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.

No related posts.

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.

Related posts:

1. Thoughts on ‘Success Strategies for Musicians in the Digital Era’

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.

Related posts:

1. Music Video For My Memorial Song “Minnesota Got Colder” (My First Video Ever)
2. See Why Henry Rollins is Pissed (Video)
3. The Music of Apocalyptica: Thrash Metal Without Guitars (Video)

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

Related posts:

1. Launching in the Digital Age
2. Guest Blogger – Shayne Locke from Cowbell Digital Music
3. Music Marketing Strategies: Where You can Send Your Music Demos

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!

Related posts:

1. Thoughts on ‘Success Strategies for Musicians in the Digital Era’

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

Related posts:

1. Music Review: Jennifer Dixon, the Face of Alternative Country’s Uncompromising Future
2. Living In the Shadow Of The Long Tail.
3. Guest Blogger – Shayne Locke from Cowbell Digital Music

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!

Related posts:

1. Thoughts on ‘Success Strategies for Musicians in the Digital Era’
2. Guest Blogger – Shayne Locke from Cowbell Digital Music
3. What Is A Nomy?

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!

No related posts.

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.

Related posts:

1. Thoughts on ‘Success Strategies for Musicians in the Digital Era’
2. Launching in the Digital Age
3. Into the Future – Music Like Water

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.

Info packed articles by indie music guru publicist Ariel Hyatt, CDBaby founder Derek Sivers, and many more. It makes no sense having all this publicity if you don’t know how to use it.

The cover topics like “How To Submit Music For Review”, “How To Be your Own Publicist”, “Band And Press Kit Essentials”, “Building A Music Site That Sells: Promote Your CD Not Yourself” (one of my favorite), and on and on. This information alone is worth the price of admission.

Even the Ads Are Helpful…

The Indie Bible does does a great job of putting together ads that compliment the rest of the content and serve the ultimate purpose of the book – providing a thorough and helpful resource for indie artists. No booze or or get rich quick ads in these pages.

Things I Would Do Different…

Only thing I would change is I would probably order the hard-copy in the mail. When in digital format, the resource is almost too big and hard to use as a reference. If you can wait for a few days and are willing to fork over a couple dollars extra for shipping, I would recommend going this route.

Also, every year there are resources added. If you want your copy of the indie Bible to stay current by getting the yearly updates, you will need to purchase the update packages ahead of time (It is too bad that these are not offered for free but they are worth it).

As a Blogger/Podcaster…

From a Bloggers/Podcasters perspective I can tell you that the Indie Bible works as advertised. I get tons of email and tons of snail mail from artists, record labels and publicists – in many different genres – all over the world. Obviously every artist doesn’t get covered but each and every one gets fair shot at coverage AND has direct access to me in order to follow up or establish a relationship.

So there you have it, a quick and dirty review of the Indie Bible. I highly recommend you get yourself a copy if you are serious about getting the word out about your music. There is no way in hell you would be able to assemble all of this info on your own – you’d be nuts for trying. Besides, you have better things to do with your time, like write and play music.

Click here now and buy the Indie Bible.

Just so you know, I do get a small kick back if you should decide to buy The Indie Bible using a link on this site. I want to thank you for the support. I am an indie artist myself and I will use the cash generated as another revenue stream to cover some of the costs associated with being an indie artist. Rest assured that you are supporting a fellow artist and keeping it in the indie family.

Related posts:

1. Thoughts on ‘Success Strategies for Musicians in the Digital Era’

Today, I wanted to share a post with you from a blog I’ve been checking in on lately. The blog is Slowcoustic and they recently did a post which points to another post from a blog called ClickTicket. These posts list what they feel are the Top Twenty Music Review Blogs.

I figured some of you might be looking for a little more in music review department, because, as I’ve admitted in my latest podcast, I am not the most frequent blogger on the planet. (note: the fact that 500+ of you stick around points to the fact that I am possibly the luckiest music blogger on that same planet).

