Monthly Archive for March, 2008

The Canadian Press: Musicians Seek Extra Ways To Connect With Fans, Build Market

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Rob Stefaniak
on March 31, 2008
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Arts&Crafts LogoA solid article from The Canadian Press on the new ways Artists are squeezing marketable material out of their musical exploits. Arts & Crafts, a Canadian indie label / artist services company, is cited as an example of ways in which their Artists further develop relationships and loyalty with their fan base(s).

A&C executive Kieran Roy remarks, “It’s not enough to go and record 10 tracks and call it an album and call it a day. There has to be live content, B-sides, covers, EPK footage, web shorts, videos, podcasts, audiocasts, videocasts, you name it - everything and anything under the sun.”

The added dimension of capturing the recording process on video is another way for the Artists to express their ideas and connect with an audience. For most younger Artists, exploring multiple platforms is a natural extension of their art. The music is still the most important part, but there’s so much around creating and capturing an Artist’s world. Really, what you want to do is be a more complete Artist, and now Artists are provided the opportunity to do that.

Arts & Crafts is firmly built on a 360 model, an artists’ services company, so while they may be seeing lower record sales, they’re also participating in other streams of revenue with their artists… building concert sales, building T-shirt sales, building fan club sales.

Pop-culture watcher and broadcaster Stu Jeffries adds, “If you’re a fan of the group, you want every piece of information you can get and you’ll pay for it.” In the end, it’s great for fans, no matter the quality of the extra material. “Of course it’s a money grab, but then the industry has always been a money grab, so what changes now?”

The Canadian Press: Musicians Seek Extra Ways To Connect With Fans, Build Market

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Now playing: Los Campesinos! - Drop It Doe Eyes
via FoxyTunes

Billions & Aero Booking Agencies Merge, Form Indie Booking Powerhouse

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Rob Stefaniak
on March 26, 2008
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Billions & AeroIndie booking agencies The Billions Corporation and Aero Booking have announced their merger and will combine their artist rosters and begin operating as one entity with offices in both Chicago and Seattle on June 1, 2008.

Chicago-headquartered Billions is celebrating its twentieth year of operation. Among its exclusive clients are The Arcade Fire, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Sufjan Stevens, Vampire Weekend, Neko Case, Silversun Pickups and Oscar-winning duo The Swell Season.

Seattle-based Aero Booking, in its tenth year, exclusively represents, among others, platinum-selling Death Cab For Cutie, The Postal Service, David Bazan, Midlake, Beach House, Bodies of Water and Bowerbirds.

Aero Booking founder and owner Trey Many comments, “Throughout the ten years that I’ve spent building Aero Booking, I’ve been an admirer of the way Billions does business. The more I’ve come to know the people in their organization, the clearer it has become to me that we need to work together. We are very excited to merge our company with theirs and to collaborate in an official capacity.”

While the merger will not be effective until June 1, 2008, Aero Booking will move into the new Billions offices in Seattle in May while continuing to do business as a separate entity until that effective date.

Billions & Aero Merge To Form Indie Booking Powerhouse — Hypebot

Billions And Aero Booking Agencies Merge — The Daily Swarm

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Now playing: The Killers - Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll
via FoxyTunes

The Long Tail: A Long Tail Band Finally Decides To Sign With A Label, Why?

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Rob Stefaniak
on March 20, 2008
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BirdmonsterThe Long Tail author Chris Anderson posts a follow-up interview with a band he highlighted in his book. The band, Birdmonster, recently decided to sign with a record label after turning down multiple offers about 1.5 years ago. The label they signed with, FADER is an offshoot of the magazine of the same name.

In the beginning, Birdmonster figured it was too early to sign away the ownership of their music when they thought they still had plenty of room to grow on their own. After the release of their DIY debut No Midnight and the year and half of non-stop touring that followed, the business side had become draining (physically, mentally, and financially). All they really wanted to do was go home and write another record. So it became apparent to Birdmonster that if they wanted to continue down that artistic road, they needed help in other areas. The question was what type of label and deal was right for them?

Birdmonster felt that FADER had a similar mindset to them and could at least give them the opportunity to be seen and heard. With their deal, FADER came to them and asked them what they wanted out of it before making an offer. They were the only label to do that.

