Yesterday was Thanksgiving in the U.S. While a lot of focus is put on tasty meals, parades and football ... it's also a great day to express gratitude for the people, things and events of our lives.
With that in mind, I would like to acknowledge the role YOU play in my life and thank you if you have ever ...
Without someone paying attention, I'd just be flinging words into the ether. The time and attention you give my work gives it meaning. And for that, I thank you!
This video is hilarious. It's described as "A behind the scenes look at Clell Tickle, the man who makes indie rock dreams come true. By any means necessary."
Universal Music Group sued MySpace.com late Friday, claiming that the social-networking site is infringing on the copyrights of thousands of songs and videos. Universal, owned by French media conglomerate Vivendi, claims that Myspace has looked the other way as users unlawfully uploaded copyright music videos.
James Hutchinson posted some sharp remarks about the suit on Blogcritics:
Give music labels time and they'll sue their own grandmothers upon the sole premise that said grandmothers aren't buying enough of the labels' music ... Unfortunately, this is an inevitable action in a bid by music labels to ensure that the money keeps streaming out of wallets.
Of course, [MySpace still has] the might of Rupert Murdoch himself to compete against, but as much of a burden as MySpace appears to be, it has actually done the music industry some good. Rather than relying on Saturday morning video charts for music recommendations, the average consumer can now find for themselves whether a band is worth their hard-earned cash or not.
I'm sure MySpace has been bracing itself for this kind of legal battle for a while now. But it will be interesting to see how this all plays out.
I'm still catching my breath after the exhilarating trip I just took to Nova Scotia. The reason for the visit was Nova Scotia Music Week, held this year in the charming town of Liverpool and the nearby White Point Beach Resort -- about an hour and a half from Halifax.
I honestly can't remember the last time I felt so good about attending a music event. The people I met were wonderful, the amount of musical talent I witnessed was truly impressive, and the way the organizers treated my girlfriend, Pooki, and I during our stay was top-notch.
Nova Scotia has a rich musical history. Some of the artists who have made their mark include Hank Snow, Anne Murray, Sarah McLachlan, Sloan, the Rankin Family, and Joel Plaskett. (Check out this Wikipedia entry on the province.) There appears to be yet another surge of incredible songs and acts emerging from the region.
Here's a list of just some of the awesome artists we were lucky enough to hear live over three short days:
A big thanks to Gordon Lapp, Chuck Teed, Mickey Quase and Keith Publicover of Music Nova Scotia for inviting me and making us feel so welcome and at home!
-Bob
P.S. The cool thing is, I may be returning to Halifax in February for the East Coast Music Awards, an even bigger event. Stay tuned.
P.P.S. To cap off an already memorable trip, guess who sat behind us on the flight from Halifax to JFK? None other than Tom Selleck, Mr. Magnum PI himself.
Would you like me to come to your city and speak? Maybe I will. Read on ...
It looks like I'll be in New York City the weekend of December 9 & 10 for the Global Entertainment & Media Summit. It'll be held at the Laugh Factory in Times Square. My panel is scheduled for Dec. 10 at 2 PM. Go here for more details: www.globalentertainmentnetwork.com
While I'm in the Big Apple, I'd love to organize another speaking event and meet some of my longtime readers -- like you, if you're in the area. And that's where I can use your help ...
Do you know of an association, school, store, or studio in the NYC area that would like to host a marketing workshop by yours truly? Ideally, the event would draw at least 50 people. The evening of Dec 10 or 11 would probably be best. If you have an idea, send an email to Bob AT TheBuzzFactor.com and let me know.
Or if you simply would like to attend such an event in the area, let me know and I'll put you on a special email list and let you know where I'll be.
In New York I plan to talk about social networking and "The New Rules of Internet Music Marketing." I'm taking that same workshop this weekend (Nov. 11-12) to Nova Scotia, Canada, where I'll speak at White Point Beach Resort during Nova Scotia Music Week. Visit www.musicnovascotia.ca/default2.asp for details.
And on Monday, Nov. 20, I will present the same workshop in my hometown of St. Louis, MO. It'll be held at the Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar, 63112, 7 to 9 PM. To register, just visit www.vlaa.org/workshops.asp and scroll down to "The New Rules of Internet Music Marketing." Or call 314-863-6930.
In 2007, I plan to take my message on the road a bit more. So let me know about speaking opportunities in your city. Especially places like Chicago, Nashville, Memphis or Kansas City. You never know, maybe I'll come to your town and get to meet you in person.
John Legend sold more than 1.7 million copies of his last album, Get Lifted, in the U.S., but he has yet to put out a single that gets major radio play.
So says the Wall Street Journal, by way of an item on Kurt Hanson's "Radio And Internet Newsletter." Legend's new album, Once Again, was just released to rave reviews -- but still no significant airplay. Turning again to the WSJ article ...
"A growing number of musicians are marketing singles and sometimes turning them into hits without the support of radio, at least initially. Radio still matters -- a recent report by Mercury Radio Research, a company that studies the industry, found that the medium is still the primary way people discover new music. But other methods are making inroads ... Panic! At the Disco, a Nevada rock band, got an early push from Purevolume, a music fan site, and the social networking site MySpace."
Here's the interesting thing:
"The online attention spurred radio stations to play Panic! At the Disco's music and fans to buy their albums and attend their shows."
Lesson: In the old days, radio was the main thing that spread new music and created hits. Today, radio is much less important than it once was, but it can still help a great deal. The key to getting radio airplay these days is to first make a splash in another medium: online, live shows, print media or TV exposure.
Grant Robertson at the Digital Music Weblog reported on this story as well. He pointed out John Legend's previous stint as a consultant for a Boston consulting group, then remarked ...
"This is so important for any up and coming musician to understand. You may be bright, hot and talented but today's music business requires you to be a sharp business person as well. Certainly, those with business or marketing skills are at an advantage but, increasingly, those without face greater hurdles to expansion."
This past summer I took a drive to Nashville and spent some time in the studio as a guest on David Hooper's Music Business Radio show. It aired a week ago Sunday in Nashville and is now available as a podcast.
On the show we talk about what music marketing really is, how to double (and even triple) your music income, and the biggest mistakes artists make with their press kits. You can download an MP3 of the show using this link or subscribe to the podcast with iTunes using this link.
Hats off to whomever edited this show. I remember not being particularly articulate that day in the studio (see this picture). Perhaps it was engineer Dan Buckley who painstakingly removed all my mumbles and stumbles and made me sound like a silver-tongued expert.
In any event, enjoy the show. We had fun doing it.
