integral part of any music promotion effort. Before the age of streaming services, dedicated genre flans turned to blogs for new song premieres, new artists, and tour information.

Opinions have changed in recent years. While some blogs are still considered gatekeepers to specific areas of music, many more have been written off as unnecessary or uninteresting (often both). Those criticisms, along with others, have birthed think-pieces, podcasts, and YouTube videos that question the relevancy of the blog market as a whole.

But such criticisms are short-sighted. Much like cassettes and vinyl before them, blogs may not be as vital as they once were, but that does not mean they are dead and gone. There are countless blogs operating today, with more launching every month. People still dream of becoming music journalists, and some even get paid to write about music regularly.

With that in mind, let’s explore the problems music blogs face today, many of which have only arisen in recent years.

1. Interviews are mostly irrelevant in the social media age. Why read an interview with someone who already shares every detail of their life on multiple social media platforms 24/7? What can blogs deliver that they can’t?

2. There will always be a need for a “water cooler” where the conversation on a band/genre takes place, but now there are more avenues for discourse than ever before. Blogs, podcasts, YouTube, Instagram live, etc.

3. Many sites have thrived by regurgitating press releases as fast as possible, but no one is faster than the artists who have likely scheduled the same announcement across all channels in advance of release.

4. Sameness is a disease that has plagued many sites for years. What does any blog offer that no one else can, and how are blogs utilizing that uniqueness to engage music fans?

5. When everyone can share their opinion all the time, why should anyone listen to a blog? Just because someone writes 1000 words on a new album doesn’t mean their perspective is better than what someone else can fit into a tweet. Creativity always wins.

6. Simply sharing content is not enough to build an audience. Where is a blog’s branding? Where is their investment? How are they making their content their own and not just another use of the same promo image every other site uses for the exact same coverage?

7. Single platform sites are dinosaurs. Does the blog have a podcast? How about a YouTube channel? Are they creating unique content for their Instagram and Twitter, or is everything the same everywhere?

8. Have sites made any effort to promote their content beyond having their contributors share links tagging talent? Artists are more inclined to engage fans than they are to try pleasing a blog that relies on them to bring clicks. Where is the authority?

9. Speaking of original content, does the blog edit their posts? Are they developing a voice? Do they curate image galleries rather than posting 50+ photos from a show they covered in 250 words, most of which can be summarized with “it was cool”?

10. What about your community? Has the site identified the type of person who reads their content? If so, have they asked readers why they choose that publication over the competition? Have they asked their audience who they want to know more about?

11. What is a site’s focus? Everyone listens to a little bit of everything, but no site is proficient or knowledgeable about every genre. Sites hoping to succeed need to identify what coverage performs the best and minimize the rest. Blogs shouldn’t trend hop just because Lil Whatstheirname is suddenly buzz-worthy.

12. Does everyone really need a site of their own, or would they be better suited for partnering with another site to create one powerhouse force? Is it ego or necessity that dictates that decision?

13. As far as advertising and promotion, what is a site’s target market? How did they identify them? What can they offer that group that other sites can’t or won’t?

14. Too many sites lack clear goals. Many are trying to be Rolling Stone, but that is a terrible decision because the business model of Rolling Stone is no longer working for that publication in today’s world. Sites need to set attainable goals and manage their expectations along the way.

15. If they do start a YouTube Channel or podcast, why? How are they working to differentiate that content from what already exists? The more specific sites can be the better. No one needs more “people who like everything talking about everything they like.”

16. Networking matters. What kind of relationships are new sites developing with PR/Labels/Artists? Are they saying yes to everything? If so, stop that. Are they only saying yes if they promise to promote? If so, top that. Are they working together to create the best possible content that can help everyone? If so, do more of that.

17. Too many sites dream big but act small. If blogs try something new, they MUST put their all into it. Why should anyone else give a damn about what a website is doing if the site owners don’t give a damn? Quality breeds community.

18. Blogs need to listen to the music community more. Find a need and fill it. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a complete list of tours currently happening in any specific genre? How about a playlist with all the new material from any one genre each week? These ideas and many more are waiting to be utilized.

These problems don’t even begin to address the problem of monetization, or they need to pay contributors, but both these issues can be solved AFTER an audience has been developed.

Blogs will never die, but it’s likely many sites that exist right now won’t be around in five years’ time. If you want to survive then you must adapt. Constant evolution based on analysis of trends and tastes will inevitably give way to longevity. Complacency only leads to death.

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News

Here’s your chance to write the next great music novel

November is National Novel Writing Month

As the old saying goes, everyone has a story to tell. Some may be tales of triumph or perhaps one of great tragedy, but all are worthy of being shared with the world at large.

November is National Novel Writing Month, otherwise known as NaNoWriMo18. Started by For the next thirty days, creative minds around the world will be doing their best to create the next great book. There are no financial commitments to make, nor meetings to attend. All you have to do is write. Get your thoughts out of your head and onto the paper (or your favorite word processor).

That said, there are tools to help you, as well as a place to seek support for your ideas. The official National Novel Writing Month website is an excellent place to start. By signing up for a free account, writers can access features that help track their progress, as well as materials that will help bring their creativity to life. You can also search the #NaNoWriMo18 hashtag, which is used on all social platforms to connect people and boost morale. Here’s a small peek at the type of material you can find:

We have some advice of our own if you’d like to hear it:

1. Do not worry about grammar while writing your first draft. Worrying about details like that can stall your progress. Just write.

2. Don’t set unreasonable goals. You don’t know what the rest of the month will hold. Do the best you can every day and accept that as being enough.

3. Dream big. If you have a story that is unlike anything you’ve ever seen, tell it. If your story is bold and provocative, write it out. Take risks and have fun.

We are going to participate as well. If you want to trade ideas or drafts, email james@haulix.com.

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Job Board News

Music Industry Job Board (April 9, 2018)

The music industry is growing, and it needs people to helpm build the future of entertainment. If that describes you, our job board is waiting.

New openings:

Music Curator (Cascade.fm – NYC)

Cascade.FM is a new music streaming platform that also serves as a streaming company for independent artists. We discover new artists and partner with businesses and fans to create the best experience for all.