My feeling is this is a great example of figuring out and then choosing the right partner and strategic brand alignment for your band/business to move forward. FADER (magazine) is mostly a fringe, tastemaker publication - a very cool one in my opinion. FADER (the label) will sign bands that they want to promote through their magazine.  Birdmonster was obviously a good fit.  A band needs a lot of things, mostly money and promotional muscle. A record label can provide a few things, but nowadays mostly money and promotional muscle. Most young bands are in it to “get a deal” without really knowing what they want to get out of it and what they are willing to give up in return.

Grow on your own, figure out what you need, partner, and keep building.

As an aside, FADER (the label) also recently signed Saul Williams. He partnered with Trent Reznor to produce and then independently distribute his album on the Internet with pricing options of 192 Kbps MP3s for free or 320 Kbps for $5.00 (with the option of uncompressed FLAC). It’s all the rage these days…

The Long Tail: Follow-Up: A Long Tail Band Finally Decides to Sign With a Label. Why?

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Now playing: Birdmonster - ‘Cause You Can
via FoxyTunes

Digital Music News @ SXSW 2008

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Rob Stefaniak
on March 19, 2008
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SXSW 2008 A couple of solid articles by Paul Resnikoff of Digital Music News reporting last week from SXSW that have caught my attention…

The first, Rock Brand 2.0, explores how Artists forge powerful and profitable relationships with brands. Because the music industry is not the best industry at understanding it’s consumers, this means deemphasizing the artistic elements of the music for a moment, and shifting towards more concrete demographic details in terms of what the Artist is offering the brand partnership.

It’s interesting to me that the article is from the perspective of the Artist pitching themselves to the brand, and not the other way around. I am assuming this is all happening from within the major label system with a conglomerate of decision makers acting on behalf of the Artist. I would have thought the brands would be chasing the Artist.

The second, The Games People Play, highlights the gaming industry as an unparalleled promotional platform for up-and-coming bands. In March of last year, video game developer Electronic Arts formed a collaborative venture with Nettwerk Music Group called Artwerk Music, and started signing, distributing, and promoting artists on its own.

Not really a record label, Artwerk is a next-generation music publisher that goes way beyond video games. It’s an aggressive, proactive publisher that delivers master recordings, film and TV synch deals, advertising placements and distribution. The sentiment is that album sales don’t matter anymore, from a publisher’s point of view - cross-platform global song placement does.

But according to Steven Schnur, worldwide executive of Music and Marketing for Electronic Arts, apparently the total licensing amounts paid to Artists are still “mostly modest” and “you won’t make your yearly nut from a gaming license,” he advises.

Rock Brand 2.0: What Advertisers Really Want — Digital Music News

The Games People Play (And the Bands That Play With Them) — Digital Music News

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Now playing: The Teenagers - Streets Of Paris
via FoxyTunes

Lefsetz Letter » SXSW

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Rob Stefaniak
on March 19, 2008
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SXSW 2008I really love this post by Lefsetz, framing what SXSW has become. Having attended the Music portion again this year, I was left wondering if SXSW really matters any more, and if so to whom?

“…you could go to the panels at SXSW. To learn that fewer people have jobs at less money. Everybody’s just reacted to what some college student, not in attendance, ultimately has done.”

“Everyone’s looking for a shortcut. Everyone’s looking for answers. Everybody wants to get PAID!”

“Don’t worry about the short term money. If your music is good, if you play well live, the money will come. But sending me [Lefsetz] a CD or schlepping your equipment to SXSW isn’t going to make your music any better. If it’s good, put it on the Web, energize your fans, they’ll spread the word.”

It may have become too big…I think attendance doubled since last year and that doesn’t even include all the people who “unofficially” attend.

Reality is, if no one knows who you are when you arrive at SXSW, chances are no one will know who you are when you leave. There is just too much to try to consume. You don’t even need a badge or a wristband anymore, just go hang out at the day parties. They are better than the evening showcases (which you will probably stand in line for) and with free beer.

