Posts Tagged ‘Independent Artists’
Featured Blog:
Boom Boom Chik
http://boomboomchik.com
Daily reviews and artist spotlights of independent artists.
Featured Podcast:
Indie Soup Runner
http://www.indiesouprunner.com/
The Energetic Indie Music Podcast to power your workout.
Gulf Coast Music Review
http://gcmusic.tmblr.net/
Gulf Coast Music review blog features objective, independent music reviews from a variety of genres. It was created to review music by new or established artists and allow visitors to rate sample tracks. This way the artists can have feedback on their latest efforts.
Featured Podcast:
At TheBuzz, we’re dedicated to bringing you all the greatest how-tos and success stories from the indie underground, and this time, we’ve got something really special to share.
When it comes to building hype and a fanbase, indie artists have thought of everything. The independent artists’ movement has even grown to the point where musicians are rejecting major label deals in favor of independent careers. Of course, there might not be a lot of money in indie music, but what we do have is shitloads of artistic integrity.
Enter We’re No Fakers
We’re No Fakers is an indie band with a plan so revolutionary, so radical, that not only has it never before been attempted, it’s bound to transform the nature of the words “artistic integrity” forever. I caught up with the Fakers lead Singer, Julia Fullia, in her parents’ basement earlier this week to get the scoop.
When I enter the house, Julia is on the couch, waiting both for her nails to dry and for the airplane glue in her fauxhawk to set. Already, I can sense that I am in the presence of a consummate professional.
GH: Thanks for taking the time to do this interview, Julia. I know you were a bit reluctant to participate.
JF: Yeah. Interviews aren’t really my thing.
GH: And that’s something of a core principle for We’re No Fakers, isn’t it?
JF: Sorta? I guess? We haven’t really talked about it.
Erykah Badu said it was bigger than religion, bigger than the government, but when it comes to the sounds dominating the airwaves (metaphorically speaking), the question is always: has it peaked? Is it over? What’s new?
Over the last few years, hip hop has more than controlled the mainstream music scene around the world, but even with Lil’ Wayne still near the top of his game, the release of Jay-Z’s anthem-heavy Blueprint 3, and innovative cats like Kid Cudi and B.O.B. coming out of ATL and middle America, I often wonder if we haven’t already seen the best of this business come and go.
And then, a few weeks ago, Jay Electronica dropped the Just Blaze-produced Exhibit C, and for some reason, the track’s got everybody thinking about what hip hop can become again.
Jay Who?
His fans range from enthusiastic to obsessed, but so far, most people who don’t follow the underground hip hop scene have never heard of Jay Electronica, and those who have, have only heard the name attached, in celebrity gossip fashion, to Erykah Badu (the couple live Tweeted the home birth of their daughter last February).
With the major labels focusing on quick returns rather than artist development and the advent of downloading music online, the traditional record company/artist relationship has become blurred to the point of being obsolete.
Nowadays, being independent has real advantages.
How many times have you heard or read somewhere that the internet has changed the face of the music industry forever? I would love a dollar for everytime I heard it.
However, it’s true and there are a number of reasons for this. Two that spring into mind are that:
DigiMusicBids.com is the first online marketplace that is geared toward the music business. Independent bands need to take advantage of this great opportunity to grow their projects.
The Web site’s mission is to connect musicians and the people who want to work with them in the music industry.
The online platform gives artists and labels a platform to post projects for services they need completed.
Let’s face it, the wildfire spread of web-based portals designed to introduce independent music to the world has created a bewildering array of opportunities and costs. So where do they all balance out? When does the cost of signing up to yet another music promotion service yield results? What results are we looking for anyway?
The key is to make your web promotion targeted, systematic and rich.
What is the main drive for independent artists promote their music on the web? The fundamental incentive for web promotion is the opportunity to get your music heard by people who might otherwise never know that you exist! If people know you exist they can become fans and repeat-listeners. Which of those fans buy CD’s and downloads?
Daniel Kobialka played Principal Second Violin with the San Francisco Symphony for decades, and has his own record label, LiSem Enterprises Inc. He has recorded and produced 16 albums, including three children’s albums and four guest albums with artists such as soprano Silvia McNair, David Grisman, Norton Buffalo, Enrique Coria, Jerry Garcia, and many others. Find out more about Daniel’s independent music at DanielKobialka.com.
Musicians develop their own labels for many different reasons. My reason is partly because of a challenge I took on at a young age, to take what I was told was an unmarketable instrument, the violin, and create music that expressed emotions, touched hearts, and ultimately, sold. Whatever the reason for creating their own labels, musicians sometimes forget the advantages they hold and focus instead on the multitude of challenges.
As a gentle reminder to artists as well as their potential customers, I’m sharing my personal favorite reasons why I enjoy having my own label, and why music lovers should consciously choose to buy music from independent labels.
1. Independent musicians can freely express their passion and unique talent. They can express their own personal stories, follow their own instincts, and not have to follow orders from major label executives as to what they must create. From the customer’s perspective, by exploring radio stations and other sources of independent music, they too are now free to make their own decisions as to what is hot and what is not.
Online marketing has become the superb way for independent artists to get their name known around the world. The most popular way, which is setting up profiles on social networks, is also a negative way to fund an indie project.
What is the best way for indie artists to market themselves online? Create their own “Dot Com.” Indie artists have the freedom to do whatever they want on their “Dot Com’s.”
The artists do not understand that social networks they sign up on are just for marketing purposes. Everything they create on their profiles is regulated and are based on corporate standards.
For instance, a Myspace profile can only be setup under the standards of News Corp. News Corp. has the ability to delete any profile that does not meet their regulations. All the time and effort that an indie artist/band puts into a profile can be removed based on their rules.
What are other advantages of owning a web site?
Advertising. Why not try to get advertising, or sponsors for your own web site? Just think about who gets the advertising money for the time and effort a band spent on completing a social network page. This type of move should especially be made for bands who receive many hits on Myspace and Facebook.
The opportunity to gain another dollar to fund an indie project is being lost every time a fan searches for an indie band/artist and is told to go to a Myspace page.
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