Music Blogs are great - but beware the hype

So, following the previous post about how a blog review can break a band, you also need to watch out about the hype.

There's a new artist breaking through right now called Lana Del Rey - I'll be surpried if you missed the buzz!

Strangely enough, two of my songwriter clients have worked with her and they both think she's the real deal with real talent and vision.

But, that's not the point here.

The point is that in this Pitchfork article there is a very telling paragraph that you need to consider when you head down the route of pitching to and being loved by blogs.

As of 2011, the closest thing we have to MTV's old "buzz bin" is music blogs-- entities with the exact same vested interest in mainstream cool-hunting that your television once had. The only problem is that the people who read, write, and obsess over them are hyper-aware of what a tempting audience they are: They're sensitive to pandering and "fakeness," wary of being used to piggyback toward another audience. Appeal to them successfully, and long arguments about music-industry machinations and "authenticity" are more or less inevitable.

In other words, the bigger the blog, the harder it is to get them to take notice and the more you'll be accused of hype and style over substance if you succeed.

Nothing's ever simple, eh!?

Read the whole thing though as it's got a lot of insight into how an artist can come to attention in the web 2.0 world and also how the imagery and style can help send the mesage that the artist wants to get across.

A magazine for the DIY musician

I've been away again! Sorry for the lack of posts.

Whilst I was away I was contacted by the guys behind EyeSeeSound, which is a monthly web based magazine that offers a slightly different take on the music focused blog. I love their approach - I agree with them that having a monthly release and a magazine format on the web makes you delve deeper into their musings every month,

I've highlighted it here for 2 reasons. One is that they are obviously very open to approaches from DIY musicians as their remit is to focus on the DIY scene, but also, think about how their approach could be used to promote you and your music. I know we are always saying that you ought to have a regularly updated website, but perhaps you can step outside the box and offer something that has this monthly (or quarterly) approach - either as your sole offering on the web or as a paid extra for the more committed fan - like a fan club. And the web magazine format would work great for that.

This is what they say about their site-a-zine in their on words.

Focussing on independent and DIY bands and artists the magazine, Heads Up, offers an opportunity for music and culture lovers to discover new bands, short films, animations, artists, photographers and designers through a stylish and innovative approach to website design and functionality.

Check it out here.

Join the dots for DIY musician success

I love this post on Music Think Tank - an interview with Ian Rogers, CEO of Topspin, in which he talks about how DIY artists (or middle class musicians) can achieve success.

What I like the most is that it sets out the truism for almost all indie artists that the journey to success is a succession of baby steps, linking improvements in your music with an expanding network of fans and influencers (each a true 'publisher' of your work in the modern definition of the word).

The point is that from a PR perspective you have to be practical in answering the question: what are you destined for? The one thing I have learned is IT JUST TAKES A LONG TIME. It never happens overnight. You want to be Metric? Are you prepared to starve and take a mortgage on your home for 5-6 years plus? Because you are not doing it in the next 12 months. You have to come to terms with the fact that it will take three to four records to get from where you are. People dismiss the first four years or so that it took Bon Iver to break. Even the Mumford & Sons record; that thing came out in 2009 and really only broke here in the U.S. in the beginning of this year. A lot of people think they will release a record and it’s going to be huge. I don’t think that ever happens. Not anymore.

Read this piece.

It should give you hope and guidance!

5 tricks to a compelling press kit

This post from Music Globalization might seem to just be a few ideas on how to get the most 'bang for your buck' out of your press kit - which it does admirably.

But, it's more than that because the tips delve into what your press kit is saying about you, your music and your band - and gives insight into what the 'players' receiving it are going to think about you.

For example, anyone in the industry will read a lot into what you've listed as your tour dates (see the piece), but that doesn't mean that you need to make it up. What you need to do is have a touring plan that builds you an audience and sees you covering some geographical area worthy of note. Do it, then you can put it in your press kit and impress those you need on your side.

Read the post with that idea of applying the tips to your band first so that you can then write about them - it's like a microcosm of what you need to do to get noticed by the established industry. Even if you are 100% DIY, and may never need a press kit as such, these tips will help you build a more effective presence and fanbase.

Read it here.

And for a more trad view on what should go in there (for pushing the boat out and appealing to the 'established industry') - try this article.

My take - most bands don't need a press kit most of the time! You will want somehing to send to venues and promoters to get gigs (but a link can often do this), and for everything else, as a DIY musician, your site should be able to do all the talking. I'd only ever send one to someone you've already connected with, and I'd tailor it as in point 1 of the main article - which is great advice.

