Press Release: A Brash! Blog Birthday Celebration

Atlanta, GA – August 18, 2015 - BRASH! – A Music Marketing Blog began in August of 2011 with the notion of providing new/independent artists with music marketing knowledge to help advance their careers.. Since its beginnings, BRASH! has made a grand name for itself by sticking to its original notion along with giving independent artists exposure and displaying how the music industry is gaining innovation. Now celebrating its fourth year, BRASH! is looking to gain more ground to reach a broader audience, provide more content, and fulfill the vision of music marketing in the Indie music industry. “I remember sitting in an office cubicle writing blogs for this corporate company that I had no interest in. Then, I got the idea of writing my own, I wanted it to be helpful, I wanted it to be about music & entertainment, and I wanted it to be BRASH!” says founder/editor-in-chief E. Alexcina Brown. “My goal was to provide an outlet for great artists who were not fortunate enough to have that mainstream exposure.”

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William's 2 Step Method For Increasing Your Value As A Musician

Is it weird that I love to study Boar’s Head? You know, the sandwich meat company?

Not only is their quality spot on but I LOVE their slogan –

Boar’s Head – Sacrifice Elsewhere

That is dope (Did I mention that I have no life?). But, it’s a testament to our thinking here at HTBAMS.

We would rather pay 2x the price knowing that we get an amazing product, versus saving a few pennies to get the knock-off. It’s just not the same. 

But, what happens when we invest in ourselves?

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The Importance Of Proper Branding In Music

BELOW IS AN EXCERPT FROM http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-ca-ms-motley-crue-20150809-story.html#page=1   

 “Mötley Crüe’s longtime manager, Allen Kovac, sees Led Zeppelin, which disbanded in 1980 after the death of drummer John Bonham, as the ideal precedent. “No one has left more money on the table than Zeppelin, and yet they have one of the highest-selling catalogs and merchandising lines in the world because they didn’t go out and diminish the brand like so many bands have,” Kovac says. “Mötley Crüe recognized that part of the puzzle.”

 Perhaps Kovac has a point about branding?  Cut to… http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/on-the-charts-led-zeppelins-in-through-the-out-door-back-in-top-10-20150809 

Why Taylor Swift Is Wrong About Online Music

Why Taylor Swift is wrong about online music

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Indie Music = REAL Music?

Where can we find quality music today?

It’s a no-brainer that the music industry has DRASTICALLY changed since some of our favorite mainstream artists began. These changes have created a domino effect on how music is made, distributed, marketed, and handled business wise. A lot of our beloved artists who were once signed to major labels have now started their own or joined independent labels. On the other hand, technology changes have had a grand effect on new indie artists who have hopes on getting picked up/signed by major labels OR continue their growth on the independent route

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Post-Album Rollout: 5 Tactics for Ensuring Your Music Has a Long-Term Impact

This article originally appeared on the Sonicbids blog.

With months and sometimes even years going into the creation of a new body of work, it’s an understood expectation that artists put together some sort of marketing plan in anticipation of their album release. And once your music is available, it feels like the weight of the world is officially off your shoulders. However, too many musicians suffer the fate of their album having a few days of initial buzz but losing most of its momentum within the first week or so.

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What Successful Musicians Do Differently

This article originally appeared on the Sonicbids blog.

There are plenty of musicians in the world, but there are undoubtedly a few things that truly set apart the “men from the boys,” so to speak. Essentially, we’re talking about the things that separate the professional musicians from the hobby musicians. Though everyone defines “success” differently and in their own way, most people can agree that being able to make a living doing what you love is “making it.” With that in mind, here are four key things that successful musicians do differently.

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The Music Industry In The UK Is Changing

Within a year the amount of streamed music on platforms such as Spotify, Google Play or Deezer has doubled. By being in the top 5 Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, Hozier, Drake, and Rihanna are generating a huge number of plays every day.

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Why I Choose To Wait (To Release New Music, That Is)

I released ‘I’m Fine’ back in March and it was very positively received, to my delight. I released the song under my label Twin State Recordings, a label that was started through the music business course in the Music Production and Businss online diploma programme offered by Point Blank, London. So in fact, releasing the song was for a project that had everything to do with learning about music business and testing music strategies. I must say I’m very grateful for that project and to my tutor, Steve Hillier, for the push that I needed to really start promoting myself and my music since I changed my name to ‘Kattronique’ two years ago. But nevertheless, if it were up to me, I would have still chosen to wait, and up to now I still feel that way.

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Artists Fight Hate Speech With A Song

The blogger Atanas Neychev and the Bulgarian performer Valentine Rain created a song whose aim is to fight the internet hate speech and cyber bullying – topics, that have gone completely out of control in the present-day world. The project they call “Fire+Fire” became a part of the Council of Europe campaign “No Hate Speech Movement” that supports over 40 countries worldwide. The young artists’ message is to protect the fire between us, the love for our beloved ones, as well as not to forget the little things that maintain the fire of love.

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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.

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Reality Check: Why Musical Talent Isn't Enough To Achieve Success

This article originally appeared on the Sonicbids Blog.

As musicians, I believe we all exist in varying levels of our own narcissistic paradise. We are, by nature, some of the most self-absorbed people on the planet, and must be in order to achieve many highly desired benchmarks of commercial musical success. Yes, we all care about making “music for the people,” but let’s face it – we’ve got to look out for “number one” in order to get to the top of our cutthroat industry. And anyone who wants to be romantically involved with us better buckle up, because our hearts have already been taken by our first love a long, long time ago. Music is our heart. Music is our life. And for some of the lucky few, it is also our livelihood.

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Finding Your Hidden Musical Triggers – How To Overcome Writer’s Block

One of the most powerful things we experience in life is being in the zone.

Everything you do is right, everything you say is right, and every note comes out like mimosas at a Sunday brunch (Oh, I’m just getting one drink – said no middle-aged woman ever.)

I’ve written a lot of music. Some good, some bad. Some amazing, and some so bad I wanted to stomp on the nearest garden of flowers.

The funny thing is that when I wrote music that was REALLY good – it was also the easiest to write.

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New Free eBook: Likers & Lovers

Last month I hosted an artist leadership meeting and had a fantastic conversation about fans.

There seem to be two main types.  People who like your band and people who love your band.

From that meeting, along with conversations with others and my own experiences…I’ve turned it all into a short eBook exploring the topic of fans.

You can download the eBook (PDF) from my website for free by clicking: Likers & Lovers

If you find this information helpful, please pass it along to others.  They need it.

It’s vital that bands, artists and their teams take some time to understand their fans, where they’re coming from and how they need to be communicated with.

You’re on the right track.

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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com