Arts and Entertainment Reporter (Lee Enterprises – Billings, MT)

The Billings Gazette is looking for a reporter who isn’t just curious about what’s happening in the Billings area, but wants to interview local and touring musicians, artists and actors, and dive deep into the city’s growing food-and-drink scene. This reporter will lead our coverage of events and features for our weekly entertainment tab, Enjoy. It wouldn’t hurt to be occasionally handy with a camera.

Music Synch Agent (Music Publisher – New York, NY)

Boutique music catalogue is seeking an experienced Music Synch Agent to “partner” with. The candidate will be responsible for the marketing and pitching of our growing catalog of production music & independent artists to TV/Film Music Supervisors, Advertising Agencies, Broadcast & Cable Networks, Gaming Companies, Post Production/Edit Facilities, Production Companies, and Trailer Houses.

This is an exciting and intensive role to build collaborative, creative relationships and requires the candidate to have a minimum of 3 years experience in music licensing along with a quality reputation as a creative and attentive problem solver. Candidate must be highly motivated and self-reliant who works well independently and will be working from home to build and maintain relationships with their clientele.

Assistant Editor (Entertainment Voice – Los Angeles, CA)

Applicants must be willing and able to oversee the executive editor and section editors’ needs, such as scheduling, securing promotional materials and event coverage for various sections of the editorial departments, creating and maintaining spreadsheets for various sections, regular researching and presenting events and happenings across all sections of film, television, music, theater & stage, visual arts, dining, travel, and LA and NYC regional along with national and global events for potential editorial coverage.

Music Management Assistant (Water Ox Management – Nyack, NY)

Assist music manager in establishing new contacts, organizing, marketing music and following up. Must be motivated and a self-starter. Please be local to the Nyack, NY area and have a car.

Assistant Sound Designer (Williamstown Theatre Festival – Williamstown, MA)

The Assistant Sound Designer reports directly to the Sound Supervisor. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Assisting in daily operation of sound department
  • Assisting Guest and Resident Sound Designers on Festival production as assigned
  • Design opportunities on Workshop projects such as Free Theatre, Fellowship projects, and the Late Night Cabarets
  • Maintaining sound, video and communications equipment
  • Running work calls

Audio Editor (Ryman Hospitality Properties – Nashville, TN)

The purpose of this position is to ensure and execute the creation of various audio and video production commercials/elements/promos for WSM-AM and all digital platforms.

Assistant Program Director/On-Air Talent (iHeartMedia – USA)

The Assistant Program Director shadows and supports the Program Director in all aspects of radio station’s on air experience including: preforming as on-air talent, content, tone, programming, production, sound & theme, and online presence.

Live Events Producer (Momentum – St. Louis, MO)

Momentum is looking for an amazing Producer to help support our music related account. Our client is a wireless category leader and is working with Momentum to keep driving rapid growth of their portfolio via integrated marketing programs.

Part-Time AC On-Air Talent (Cumulus Media – Denver, CO)

Westwood One 24/7 Formats part-time network announcer, Adult Contemporary format. Five-hour live weekend shift, plus one overnight voice-tracked shift.

Music News Writer (HollywoodLife – NYC)

Join our talented team in a fast-paced and fun Midtown newsroom, expanding your career as a Music News Writer and Reporter for one of today’s fastest-growing celebrity news websites. Looking for 2+ years of experience in entertainment publishing for a digital format. Interest in music, celebrity, and general news is required as assignments will not be solely music entertainment focused. This is a very active newsroom. Each writer/reporter is responsible for 7+ daily posts. Exposure to WordPress VIP is preferred. Generally takes 6-8 weeks before the new additions to the team can self-publish.

Audio Editor, Sports Newsroom (SiriusXM – NYC)

Audio Editor to coordinate feeds, editing of sports sound and operation of equipment. Work will include evenings, weekends, and some holidays.

Sound Engineer/Assistant (Boris Goldmund Creative – San Francisco, CA)

I need a per project sound engineer to set up and take down bose compact audio towers for events for which I produce live entertainment. For example, Live singer and dj hook up to a bose compact tower in a private home. $60 an hour. Set up, take down and sound check. Stay for show. $250 for four hours.

Music Producer (StarMaker Interactive – San Francisco, CA)

StarMaker is tearing down the traditional music industry machinery and re-envisioning it. For decades, talent discovery was held back by an outdated model of record company gatekeepers. The next resurgence will happen between social and mobile… and we are building it (with our 100 million users).

StarMaker is the music talent platform for the digital age, providing the technology that drives the next generation of talent and video content. StarMaker partners with record labels including Atlantic, Interscope, Columbia, Hollywood, Island Def Jam, and RCA and with “The Voice” and “American Idol,” among others, to provide fans and talent with the most engaging music experiences. We have offices in San Francisco and Beijing.

As Music Producer, you’ll be responsible for taking the best new songs and preparing them for our fans.

On-Air Talent (LivTheBiz – Miami, FL)

We’re currently looking for outgoing & enthusiastic personalities to become on-air talent for our YouTube channel! Our goal is to grow our channel into an eclectic digital network of music reviewers, music new reporters & video hosts to create original programming that highlights independent musicians & pop culture. These personalities must LOVE music, be very knowledgeable of the current music landscape, be comfortable on camera, have experience recording themselves & basic editing knowledge. This is a part-time volunteer based position which can grow into a paid position.

Music Booking Agent (Blossom Agency – Los Angeles, CA)

Blossom Agency is a talent management and promotions firm seeking to begin a new chapter and bring on a fully engaged live performance booking agent to our dynamic and growing talent agency. This candidate will be a strong team player with a passion for the music business. We are looking for someone with 2+ years of experience who is all about the artists that he or she represents and is accustomed to providing service that is second to none in the industry. They will be trustworthy, loyal, enthusiastic, authentic and organized in an industry where these characteristics are very rare. An excellent communicator and problem solver, we expect that the final candidate will be “client centric” while achieving, if not exceeding, his or her booking fee and artist development targets. This is a new position in a startup organization where the longer-term opportunities and upside for earnings and development are unlimited. This is a commission-only paid position. We cannot offer benefits at this time.

