The Beat of Business: Music Business Blogs Digest – Aug 12, 2023
Welcome to the newest edition of The Beat of Business:, a digest dedicated to music business!
Today’s music world is not just about producing great tracks, but also about the art of spotting opportunities, inventing new methods, and understanding market trends. Entrepreneurs, whether they are successful musicians themselves or savvy business individuals behind the scenes, play a crucial role in driving the music industry forward. In this week’s edition, we’re going to explore a range of stories that highlight practical strategies and real-life experiences from those who have successfully navigated the entrepreneurial path in music.
How To Make It As A Pop Star In 2023: Be Olivia Rodrigo Or Give Up
By: Wayne Rosso, www.themusicvoid.com
The music industry is facing a challenge: how to create and sustain pop stars in a crowded and fragmented market. While streaming platforms have enabled more artists to reach a global audience, they have also made it harder to stand out and build a loyal fan base. At the same time, traditional media outlets like radio and TV have lost their influence and relevance, while social media platforms like TikTok have become as unpredictable and ephemeral teenager’s mood swings. Find out more about the strategies to make it as a pop star in 2023. Read more
Cuffe & Taylor’s ‘unique’ touring opportunity
By: James Hanley, www.iq-mag.net
Cuffe & Taylor’s Peter Taylor discusses the company’s unique touring opportunity, which includes adding Forest Live to its portfolio and achieving over 120,000 ticket sales for The Piece Hall in Halifax this summer. The Live Nation promoter has found success by booking big-name acts for UK towns outside of the traditional touring circuit. Taylor believes the 6,000-10,000-capacity range is the company’s sweet spot, allowing them to play big venues on weekends and smaller venues midweek. Cuffe & Taylor was acquired by Live Nation in 2017 and secured a five-year deal to program live music events at The Piece Hall in 2022. Read more
You’ll Recognize Many Of These Songs Inducted To The National Recording Registry
By: Bobby Owsinski, music3point0.com
The National Recording Registry has inducted 25 recordings that preserve our history through sound. Among the inductees are iconic songs like ‘St. Louis Blues,’ ‘Imagine,’ and ‘Stairway to Heaven,’ as well as spoken word recordings. However, some choices, like ‘Sherry’ and ‘Flashdance,’ are surprising. With over 1,100 nominations, it’s interesting to consider what didn’t make the cut. Read more
Dance Music Record Labels Do It Differently
By: Ari Herstand, aristake.com
In this episode of the New Music Business podcast, Ari Herstand discusses the unique approach of dance music record labels with Deron Delgado from DIRTYBIRD and Sam Sciarra from Higher Ground. They explore the label-focused mindset, the business model behind dance labels, royalty streams from DJs, and what dance labels look for in artists/producers. This insightful conversation provides valuable insights into the EDM world and how artists can break out in this genre. Read more
@MarcHogan at Pitchfork Reveals The Corrosive Money behind StubHub’s Long March to Undermine Artists
By: Chris Castle, musictechpolicy.com
Governor Jared Polis of Colorado vetoed a bill that aimed to regulate the ticketing business, citing concerns about discouraging competition. However, investigative journalist Marc Hogan discovered that the consumer advocacy groups that influenced Polis’ decision were funded by tech companies in the online ticket reselling industry, such as StubHub and Vivid Seats. This revelation exposes the influence of these companies in shaping legislation that benefits their own interests. The vetoed bill would have addressed some of the worst practices in the ticketing business. This incident highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability in the ticketing industry. Read more
Introducing Listening Parties on Bandcamp
By: Jay Caston, blog.bandcamp.com
Bandcamp introduces Listening Parties, a new feature that allows artists to celebrate and promote their albums by hosting real-time listening events. Fans can listen to the album together, ask questions, share reactions, and purchase the album directly from the event. The feature is free to host and attend, and artists can easily schedule an event from the album editor. Listening Parties are a fun and organic way for artists to engage with their most supportive fans and build excitement around their releases. Read more
Instagram Partners With Olivia Rodrigo To Debut New Music Features, Says Its Song Library Will Reach ‘More Countries Over the Coming Weeks’
By: Dylan Smith, www.digitalmusicnews.com
Instagram has announced new music features, including the ability to add tracks to photo carousels and plans to expand its song library into other markets. The platform now allows users to invite up to three others to co-author feed posts, carousels, or short-form videos, with the resulting content appearing on each contributor’s profile. Artists and creators can also invite fans to participate in a prompt or challenge via Reels. Instagram has promised to deliver its music library to users in different countries in the coming weeks. Read more
16 Best Songs From 1932
By: Oliver Rivera, www.musicindustryhowto.com
Discover the best songs from 1932, a year of great music amidst the Great Depression. Bing Crosby’s “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” became an anthem of the era, while Fred Astaire’s “Night & Day” continues to captivate audiences. Rudy Vallee’s rendition of the same song and Louis Armstrong’s “All of Me” are also notable. Bing Crosby and The Mills Brothers collaborated on a rendition of “Dinah,” and Bing Crosby’s “Please” topped the charts for sixteen weeks. Explore these timeless classics and delve into the music of 1932. Read more
Tomorrow’s Five: Foggieraw, Doss, Paris Texas, Breez Kennedy, and illuminati hotties
By: Third Bridge Creative, blog.chartmetric.com
Discover five emerging artists in the music industry, including Foggieraw, Doss, Paris Texas, Breez Kennedy, and illuminati hotties. Foggieraw’s sample-laden tracks and social media campaigns have gained attention, while Doss’s remix of Caroline Polachek’s song has skyrocketed her popularity. Paris Texas merges rock-inspired rap with punk guitar riffs, and Breez Kennedy is making waves with his R&B singles. Lastly, illuminati hotties, an experimental punk band, is back with a new song. Explore the diverse talent and rising stars in the music industry. Read more
A2IM CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF HIP HOP
By: A2IM, a2im.org
On August 11, 1973, DJ Kool Herc unknowingly laid the foundation for hip-hop in the South Bronx. His experimental approach to music, including large sound systems and combining the best parts of different recordings, created a cultural and musical revolution. Herc’s techniques influenced artists like Grandmaster Flash, who further expanded on his innovations. Independent labels played a pivotal role in the growth and commercialization of hip-hop, bringing it into the mainstream. Today, hip-hop is one of the most dominant and influential genres, inspiring artists across various genres and amplifying the voices of marginalized communities. Read more
Unleashing Creativity: How Headphones are Transforming Home Studio Music Production
By: Editorial, dottedmusic.com
Discover how headphones are transforming home studio music production and enhancing creativity. This blog post explores the technological advancements in headphones for music professionals, including wireless connectivity, active noise cancellation, high-resolution audio, customizable sound profiles, improved comfort and fit, enhanced durability, smart features, collaborative listening, extended battery life, and integration with virtual assistants. It also provides tips for selecting the ideal headphones for music business professionals, such as considering studio-grade sound, comfort and durability, noise isolation/cancellation, style and make, wide frequency response, and detachable cables. Read more
Conclusion
As we conclude this week’s edition of The Beat of Business, we hope the stories and insights shared have shed light on the diverse, challenging, and rewarding journey of music entrepreneurship. Stay tuned for our next issue, where we will continue to explore the ever-evolving world of music through the lens of entrepreneurship.
