Music Business

Tips From the Rock 'n' Roll CEO No. 3: Get Your Swag Straight

Jared Gutstadt | Posted 05.31.2012

Read More: Business Tips, Brand Recognition, Branding, Music Business Tips, Self-Branding, Music Business, Business News

Business and the rock star life/grind are not so different. Meetings are your world tour. When you head out on tour, make sure you have a merch table. Your branding can't survive without it.

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Still Spinning: How 'Record Store Day' Is Saving Independent Music Stores

HuffingtonPost.com | Drew Guarini | Posted 04.23.2012

Read More: Small Business, Record Store Day, Music Stores, Music Business, Record Sales, Record Store Day Deals, Small Business News and Trends, Independent Music Stores, Record Store Day 2012, Music, Vinyl Sales, Small Business News

Last year, the music industry finally had something to celebrate: a rise in record sales. But the celebration was probably timid. The increase was onl...

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4 Ways Music Has Evolved Online

Posted 02.21.2012

Read More: Fader, Video, Music Business, Vimeo, The Evolution of Music Online, Hype Machine, Offbook the Evolution of Music, Pitchfork, Music, Pbs Offbook, Culture News

We've been following PBS' great OffBook series since its studies of generative art and book illustrations. Today, we explore an issue close to our hea...

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Recording Tips for the 'The Loudness Wars': An Interview With Mastering Great Bob Ludwig Part 2

Chris Castle | Posted 03.12.2012

Read More: Headphones, Sound Quality, Music Business, Compression, Mastering, Recording-Technology, Technology News

Mastering is the last and probably the least understood step in the audio recording process. This is Part 2 of a two-part interview with mastering great Bob Ludwig is one of the true living legends of the music business.

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Recording Tips for the 'The Loudness Wars': An Interview With Mastering Great Bob Ludwig

Chris Castle | Posted 02.29.2012

Read More: Compression, Mastering, Recording-Technology, Headphones, Sound Quality, Music Business, Technology News

Mastering is the last and probably the least understood step in the audio recording process. Mastering engineer Bob Ludwig is one of the true living legends of the music business.

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Red Bull Records Scores with Artist Development

Tamara Conniff | Posted 01.01.2012

Read More: Record Labels, Music Business, Los Angeles, Red Bull Music, Dietrich Mateschitz, Red Bull LA, Dietrich Mateschitz Music, Red Bull Records, Entertainment News

Red Bull Records has stayed under the radar, silent under the umbrella of the massive beverage company, putting the artists first, and doing something very old school -- artist development.

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Cover Bands Don't Change the World

Todd Henry | Posted 09.10.2011

Read More: Bands, Accidental Creative, Music Business, Thomas Merton, Cover Bands, Books News

Whatever your role and sphere of influence, don't be a cover band. Find your voice.

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Detroit Shakes Up the Music Industry

Jason Schmitt | Posted 09.06.2011

Read More: Downloading Music, Music License, Music Business, Music Industry, Music Sale, Music, Music Royalties, License vs. Sale, Sale vs. License, Eminem Lawsuit, Entertainment News

If you are a musician who in fact gets a check, you can address your thank-you letter to Eminem.

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Ring-A-Ding Ding With New Bells and Whistles: A Sinatra Classic Gets a Much-Needed Upgrade

Tony Sachs | Posted 08.04.2011

Read More: Laurence Olivier, Compact Discs, Ring-a-Ding Ding!, Johnny Mandel, Concord Music, Music Business, Rat Pack, Pablo Picasso, Jr., Frank Sinatra, Reprise Records, Stan Cornyn, Entertainment News

Serious Sinatraphiles need to buy Ring-A-Ding Ding! again, no matter how many times they've bought it before. Why? A 50-year-old screwup that's dogged every release of the album has finally been fixed.