Oh and if you’re wondering why I am sharing the Slowcoustic version of the story – rather than serving it up straight from the ClickTicket tap – it is because I think Slowcoustic’s version gives you a little insight as to what kind a blog Slowcoustic is (since they were on the list themselves).

Its like watching an awards show, many times I think it is more interesting to hear how the artist goes about accepting an award than it is to hear the announcement itself (does that make sense?). I think you will be left with the same impression I was left with, Slowcoustic is appreciative, humble and not afraid to prop up fellow blogs. In other words, good people!

One last thing, without knowing fore sure what the criteria for this top 20 list are, I figured I’d throw in a few that I would consider in mine. If you are into hard rock and metal check out  Hard Rock Hideout and Rock My Monkey are both very solid.

Any hey, if there are any that you know of that are on not on this list but you might put in your top 20, please, share in the comments below. Maybe we’ll have enough to put together a Musicgoat top twenty.

Related posts:

1. Music Review: VH1 Classic Presents: Metal Mania – Stripped, Vol. 2: The Anthems
2. Music Review: The Prog Metal Sounds of the Daughters of Fission
3. You Music Review: Breaking Laces

When most artists and musicians dream about becoming stars they think of private planes, big houses, lots of bling (wow, did I just say bling?), hordes of willing groupies and pretty much anything else described in that Nickelback tune. But, after giving it some serious thought, I think that that kind of thinking is a little shortsighted and may be completely off base. I think that there is something that would be a lot better.

One of my favorite all time music related stories was about when Willie Nelson had to auction off all of his property to pay off his tax debt. The day of the auction, a large group of his fans showed up, purchased various pieces of property and then gave each piece right back back to Willie. Now that is a fan base!

How did he do it? I have a feeling that it had to do with most, or all, of the following; He stay true to himself, worked his ass off, stayed connected to the fans and worried most about how we could help others. I think if we can do that, the rest of the stuff – if it even matters at that point – will take care of itself.

What do you think?

No related posts.

Guest post: Treadmarkz is my brother-in-law, a Human Beatles Encyclopedia and the author of the weblog Treadmarkz.wordpress.com.

Some Country music purists would probably say that anything that warrants the name “Alternative Country” is not really Country. But ultimately it is the domain of the fan to judge what an artist is or is not, to them.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Jennifer Dixon.

A little country sensibility with a style that hovers along the cusp of blues, pop, jazz owing to a stint on Memphis’ legendary Beale Street, and nearly a decade in Nashville, her new CD, “2 Years” is the fruit of experience. She did not come out of nowhere.

Which makes it all the more uncanny that she has been labeled “un-Nashville.”

The intro to “A Little You For Me” sounds like a nod to “I Lie Around” by Paul McCartney and Wings. But this Norah Jones-like tune comes from the heart of a woman who has given all she can give to the world, yet she finds she’s got a little more left for her man if he’ll meet her halfway. Like “I Lie Around” it never really takes off. It threatens to, repeatedly. But when it comes down to it, it’s just right.

“Too Tired To Care” is Dixon, having been there, done that and not doing it again regarding love. When she starts to hear the same old lines, she is just that, too tired to care. It is a mellow funk romp with a lyric delivered in focused rapid fire, highlighted with some sultry vocal inflections.

“Easy Goodbye” seems to be a follow up on the same theme in that, having heard it all before, its easy to let go and move on. These two tracks are the most un-Nashville of the bunch. One can picture many of today’s top female vocalists flagrantly over-doing “Easy Goodbye”, robbing it of its symbolic ease. One of its greatest features is that the musicians, while doing some top-notch work, back off and let the vocals shine.