Sr Manager, Music Editor (Comcast – Philadelphia)

This strategic editorial position within Xfinity Entertainment Services will oversee prioritization and programming of Music and Music related content on X1 and across related platforms. The editor will work closely with our content strategy, product, expanded content, and marketing teams to grow and further define the music experience as X1 transitions from a video-centric experience to a whole-home entertainment experience. This editor will employ his/her deep reservoir of expertise along with data to drive and inform business decisions. The ideal candidate will be a true music expert that is super passionate about most if not all genres with their finger on the pulse of pop culture. The individual in this role should have great familiarity with music streaming apps, music videos, music editorial features, and other unique content and should be capable of forging artist and label relationships. The editor will be sensitive to data, able to monitor and track results against goals and adjust strategy accordingly. Must be fluent in hip hop, country, and pop, as well as the lexicons of rock, EDM and Latin, among other genres. Must have experience with a label, a streaming app, a network, or all of the above. This role will also include opportunities to work with other categories like TV, Movies, Kids and more, to ensure Music is integrated in all relevant areas.

Older posts (7+ days)

Featured Content Editor (Apple Music – Culver City, CA)

Dynamic, highly organized writer and editor to manage week-over-week publishing and a team of seasoned writers for Apple Music and iTunes Music Store.

Principal Content Acquisition Manager, Digital Music (Amazon – Seattle, WA)

Amazon Digital Music is looking for an experienced content acquisition executive to join our Content Acquisition Team. The executive will maintain and drive Amazon’s relationships with key content partners. The Principal Content Acquisition Manager will be responsible for developing content strategy, securing new content and additional rights, and performing competitive monitoring. The ideal candidate will have experience negotiating complex licensing agreements, developing new business models, and delivering results in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

Artist Marketing Coordinator (Fender – Burbank, CA)

The Showroom Coordinator is a driven and passionate individual who knows the Fender brand in and out and can support all showroom daily activities including scheduling, events and marketing needs.

Part-Time Promotions Assistant (Cumulus Media – Washington D.C.)

Cumulus Washington, DC currently features 2 stations in the DC Metro Area and the surrounding counties. WRQX and WMAL reach well over a million listeners on a daily basis. At Cumulus Washington, DC we strive to hire passionate, driven, resourceful, problem solvers who have the ability to drive the evolving, diverse culture of the Power of Radio to success.

Cumulus DC has openings for Part-Time Promotions Assistants at Cumulus Media DC. The ideal candidate will be dependable, hardworking and self-motivated while maintaining a great attitude and work ethic.

Boutique Music Studio Manager (Vocal Workout Singing School – NYC)

The VWSS Studio Manager is responsible for creating a client-focused, energetic, positive environment and possesses a strong desire to maximize studio revenue and occupancy. He/she must be a people-focused leader who loves music and is self-motivated.

Label & Artist Marketing Coordinator (Spotify – Miami, FL)

The coordinator will focus on supporting the LAM teams across LatAm and US Latin by providing market research, consumer insight and cross border communication and coordination of priorities. This position will be based in Miami working with the Latin American and the US Latin region to leverage relationships to further Spotify’s marketing and distribution initiatives to the mutual benefit of Spotify and its label partners.

Executive Assistant, SVP Sales (Vevo – NYC)

Vevo is looking for our next band mate to provide support to the Senior Vice President of National Sales, with additional support to other Vice Presidents in our Sales organization. A successful candidate will be self-motivated, quick-thinking, flexible, and able to juggle multiple and diverse responsibilities with a strong emphasis on organization and an unwavering attention to detail at all times. This is a demanding and fast moving position that requires someone who is able to keep to the rhythm of the team while exercising good judgment and significant initiative.

Coordinator, Hispanic Music Programming (SiriusXM – Washington D.C.)

Works with members of the Music Programming team to create superior radio programs as needed. Supports creative processes, content development and production. Exercises both creative abilities and technical skills. Edits materials and operates an audio board. May be assigned to more than one program and perform slightly different functions across channels.

Global Music Planning & Promotions Lead (Apple – Culver City, CA)

pple Music seeks a passionate, solutions-oriented Planning & Promotions Lead to lead high profile, international campaigns. The Global Music Planning & Promotions Lead will be the center point for coordinating and communicating all international music promotions and features across iTunes and Apple Music. The person will coordinate with a wide range of worldwide teams (Business, Marketing, Editorial/ Programming, Production, Operations and Engineering) to execute committed campaigns. The successful candidate will be comfortable working in a fast-moving, constantly evolving and dynamic environment, with the ability to identify opportunities, make informed and measured decisions, the communication skills to form consensus of opinion, the vision to create scalable processes and the attention-to-detail to execute to exceptional standards. The successful candidate will have exceptional communication skills. This job is built around providing support to help teams in the US & Internationally deliver on their objectives within the guardrails of a large corporation. Enforcing strict processes is required to execute accordingly.

Industry Lead, Retail (Spotify – Chicago)

We seek an outstanding Industry Lead, Retail to join the new Global Vertical Team within our Global Agency and Top Accounts organization. The team plays a critical role in developing senior business relationships and partnerships with the world’s biggest agencies and brands. Reporting directly into the Global Head of Verticals, this role will require the right candidate to develop and eventually manage Spotify’s 1st Retail Vertical Team.

Our Vertical Heads (across CPG, Auto, Entertainment, Tech & Retail) act as the knowledge centers for the direct sales teams providing category level expertise, insight and solutions to vertical based challenges. Whilst also managing and supporting global account leads in delivering best in-class partnerships and solutions to Spotify’s largest advertisers business needs.

At the heart of this team is a philosophy of consultative sales that anticipates the business needs of Spotify’s largest advertisers and delivers measurable solutions. You will help cultivate this philosophy.

Above all, your work will impact the way the world experiences music.

Campaign Manager (Amazon Music – Seattle)

Amazon Music is seeking an experienced, innovative, results-oriented marketing professional to lead campaign management in support of advertising programs. This role will drive the planning, management, and cross-team coordination with the creative, media, portfolio planning, research, measurement, and product marketing teams. This individual will have a key role in helping to reinforce brand positioning, new customer acquisition and retention of Amazon Music customers. The ideal candidate is a passionate consumer marketing leader with broad understanding of advertising and creative strategy and how to maximize results across channels. This person must have strong written and verbal communications skills, as well as an entrepreneurial spirit, the ability to influence others and strong cross-functional leadership. This person will have a very strong right brain/left orientation and good judgment. He or she will be known for creativity and innovation but also for rigorous testing, measurement and iteration to improve results continuously. The ideal candidate will be an organized self-starter with a strong bias for action and the ability to work with cross-functional teams. Additionally, this candidate will have demonstrated success in managing creative teams, identified and solved for competing priorities, and analyzed timelines to help streamline deliverables. As well as a track record of on-time delivery of projects, and the ability to operate independently and autonomously.