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Social Media: Allowing Youth to Rule the Electronic Music Industry Online

Taryn Haight | Posted 07.05.2011

Read More: Music Industry, Electronic Music, Social Media, Kids in Music Business, Young Music Business, Social Networking, Music Business, Social Networking Music, Music Business Young, Social Media Music, Media News

Social media has become the dot-connector between the young gunners eager to pull the trigger on a career in music and the industry itself.

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Rethinking the Music Business

Jason Schmitt | Posted 07.05.2011

Read More: Metric, Rethink Music Conference, Ben Folds, Musical Technology, OK Go, Intellectual Property, Digital Media, Music Business, Music Industry, Copyright Law, Music, Music Conference, Entertainment News

As the record industry started to dry up and die and the major labels were sort of crippled and starving -- it was a land grab. It was, "I just fired ...

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Mike King's Got a Lot to Teach: An Online Music Marketing Guru (Q&A)

Ruth Gerson | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Singer-Songwriter, Music Marketing, Berklee School of Music, Mike King, Trent Reznor, Singing Lessons, Music Business, berklee.com, Jobs for Musicians, Music Courses, Quietus, Music Business Courses, Online Music Marketing, Awesome Mix Tapes From Africa, Entertainment News

I hope I have gleaned the most important aspect of online music marketing from King. I believe his main tenet is to: establish, develop, maintain and grow the connection between artist and fan.

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These Award Shows Mean Nothing -- and We Can't Get Enough

Richard Laermer | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Grammys, Tony Awards, People's Choice, Critic's Choice, SAG Awards, Golden Globes, Razzies, Entertainment News, Oscars 2011, Music Business, Entertainment News

Entertainment is a business that sells in a Darwinian fashion. What does the best mean now? Just what's hot.

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Eight-Track Museum Gives Slice of Music History a Place in the Sun

Michael Sigman | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Ian Hunter, Buick Skylark, Eight-Track, Record Business, Music Business, George Albert, Deep Ellum, Al Kooper, Jerry Reed, Cashbox, Truckers, Bucks Burnett, Wax-Cylinder, Jimmy Paige, Pete Freedman, Cash McCall, Deep South, Ronnie Lane, Pontiac Firebird, Spinal Tape, Cloud 8, Harry Shearer, Red Sovine, Marmalade, Cd, Spinal Tap, 8-Track, Car Culture, Edward Lear, Dallas Observer, Earl Muntz, Lear Jet, Brian Setzer, Bob Hiemenz, Entertainment News

My Eight-track's pumpin' out a country song/ About a girl that's done me wrong/ My Eight-track's playing all your favorite songs/ So come on honey sin...

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Richie Onori: A Quintessential DIYer Making a Living Making Music

Ruth Gerson | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Albion Amps, Singer-Songwriter, Richie Onori, Singing Lessons, Music Business, The Sweet, Jobs for Musicians, Onori Guitar Straps, Diy, Making-a-Living-Making-Music, Singing, Guitar, Sola, Namm, Arts News

Richie Onori -- drummer for '70s multi-platinum Brit-rock band The Sweet -- has much to say about earning a living making music.

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Making a Living Making Music Part IV: Quit Your Day Job!

Ruth Gerson | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Singer-Songwriter, Make a Living With Music, Singing Lessons, Music Business, Jobs for Musicians, Singers, Musicians, Make Money With Music, Arts News

Whether your are a working musician, singer, songwriter or the likes thereof, someone who makes a living from music on her own has to be an entrepreneur.

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iTunes and the Death of Liner Notes

Don Was | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Itunes, Apple iTunes, Music Business, Music Downloads, Music Producers, Itunes Music Store, Itunes Music Download, Record Producers, Entertainment News

Years ago, the iTunes store was the only hope for the future of recorded music. Ten billion downloads later -- this laissez-faire attitude towards iTunes is the problem contributing to the devaluation of the album experience.

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Making a Living Making Music Part III: Music Licensing & Music Supervisors

Ruth Gerson | Posted 05.25.2011

I reached out to some experts about how to go from "getting lucky" in licensing to earning a steady income. There's a market for being "nobody," if your recordings are good.