Lefsetz Letter » SXSW

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Now playing: The Dodos - Jodi
via FoxyTunes

SXSW 2008 = 1000% Rock & Roll

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Rob Stefaniak
on March 11, 2008
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Douglas Fir @ SXSW 2008

I’m off to SXSW 2008 today. Some people are saying that SXSW has gotten too big and “jumped the shark”. That’s entirely possible as it is super-huge. But I have been there that past 3 years and man, I gotta say, the only way to describe it is 1000% rock & roll - absolutely, immensely fun. So, I was perusing the registrants directory last night, and who do I find?

Looks like Mr. Douglas Fir (aka Eddie Vedder) will be there too this year.

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Now playing: Gnarls Barkley - Blind Mary
via FoxyTunes

TuneCorner: Why Every Artist Needs A Blog — Kyra Reed

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Rob Stefaniak
on March 10, 2008
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Blog 101 Book She’s right! With all the technologies and community sites available, Artists need a central online location to syndicate their presence across the web; a single authoritative place fans know they can visit for the latest information, photos, press, tour dates, etc. A website has historically filled that role, but most are outdated and don’t allow for social interaction or easy updating of information (”content management”).

As for MySpace pages, well, when an Artist draws traffic to an ad-supported site like MySpace, they are effectively using their fans to make money for MySpace, and they get no monetary compensation in return. For an Artist, a blog can provide a useful (and CHEAP) format for building out an online presence.

From the TuneCorner blog, here are Kyra Reed’s advantages as to why every Artist needs a blog:

  1. A Free Website
  2. Express Yourself / Evangelize Your Fans
  3. Control Your (digital) Assets
  4. Build Your Fan Base

On a personal note, I met Kyra last summer in Los Angeles through a mutual friend who works for a legendary producer / label head / music industry czar. She was hosting an industry gathering that night at The Roxy which is where I first learned of her very smart strategy for Artists to turn their websites into syndicated blogs. As a manager, I was currently faced with the task of re-building a website for a band I represent and I wasn’t very motivated to create another traditional/static site. Her ideas inspired me to turn their site into a blog, thus empowering them as Artists, to make it be whatever they want and further fuel interaction with their community of fans. Very smart gal, that Kyra Reed!

Ultimately, a blog should become a competitive advantage, a differentiator in the marketplace and promote a sense of community. It should also become the authoritative ‘trusted source’ in terms of ‘what is cool and happening’ for an Artist and their fans.

Go purchase a copy of her new book via TuneCore, or check out the Blog101 website and learn more.

TuneCorner: Why Every Artist Needs A Blog — Kyra Reed

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Now playing: Bon Iver - Skinny Love & The Wolves (Act I and II)
via FoxyTunes

1000 True Fans — Kevin Kelly @ The Technium

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Rob Stefaniak
on March 8, 2008
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There is a home for Artists in between poverty and stardom. Somewhere lower than stratospheric best-sellerdom, but higher than the potential obscurity offered by The Long Tail.

Kevin Kelly @ The Technium suggests The Long Tail is a mixed blessing for individual Artists as they are overlooked in the equation. In reality, The Long Tail does not raise the sales of creators much, adds massive competition and endless downward pressure on prices and offers no real path out of the quiet doldrums of minuscule sales

So, other than aim for a blockbuster “hit”, what can an Artist do to escape The Long Tail?

Kevin Kelly’s solution is to find and cultivate 1,000 True Fans. The point of this strategy is that you don’t need a “hit” to survive. You don’t need to aim for the short head of best-sellerdom to escape The Long Tail. There is a place in the middle, that is not very far away from the tail, where you can at least make a living.

1000 True Fans

A True Fan is defined as someone who will purchase anything and everything an Artist produces. For an Artist to raise their sales out of the flatline of The Long Tail they need to connect with their True Fans directly. Rather, they need to convert a thousand Lesser Fans into a thousand True Fans. But, the key challenge for the Artist is to maintain direct contact with their 1,000 True Fans with the added benefit of direct feedback and love.

The genius of the True Fan model is that the fans are able to move an Artist away from the edges of The Long Tail to a degree larger than their numbers indicate. They can do this in three ways: (1) by purchasing more per person, (2) by spending directly so the Artist keeps more per sale, and (3) by enabling new models of support.

The accepted price of being an Artist is large and the likely alternative to making a living based on True Fans is poverty. A dedicated Artist who could cultivate 1,000 True Fans and directly support them using new technology, can potentially make an honest living through the commerce of their art.