The Campaign Manager has both strategic and executional responsibilities. The candidate will also manage discussions translating the business needs into actionable creative strategies. The campaign manager will work closely with various internal teams to integrate product/service roadmaps into campaign schedules, get input on product/features and functions and work with product marketing and research teams to identify positioning territories that can be explored during the creative development process. The campaign manager will partner with business teams to ensure the strategic input brief has identified a consumer problem and insights that can be addressed in mass advertising. This includes partnering with the media team to integrate media plans into campaign schedules, and identify unique media opportunities that support the creative strategy. The campaign manager will contribute in mass advertising meetings, campaign reviews with senior leaders, and manage creative assets globally. The campaign manager will strive to drive process improvements and support the mechanisms that track campaign objectives, metrics, and budgets.

Sr. Product Manager (Amazon Music – San Francisco, CA)

Amazon Music is looking for an exceptional and hungry Product Manager to take our web and desktop applications to the next level for our customers. A Product Manager at Amazon Music is the “CEO” of their products and works closely with Engineering, Marketing, Business Development and Finance teams, to set strategy for, define, design, and directly manage nearly all aspects of customer experience and their impact on our business. At Amazon Music, you will not only learn to launch product; you will learn how to successful manage a business.

Venue Manager (Sherwood Center for the Arts Manager – Sherwood, OR)

Under general direction of the Community Services Director, the Sherwood Center for the Arts Manager directs, manages, supervises, and coordinates the activities and operations of the Center for the Arts within the Community Services Department. Provides leadership and administrative oversight for a theater and multi-purpose room, as well as classrooms. Manages the daily operations of the Center and its employees.

Public Relations Manager (St. Louis Symphony Orchestra – St. Louis, MO)

As a member of the Communications Department, the Public Relations Manager facilitates and implements local and regional media relations on behalf of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. The Manager works to enhance and improve the image of the SLSO; educate the public and key stakeholders on the organization’s mission, achievements, and core competencies; publicize activities and performances; tell compelling stories about the SLSO’s impact in the community; and execute the SLSO’s day-to-day public relations activities. The Manager cultivates key relationships within the organization, as well as with external stakeholders. The Manager also assists with other areas of the Communications Department, as needed.

Manager, Marketing (Live Nation – Dallas)

Marketing Manager reports directly to the North American Concerts-Dallas Director of Marketing. This person will be responsible for executing marketing plans for live events and venues managed by the Live Nation Dallas business unit.

Campaign Manager (Vevo – Los Angeles)

Reporting to the Director of Ad Operations, as the Campaign Manager you will play a key role in the success of the Ad Operations group, collaborating both internally and externally. This role will be responsible for management of digital advertising programs and custom advertising implementations, ultimately ensuring 100% delivery and invoicing of all campaigns assigned. As the Campaign Manager you will have the opportunity to partner with almost every department at Vevo, from Revenue Operations, Sales, Marketing, Product & Engineering teams and even external ad vendors. This opportunity will allow you to apply your advertising expertise to identify and implement new solutions within Vevo’s ad serving technology.

Director, Music Events (Centra Michigan University – Mount Pleasant, MI)

Functions under the general supervision of the Director of the School of Music or the Director’s designee. Manages, coordinates, and schedules all School of Music faculty, students, visiting artists and scholars, alumni and development events.

Director of Marketing and Communications (Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra – Orlanda, FL)

Working closely with a dynamic and collaborative Administrative and Artistic Staff, Board of Directors, and Volunteer Association, the Director of Marketing and Communications is responsible for the planning, development, and execution of the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra’s programmatic and institutional marketing and communications initiatives to meet or exceed earned revenue and engagement goals. This unique opportunity is for a select candidate who has a proven track record of success in performing arts marketing, audience development, communications, and an impeccable customer service orientation.

Director of Public Relations (Country Music Foundation – Nashville, TN)

Reporting to the Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing, the Director of Public Relations will be responsible for managing the organization’s external communications & publicity strategy through effective collaborations with the paid, shared and owned media efforts as well as with outside partnerships both industry and corporate.

Youth and Family Programs Manager (Country Music Foundation – Nashville, TN)

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum seeks a creative, organized, and experienced visual arts educator to oversee engaging and dynamic learning programs for youth and family visitors. This individual will manage all aspects of programming for family audiences, including developing age-appropriate activities and materials that adapt the museum’s content and themes for out-of-school learning. Key responsibilities include facilitating and teaching programs, hiring and training content experts for special workshops, and overseeing support staff. A background as a visual artist and experience teaching children is essential.

Manager, Entertainment Media (Pittsburgh Pirates – Pittsburgh, PA)

This position is responsible for the development, production, broadcast, and direction of all elements of entertainment media with a particular focus on the scoreboard entertainment program. Will collaborate with peers on the development of digital and video content including broadcasts and commercials for both internal and external marketing.

Categories
News

A simple solution to writer’s block

If there is one thing that unites musicians and the people who write about them it is the constant struggle to maintain their creativity. It does not matter if you are a blogger or fronting the world’s biggest band, there will be times in this life when you are not able to create at a level you feel is good enough. Call it writer’s block or some kind of mental hurdle, the name doesn’t matter nearly as much as the recognition this resistance is both real and universal. Everyone who attempt to create anything faces these struggles, but that understanding doesn’t make your ability to complete your work any easier.

On a recent episode of his podcast, comedian Joey ‘Coco’ Diaz was speaking with fellow comic Tom Segura about longevity in stand up. Both Joey and Segura are headliners in comedy today, but it took years of hard work and thousands of jokes in order to reach that level. Still, both men constantly find themselves at a creative impasse. While talking about this on air Diaz mentioned advice he once received from legendary comedian Paul Mooney when discussing his creative hurdles. Mooney’s advice was summaries in three simple words: Go get entertained.

I know what some of you are thinking: Get entertained? But I have deadlines! There are people counting on me to finish this thing and it needs to be something great and it needs to be done now!