With these tracks what you get is a many-tiered cynical view of love. In that respect, “If You’re Looking For An Angel” is refreshing. Just when you are expecting something like “Strong Enough” by Cheryl Crow, it turns into something closer to “I Can’t Make You Love Me” by Bonnie Raitt in its vulnerability. For instance, in the chorus, Dixon sings “If you’re looking for an angel…” Having heard a couple of these songs, one may be surprised to hear her continue with “here I am.” It’s sweet, its comforting, and it demonstrates that with a few gentle, sincere words, yes, women can make men, dare I say it, swoon.

Love Me Back” delivers the very subtlest hints of the smoky vocals of Natalie Merchant or Melissa Etheridge, yet tips the scales with those well-executed vocal inflections again.

Dixon finally brings the thunder with “I Need a Man.” It’s gritty, harkening back to Tanya Tucker, matching the vocal strength of Carrie Underwood. Here Dixon is laying it all out on the line as if to say “This is what I need, damn you!”

Four of these tracks can be heard on her homepage www.jenniferdixon.net, and one is featured in the indie film “Shattered”.

Related posts:

1. Music Review: Stoner Metal Grunge, Some Outlaw Country and the Record Label that Pimps Them
2. Music Review: The Talented Lubriphonic and Their “Soul Solution”
3. Music Podcast 035 – Acoustic Rock & Country Blues Blender

The Summer will be brimming with competitions, festivals, tours and holiday bashes;  many opportunities for getting your Band a gig or a little name recognition.   Talent Searches, Tours and Battle of the Bands  pay out prize money or comps equal to what you would earn at a gig, ALL for just a one hour performance.   Networking with the Bands and Industry people at these Events can offer tremendous earning potential by breaking you into new Venues. 

Here are some simple tips to get an edge over your competitors:

1. Play original songs.  You’re allowed only one cover song and it’s got to be perfect.
2. Your song should have basic structure.  Like in writing; intro, body and conclusion.
3. Songs shouldn’t be longer than 5 minutes.
4. Play for your allotted time or less, but never more.
5. Move. Everyone in the Band needs to be active at the same time.
6. Your timing needs to be impeccable. It proves a Band is well rehearsed.
7. Spend very little time with sound checks; one song only with minor quick adjustments if absolutely  required.
8. Get the audience moving.  Play your hottest beats and most gut punching riffs from song one and don’t stop.
9. Demonstrate your instrument or vocal talent with a solo.  Have a focus song.  45 seconds of fame.
10. Try to go last in the line-up, leaving a lasting impression.

These competitions not only put cash in your hand but promote your Band.  You will need to register early or go through an acceptance process with small fees to be a performer.  They’re usually sponsored by radio stations, sound companies or huge corporations.  Seek out Talent Searchs, Tours and Battle of the Bands to compete and “be seen” in your area.  No matter how small the Venue;  if you come out as the winner, it’s a feather in your cap so toot your own horn and post that big win on your message boards.

Related posts:

1. Musician Interview with Edison Sunrise
2. Uncensored and Raw: Witness Life on the Road with the Band Jetboy
3. How To Succeed In Getting Gig/Tour Press Coverage

So, if you are an artist these are great reads. They will give you some perspective into how you might want to formulate your marketing strategy from this point forward.

And, if you are a fan who likes to geek out on anything and everything music, you’ll like it too. After all, you are the most important piece of this entire puzzle. Check it out and let us know what you think.

The Pundits

First, check out Bob Lefsetz over at Lefsetz.com. He feels that the Album is dead and explains why in his posts Albums and More Albums.

Meanwhile, Scott Perry of New Music Tipsheet – by way of Hypebot – thinks that Bob Lefsetz is promoting career suicide, and says so in his post In Defense of the Album. (For the record, considering the nature of his site he may be a tad biased. Just my opinion).

And finally, I saw this post this morning by Dave Allen discussing the “End of the Album as the Organizing Principle” over on the Music Think Tank.

My Two Four Cents

Other than the points made by Bob and Dave, there are a few other reasons why for me – as an aspiring indie artist - that releasing my music song by song makes sense right now.

