Hey bands, solo artists and promoters! Are you looking to get your music heard by a targeted audience of people who would love to become your fan? Dumb question I know but check out this promotion over at Grooveshark that I am taking advantage of to promote my music

Basically, they are willing to give you free plays for helping them drive other bands and artists to their service. Here’s an excerpt from their blog;

Make sure you’re registered at Grooveshark Artists, have at least one song in your profile, and get your fellow musicians to sign up to. THAT’S IT. We will play your music for potential fans via Grooveshark Radio! Here’s the breakdown:

5 referrals = 2,000 targeted Radio plays + 1 month VIP
10 referrals = 4,000 targeted Radio plays + 6 months VIP + chance to win site skin
15 referrals = 6,000 targeted Radio plays + 1 year VIP + chance to win site skin
20 referrals = 20,000 targeted Radio plays + lifetime VIP + chance to win site skin
Top 10 referrals overall = Featured on Grooveshark social media (50k+ readers)
Top 5 referrals overall = Custom banner ads featured on Grooveshark
Winner will receive a free custom site skin on Grooveshark ($10,000+ value)

Cool huh? Just think of all the people you could reach with thousands of plays. You could really bump up email sign-ups and sales.

Here’s that that link again, Grooveshark Artists. Go sign up now!

Make sure you stop back and let me know how it works out for you.

Image via CrunchBase

I just wanted to run something by my fellow artists out there. I am not sure where but I found this site called Headliner.fm and it seems like it could be worth a shot.

Now I know what your thinking, new services promising to help bands and artist “reach the top” and explode their fanbase  are a dime a dozen these days, but, this one kind of jumped out at me as one to try out. See what you think.

The Skinny

It is an interesting concept. Basically they allow bands and artists the opportunity to leverage the fans of other bands and artists – on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, etc – by swapping promotions with them. In other words, you can have your music shared with fans of other bands/artists if you agree to share there music with your fans, on your social networks.

You can run promotions with artists in your genre each with a varying degree of popularity. they can be anywhere from your small local acts all the way up to artist like Diddy and Rob Thomas (not sure exactly how that works but those artists are on Headliners.fm’s homepage).

It is definitely an intriguing concept and could be a nice way to get your music in front of a very targeted audience for a very low investment. Plus I like the idea of hard-working bands and artist working together and helping each other out. After all, we are in this together.

Coming Clean

Now, just so you know, I haven’t done anything other than sign up, connect to my Facebook fanpage and Twitter account and watch as other bands approach me with promotion ideas. Sign up was simple and I was able to get a little over 20,000 plus of what they call band bucks for my 500+ fan base.

As far as promoting the other bands that have approached me, no band or artist has really been anything I wanted to promote to my fans – at least not until I am more familiar with how it works and/or the band/artist is someone I like myself.

I haven’t done a promotion myself – to see if I can parlay any of this into an increased fan base and/or sales – but I am currently in the process of revamping my mailing list and am waiting for that to get done before going full throttle.

Anyway, I figured I would tell you about it in case you thought it would come in handy and to hear your thoughts. Also, I get some more band bucks when other artists sign up using my link (hows that for full disclosure?). I figured I would stock pile some of those band bucks until I have my mailing list revamped.

So go take a look and if you think it is worth a shot, try it out. And if you would, please use my Headliners.fm link to do so. Thanks in advance!

Oh, and if you are already using it, please share your thoughts below so we can all learn.

Like This Shit? So do 700 plus Musicgoat diehards. Stop by and introduce yourself now. And if you’d like to check out my music and get a couple free downloads ta boot, visit my site PlanetCorey.com.

Here’s a nice find for you. I met the lead singer David Whitton of the band Eggshell Egoz in Vegas a few weeks ago. He came off as a very cool, smart guy who isn’t afraid to work. Other than finding the time for writing, recording AND pimping his music to the masses, he is a family man, owns his own club and works at another (welcome to the world of the indie artist).