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you’re so stuck that you’re reading articles like this about overcoming mental blocks then the chance of your work being completed to the best of your abilities in the next hour or so is highly unlikely. You have thought about the thoughts you are trying to think too much, which is to say you’ve begun to work yourself in circles. You’re chasing ghosts of ideas you thought you might have at a time other than right now and no amount of searching is going to make them miraculously appear.

Your brain, like your biceps or any other muscle, can only work so much before it needs to rest. In order to work more efficiently your brain needs exercise, which in the case of creative people includes inspiration in the form of experiences. You are the sum total of everything you have experienced up to this point, and those experiences have now become both your source of inspiration and – hopefully – income. In order to continue feeling inspired to create you need to continue taking in new experiences. I say this not just for your work, but for your sanity. You can drive yourself crazy starring at an empty canvas or you can go out, see or hear or touch or taste or smell something that moves you, then immediately feel the need to purposefully create once more.

This may read like common sense to some readers, but the up and comers still trying to get their foot in the door will think it’s crazy because they’ve been taught this industry does not allow for breaks. Who has time to watch a television show, let alone a two-hour feature film, when emails are flowing like water at all hours of the day. Add to this the need to maintain social channels, which can require posting up to (if not more than) ten separate feeds on any given day, and we haven’t even addressed the actual work any creative is trying to accomplish. Writing songs or stories takes time, but so does finding inspiration, and far too often we forget that fact.

You are only human, and your brain is only a muscle. In order to perform at your best you have to rest and exercise, but physically and mentally, on a daily basis. It’s both that simple and that hard, but like any other meaningful routine in life it is worth the effort.

So the next time you find yourself banging your head against a wall while trying to create your next masterpiece try taking a step back for an hour, night, or even a couple days. See a movie, go on a hike, or just put on your favorite records. Spend time remembering why you love the thing you do so you can then share that love with the world at large. We’ll be here, ready and waiting to experience what you decide to share.

Categories
News

A tip for surviving the industry holiday slowdown

The holiday season is upon us, and in no time at all businesses across the industry will go dark so employees can celebrate this time of year with their loved ones. It’s a beautiful thing, especially in an industry notorious for long hours, but for a few professionals it’s also maddening. Allow me to explain…

While many music professionals are able to setup out of office replies for the holidays there are still bloggers, podcasters, and a wide variety of media people in between with audiences who demand a constant feed of fresh content. When the industry goes dark for the holiday these poor souls (including yours truly) find themselves clicking through every pitch they receive in hopes of discovering something worth writing about. More often than not they settle on additional editorial content, generally in the form of telling you the best stuff you might have missed, and they pray it’s enough to keep clicks rolling in while the snow falls.

There is a saying in journalism that you should seek to tell stories you would want to read. If you should find yourself writing something you have no interest in reading it is highly likely those who find that article will feel the same. As much as fresh stories in a feed can be good for business is it really worth whatever investment of time they require if next to no one cares to read them?

People care less about entertainment news around the holidays than they do practically any other time of year. Don’t take this personally though, as it is true for virtually every publication. Entertainment and entertainment news is the distraction we fill our days with when doing things we would otherwise avoid if we could, like work. Holidays are communal escapes, offerings friends and family the chance to do things they want to do, therefore lowering the need for distractions.

To put it another way, the demand does not exist because the need for something that brings joy is met through other (arguably far more important) means.

This year, I want to challenge all music writers out there to try something different. Rather than beat your head against your keyboard in between clicking refresh on your RSS feeds just try and take a little time to experience what the rest of the world does this time of year. Schedule tweets and make whatever necessary posts you feel you must make to maintain appearances, but as soon as that is done shutdown your computer and experience this thing call life. Talk to the people who support you and tell them of your vision for the new year. Ask people what they have been up to with their time, and make it a point to really listen to their words. Be present, and remember you will never have two holiday seasons that work the same way. The people around you now may not be there next year, so don’t take a minute for granted.

This won’t be easy, but I have good news: The music industry will still be here when you get back. I know you will feel like you are slipping behind, but there is rarely a single headline in the last ten to fourteen days of the new year that drastically impacts the music landscape. You know this as well as I do, so quit lying to yourself and accept that it is okay to spend a little time offline. Who knows? It might even do you good to unplug.

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News

The difference between good and bad content

There are a lot of music blogs in existence today, yet many will tell you that interest in music writing has long started to wane. People claim services like Spotify and Apple Music, which are increasingly adding editorial efforts to their platforms, have replaced the space once populated by music nerds with a their own URL. Who needs a blog for discovery when a streaming service algorithm will auto-populate discovery playlists for you every week? Who needs critics when everyone with Facebook or Twitter has the ability to blast their thoughts on any and everything to the world at large? Who needs….you get the point.

As a career music writer I will be the first to admit that the vast majority of music writing is completely disposable. As more and more artist compete for our attention blogs have increasingly turned to regurgitating press releases as a means of constant content creation. The transition from classic journalism to clickbait and/or what essentially amounts to embed posting has been something no one could have predicted in the age before the internet. Writers have been trained to see clicks as the determining factor in quality, which in turn has placed less focus on the stories being told and more emphasis on timeliness. It’s a vicious, unending cycle that makes for lazy writing and forgettable content. If your only goal is to be the first to share something, why would anyone look to you for anything more.

The hard truth is that sites who promote themselves as being the fastest or ‘first’ to share new content are indeed on the way out. There is simply no competing with platforms owned by global corporations capable of hiring as many writers as they need to chug out links, tour dates, and embedded media. That said, there remains and always will be a place for legitimate music journalism. People love stories, especially those stories about artists who travel from town to town sharing their creativity with the world. It doesn’t matter if it’s a new artist or someone trying to preserve their legacy, a good story told well will always have an audience.

The problem is, or at least one of the major problems are, that most writers – and many young consumers – have been trained to think of entertainment writing as a vehicle for promotion rather than one of understanding. The content being churned out each and every day revolves largely around making people aware of the latest thing someone has done and whether or not it is any good. Great music journalism bridges the gap between author and reader in a meaningful way by offering perspective and/or understanding about the artist being discussed. Unfortunately, most music journalism barely qualifies as good because it merely spins promotional messaging and never thinks to dive deeper. The reader has no reason to care about the author because the words being shared mirror the messaging the artist (or their representation) is using on their social feeds. This lack of an originality hurts two-fold because it fails to establish a reason for the reader to care about the author and it fails to offer any insight whatsoever into the media being shared. It’s no different than junk mail alerting you to a sale. You appreciate the notification, but you don’t necessarily need it in your life.