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How the Walkman Led to Facebook

Dave Pell | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: The Walkmen, Social Media, Headphones, Ipod, Loneliness, Apple, Songs, Music Business, Social Networking, Music, Sony, Technology News

Three decades after the invention of the Walkman, we find ourselves seeking social connections through the very devices that isolated us in the first place.

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Vinyl Is Forever: In Praise of Indie Record Stores

James Rotondi | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: The Rolling Stones, Independent Record Stores, Record Store Day, Music Business, Sixties-Music, Punk Rock, Vinyl Is Back, Analog, Grammys, Pop Culture, Music, Rock, College Radio, Phonograph-Records, High Fidelity, The Beatles, Pop Music, Alternative Rock, Punk, Jazz, Vinyl Records, Mgmt, Music Industry, Top 10 Albums, Rock and Roll, Turntables, Recording Industry, Music Retail, Retail Sales, Technology, Amazon.com, Itunes, Entertainment News

This piece was originally posted at the MTV Music Blog For those who only buy their music on iTunes, Amazon.com, or other online digital music servic...

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Going GaGa For Business

Nelson Davis | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Madonna, Michael Jackson, Lady GaGa, Small Business, Music Business, Business News

Just one year ago the pop music phenomenon known as Lady Gaga was preparing to perform at Palm Springs California's White Party, perhaps the largest G...

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The Business of Music II - A Look at the Artist-as-Entrepreneur

Mike Ragogna | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Wal-Mart, Songwriter, Recording Artist, Music Business, Creative Artist, Pro Tools, Twitter, Diy, Facebook, Best Buy, Target, Singer, Garage Band, American Idol, Itunes, Entrepreneur, CD Baby, Sonicbids, Live Nation, Entertainment News

If your goal is the stereotypical rock or pop fantasy, then your dreams might be best realized with a major label. But if your goal is for financial and creative success, other smart models and mindsets are becoming available.

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Does America Also Need Cultural Health Care?

Rob Patterson | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Health Care Bill, Digital Music, European Healthcare, Belfast, The Hague, Small Business, Government Bailout, Australia, Music Business, Austin, Affordable Health Care, Government Spending, Ireland, Spain, Socialized Healthcare, Canada, Sxsw, South by Southwest, Cultural Exports, Independent Record Labels, Creeping Socialism, Louisiana, Irony, Liverpool, Major Record Labels, American Music, Pepsi, Germany, Louisiana Music, Scotland, Health Care Vote, Miller Beer, Universal Health Care, Sxsw 2010, Government Subsidies, Israel, Berlin, Arts Council, Health Care Debate, New Zealand, England, Exports, Chevy, International Health Care, Arts Funding, Monster, International Music, Alternative Rock, Pop Music, Sobe, Yorkshire, Great Britain, Popular Music, Zone, Barbados, Health Care Reform, Japan, Music Industry, Socialism, Entrepreneurship, Rock and Roll, Global Competitiveness, Wales, Entertainment News

The majors were an almost ghostly presence at SXSW 2010. The indies have now seized the day within the leading-edge music market.

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Join Me At #FakeSXSW

Lee Stranahan | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: South by Southwest, Beer, Mashable, Music Business, Austin, Eric Schmidt, Ashton Kutcher Twitter, Film Festival, Sxsw 2010, Swingers, Ashton Kitcher, Sxsw, Austin Texas, Tattoos, Comedy News

It's that time of year again and everybody who is anybody is joining everybody who wants to anybody next year as well as some people who used to someb...

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"Love" Talk With Suzanne Vega

David Wild | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Music Piracy, Carly Simon, Luka, Love Songs, Music Business, Suzanne Vega, Entertainment News

Listening to her stripped down and stunning new album, "Close Up, Vol. 1 -- Love Songs," I realized why I've always liked Suzanne Vega -- because I love her.

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