Music Business Hacks

How do you handle multiple music projects and commitments? It's like trying to run multiple businesses! In today's episode, you'll get some guidelines on smoothly handling each of your competing priorities. Resources: Episode #24: Why Every Musician Needs an Intraband Agreement Episode #267: Interview with Carl Stuck

We often rewatch our favorite movies, TV shows, and videos on social media, but why is it that we seldomly reread the books that have made the most impact in our lives? There are a lot of benefits to revisiting content, especially when it comes to music business. So today, we're focusing on why and how to do it.

I discuss the pros and cons of starting your own record label for releasing your own music. What are some of the benefits? The challenges? And what is the point? Resources: Episode #62: Interview with Scott Stratton of Finance for Musicians Episode #40: Strategic Philanthropy and Your Music Episode #118: Art and Activism Episode #37: Band manager, publicist, booking agent, lawyer: who to hire and when? Episode #147: How to Get Press Coverage Without a Publicist

If you've been following the news on Fortnite, you'll know that they've been under fire for appropriating "The Floss" and "The Carlton Dance." It's raised a number of debates on whether or not you can copyright a dance move. Today, I weigh in on the issue and provide some insight into what you can or can't protect in the band.  Resources: Episode 24: Every Musician Needs an Intra-band Agreement Episode 46: Protecting Your Music Through Copyright Registration Episode 111: How to Get a Registered Trademark

When it comes to how you play shows and communicate with others, you should ask this fundamental question: are you trying to date them or marry them? Because that would have two very different approaches. Figure out what you want, then go do it...the right way.  Resources: TEDxDupontCircleEd talk - Once Upon an App: An Online Dating Fairytale https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NY2QH_azjU4

If you wanted to create a daily routine for yourself, what would it include? Today's episode focuses on the 7 things you can do to dramatically improve your success and build your career in a sustainable way.  Resources: Episode #202: How to Get Better Sleep on Tour Episode #8: SMARTER Goals

How do you respond to news, trends, or memes? In today's recap, we discuss 3 episodes from this week that really came up as a result of viral content. Listen to this week's episodes: Episode #269 - Fake it til you make it? Why Buying Followers is a Bad Idea Episode #270 - When Should You Keep Your Music a Secret? Episode #271 - How Artists Can Respond to Spotify Wrapped 2018 Episode #272 - How to Recover From Mistakes Episode #273 - CBD Oil and Its Effects on Musicians Episode #274 - Interview: Julian David Stone on Photographing the Ramones, Bruce Springsteen, and more Other Resources: Episode #40: Strategic Philanthropy and Your Music Episode 118: Art and Activism

In today's episode, we interview Julian David Stone.  While experiencing the adventures that make-up his latest book, No Cameras Allowed - My Career as an Outlaw Rock and Roll Photographer, Julian David Stone grew-up in the San Francisco bay area. Eventually he relocated to Los Angeles after spending his college years at the California Institute of the Arts. He has since written screenplays for Disney, Paramount, Sony and MGM, the full-length play, The Elvis Test, as well as making several short-form documentaries on Frank Sinatra, for the Warner Brothers. He is also the writer and director of the hit cult comedy feature film, Follow the Bitch, which has played to packed houses all around the country and received numerous awards. Recently he began writing books with his debut novel, The Strange Birth, Short life, and Sudden Death of Justice Girl, about the world of the 1950’s live television, currently being turned into a TV series. Resources: For more information on Julian's work, see his website. Fav

Everybody is talking about CBD oil  right now but how does this supposed cure-all impact vocals? And speaking of drugs (natural or otherwise), how does that impact our ability to write or perform music? In this episode, I take a very business oriented approach to the science and trend of drugs.  Resources: Science Vs. podcast on CBD Oil Mic: Science Reveals What Drugs Really Do to Artists' Brains Study: Stage Fright in Musicians: A Model Illustrating the Effect of Beta Blockers Medical News Today: 10 tips for singers to keep voices at prime Leader Live: 6 Vocal Myths

No one likes messing up, especially on stage. But the real mistake isn't the bad notes that we play: it's how we handle problems on stage. In today's episode, we get insights from industry legends like Robert Plana and Miles Davis on mistakes. Resources: Episode #4: Don't practice. Rehearse instead. Episode #43: Why Every Musician Should Have a Post-Show Game Plan

Spotify just released their annual cool year-in-review feature for listeners, Spotify Wrapped. So what can you do as an artist in response? Have you checked out the Spotify for Artists dashboard updates? Resources: Spotify Wrapped 2018 Spotify for Artists Related episode: How to Get on Spotify Playlists

In today's episode, I wanted to speak to this idea that we should keep our best projects a secret. (Hint: we shouldn't) Resources: Article - Unsolicited Music Demos: How to Get in the Door of a Record Label

If you haven't heard the story of L.A based band Threatin, it's a fascinating one (read the latest here). It reminds me of another idea: fake followers and why I wanted to take a moment to remind you why having them is such a bad idea! Resources: Twitter Audit: https://www.twitteraudit.com/ Hype Auditor (Instagram): https://hypeauditor.com  

In today's recap, we talk about my personal favorite ideas from the past week and h0w they ultimately contribute to the work of building systems (habits) for music business success. Resources: Episode #260 - Show Me, Don't Tell Me in Music Episode #261 - How to Quit Your Day Job Episode #262 - 5 Ways Artists Can Deal with Stress Episode #263 - Why You Should Write Stuff Down Episode #264 - Why You Should Double Your Performance Price Episode #265 - There's a System for That Episode #266 - Integrated Marketing Campaigns and Music Episode #267 - Interview: How to Marketing Holiday Music with Carl Stuck

Carl Stuck is a songwriter and musician hailing from Louisville, Ky. For years a fixture in the Louisville music scene he has also done extensive touring with multiple bands through much of the U.S. and has worked with artists as diverse as Randy Owen of country supergroup Alabama and soulful American Idol winner Ruben Studdard among others. He currently works both as a solo artist and as the singer/guitarist of the progressive rock leaning Splintered Mind as well as playing guitar for the electronic Velvet Saints, and country Bryan Fox Band. He also regularly gigs as a sideman for several local acts playing guitar, bass, mandolin, and even cajon. When he’s not busy doing music you can find him trying to catch up on his sleep. Resources: Favorite Books: Christopher McDougall - Born to Run Decartes -  Meditations and Other Metaphysical Writings Stephen Hawking - A Brief History of Time Favorite Podcasts: Bar Star, Shooting from the Lip, Song Exploder Favorite Gear: Taylor 300 series guitarAny acoustic with

If you've ever taken a marketing class, then you'd have heard of IMC, or integrated marketing campaigns/communications. The underlying idea is that it's about how many different marketing channels and distribution works together. But most of the time, it doesn't work because people fail to integrate the most important part of all: the customer. Today, let's talk about what this means for your music.

When something happens to you or you want to make something happen in your career, what do you do? Consider these situations: meeting an enthusiastic fan who has been changed by your life, reading a great article about music business, or connecting with someone at a conference: what is your system (habit) for following up and following through? Related Episodes: Episode #43 - Why Every Musician Should Have a Post-Show Game Plan