Bad music writing often amounts to a lack of detail. Think of any author whose work you have enjoyed and you’re likely to find the reason you care about their craft is in the way they share their perspective on the subject at hand. They dig deeper than “_______ did ______ to promote _____” and ask the questions that really matter. These include, but are not limited to: Why do you create? What is the meaning of your art? What motivates you? What are hoping to accomplish with your art? Is there a message people should be receiving? Is making music everything you thought it would be? How are you changing as a person, and what impact has that made on your art?

There will come a time in the not too distant future where content factories posing as blogs go the way of the dinosaurs. Those sites and writers who survive will do so because they offer engaging, original content that strives to further connect readers with the talent they love and those they have yet to discover. Make sure you are standing on the right side of history.

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News

The ongoing need for a music media revolution

For the better part of the last decade I have spent up to fourteen hours a day staring at phone and computer screens in hopes of writing something people would want to read. Sometimes I have found success and other times I have not, but through it all one thing has remained unflinchingly true: Getting paid for writing well is incredibly hard. It doesn’t matter if your article or blog post got an artists signed or convinced several hundred people to buy a record they otherwise wouldn’t have given a minute of their time, unless you play by a very specific set of rules, you are going to have a hard time making anything other than memories as a digital music writer.

This makes no sense. Hundreds of thousands of people around the world, if not more, read music news online every day. Maybe they check out tour dates, or maybe they watch music videos when they should be working, but they all rely on people like me and my many writer friends to create content for them to consume. We, like many journalists struggling to pay bills in the digital age, feel there should be a way to harness their need for content to create profitable careers.

If you’re a reader and not a writer you probably assume advertising keeps your favorite site online, and that may be true, but depending on the size of those sites the income received from ads can vary from pennies to thousands of dollars per month. When that money is not enough to cover costs, and it usually is not, many sites will turn to marketing companies that supply paid content for the site to run in return for a few extra bucks. Some companies will pay sites $300 or more per month to run a handful of articles with links and SEO terms intended to help a third party company get more notoriety. Sometimes the content these companies provide is false, or at least incomplete, but in order to get paid the content must run more or less as it was received. Publishers agree to this because they, like their writers, need more to stay afloat.

When publishers find themselves in positions where they are entirely dependent on advertisers and/or paid content they inadvertently hinder their publication’s ability to grow (and by grow I mean cultivate more readers, increase digital reach, and generally raise their level of notoriety). Writers are no longer allowed to cover what they believe is important until they have met whatever agreements they have with their financiers. They are also unable to be as honest in their writing as they would like to be if their publisher believes a negative comment or review might cause advertisers to stop working with them. It’s not uncommon for a site or magazine to choose not to cover and album or event because someone at the top of the company food chain believes negativity may scare away potential advertisers. It doesn’t matter if that negativity is based on fact or if an opinion is honest because money is the ultimate deciding factor in what content gets published.

The restraints placed on writers do not stop at saying whether or not something is worthwhile. Many writers, myself included, have also been encouraged to place less importance on discovery articles because new (unknown) talent doesn’t drive clicks or ad sales. It doesn’t matter if the person you want to cover is the greatest songwriter of their generation or the next act to sell out Madison Square Garden until advertisers feel the same way. It’s a completely backwards approach to covering the best of what’s next, but it’s unfortunately become the norm. Publishers would rather cover artists who have found a way to make themselves known without the support of their magazine, and then hop on their hype train, rather than helping establish the talent’s identity in the first place because it’s more cost-effective to be a follower.

A perfect example of this approach to publishing in action is the career of Chance The Rapper. I cannot think of rap writer who hasn’t been following Chance for four years or more, yet many of the biggest outlets only started covering his career within the last 24 months. The reason for this is not a lack of pitching from writers, but rather a perceived lack of interest from people who negotiate ad sales. Online publications can be far more flexible than print, as all writing is often viewed as potentially good ‘content’ as long as it brings in clicks and doesn’t take too much time away from assigned articles. But you have probably noticed that is also beginning to change as the fragmentation of how and people consume media is more splintered now than ever before with no signs of reversing anytime soon.

And don’t get me wrong,the relatively recent burst of new ways to consume news and opinion is legitimately amazing. We are more interconnected now as a global species than at any other point in recorded history. The ability to express ideas to anyone willing to listen has never been easier or more accessible than it is at this very moment, which is why it is so important that we develop methods and platforms that allow writers of all varieties to find and tell the stories that really matter rather than the ones tied to someone’s click-generated bottom line. The corner of the internet populated by entertainment news and opinion may have been born from fandom before it was considered a business, but for countless writers, editors, site founders, and photographers around the world it is a full-time job that lacks any ability whatsoever to guarantee a return for time invested.

I wish I could tell you that I had a solution. For many months I’ve talked to friends and colleagues about these issues, and to be honest we haven’t made much progress towards finding a reasonable solution. Though we all yearn to see some shift in the respect and recognition given to those who cover the increasingly vast world of entertainment so everyone else can stay on top of what’s new we have long learned to not hold our breath. Things have gone from bad to worse, with the rates for advertising in all forms falling as the competition for those ads grows, and through it all thousands download software that prevents what ads publications can run from even being seen (and therefore helping the site).

Our culture seems to understand that following Star Wars on Twitter and calling yourself a supporter is not the same as buying a ticket to actually see a Star Wars film. Yet many do not understand the same logic applies to the sites and writers who deliver up to the minute Star Wars information on a daily basis. The same can be said for music, sports, or any other form of entertainment. Our culture demands access to the things we love 24/7, yet people seem to believe the people who service that demand don’t deserve much, if any, recognition. Even if a writer breaks a major story there is little to no credit to be found, in part because anything that goes viral is copied, screenshot, or otherwise duplicated and spread without any ties to its source. Remember ‘The Dress’ debate of last year? Buzzfeed was the source of that discussion (they found it on Tumblr), but as the picture went viral the person behind the photo didn’t seem to matter. I’m not saying that author deserve a pulitzer or anything of the sort, but some kind of recognition for creating a topic of global conversation should be given to them.