But, the alternative take is that you never know where one might land and what chance that might create and so liberally sending them out has it's proponents too!

Getting covered by music blogs

We looked at a great article the other day that gives a detailed overview of how to get bloggers to write about your music.

Read that here.

And then, add to that, by reading this interview with Fred Pessaro, one of the editors of Brooklyn Vegan - one of the biggest music blogs that you might hope would cover your music.

It has background on how  he came to have that role as well as insight as to how they choose what to cover. But, as a man right at the beating heart of a vibrant music scene, he also has some tips on how to get noticed generally.

I think that’s important. But one of the things I also think is important is just getting out there and playing. People who just get out there and play as much as they can do well. For instance, I book a lot of metal shows in the city, and I notice who plays a lot. Any band that plays a lot, whether it’s the first band, the second band or are in some other position on the bill probably has a strong work ethic. Any band that will play anywhere, at any time is probably a band that really wants to work. And it’s probably a band that, even if it’s not good now, will have the work ethic to be good later on.

Read that here.

5 ways to make a cover song great

We wrote about taking obscure but great songs and making them your own in this post.

It's a brilliant way to get a hit song and not be tarnished as 'that band with the cover', since a vast majority of people will never realise that it wasn't your own song.

There are, however, various ways to use covers that everyone knows and still make them work for you.

One of my favourites is the total reinterpretation as in the revered version of NIN's 'Hurt' by Johnny Cash that is now the version that everyone refers to. But, that's just one of 5 methods in this great article.

Check it out here.

And here's that Johnny Cash track.

 

The right way to get music bloggers to write about you

This is a great post that EVERY artist should read.

It's a detailed look at why music bloggers are now very important to your success, how to approach them and what not to do.

I have added my own rather good (if I say so myself!) comment in the thread below the post that sets out how we approach bloggers when promoting an artist release. It's a handy, short 'how to'.

But, I thoroughly recommend you read the whole thing.

If you want someone to blog about your band but can’t be bothered past the point of spamming a collection of mailing lists, you’re wasting everyone’s time including your own. Whatever you do though, don’t give up. That next email you send or blog you read might lead to you finding your biggest supporter. It’s always worth a shot, but unless you’re sensible with your expectations and are willing to be at least a little bit honest with yourself along the way, you’re not likely to make it past a single blogger’s delete button.

Read the whole thing (and my comment!) here.

And Chris Bracco's free eBook on getting written about by blogs is essential reading too.

 

The right way to get music bloggers to write about you

This is a great post that EVERY artist should read.

It's a detailed look at why music bloggers are now very important to your success, how to approach them and what not to do.

I have added my own rather good (if I say so myself!) comment in the thread below the post that sets out how we approach bloggers when promoting an artist release. It's a handy, short 'how to'.

But, I thoroughly recommend you read the whole thing.

If you want someone to blog about your band but can’t be bothered past the point of spamming a collection of mailing lists, you’re wasting everyone’s time including your own. Whatever you do though, don’t give up. That next email you send or blog you read might lead to you finding your biggest supporter. It’s always worth a shot, but unless you’re sensible with your expectations and are willing to be at least a little bit honest with yourself along the way, you’re not likely to make it past a single blogger’s delete button.

Read the whole thing (and my comment!) here.

And Chris Bracco's free eBook on getting written about by blogs is essential reading too.

 

Tell stories in your music promotion

This is a vitally important post from veteran music marketing guy, Bob Baker.

I can't tell you how many times industry people have asked me 'What's the story?' on a new band. In that instance they want to know why they're hot, who's managing them, which labels are interested....but a nugget of something else (a real story) will always propel their interest.

And, in this post, Bob looks at how storytelling will always engage your fans more than dry facts.

What did I just do?

I told you a story.

If you're still reading this, I at least held your interest for a few moments. In addition, there's a good chance you were also intrigued and are now curious to know what that song sounds like. (Hold on. That's coming in a minute.)

I related this real-life experience to make a point:

Storytelling is a powerful communication device. It's practically wired into our social DNA. Long before the Internet or even the invention of the printing press, human beings used stories to pass along customs, teachings, philosophy, and more.

Knowing this, why not use the power of stories to communicate with your fans. Don't just deliver facts and sales pitches. Speak with your fans in a way that will pull them in and inspire them to visualize whatever it is you are wanting to impart.

Read the whole post here.

