Why
Your Band Should Accept Credit Cards
& How To Do It
While
once upon a time credit cards were
only accepted at major businesses this
is no longer the case, and many
consumers don't even bother to carry
cash or checks with them. In this
piece we explore why it's essential
for bands and artists to accept credit
cards, and how they can go about doing
so.
Apple
Music Will Grow 40% Annually, Faster
Than Spotify, says Top Analyst
Apple
Music is growing far faster than
Spotify, according to a new analysis.
If this growth rate continues, Apple
could pass Spotify for paid
subscribers, particualrly in the US,
sometime this year.
A
Brief Look At Live Performance
Agreements [Part 1]
While
there has been a decline in recorded
music sales, the live performance
sphere of the music business continues
to post substantial numbers. While it
is not required, it is prudent for a
musician to enter into a written
contract, sometimes referred to as a
live performance agreement, for the
commissioned concert that the artist
intends to perform. We will now
examine some important matters that
should be addressed in a live
performance agreement.
A
Brief Look At Live Performance
Agreements [Part 2]
In
addition to the considerations we
addressed in part one of this piece,
there are some other clauses an artist
should be aware of and include in a
live performance agreement. We will
now briefly explore some of those
matters.
Another
essential matter discussed in a live
performance agreement is whether, in
addition to a performance fee, the
artist may also receive the cost of
travel and lodging, a “per diem”
payment for meals and other daily
costs; or, in some cases, even more.
These additional perks could include
the requirements listed in an
artist’s technical “rider.”
Why
the Music Modernization Act Is
Important for the Music Industry
While
it’s often referred to as singular,
the music industry has a history of
being fragmented. The divisions begin
with the matter of two copyrights for
every recording and the fact that
different laws govern the use of those
copyrights, which results in
drastically different revenue streams
being generated for seemingly similar
uses.
A&R
Meets AI: Why Your Next Label Rep
Could Be A Robot
Automation is taking over so many aspects of the workplace these days, but the last place you’d ever think it would happen would be in record label talent scouting. Having a feel for new music and artists that may resonate with large segments of the population is a talent in itself, and one that’s been rewarded with industry accolades and large salaries. That’s why it seems a little far-fetched to think that the traditional label A&R person could be replaced by a machine learning algorithm.
CMHoF’s
’70s Country Music Exhibit To Get
Accompanying Two-CD Set
Just
prior to the May 25 opening of the
Country Music Hall of Fame and
Museum’s “Outlaws &
Armadillos: Country’s Roaring
’70s” exhibit in Nashville, an
accompanying two-CD set will be
released on May 18 (digital and CD
format). The set contains 36 tracks
and a 32-page booklet detailing the
history of the era. The set will also
be available later this summer on
12-inch vinyl.
Spotify-Backed
'Soundtrack Your Brand' Cuts Direct
Deals
Spotify-backed
music streaming service Soundtrack
Your Brand today announced direct
deals with hundreds of music labels,
publishers, and collection societies
including Sony/ATV, Kobalt, WarnerChappel,
ICE (PRS/GEMA/STIM), BMG, ASCAP,
SOCAN, SABAM, and APRA.
Music
Modernization Act Approved by House
Judiciary Committee
The
United States House Judiciary
Committee voted unanimously today
(32-0) to approve the Music
Modernization Act. The act combines
key provisions of what were four
separate legislative initiatives into
a single bill that will update how
music rates are set and how
songwriters and artists are paid. The
bill now awaits consideration by the
full House of Representatives.
Congress
Sidelines Radio Royalty To Advance
Copyright Reform.
It’s
all comes down to timing for why a
proposal to create a performance
royalty for AM/FM airplay isn’t part
of a sweeping music copyright reform
package unanimously approved by the
House Judiciary Committee. The bill
does include some revisions that would
likely impact radio, but the biggest
prize sought after by the music
industry remains off to the side—for
now.
With
a host of new developments in music
licensing that could be
game-changing for radio and TV, the
NAB Show expanded its annual panel
on the subject, offering an
80-minute music royalties deep dive.
For radio, the specter of the
Department of Justice tossing the
80-year-old consent decrees that
govern performance rights
organizations (PROs) BMI and ASCAP
could cause major disruption. The
NAB says it’s closely watching the
issue.
Guitar
Makers Hit Hard by New Regulations
on Prized Rosewood
An
international crackdown on illegal
logging in tropical forests has
ensnared the makers of some guitars
and other musical instruments, whose
top-end products require small
amounts of rosewood, a material
prized for its rich, multicolored
grain and resonant sound.
musicFIRST
Applauds Introduction of Comprehensive
Music Reform Legislation – A2IM
The
musicFIRST Coalition today applauded the
leadership and members of the House
Judiciary Committee on the introduction
of the Music Modernization Act [H.R.
5447] and urged the legislation’s
swift passage by the Committee and the
entire House of Representatives. The MMA
addresses specific music legacy issues
such as establishing federal copyright
protection for artists who recorded
before 1972, creating a single licensing
entity to administer music publishing
rights for all digital music and
ensuring producers and engineers receive
royalties for their contributions to the
music they help create.
Which
Songs Don't Qualify For YouTube Content
ID
ouTube's
ability to detect a song's 'sonic
fingerprint' is what allows artists to
make money off of these of the platform,
but not all kinds of songs qualify. Here
Chris Robley clarifies what audio
doesn't make the cut.
