In 2018, the Music Modernization Act was passed into law. Hailed as a harbinger of justice, songwriters hoped the law would help restructure the digital music economy in such a way as to make things more equitable for artists. The reality is a bit more complicated, but change is coming,…
Category archives: Publishing & Songwriting
Apple Music Has Team Of People Writing Down Song Lyrics
Apple is known for its attention to detail, but this revelation takes that to a whole new level. Instead of using less-than-perfect lyric services to provide lyrics alongside its music streams, Apple Music has "a team of people listening to music and transcribing the lyrics." The full quote from a…
Power Of Music Reinvention
While tenacity and an ability to stay the course are often thought of as essential values for succeeding in the music industry, the ability to reinvent and adapt is perhaps even more important. Here Patrick McGuire explores the importance, for artists, of embracing new ideas. ________________________________ Guest post by Patrick…
How To Write A Stand-Out Music Biography, How It Can Help Your Music Career
If you want to make it as an independent artist in the music business, it’s important to diversify. One avenue many may not consider is to go into publishing. Not music publishing, but actual publishing of artist bios. Being able to thread the PR needle and craft a well-written bio…
RIAA Releases “Notorious” Copyright Offenders List
Copyright violation remains an ever-present issue in the music business, affecting not only an artist’s ability to make money, but also that of labels. Consequently, the RIAA annually drops a list of the top offenders. Here we look at who this year’s guilty parties are. _________________________ Guest post by Bobby…
How To Increase Email Open Rates: 4 Tips
Email marketing is a key component of developing an artist’s brand and cultivating a dedicated following, but for it to work, you need find a way to ensure your fans are actually taking the time to open and maybe even engage with the content you’re putting out. In this piece,…
How My Ears And The World Have Changed
In this piece, Ellisa Sun takes us on a trip down memory lane and back again as she compares the music of her youth with more modern compositions, and looks how much both music and the way we consume it has shifted over the years. ______________________________ Guest post by Ellisa…
Back To The Past: Why The Vintage Sound Is Becoming So Popular In Indie Music
While nostalgia in entertainment is nothing new, the indie music scene has been witnessing a particularly large wave of it recently with a number of bands adopting an audio aesthetic heavily reminiscent of the 70s/80s and even earlier. Here we explore why, and where the trend is headed. _____________________________ Guest…
A Critical Look At Spotify PR Firm Virtuoso Music
In this review, Brian Hazard of Color Theory walks us through his recent experience using the Spotify PR service Virtuoso Music, whether the service delivered on it’s promises, and whether or not it might be right for you. ____________________________ Guest post Brian Hazard of Passive Promotion It’s always a good…
What Bad Wolves’ Success Can Teach All Musicians [INTERVIEW]
Here James Shotwell chats with Bad Wolves, a rock and roll group who have been able to cultivate success in a genre some had deemed dead. In this interview, they detail how they found success with their recent cover of ‘Zombie’ and how the group’s collective experience in the music…