First, I don’t want to spend the time pouring over 10-12 songs. In the time I was spending contemplating the album, I could have 2-4 songs floating around working the crowd and building a little momentum while at the same time allowing me to getting a better feel for who my audience is. This would allow me to make certain adjustments to my marketing strategy if needed.

Second, I don’t have a ton of  experience recording and I don’t want to make an entire CD of half ass recordings. Practice makes perfect right? I might have a few below average recordings out of the shoot but after 2, 3 or 4 I should be kicking out some good stuff.

Third, releasing one track at a time gives me opportunity to monetize and/or promte the song more than once. I plan to use the song as a way to get the fan interested enough to opt in to my list and then, down the line, I could release all the tunes as part of a compilation.

Fourth, I think that focusing on one song at a time will make each song better overall. How many times have you bought a cd’s where you just know 5-6 of the track were nothing more than filler. Had the artist had more time to contemplate the tunes they would have either been better or just thrown out.

Honorable Mention

There are few other reasons why a single by single would make sense for an Indie artist.

If you aren’t recording yourself you may be paying for studio time. Recording a song at a time may not be practical over the long haul but in the short run would be. Plus, if you are savvy, having a single or two could help you raise money for future recordings.

Or, maybe you aren’t sure if you have what it takes. Dipping your toe in the water with a single or two before jumping in head first ccould give you some insight as to what is to come.

Finally, maybe you need a little validation of your or your bands talent. Better to find out after a song or two than after a huge investment of time, money and emotion.

The Finish

In general, I think there is something to be said about not blowing your wad in one shot. Slowly releasing a track or two at a time may create a little anticipation for the listener while giving the artist another legitimate opporutnity to communicate with his audience.

Hell, single by single worked for many of the greats The Beatles, Elvis, Cash, etc.

Besides, you can always do an album at some point if you really want to. Afterall, it is what some of you and I were brought up on and there will always be a little bit of nostalgia for that format.

Bottom line, find what works for you and roll with it. What do you think?

Related posts:

1. Thoughts on ‘Success Strategies for Musicians in the Digital Era’
2. Music Marketing Strategies: Where You can Send Your Music Demos
3. Launching in the Digital Age

Now I didn’t see John Mayer, Springsteen or Metallica looking for work on any of the sites – not that most of us could afford their services anyway – but, if you look listen around, you will find some talented artists for some pretty reasonable prices. And I imagine the talent pool will only get better as the popularity of these sites grows.

I think it is a great idea for both the fans and the artists. Hell, as soon as I get my music up and running, you can bet I will be throwing up a profile on one or all of these sites. I mean, how cool would it be to be invited into someones home to party with someones closest friends AND get paid?

So next time you are looking for a live music fix, why go out to the club or coffee shop? Hop on to one of these sites and then hire yourself a capable musician to entertain you – and your pals – right in the comfort of your own home.

Related posts:

1. Music Review: John Legend – Live at SOB’s
2. My Two Cents on Live Earth
3. Music Marketing Strategies: Where You can Send Your Music Demos

If you are an artist or band looking for a place to send your music demo, not only do I have a great suggestion for you but I have a few ideas on how you promote your music while your at it. Check it.

A few months back I started looking around for places to send my songs so that – if ever get around to finishing and recording them – I would have a solid strategy for giving them the best chance to be heard by reliable poeple.

I know, it is a pretty “horse before the cart” approach but never mind me, I wrote this to help you. Here goes.

The first place I looked…

Taxi.com – After reading about this site in the book “The Craft and Business of Songwriting” I figured it was the best place to start. Once I visited I was impressed. I read a ton of the stuff on their site and then signed up for their free newsletter.

It costs money but when you consider the access you have to and solid feedback from – as Taxi refers to them as – “well paid” music industry veterans and other entertainment professionals, it is a no-brainer.

Check out Taxi now and see for yourself.

There are more but….

