MC Till Newsletter

I read this very thought provoking newsletter from rapper MC Till last month about how hip hop needs to grow up, or better said, capitalism needs to grow up. I love what Till had to say, and felt compelled to add to it.

Anyway, here’s MC Till’s excellent newsletter editorial, followed below by my response based on what I’ve seen and experienced in the urban music industry.

Ladies and Gentlemen, MC Till:

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Is Beyoncé’s ‘Lemonade’ Really A Work Of A Genius?

In pop music, the word “genius,” is often only associated with the likes of John Lennon, Elvis Presley, or Janis Joplin—dead, but not forgotten because their works continue to resonate with the living. We’ve heard people delegate such a lofty praise to Michael Jackson, Prince, or Amy Winehouse when they were still alive, and we still constantly see it being juxtaposed with living legends Elton John, Morrissey, and Lenny Kravitz; therefore, to give it to a not-even-forty-years-old pop diva with saccharine monikers—Beysus, Queen Bey—is a case that will always make it a subject of debate.

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How to Market Your Music Like Beyonce'

Beyonce’ is considered one of the greatest entertainers today. She is known for her captivating stage show, excellent performance skills, and catchy tunes. But Beyonce’ is not only a great entertainer, she (her team) is a marketing genius as well. Beyonce’ took music fans by surprised when she released Beyonce’ a year ago without promotion. There are some principles that indie artists can apply from Beyonce’s marketing campaign.

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8 Ways To Keep Up With and Discover New Music Releases

Have you ever felt like you were no longer in the loop when it comes to new music? “Have you heard Beyonce’s new song?!” “Did you get tickets for that gig?” “It went to number 1!”. None of us like to feel left out when it comes to the hottest new songs, the latest summer smash, or that killer album everybody’s talking about.

Here are a number of methods to stay up to date with the best music and most anticipated releases.  

1. Social media
Following your favourite artists and bands on social networks such as Twitter and Facebook will ensure that you are constantly in the know about what’s out and what’s coming next. Artists promote themselves and their music this way as it’s the easiest outlet to connect with their fans.  

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Electrosonic is an innovative and original musical project

PAST PRESENT FUTURE… And… finally… Electrosonic’s brand new album: an innovative and captivating project, sound that blends energy and atmosphere, rock and electronic music. Our unreleased tracks get straight to the point, able to fascinate people and convey emotions. A band that wants to leave a mark in creative music and entertainment and that can involve you.

Electrosonic is an innovative, original and captivating musical project and also is a different way to perceive music. The idea of electronic music blends to live music and the live show is a melting of video projection and music. We can give you emotions in different ways, a straight and multi-sensorial channel between band and audience.

In 2013 the band entered national compilations and some of their songs of their brand new album Past Present Future has been broadcasted from hundreds of Italian and foreign radios, reaching good results, approval and interest. Electrosonic has been mentioned in the magazines “Muzi Kult” and “Ente Friuli per il Mondo”. The band also reached remarkable position in the “Indie Music Like” national ranking.

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An Honest Review of the All-New Sonicbids EPK System

Today, I was checking out a Sonicbids EPK that was emailed to me. Much to my surprise, the layout for a Sonicbids artist profile completely changed – there was no quick bio, music player on top, or a useful set of links (press, stage plot, etc.). Instead, I found a Pinterest-like layout with navigational tiles. I thought it was just some lame option that the artist chose, but decided to check using my own band’s profile.

This is what I found:

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The Coffee House Sessions

Coffee House Sessions is a new music initiative, exposing the hottest in upcoming UK music talent to the student market via daytime performances in University coffee shops around the country: http://youtu.be/CZRp_MoTqhM. 

With a carefully designed touring circuit taking place in 40 universities, Coffee House Sessions holds acoustic performances at two different campuses a day over a ten day period and provides promotion for the showcased artists through student media outlets such as student newspapers, student radio and student TV at each university.

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Ozric Tentacles 30th aniversary tour and album review

This album review coincides with Ozric Tentacles 30th anniversary tour, any band that has been going for 30 years through thick and thin deserves respect and thats before you have even heard their music. The music itself will satisfy dance heads, rock aficionados and ambient lovers, and often within the space of a single track !  A band that has remained true to their counter culture and free festival roots. This will hopefully explain why this awe inspiring band has been uncompromisingly making their unique style of music for such a long time….

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Before You Sign...

What You Should Know Before You Sign the Deal can be found in this book…

Unlike any other book about the music business, “Music Business: It’s a Dirty Game!”,

this book is not a ‘puff piece’ about the glitz and glamour about the music business.

This book takes you on a journey from the excitement of having a music publishing contract with a major music publishing company to the legal battles that followed.

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For the Holidays: How My LP Copy of A Charlie Brown Christmas Became Its Definitive American Artifact

The United States Library of Congress voted to designate the Vince Guaraldi soundtrack to A Charlie Brown Christmas a national audio treasure, including it among the twenty-five 2011 inductees to the National Recording Registry — America’s sound heritage. Trouble is, the Library did not have a copy of Charlie Brown among its holdings. So I gave them mine.

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