“Why do I find it hard to write the next line? Oh, I want the truth to be said.” Spandau...
Band Management
Learn more about the music business and band management, including music licensing, booking your own DIY tour, music publishing, copyright law, music royalties, music promotion, music distribution and performing rights organizations.
How Much Liability Insurance Does My Band Need?
We’ve spoken at length about liability insurance for live bands, especially touring bands and...
10 Tips for Making it in Today’s Music Industry
Dear Indie Musician, You’re Not Going to Make It Well, there is ONE secret… It’s harsh, it’s...
LEGAL PAD: Your Band’s Finances, Paying Professionals, & The Law
WHETHER YOU’RE PLAYING AT LOCAL CLUBS OR TOURING THE REGION, NATION, OR BEYOND, paying the professionals who help you along the way is part of the cost of doing business. But what are the best...
Make DIY Projects Stand Out to Music Supervisors
Hiring Outside Help to Mix Home Recordings When I wear my music licensing agent hat, one of the most frustrating parts of the job is listening to hundreds of songs that sound horrible. Sometimes...
The “Big 4″ of Professional Representation
Know Who’ll Do What For Your Career EVERY MUSICIAN WHO MAKES THE TRANSITION FROM hobbyist to career performer will gradually assemble a team of professionals to take care of their business affairs,...
Repel Music Distribution Grand Opening
A new addition to the music distribution game, Repel Music Distribution has been opened by seasoned owner Mike Repel (founder of Reformatory Records) with the promise of bringing large-scale...
Access the Airwaves: A Musician’s Guide to Community Radio
All musicians dream of hearing their music on the radio, but unless you have a record deal with a major label, getting radio play is harder than ever. Whether it’s pop, country, hip-hop or oldies,...
Labor of Love: Unpaid Internships in the Music Industry
THE MUSIC INDUSTRY is known for its abundance of internships, each sprinkled with the notion that a real opportunity is just around the corner. The prevalence of “unpaid” internships has increased...
Engage Fans With Pinterest and Other Social Tools
Engaging with fans is crucial for an artist at any level. Today, maintaining an active connection with fans involves a strong online presence, especially on social media. As you are likely already...
Get Paid Your Digital Download Royalties
WHEN RECORD LABELS STARTED SELLING THEIR CATALOGUES AS DIGITAL downloads through online services (iTunes, Rhapsody, etc), a critical issue emerged regarding artist compensation: What percentage...
Build a Merch Display to Make Optimus Prime Jealous
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F018BPEaFeU Not every band’s van has an extra seat for the merch girl. That’s what I realized while on tour with my band, The Lights Out. In your home city, there’s...
Pay-to-Play: Prohibited or Rite of Passage?
You’ve heard the deal before: get a slot at this summer’s music festival by pre-purchasing 40 tickets in advance. Some see it as a rite of passage, others a blatant scam. Whichever way you see...