Go check out the full article and make sure to read the comments.

1000 True Fans — Kevin Kelly @ The Technium

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Now playing: Hot Chip - We’re Looking For A Lot Of Love
via FoxyTunes

Terry McBride: “A True 360 Deal Should Include Stock Options” | Digital Media Wire

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Rob Stefaniak
on March 7, 2008
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Terry McBrideAs reported by Digital Media Wire, in a panel entitled Band as Brand at the Canadian Music Week’s digital music & media summit, Terry McBride of Nettwerk Music Group suggests that in order to align the Artists’ interests with those of their record label or management company, they should get stock options, much like the company executives get.  That way, it would be a true partnership in building the artists’ brands for the long run.

He also went on to talk about how the music business can “monetize free” and used the example of how Gillette almost gives razors away for free in order to make money off selling razorblades.

“If you see the Artist as a brand, then all of a sudden you have several verticals of monetization at your disposal. It could be ring-tunes, clothing or live-shows etc…“

Additionally, McBride points out that record labels don’t have the marketing muscle of some of the consumer products companies anymore.  So he expects we’re going to see a lot more of ‘brand alignment’ over the next 18 months.

Terry McBride: “A True 360 Deal Should Include Stock Options” | Digital Media Wire

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Now playing: Fleet Foxes - Mykonos
via FoxyTunes

Project Radio Liberation KEXP & WNYE — Now Playing: Radio With A Spine

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Rob Stefaniak
on March 2, 2008
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KEXP LogoChalk up another victory for independent music. The phoenix of radio is rising from the ashes, ripping across the sky and tearing through the airwaves. Here comes project Radio Liberation with Seattle’s influential, listener-supported radio station KEXP partnering with Radio New York (WNYE) to establish a new order, hell bent upon returning independent and alternative music back to the discerning listener. The unprecedented partnership will launch March 24 on WNYE.

The KEXP-WNYE partnership is significant not only for the amount of programming to be shared (39 hours a week), but also the extent of collaboration between the two stations. Radio Liberation will bring to WNYE a nightly world music show and a weekly music variety show, and it will produce hundreds of live performances each year between the two stations, increasing access to both New York bands and touring artists. KEXP’s approach to presenting its genre of music, alternately referred to as indie, college or eclectic rock, is currently not available in New York.

Through the Radio Liberation partnership, KEXP will be able to reach another 14 million terrestrial listeners in New York, sharing Seattle’s unique music community with New Yorkers.

At KEXP, the DJs choose what they play, with a few limitations: certain bands are in rotation, and a local band must be played once an hour at a minimum. The station’s dozens of volunteers dedicate themselves to helping discover bands. The DJs consider themselves curators and aspire to juxtapose songs in a way that illuminates them - creating context for the music and forging a stronger connection between the listener, the Artist and the station.

Forward-thinking KEXP has always embraced and even created technology to overcome its limited signal and emerge as a national tastemaker in indie music. In 2000, KEXP (then known as KCMU) became the first station to offer uncompressed, CD-quality audio live over the Internet. In 2001, at the request of KEXP DJs, University of Washington engineers invented CD players that could connect to the Web to retrieve song and band information, which could then be transferred to a real-time playlist at www.kexp.org. In 2002, the station began offering a streaming archive of all programs from the past two weeks, as well as all of KEXP’s hundreds of in-studio performances. It is also the nation’s first terrestrial station to provide a low-bandwidth stream for mobile phones and handheld devices.

About one-third of KEXP’s listener-members live outside the state of Washington, with large clusters of listeners in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

KEXP has built a reputation as a champion of new and emerging artists and musical forms. KEXP’s mission is to enrich people’s lives by providing a wide array of music and by exploring, developing and applying relevant technology to deepen and extend musical experiences. Listeners enjoy KEXP at 90.3 FM in Seattle and around the world at KEXP.org.

Seattle’s KEXP-FM, NYC Station Team Up | Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Radio NY and Seattle’s KEXP FM to Bring ‘Music That Matters’ | The New York Observer

KEXP And Radio New York Liberate Listeners From The Norm — KEXP/WNYE Press Release

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Now playing: KEXP Live
via FoxyTunes