I’m not saying that every writer deserves minimum wage. The vast majority of people creating content online can barely string together sentences, let alone do so without more than one or two grammatical errors. That said, for those of us who have done the work required to be proficient in writing there needs to be an alternative to what we experience in the job field right now. Getting paid anything is a miracle, and getting paid enough to not have a side job is starting to sound like a feat equal to spotting a Sasquatch. We get the journalism we deserve, and by that I mean we get the journalism we deem worthy of our support. If you know a writer or a group of writers whose work you enjoy and want to see more of then you need to help us, the writers, find a way to continue creating without having to worry about whether or not our words will eventually leave us bankrupt. We can built a better future for everyone, but in order to make it a reality we must work together.

If you want to start supporting writing right now you can always contribute directly to the author of this post through PayPal: http://bit.ly/supportjames

James Shotwell is the Digital Marketing Manager for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records (RIP). Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.

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Job Board News


Op-Ed: Save some art for yourself

Music writing can be a double-edged sword as far as fandom is concerned. The fact you’re in a position to influence a group of consumers makes it possible for you to get closer to your favorite artists than you probably would otherwise, but it also means you have to continue following those artists’ every move long after your initial interest in their work has begun to fade. This is honestly a best case scenario because more often than not writing about music means you have to not only know, but learn to appreciate the works of many artists whom you would otherwise not make time to experience. Establishing a career in writing requires that you be engaged with the wide world of music, and that entails keeping tabs on far more artists than those you personally enjoy. Over time this can make the joy of writing feel a lot more like work than most would care to admit. But that’s because writing is just that — work.

This is not a complaint, per say, but rather a matter of fact. You cannot make it in music writing simply by covering the artists you enjoy when you enjoy them. You need follow-through, and more importantly you need to engage the fans of artists regularly in order to ensure people continue to care your writing and/or publication exists.

When I began writing about music I did so because I felt there were artists I knew and enjoyed that most of the world had yet to recognize. If you could find my first hundred articles I can almost guarantee every single one would be based on an artist or group I admired at the time, and if I’m being completely honest I would also wager most of those posts are fairly similar. They each praise a group I loved at the time, and they each argue others should feel the same. I built my initial following by covering bands like A Day To Remember, Chiodos, Secret Secret Dino Club, and The Wonder Years whenever possible, and I made it a point to interview someone from the band every time a new piece of news presented an opportunity for discussion. As word of my work grew, so did interest from others bands and labels about having their talent promoted through my channels. I was completely blown away by these requests, so of course I agree to almost every one that hit my inbox, and as I began to network with the industry at large my writing began to encompass more and more bands. Some acts I enjoyed, but most were perfectly average in my mind, and looking back now I know the only reason I covered them is because I felt that it is what my (arguably non-existent) audience wanted. Whether or not that was true is something I’ll never truly know, but I do know that covering a wide array of talent helped me navigate the industry and secure full-time work in the business I love the most. Was it worth it? Absolutely. Do I continue to cover any and everything that comes my way as a result? Hell no.

It’s incredibly difficult to land a job in music that allows you to share everything you love all the time. Most jobs are far more focused than that, be it covering solely alternative music or perhaps just hip-hop. Finding a paid position that covers everything is rarer than a Morrissey performance that goes off without a hitch, and they are becoming increasingly hard to come by as the demand for specific content curators continues to rise. I used to have a big problem with this because I felt, and still do believe, that everyone is able to enjoy a little bit of everything. I might not love country music, but there are several country artists I enjoy. The same goes for musicals, top 40 radio pop, and obscure shoe gaze bands. None of these areas of music are where I spend the majority of my time, but they each are filled with wonderful talent that is deserving of exposure and praise. Just because this is true however does not mean I am the person to tell you these acts exist. I can tweet about it, sure, but I cannot dedicate every minute of my day to telling you about everything I love as I once did. That is not my job.

At first, the need to separate the work I am paid to do from the work I would like to do was incredibly frustrating. I felt as though my initial mission to help more people discover great music had been compromised by the need for a paycheck, but over time I came to realize that was not true. Having full-time employment gave me more freedom than I had ever had before as far as creative pursuits were concerned, and though I couldn’t argue the need to cover everything I could do more to help a specific set of artists and bands than ever before. Instead of writing about 40 or 50 acts a week I wrote about 10 at most, but I made sure to make each piece released as good as it could be. Having less artists to cover made it possible for me to dig deeper with my coverage and, ultimately, provide higher quality content to my readers.

But what about all that other stuff I loved? Did I turn my back on a world of talent just because they didn’t fit my 9-5 lifestyle?

Of course not.

I still love a wide array of bands as I always have, but these days I keep some things I love to myself if for no other reason than the ability to enjoy certain songs or records without turning that enjoyment into work. Before I had full-time work in music I viewed everything I enjoyed as something I would eventually cover, which in turn made everything I enjoyed some form of work. Maybe it wasn’t hard work, but it was work nonetheless, and as a result my relationship with music began to change. The idea of listening to music for the sake of simply enjoying it became an absurd concept, as I hadn’t purely enjoyed music for years on end. I liked it, and I wouldn’t know what to do without it, but at the end of the day I was trying to put food on my table based on what I was listening to, and that put a lot of undue pressure on myself, as well as the talent.

When I speak to aspiring writers and music professionals today I encourage them to experience as much music as possible. As soon as I do this I immediately tag my comments by adding that not every great song or record needs to become the sole focus of their work moving forward. It’s not only perfectly acceptable, it’s needed. If you lose your ability to simply enjoy music you will be unable to accurately critique it. The reason anyone begins chasing after a career in music in the first place is based on their love of enjoying music in their youth, and when you lose the ability to appreciate music in that way you begin to lose track of why you work in music. It’s not about clicks, and it’s certainly not about being the first person to hear the next buzz worthy release. It’s about celebrating art and the appreciation of art, as well as making others aware of undiscovered talent. You can only do this to the best of your abilities if you too are still able to be wowed by music. If you’ve lost that passion, or even if you believe it has begun to fade, take a step back from writing and unplug from everything except your stereo. Put on the records that first inspired your career aspirations and reconnect with the source of your drive to succeed. Never lose your passion.

James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also the host of the inside Music podcast. You can follow James on Twitter. In fact, we think you should.

