Artist Merchandising Made Simple

With recorded music sales in free fall and touring being a very expensive gamble to try to end up in the black, it has never been more crucial for up-and-coming artists to find non-traditional revenue streams to keep their art alive. There are many ways for musicians to make money – private lessons, doing session work, or even writing jingles. However, none of these are actively helping build an artist’s career, and the time spent working on those endeavors will ultimately take time away from their own art.

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Your Summer Music Festival Survival Guide

Summer music festival season is an opportunity to bask in the sunshine while you dance with the energized masses to the exalted jams of your favorite bands. While music festivals are filled with booming beer gardens, great dance parties, and delicious festival foods, there are also many frequently overlooked elements you must remember to take into consideration. Long lines, extreme heat, vast crowds, and unexpected emergencies could put a damper on your festival experience, if you’re not prepared.

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MusicThinkTank Weekly Recap: | Go Get It!

• Paina B | Go Get It!
• Wallace Collins | Entertainment Lawyers: Who? What? When? Where? and How Much?
• Lori Bumgarner | Reasons You Should Never Scrimp On Your Photo Shoot (Part 2) 
• Ryan Smith | Festival Season On The Cheap

Go Get It!

It’s a great thing to have a social media presence to have fans and other indie music lovers to take a listen to your music. However, it is VERY important to capture and keep the attention of the media. Media outlets will allow you to grow your brand and give you a wide range of exposure to various audiences. The more media platforms that take notice of you, the greater the exposure, the greater the chance to expand your audience. In order to successfully do this, you MUST do your homework.

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Entertainment Lawyers: Who? What? When? Where - and How Much?

As an artist or creator in the entertainment industry you do not need to know everything about the business in order to succeed, but you should hire people who do. When I was a teenage recording artist back in the late 70’s, I can remember being intimidated by the “suits”. Now that I am on the other side of the desk, I have a broader perspective. I am here to tell you that those “suits” can help you; provided, however, that like any other aspect of your life, you use your instincts in making your selection.

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Reasons You Should Never Scrimp On Your Photo Shoot (Part 2)

In this part of the series, I want to cover some common mistakes musicians make when it comes to wardrobe selection for their photo shoots.

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Festival Season on the Cheap

We all know festivals can be expensive – from forking out for your ticket, right through to buying food and drink to tide you over once you’re actually at the event: everywhere you turn it can seem like someone is trying to get you to part with your cash, and you might start to feel like you need a financial advisor to help you balance your carefully calculated weekend budget.

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MusicThinkTank Weekly Recap: | Why Unsigned Musicians Should Worry About Popularity, Not Money

• James Moore | Why Unsigned Musicians Should Worry About Popularity, Not Money 
• Emma Sturgis | Using Music Therapy to Treat ASD
• Jack McCarthy | How to Grow Your Fan Base by Focusing on Location
• Wallace Collins | Sony Music Defeats “Iron Man” Composer’s Lawsuit (At Least For Now)

How to Grow your Fan Base by Focusing on Location

Location, location, location - A focus on location is a key aspect in business, with its importance being exemplified in ventures such as opening a venue, a restaurant, and delving into real estate investment…but what does it have to do with marketing your music? Because we now have access to a global stage thanks to social media, many musicians think about promoting their music on a large geographic scale, right off the bat. But what happens if you push your music using social media networks and don’t find a connection with your online audience or can’t find a way to increase interaction?

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Sony Music Defeats "Iron Man" Composer's Lawsuit (At Least For Now)

A New York Federal Courts’ recent decision concerning a “work for hire” determination could prove controversial. The Court’s ruling involved “Iron Man”, a rapper from the Wu-Tang Clan and a music composer working in television back in the 1960s.

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Why Unsigned Musicians Should Worry About Popularity, Not Money

Even in 2015, unsigned musicians are still releasing their music and asking “where’s my money?” right out of the gate. It’s extremely important that every artist look deeply into this question. First of all, in my view, the expectation is flawed. If you have less than 10,000 genuine fans and you’re hoarding your music, waiting for those iTunes sales to save you, you’re shooting yourself in both feet.

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Using Music Therapy to Treat ASD

Music therapy is an established method of treating a wide variety of developmental and emotional afflictions, and is rapidly gaining acceptance in treating patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Research has shown how children and adults with this condition can benefit in a number of ways from music therapy.

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MusicThinkTank Weekly Recap: | 6 Things You'll Learn Recording An Album That No One Will Tell You

• Brandon Waardenburg | 6 Things You’ll Learn Recording an Album That No One Will Tell You
• William Tait | How Musicians Can Get Higher Pay For Live Shows
• Earl Brinkley | 7 Points to Artist Longevity in the New Music Business
• David Milsont | 3 Proven Tips for Coping with Performance Anxiety

7 Points to Artistic Longevity in the New Music Business

For my fellow Independent Recording Artist, I want to share with you what I believe to be 7 great fundamental steps for a successful, long-term career. As an ANCIENT Artist..lol, the process I presently use applied to a young Artist, would most likely guarantee a long and strong career:

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