Keeping A Pulse On The New Music Ecosystem

As a music fan today, I’m introduced to new music every week. I have what at times feels like almost personal access to my favorite artists; ranging from scintillating personal thoughts and pictures (Instagram, Twitter) to inspired support of an album’s production (PledgeMusic).

For listening to music, the physical to digital shift has given way to an abundance of platforms from which to discover, purchase, and share music. Chances are that if we met at one of our industry’s many events, we’d end up discussing the variety of streaming services that are available. I’d ask ‘what service do you use?’ to which you may confess no particular allegiance to one, rather, that you use more than one depending on the situation.  Many people (including myself) would probably answer this way.

Click to read more ...

A Career In Music, Or Just Fame?

Like many of you I occasionally like to watch reality talent shows to potentially discover the next “big thing” that once upon a time we may never have come across. Naturally the world of an unsigned / emerging artist was once a lonely one with a mountain to climb and a lot of hard work and sheer persistence to get yourself heard or in fact in front of the right people. It is a shame though that for the majority of singers / bands that something is definitely missing.

Click to read more ...

Innovation, Our New Job As The Music Industry

I released my first music video, “Rocket to the Moon” today. As a new artist with a low starting fanbase I understood I wouldn’t be able to get much press write up for my music video unless I presented something never seen before. So that’s what I did, I created “The World’s First Portrait Music Video”, and the press followed. It is our new job as the Music Industry to lead innovation.

Click to read more ...

Wurrly: New Singing App. If You Have A Voice, Don't Save It For The Shower

Wurrly is a free app that transforms your smartphone into an on-the-go music studio with a fully customizable recording artist experience. Wurrly enables you to choose a song you love, customize it (by key, tempo and instrumentation), then record and share quickly and easily. Wurrly recognizes that a song should never be one size fits all so we celebrate your unique individuality.

Click to read more ...

Music & Fashion Pt Deux

In our last blog about Music & Fashion, we highlighted how these two elements can come together to make a powerful force in the entertainment and fashion industries. You can take that on and allow yourself as an indie artist to be a part of that force. Today, music artists are setting the latest fashion trends. Consumers are being inspired by what today’s hottest artists are wearing on red carpets, interviews, appearances, concerts, and even on their social media during random outings. Some wardrobe choices are only meant for the stage however, fans are constantly wondering, “What are they wearing? How can I get it?” This blog can go for up & coming fashion moguls as well. You want your clothes to have more exposure in your industry, team up with a great artist to help build that brand. Gain their fans as future customers.

Click to read more ...

Meet the digital love-child of MTV and Rolling Stone magazine

My team and I run an indie music blog that we’re turning into a streaming service & indie zine — sort of a digital love-child of MTV and Rolling Stone magazine. We’re doing everything radically different, starting with a financial model that makes digital work for artists (instead of the other way around).

Click to read more ...

BRASH! Magazine 2016

BRASH! - A Music Marketing Blog started in 2012. This blog was designed to provide music marketing tips for Independent Artists as well as provide a platform for exposure by giving exclusive interviews and social media promotions. In 2016, BRASH! is ready to expand to the magazine scene but we need your help. In order to bring this to life we are accepting donations to design, create, and develop a Music Marketing Magazine to increase exposure and awareness for quality Indie Artists. Funds raised will be used for staff memebers (writers, graphics artists, events etc.) as well as the development for the magazine’s platform, both online and print.

Click to read more ...

The State of Hip-Hop

The last year in hip-hop has been a glorious one. Long gone are the lukewarm mid-2000’s, and the spectral stagnation that plagued the industry half a decade ago is nowhere to be seen.

Click to read more ...

Warner Music Group Collaboration with Shazam Creates Hybrid Record Label

By Zach Rickers

In February of 2014, Warner Music Group and Shazam announced that they would enter into a “strategic collaboration” in which Warner would have access to Shazam’s user data and Shazam would have access to exclusive Warner content.¹  Currently, when a user hears a song that they like, whether it is at a restaurant or on the radio, they can open up the Shazam application on their smartphone and hold the phones microphone to the speaker which will then analyze and identify the song title and artist that the user is listening to.²  Once a song is identified, the app logs data such as the time of day the song was “tagged”, the song being identified, and even where the song was tagged (if the user has location services enabled).³  This is the sort of data that Warner plans to use not only for A&R, but also for marketing and promotion purposes.

Click to read more ...

In "Raging Bull" Case US Supreme Court Opens The Door To Even Long-delayed Copyright Infringement Lawsuits

     In a copyright dispute over the movie “Raging Bull”, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the case can continue dispite the substantial passage of time. In a 6-3 decision the Court held that plaintiff Paula Petrella, daughter of the late screenwriter Frank Petrella, did not wait too long to file her lawsuit against MGM claiming an interest in the film.

Click to read more ...

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.  

Click to read more ...

Pickasound; A movement for the free expression of musical Ideas online

About 8 months ago, me and an amateur musician friend of mine living in Toronto were trying to collaborate on a few tracks for his upcoming album.  

I created instrumentals and he wanted to sing over them. 
We were both excited about working together on a project, but when it came time to communicate our musical ideas online, the process proved to be a daunting task.

Click to read more ...

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.

Click to read more ...

One Book To Rule Them All! The Elusive "It" Factor in the Music Industry

I have always been a creative entrepreneur, and not allowed the world to get the better of me, but instead, let the world fuel me. Throughout 13 years in the music industry I’ve worked with some of the best in the business: Anita Baker, KC Porter, Jim Henson Studios, Never Land, OK GO, George Duke, Lauren Mayhew, Pomplamoose, and as far as I can remember, I’ve heard of “it,” this elusive thing setting apart the extraordinary from the ordinary. These people encapsulate: auras, energy, and empower all that are near; you’re drawn to them.

Click to read more ...