If you want to find other sources check out this Google search for “music industry directory”. Although, after looking through some of the top results I’m not sure many of them are as reliable, trustworthy and, most of all, effective as Taxi (but if you know different or of more, let me know so I can share).

Take it to the people…

While your demo is waiting to be heard and critiqued by the pros, why not see if you can create some buzz by taking it to the poeple.

There are tons of poeple who are looking for stuff to write about and play. Better yet, there are a ton more jonesing to read about and hear new music from those poeple. Go find them now on these sites.

Indie Bible -For a measly $34.95, this 330 page music marketing Swiss Army Knife will show you how to get access to 4000 music publications willing to do reviews, 3200 radio stations willing to play your songs along with 1200 other resources looking to help you get the word out.

I know this works because the Musicgoat is listed in here and I get bombarded with tons of mail – e and snail – filled with CD’s, mp3’s, press releases, review requests, etc.  Go get a copy now.

Sonicbids – I am sure you know that Getting out and playing your tunes live is where to rubber meats the road. This site helps bands and artists get gigs along with providing a ton of promotional tools to save you time and headaches.

Quite a few of the bands that submit stuff to this site use this and I love it because everything I need to know and hear about the band is in one place and easy to find. Check out their Free trial.

Update!

Music Business Radio – This is a great podcast – based in Nashville, TN – with interviews with leaders from around the music indusrty. They also have a segment that they call “Dave’s Demo Derby” where they play music for the guests (some of which are heads of record labels). You can visit the Music Business Radio contact page for more info. On a few occasions, I have heard some of the guests ask for more info on the artist because they like what they heard. Who knows, maybe your music will strike a tune with an influencial music industry person.

Others – Check out sites like Garageband and the Podsafe Music Network. Also, make sure you check out my blogroll – on the left – for some of my favorite blogs and podcasts that are accepting music for review consideration.

I am sure I could sit here and rifle off a bunch more but I will stop. Besides, I don’t want your head to explode. This list alone should keep you busy for a really, really long time. And remember, if you know of a resource that has worked great for you or someone you know, let us know in the comments below. Until next time, have a good one.

WAIT! You don’t want to miss the next review, podcast, music promotion tip or whatever else music related we decide to put out here. Subscribe to the Goat now for the all time low price of free and you will get all the kick ass content from the Goat fast and easy. Just subscribe to Musicgoat.com newsletter by email now and have this stuff in your inbox seconds after I post it .

Related posts:

1. Thoughts on ‘Success Strategies for Musicians in the Digital Era’
2. Bring the Live Music to You with a Concert in Your Home
3. A Way Around Tomorrows Internet Music Blackout

If you like a great mix of different types of music (which i am sure you do since you are reading this on the Musicgoat) you will fully enjoy what they have to offer.

Why don’t you go check it out now while I find a place for the site in my blogroll.

Related posts:

1. Music Marketing Strategies: Where You can Send Your Music Demos
2. A Way Around Tomorrows Internet Music Blackout
3. Discover the Best New Cover Songs on Coverville

I am sure you have heard all the hubbub, but maybe you never quite knew what it was all about, this thing, this MANIA called the Beatles. If you have been thinking of getting into the Beatles (and I mean really into the Beatles, not just buying their latest Greatest hits compilation) this is not the Beatles’ Top 12 Best Albums, and I am not reviewing each album. This is just the order you need to buy them in, in order to feel the full effect of what they did.

The chronological order in which they were originally released seems like the most sensible way to do it. But this isn’t sensible. If you get into the Beatles you have to be prepared for a little disjointedness and things that come out of left field. You don’t have to follow this guide exactly, and as you will see, I give you opportunities to make your own choice. Also, this is just the original Beatles Music we are talking about here, not Let It Be…Naked, or the Love Album. Having said that, I give you…The List:

1. Rubber Soul, 1965: This is the album that really showed the progression starting to happen. The two previous albums showed a little bit of experimentation, but it was more superficial, whereas the progress the Beatles made on Rubber Soul had some substance. Better lyrics and more interesting innovations musically. But the main reason why this is the first Beatles album you need to get is that this shows where they had been and where they were going, musically.