I just wanted to share some of his music with all of you because – not only is he’s a good guy and deserves to be heard – BUT his music is fucking good AND is about as Musicgoat friendly as it gets. The tunes throughout their “Funky Poetz” CD incorporate a variety of influences; funk, metal, pop and a few others things I can’t really pinpoint cuz I’m writing this at a point way past my bedtime.

Anyway, check out this laid back video for one of their newest tunes, “We Ain’t Saying Nothin” and then head over to EggshellEgoz.com, listen to more and pick up a CD.

I’m Casey Stewart, the Online Marketing Coordinator for Cowbell Digital Music. I’m sure you have read some of the regular posts by Shayne Locke (CEO of Cowbell) offering his thoughts on the label side of the business and the establishment of a new digital music platform with a focus on the music community and industry insights.

In my position at Cowbell, I take care of our online presence and assist artists in establishing a presence for themselves online. Sometimes they are ahead of the game, spread across the Internet, posting regular Youtube videos etc, while some are not even aware of the power behind social platforms like Twitter. I also source relevant information for independent artists to provide them with the necessary tools to remain relevant, present and engaging with the people that matter the most – their fans.

I came across this video over the weekend from the latest Tech Crunch conference, DISRUPT, in New York. The title of the video alone peaked my interest, “Success Strategies for Musicians in the Digital Era.”

Hmmm, what magical formula will they suggest? This is probably just another ’social media expert’ with their run-of-the-mill ‘tips and tricks’. Well actually, I was wrong…

The two speakers are Troy Carter, Founder & CEO, Coalition Media Group and worldwide Manager for Lady Gaga and Scooter Braun, Founder & Chair, SB Projects and worldwide Manager for Justin Bieber … only the two biggest stars of the current music world … and incidentaly, the two artists that have indeed successfully harnessed online strategies to their advantage.

Here is the video link.

And here is a quick run down on the main points of the video, what I personally derived from the discussion and how that may relate to the independent artist.

1. Youtube is one of the main places that artists are now ‘discovered’ by both labels, managers and most importantly … fans.

A lot of people think they already know this, but:

* How many Youtube videos have you uploaded?
* How often do you provide Youtube content?
* Are you using a variety of techniques on Youtube? (i.e are you speaking to your fans, with your fans, about your fans … as opposed to posting a new music clip every now and then).

Justin Bieber, while a unique case, did not automatically have hundreds of millions of Youtube views. Even he had to build that (with the help, strategy and knowledge of his manager and team).
At Cowbell Digital Music, we are looking to introduce Cowbell TV so that the artists on our platform have a ready-made audience and can be promoted effectively but your own Youtube channel is important to make that connection with your fans.

2. The speakers were quite reluctant to discuss the monetization of Youtube, though it is a difficult topic to side-step with such huge names. They did however, stress the importance of treating social media as a communication device, not a ‘tool’. Whether it is true or not, their argument lies in the fact that both Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga like to interact with their fans on a personal level. The catch? The artist has to want to be engaged. You may be wondering what that even means – in a practical sense. An example from the video is that Justin Bieber spends 2 hours a day on Twitter. If you don’t have two hours to spend on twitter, spend one hour, or even 30 minutes, simply engaging with people online and  watch as your fan base builds.

3. There is a balance between using social media to a ‘business advantage’ and engaging with people on a relatable and personal level.

Some people just don’t know how to use social media. They aren’t sure what they can say, when they can say it, or are worried about how it may come across. Do not worry about this! Write what you want to write, when you feel like writing it (within reason!). This is expected across social media. Fans, followers and facebook ‘likers’ know that you have something to sell, they know that you will tell them about your upcoming show or ask them to buy the album or single BUT they also expect something in return … and that is to get to know who you are.

4. Activity on Twitter is essential if only for the immediacy it provides and the personal relationship that it can potentially build.

Twitter is an amazing platform for the immediacy it provides. If you start talking with someone on Twitter, it’s not hard work (140 characters!) an the chances that they will follow back are high because you have shown an interest. If you have no interest, don’t talk to people on twitter; but also be prepared to have no followers!

