By Mason Hoberg Contrary to what you may believe, learning to play an instrument well is only the first step in becoming a musician who is commercially valuable. To really be an asset to labels, or even just other musicians in your scene, you need to constantly be improving your skills and marketability. The […]
View PostBy Stefanie Flamm From Rio to the US Presidential election, it’s been a busy summer for everyone, including songwriters around the world: Rio turns out to be as much a competition for artists looking to get sync placement as it is for the Olympic athletes. Donald Trump stirs even more controversy by using “We Are […]
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Singer/songwriter Justin Klump found his love of music as a teenager and applied his work ethic toward making it his life ever since. He’s got three independently released albums (distributed via TuneCore!) under his belt and his self-titled fourth coming this Friday, May 13th. With success on SiriusXM’s The Coffeehouse, iTunes’ Singer/Songwriter Charts, and over 100,000 miles of touring […]
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By Dwight Brown As spring settles in, songs, activists and artists are creating news. The iconic civil rights song “We Shall Overcome” may be headed to Public Domain territory. Government regulations are stymying songwriters, but there may be a way out. Led Zeppelin may have a “Whole Lotta Love” for borrowing tunes. There’s a lot […]
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By Dwight Brown Spring forward. Get ahead. The publishing industry is becoming an investment goldmine. Artists who applied to a songwriting competition TV show get a wakeup call. A Berklee professor sues Spotify, while Spotify settles with NMPA. A hot debate over the length of copyright terms erupts. There’s a lot going on for songwriters. […]
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It’s a story you hear often: bandmates meet at college, start writing songs and playing locally, gain post-college indie success, start touring with hot bands and even get songs licensed on TV! Just as often, we learn that a member of the band decides on releasing solo work on the side. As fans or upcoming artists, […]
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By Dwight Brown A New Year brings more opportunities for songwriters to get ahead. So what’s up? Co-writers are leaving the strongest mark on top ten hits. Spotify wants to do the right thing when it comes to songwriter royalties. The digital age is heaping complications on jazz musicians, but makes composing a snap. Deaf […]
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On September 11, Amanda Palmer—AFP to fans and friends—will release Theatre is Evil with TuneCore providing digital distribution. If you don’t know Amanda Palmer, you should; the successes of her career can serve as inspiration for many DIY performers.
View PostRdio increases catalog to over 18 million songs; adds TuneCore and other new partners. The partnerships with top independent music aggregators connect over a quarter-million artists to fans in 13 countries
View PostBy Ari Herstand
When you’re on tour, merch is your #1 income generator. This can’t be stressed enough. Believe it. Bands stress over their guarantees and door splits and turnouts. If you want to survive financially with your music you must understand the importance of merch sales and approach it as such. I’ve played shows where 10 people showed up, but they had such an amazing time and I stressed the merch to them that all 10 people bought something averaging about $15. That’s $150 in merch sales. That’s good for any night.
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