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News

Can someone create a successful, sustainable music blog in 2017?

Not long ago the idea of launching a music blog was thought to be a smart way for aspiring music professionals to network and get their foot in the door of an otherwise hard to access industry. Anyone living anywhere who could string together sentences and navigate a ‘create your own site’ type blogging platform (WordPress, Tumblr, Blogspot, etc.) was suddenly able to be a part of the entertainment business, and many signed up to do just that. Sites of all sizes were creating original content, building communities, and – in some cases – catching the attention of the business world at large. Some site owners sold their creations for thousands of dollars, while others built writing teams largely funded through click-driven ad revenue.

Over the last few years however, things have gone downhill. Sites have been folding by the dozens, and any newcomers who dare try to launch a new project without some kind of celebrity backing or association often struggle to develop an audience. Patreon has helped in some cases by making it easy for consumers to support content creators, but when the majority of a site’s content (news) is easily available for free on a hundred other sites convincing people a single blog deserves even a dollar a month can be an uphill battle. This is especially with younger audiences, who have likely never paid to read news or opinions in their life. That demographic has only ever known the news to be something that was available on demand, for free, 24/7.  To make them think otherwise requires original thinking, innovative content, smart marketing, and relatable voices with in-depth knowledge of the subject matter.

But there’s a problem: All of those things require money, and anyone who is actually getting paid to write about music right now will tell you there is little of that to be found. Advertising revenue has been falling for years, which has no doubt killed many publications and forced others to drastically downscale their operations.  In turn, the rate(s) freelance writers receive for their work has continue to fall year over year. Some have found success by selling music related content to brands and social platform as a form of marketing, but even those jobs are increasingly hard to find.

With all of this in mind one has to wonder: 

Can we create a successful, sustainable music blog in 2017?

From my experience, the responses to this questions can best be described as coming from either optimists or realists. The optimists will tell you that people will support something they believe if it is done well. Realists will tell you there is a lot of great content from great writers available for free all the time, so why do you think anyone’s work deserves more than theirs?

It really comes down to money and content. If you ask former music bloggers why they quit the first response they are most likely to offer will relate in some way to money. Maybe they needed more of it, or maybe they never made any at all. Maybe they made it work for a minute, but in order to have any kind of life as a functional adult they needed to seek additional employment. That secondary job inevitably paid more than writing so, over time, writing faded into the background.

Seriously, you would not believe the amount of great music writers who would love to continue writing about music, but due to the simple fact they have lives they cannot reason the time needed when no payment is involved. It’s not a matter of whether or not they are writing for the right reasons, but that our society is not one where credits can sustain one’s continued existence. Clicks don’t put food in writer’s stomachs or pay for their kids to have school clothes. People need money to live and asking for it in exchange for their time and creativity should not be something they hesitate to do. They deserve it.

The other factor, as mentioned above, is content. What kind of content can a publication offer today that cannot be found elsewhere for free? The answer is two-fold: The voices of the writers involved, and the type of content they are able to create because they have funding. The possibilities are endless as long as their is support for the creative endeavors of those involved.

If it mainly comes down to money, how much do we need?

This is a good question. Perhaps, the only question. There is no exact answer, but reliable monthly income is a good place to start. The amount a writer feels their work is worth and the amount they’re willing to accept to create said work is often two different numbers. Those with a passion to develop a sustainable brand and home for their work will be willing to take less to begin if they believe in what is being created. With the backing of an audience that reenforces the necessity of their work through financial support writers can be positioned to do great things on even modest budgets.

The thing is, most career writers will not jump into a non-paid project for an unknown site if there is no guarantee of money down the line. They may be willing to contribute an article or two, but they are likely too busy with paying work to take on something for credit.

How do we get around this?

It is possible that there are consumers who want quality content related to alternative music/entertainment enough to financially support a site at launch. With the right team of influencers, each bringing their own audience to the site, a community of passionate readers could theoretically support a new site from launch.

Right now, the best way to approach this appears to be through a funding site like Patreon, which allows consumers to give creators a few dollars a month, every month, in exchange for continued content creation. One could create a Patreon page promoting the launch of a new music site from a group of writers who have agreed to write as long as the page maintains X amount of money per month. Readers wishing to see the site launch agree to contribute a few dollars a month, and once a certain threshold is reached the site goes live. From that point, the amount of money generated per month directly correlates to the amount of content created.

For example: Let’s say MUSIC BLOG X starts a Patreon Page promising to launch once the site is receiving $250 a month in contributions. Prior to reaching this goal, all subscribers who sign up to donate early will receive a weekly newsletter with headlines and short reviews. Once the page is bringing in $250 a month, the site goes live. At this point all money donated to MUSIC BLOG X is split into three groups: Site costs, operational fees (taxes), and paying contributors. The first two groups could be covered with $100 a month. If the site continues to generation $250 a month, this leaves $150 to pay contributors. If the site pays writers $15 per feature (a low rate), the site can run 10 features that month. As more contributions come in, more content can be afforded. Writers get paid, readers get quality content. Everyone wins.

But we still come back to the first problem: Finding consumers who ‘give a damn’ enough to pay for a new publication.

It’s one thing to find subscribers to established brands, even if you have to lowball yourself to do so (Example: Alternative Press selling $5 subscriptions), but starting something new is an entirely different story. Many people equate something new with presenting risk, and no one likes to think they are risking their money. It may take a ‘proof of concept’ beta site to win over consumers, and even then it will be an uphill battle to gain followers.

This does not mean we should not try.

If you look around the digital space you will find there are small revolutions happening all the time. Every week there is a new idea or site or trend that grabs a corner of the internet by the collar and hooks them into whatever is being sold. It is unclear how large the market for a music blog is in 2017, but suffice to say there will always be an audience for quality music journalism. We as creators have to believe there are consumers who understand that the content we provide is not created out of thin air, and that every keystroke comes at a cost of time and money to the content creator. Just because consumers cannot hold our creations does not mean they do not have value, but convincing a generation of consumers raised to believe otherwise is a problem plaguing much of the digital space. The answer appears to reside in people and the community that can be created around their voices, as well as through empowering those who support them. When everyone feels like they are not only being heard, but respected, then we can move forward a global music community.

We need a revolution. Who will lead us into the future?

James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also the host of the Inside Music podcast and a ten-year veteran of music journalism. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

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