Passive Promotion

Promotion

Is Jango Payola?

May 8, 2009

My last article on Jango sparked spirited discussions on the Just Plain Folks forums, the CD Baby forums, and Music Think Tank. Words like “scam” and “payola” are recklessly thrown about. We need to dispel these unfair and inflammatory accusations before we can have an honest debate. Is it a scam? Absolutely not! It is [...]

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The Lead-Up EP

April 30, 2009

Some argue that the album release cycle is a thing of the past, and that artists have moved into an “always on” mode of promotion. Even in the studio, we blog, Twitter, and post videos of our recording sessions on YouTube. Some argue further that the album format itself is dead. Personally, I’d like to [...]

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What Artists Should Know About Jango

April 23, 2009

Would you pay $1 for a new fan? Would you pay 2 cents to have your song played to a fan of your favorite band? I would, and did, with Jango Airplay. Jango offers free internet radio that plays listener-selected artists alongside similar artists. Tell it which artists and songs you like and dislike, and [...]

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8 Reasons to Release a Follow-Up EP

April 17, 2009

You’ve just released the album of your life. The songs are honed to perfection, the production is top notch, and you found your true voice as an artist. How can you possibly top it with your next release? I suggest you don’t even try. Instead, follow it up with leftovers. You may call them outtakes, [...]

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Is a Last.fm Powerplay Campaign Right for You?

March 31, 2009

In my previous post on Last.fm, I promised to follow up with the results of my Powerplay campaigns, which target a set number of radio plays to a particular group of users. Four packages are currently offered: $20 for 100 plays, $100 for 500 plays, $200 for 1,000 plays, and $400 for 2,000 plays. Since [...]

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Final Items on My Promo To-Do List

March 29, 2009

For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin – real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way. Something to be got through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on [...]

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Help Me Win the John Lennon Songwriting Contest

March 15, 2009

Recently my song “If It’s My Time to Go” took the Grand Prize in the electronic category of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest. [Audio clip: view full post to listen] On Thursday, the next phase of the contest begins, and I need your help to win it. I’m only up against one other person, so [...]

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What Artists Should Know About Last.fm

March 9, 2009

On the surface, Last.fm and Pandora seem redundant. Both recommend new music based on your current favorites, and allow you to influence their suggestions by approving or disapproving of each song as it plays. But while Pandora suggests songs based on their underlying musical characteristics, Last.fm relies on guilt by association. The formula is right [...]

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It’s No Longer Cool to Be on a Label

February 28, 2009

When I put out my first CD in 1994, you had to be signed to be taken seriously. So I created my own label, 11th Records. I even went so far as to sign another band to my roster. Loosely translated, I sold a friend’s CDs on my web site. My letters went out on [...]

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Final Thoughts on OurStage

February 1, 2009

My heartfelt thanks once more to everyone who supported me in the finals at OurStage! Now that I’ve been through the entire process from song submission through final judging, I’ve got some suggestions for the site. Its stated goals are noble, but the execution is seriously lacking. Before that, I want to share the full [...]

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