Record
Labels vs Spotify: Who Needs Who More?
On
one side you have Spotify - an
unprofitable company that needs to lower
its cost of the content from three
dominate players. On the other
side, you have three major music groups
that increasingly rely on income from
streaming. When it comes right
down to it, who - the Record Labels vs
Spotify - needs who more?
Understanding
Live Performance Agreements
(part
1)
While
recorded music sales may facing choppy
waters, the live music market remains
healthy and strong, making it a
preferable vein for recording artists to
focus on. As with so many aspects of the
music industry, having an agreement in
writing can spare all parties a lot of
grief. Here Jusin M. Jacobson catches us
up on how these agreements work.
Why
It's Critical To Hire A Graphic Designer
For Your Next Release
As
the music industry continues to shift
and change, appearance and the visual
component of music are becoming
increasingly important, and having a
graphic designer to rely on is essential
for ensuring that you make a good visual
impression.
YouTube
hack hits popular music videos, causes
biggest video ever to disappear
YouTube
appears to have fallen victim to hackers
today, as a number of high-profile music
videos have been defaced. The
most-viewed YouTube video of all time,
Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito,”
disappeared from YouTube today after
being defaced by hackers. The video’s
image was altered and replaced with a
masked gang holding guns (from Netflix
show Casa de Papel), and the
description was changed by hackers
calling themselves Prosox and Kuroi’sh.
Record
industry’s copyright battle with
American ISP allowed to continue
The
big copyright dispute between the
American record industry and internet
service provider Grande Communications
will proceed as planned after a judge
refused to dismiss the case. Though
neither side are that happy with the new
ruling.
2018's
Live Music Trends That Are Changing The
Industry
2018
will be another record-breaking year for
live music. But growth isn’t always
good news. Music fans have raised their
expectations for which artists they’ll
shell out money to see, how they’re
willing to buy tickets, and what you
should be doing to make sure ticket bots
don’t buy out a show before real fans
have a chance.
Business
Cards For Musicians
Business
cards, we’ve all had them. Some of us
swear by them, others say “neh” and
do away with them. Whatever type you
are, I’m sure someone’s handed you
one at some point. I seriously
doubt you thought, “heh, look this
guy, what a dinosaur, still uses
business cards.” In this article
we’re going to take a look at a few
things you can do with business cards to
stand out amongst the sea of musicians
out there, and why business cards for
musicians still can be used today.
The
Music Marketing Manifesto: 10 Principles
For Success
For
unsigned bands, promoting your music can
be an even greater challenge than for
those with a label attached to their
name. Here we break down ten principles
for success which unsigned bands and
artists can use as a guide to marketing
their music.
Looking
To Be Successful In Music? Think Of It
Like Your Job
While
ability and good intuition are certainly
assets when it comes to finding success
in the music industry, a proper mind set
and commitment to putting in the
necessary blood, sweat, and tears is
also needed when it comes to coming out
on top in today DIY-driven music
business.
Music-Streaming:
Who Pays Best?
Following
the emergence of CD bootlegs and illegal
downloads, the traditional business for
music labels and publishers collapsed in
the early years of this century. The
compact disc had served its time and
music downloads weren’t big enough yet
to compensate for the losses. The music
industry was short on solutions and
struggled to develop effective
distribution channels in the digital
age.
5
Tips To Boost Your Spotify Streams
Legally
With
Spotify now becoming one of the best
ways to showcase new music, artists are
eager for ways to get their music on the
platform and quickly see results. Here
we look at five different avenues for
getting your music into the ears of
potential fans via Spotify.
Spotify's
Stock Market Debut Strikes a Chord With
Investors
Spotify’s
opening act on Wall Street struck a
chord with investors betting the
unprofitable company’s trend-setting
music streaming service will maintain
its early lead over Apple and other
powerful challengers.
Spotify:
At Day’s Close, What Are the Major
Labels’ Shares Worth? A Lot!
It
was long an open secret that the three
major labels — Sony, Universal and
Warner Music — owned stakes in Spotify
that were rumored to be as large as 18%
but have since been revealed to be 5.7%
for Sony, and an estimated 4% for the
other two. (SEC rules require disclosure
of shareholders with 5% or more.) This
was a very savvy strategy on the part of
Spotify: Making the labels not only
partners, but party to their success or
failure.
What
Smart Speakers Mean For Music, The Music
Industry
Stuart
Dredge explores how the new hardware
category of the smart speakers is
transforming the music landscape and
what the technology's rise could mean
for the future of music and the music
industry.
Will
DOJ Consent Decree Review Obviate Any
Rationale for the Music Modernization Act?
Let’s
be clear–one reason why there are
problems with mechanical licensing in
the US is the loophole created by the
government consent decrees that block
ASCAP and BMI from issuing a
“unilicense” for both performances
and streaming mechanicals. I have
argued for years that PROs should be
allowed to administer existing statutory
mechanical licenses for services that
they already license on the performance
side of the song. Personally, I
think it is the main reason for creating
the situation (such as the mass address
unknown NOIs) that gets abused by the
services like other loopholes.
Amazon
Music: Subscriptions Have Doubled In Six
Months.