5. In the “new music economy,” music has to become a multimedia business.

While you still have to engage the traditional channels – as Scooter states – “It’s hard work … you still have to pay homage to radio and kiss a lot of butt,” it is essential to embrace all forms of media, (including – or I should say, especially – social media) to succeed and build a fanbase that will turn up to the ‘main game’ (touring) and build a network that will support you and buy your merchandise when you are at that stage.

6. I think the final point is still important and that is “if you’re promoting shit, it’s still shit.” The indie artist should be sure to produce the best product possible and let it speak for itself … with (of course) some assistance from Youtube, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter…….

Go and upload a Youtube video engaging with your fans and send it through for us to check out!

Casey Stewart

Online Marketing Coordinator, Cowbell Digital Music

The ugly truth about being a musician is that it’s not only about the music. For evidence of this, simply turn on the radio.

Truly making it requires an understanding of business, marketing, PR, social media, distribution … the list is huge.

Problem is, those of us who care spent most of our time honing our sound, not getting an MBA. The moment I started to understand this is the moment I started becoming a collector of information in answer to these very key questions:

• How do I get as many people to hear my music as possible for the smallest amount of money?

• What the heck is online music marketing?

• How do I sort out all the junk on the Internet to find what truly works?

I was a bit lucky. Having a bit of a background in marketing, I knew all I had to do was find a way to apply those strategies to music. The problem was trying to condense all this information into a usable package.

Then I found Label 2.0, a site that not only professes to help you publish, communicate, distribute, convert and monetize your music, but also lays out everything I ever sought to learn in one neat, tidy package.

For weeks now, I’ve been soaking up everything they have to offer like a sponge and I’m proud to say that their strategies for Internet music marketing simply work.

Founders {Eric and Greg} built this course from the ground up out of proven real life, field tested techniques that translate your efforts into a tenfold marketing blitz. They understand the big picture. They understand musicians.

Within one week I was seeing fruit: over 20 new fans on my mailing list, and $30 worth of music sold. Those are real results, and over time, a real return on your investments in both my time and money.

If you want a winning career playing the music you love and you’re willing to do the legwork, this is the course for you. Check out Label 2.0 now!

Some interesting changes are taking place in the music industry lately. Labels suing ISP’s, new pirate sites opening up every day and musicians wondering where their next dollar will come from. It makes you stop and really consider where the whole digital music world is heading.

Soon I will be starting a series on Piracy but until then let’s take stock of today and where we see ourselves being in the future. One authority is “music futurist”, Gerd Leonhard. His site, http://mediafuturist.com gives us an inkling. Music 2.0 is Gerd’s way of describing where we are all poised, the brink of a new era that will see more mobile content and less physical cds.

This is where the future starts, with a term called “Music like Water.”  The Future of Music is treating music like water. Music readily available whenever it is needed and as important to life as water is to the body. The ability to buy music will be as easy as turning on a tap. An almost unconscious decision because it is so accessible.

Once the change occurs, issues such as piracy will become a moot point. What is the point of piracy when a song is so readily available anyway. Does this mean that as musicians we lose the value of the song along with the income.  We shouldn’t lose either. Even under the Music Like Water model, the music only “Feels Like Free”. There are plenty of models that operate under the almost free system. It not only encourages the embracing of new music, it allows the artists towards the end of “the long tail” to finally be heard.

There are several terms used in this blog like “The Long Tail” and “Feels Like Free” that need to be explained so stay tuned for the next couple of weeks as I look into the concept of each and how it will affect us all in the music industry.

The Future of the music industry is about to be turned on its head. Are you ready?

Shayne Locke
Cowbell Digital Music – It’s Your Choice

Last night Cowbell launched a new artist, Mutto (www.mutto.com.au). No stranger to the stage, Mutto, was originally in a band called Soulframe until his stint on Australian Idol 2006 started an unraveling process that led to a 3 year hiatus. Now back with a new single and a renewed passion, Mutto has had to become re-educated into the digital age.

Focusing on digital downloads, the release of Mutto’s single ‘Wish’ is a momentous occasion as he is one of the first Australian artists ever to release an exclusively digital single available for download from the iTunes store, his own website, and through the use of a ‘Bandtag’ Card.