Album press release - line by line guide

If you're releasing an album, this is a great lesson in music publicity.

A line-by line guide on how to write the perfect press release.

A well written press release is the first step in getting some attention for your new album. Use this template to help you organize your information. Note that this template was written with bands and indie labels in mind as the writers and the media in mind as the readers. PR folks and radio pluggers will want to take a slightly different approach with their press releases, and one sheets for distributors and stores should also be slightly different.

Read it here.

The future of Music PR

This is a video of a panel from the recent North Park Music Thing in San Diego which saw a bunch of panels on a range of subjects - we'll probably show you some more!

This one looks at the changes in music publicity that the internet and the changing music industry have brought about.

There's good advice in here on how to find and work with a good music publicist and on how to do it yourself.

The Future of Music PR from North Park Music Thing on Vimeo.

If the embed video isn't viewable - you can find it here.

 

How to approach a magazine editor

This isn't about the usual way an unsigned or new artist would go about seking music publicity. There are established agencies and their relationships will help get your music reviewed and you featured.

But, it can be done on your own. Given that you have finished high quality material and a professionally set-up release you can use these tips (not aimed at music at all, but applicable) to get coverage in offline media.

Why do we often feel like a magazine editor holds our future in their hands?

Will we ever feel comfortable pitching ourselves?

Believe me, I am right there with ya!  Pitching ourselves is just about the hardest thing for most people – no matter what your business is.

I think the biggest tips I can give are to pitch on target, keep it short and concise, and really know who you are pitching to.  Be sure to take the time do the research and really be sure that editor is the right one for your product. There is nothing more embarrassing than pitching to the wrong person!

Read all the tips here.

How to post a perfect press kit on your artist site

Can't knock Ariel and what she does at Cyber PR. This is a great post that deals with a key element that you should have on your band website - a high quality press kit.

I'll leave it to her:

I’m often amazed when I go to an artist’s website, and I look around, and I’m trying to find basic press information and I can’t.

It seems that in the age of Twitter, Facebook, and Facebook Fan pages, and constantly focusing on your two-way conversations, we’ve forgotten the important basics.

Read the key post here.

Online music promotion only?

Is it enough to concentrate all your efforts on online music promotion only?

I'm not sure, but this article suggests that it might be right for your band as online is where all the action is and where you can create a real two-way exchange with your fans.

I promote to establish and nurture a genuine relationship with my fans. I measure my success by the number of subscribers to my mailing list. Notice I said mailing list, not Twitter followers or MySpace “friends.” I’m talking about the people who grant me permission through a double opt-in process to email them directly on a regular and consistent basis. Right now there are just over a thousand, but there are plenty more out there who might love my music if they heard it. So how do we reach those potential fans?

I'm not advocating this approach necessarily - live work, radio, press etc are all part of the mix, but you can't deny that focusing your efforts online where you can build your fanbase more easily makes a lot of sense.

Read the whole article here.

 

How to get the elevator pitch for your band right

Have you heard of the concept of the 'elevator pitch'?

Ariel Hyatt talks about it a great deal and believes that it is a key part of your music promotion as well as helping you to get to grips with what you think about your band and your music yourself.

The idea is that you need to be able to describe your band and music to a stranger in less time than it takes for an average elevator ride - say about 15 seconds.

Photo by ExpressMonorail

Ariel hates the attitude that you can't describe your band because you are unique and don't sound like anyone who has gone before. She's right - come on, be honest with yourself. And your pitch needs to hook a listener in to want to know more.

I saw these two articles that look into the idea a bit more.

How to give your elevator pitch.

How to make your elevator pitch stick.

You can also find this covered in detail plus a whole load more stuff in Ariel's book - Music Success in Nine Weeks.

How does a music publicity campaign work?

The internet has opened up a myriad of additional possibilities for music publicity that we often look at on our blog.

But, the music publicist is still a key figure in the way that record labels reach mass media. This article covers the basics of what that campaign covers and what they cost!

Music publicity is a misunderstood area of the music industry. Whereas marketing campaigns will spend an allotted budget on advertising, retail promotions through record store listening stations, and other relatively controllable aspects of exposure, publicity campaigns will get records into the hands of the media (print, television, and radio). Provided they support an album, the media can potentially generate more excitement for a release than any marketing campaign, mainly because they tend to act as a forum of educated opinions, and is thereby considered more credible by music audiences. If you find yourself discovering an artist’s music by reading an album review, a band profile, or an interview, chances are a music publicist worked hard to set that up.

Read the whole article here.