‘Bandtag’ has been supplying promotional download cards for artists to give away songs for a few years now, however Mutto is the first artist to use the card as a replacement for the standard CD single, in fact the first artist in Australia to publicly shun cds in favor of a digital download card that allows buyers to download high quality mp3’s to play on iTunes or Windows Media Player.

It also allows fans to download a copy of the video in a format that will work on ipods and iphones. Check it out here Mutto – “Wish” video

To top it off, apart from radio giveaways and promotion, last night’s launch was exclusively promoted through the use of social media platforms like Facebook. With over 200 attendees, the success of the night is a perfect example of the importance of social media marketing in a digital age. It is a new digital era and artists like Mutto demonstrate how results can be achieved online.

As more artists like Mutto and Nomy reach their full potential they present a very real opportunity for new artists trying establish a solid base. As advocates of the digital age, Cowbell and I will strive to uncover more examples of how new artists are using the internet and its many tools to advance their careers. Stay tuned!

You have practiced until every song is flawless, your sound is dialed in, and you have the perfect set list. Other than topless chicks and a sold out crowd, what could possibly be missing?

How about some custom made stage art?

I recently stumbled onto a pretty cool site that offers a service that aims to help bands and artists take their on-stage branding to another level. The site is EloquentCreative.com.

What they can do is take logos and/or any of your artwork and plaster it on almost anything; drum heads, amp grill cloths, pick guards, backdrops and more.

Anyway, I could sit here and talk all day about how cool this stuff is but I think it would be better if I let their work speak for itself.

Go check out EloquentCreative.com now!

Hi I am Shayne Locke, CEO of Cowbell Digital Music.

I count it an absolute honour to be asked to write for Music Goat, which has been a great source of information on indie artists and the side of the music industry that isn’t often talked about. The Goat has asked me to provide a bit of a background about me, and what I do before I start the whole blogging process. So here goes.

Twelve months ago we started a record label – which is rather ironic since we release everything digitally or on cd! On starting the label, we asked ourselves what we would want if we were artists. The number 1 answer was – To Own Our Music. Not give the rights to our music away.

A big inspiration to our company setup was Terry McBride of Nettwerk Music in Canada. His philosophies answer the question of Copyright Control that we posed so we decided to run with the model that has been so effective for Terry. Cowbell Digital Music was born and the big point of difference was Collapsible Copyright (artists owning their music).

Everything about the label was different. Focus on digital, multiple service agreements and helping artists connect with fans by encouraging the use of social networking.

Another major point to our label has been the establishment of Cowbell China. As of last month, we are the first independent label to be officially on the ground in China with an office in Shandong province and the support of an official government run website. No other indie label has managed to get to this point so we consider it a privilege to be able to take our artists into China.

With all the massive leaps that we are taking as a label, we are also establishing a second platform to help new emerging artists find a voice. With a focus on the music community it totality, it will cover all genres, all styles and give artists a sense of belonging while also allowing an artist’s growing fan base to buy their music at a price set by the artist.

So please keep an eye out for my posts as I shed a bit of light on what is happening in the industry and maybe even provide a few options for the struggling artist in all of us.

For more information about us, head over to www.cowbell.com.au

Shayne Locke
Cowbell Digital Music – It’s Your Choice.

Image via Wikipedia

After experiencing the Indie Bible from a blogger/podcaster perspective for a few years now, I  laid down the cash and read it as a musician who’s looking to promote his music.

I have been digesting this bad boy for about a few months now and I can’t believe the info in here. For the indie artist, the Indie Bible is the Swiss Army knife of music promotion. In other words, it is pretty damn handy!

The book is a great resource which provides over 9000 resources in a variety of ways: Radio Stations, journalists, labels, publicists, managers as well as providing a healthy dose of articles from industry guru’s to help you use the resources to the best advantage.

Here’s the breakdown.

The whole thing is divided up by genre, label, radio, publication, region, etc. This is a huge time saver. You are able to really hone in on your the resources that are specific to both your style of music and region of promotion. You do not have to spend hours sifting through a ton of non-related info to find the resources you need to tap. Read the rest of this entry