NOTE: If you are going to get the Beatles Past Masters I & II albums (compilations of songs that are not on their albums), and I recommend you do, I think you should get them at this point. They will help guide you through.

2./3. A Hard Day’s Night, 1964/Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band, 1967: Okay here is where you get to make a decision on your own. No matter which of these two you choose first, these are the next two albums you need. You will find out quickly from Rubber Soul what you like about the Beatles. So if you liked the poppy, peppy, happy songs from Rubber Soul (mostly Paul’s) then your next move would have to be A Hard Day’s Night. It is the first Beatles album which was composed entirely by the Beatles themselves. No cover tunes. A big step for the Beatles and mankind.

If you found that in Rubber Soul you got more from the down-tempo, more thoughtful songs (mostly John’s) then I would move forward and make your second pick Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band. This is where the progress they were making on Rubber Soul completely came into fruition. Though John did not do as much on Pepper’s as on Rubber Soul, it was his infusion of Bob Dylan-like lyrics into the Beatles repertoire which strongly affected the music on Pepper’s.

4. Revolver, 1966: If your last pick was Pepper’s, you will want to know how they got from Rubber Soul to Pepper’s. It was a hell of a jump, musically, but with Revolver you get to fill in the blank, while still getting a taste of pre-Rubber Soul moptop from Paul. However, if A Hard Day’s Night was your last pick, then Revolver will serve the purpose of blowing your mind. Get ready.

5. Abbey Road, 1969: Simply the Beatles final recorded album giving generations of rockers something to strive for. This is the benchmark.

It was important that you get a taste of every era of the Beatles music before we move on. Now that you have, with the core of the band’s progressive era covered, you need an album that can show you everything that the Beatles were capable of. And I think from country, to reggae to hard rock to classical, we can only find the answer in….

6. The Beatles, aka The White Album, 1968: The Beatles was an album that, like Rubber Soul, gives listeners a chance to decide what they really like about the Beatles. Did you like the straight up rock songs, or did you like it when they tried something unusual for pop/rock? Well the White Album gives you a little bit of both with a splash of something new…Heavy Metal! This is the album that brought us “Helter Skelter” but it also has a few other head-bangers like “Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except Me and My Monkey”, “Birthday” and “Yer Blues” which is really metal-blues. So if you are hooked on the Beatles, and at this point you should be, then you are probably ready for a double album. Go for it. You will not be disappointed.

7. Help!, 1965: Time to cool it down again. Time for something a little more predictable yet captivating. Help! came out just months before Rubber Soul, where we started. This one is just full of great songs, and I think that is what we need right now. “Yesterday”, “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away” “Help!” and “Ticket To Ride” are all essentials and they are all here. This album will prove that song after song about love can still be interesting! And if you like it, then…

8. Beatles For Sale, 1964: Now we are really getting back to the moptop days. But this one is interesting because, just like Help!, it shows of the Beatles country/folk chops, without losing that pop flair. There are a lot of cover songs on here as there will be for the remainder. But the Beatles self-penned songs are introspective, and you are able to put yourself in the story. For the first time the Beatles really “take you there” on Beatles For Sale.

9. Let It Be, 1969: We don’t want you to delve too far back into the catalogue. You should probably now pick up Let It Be. Though it is often considered the Beatles most disappointing album, that is only because of what they had done in the few years leading up to Let It Be. They had changed the entire definition of rock music with Revolver and Sgt. Pepper!! So of course it was disappointing for fans to hear them going back to their roots, which is exactly what this is. But you will still get a little taste of psychedelia from “Across the Universe” and “I Me Mine”.

And if that is what you liked…

10. Magical Mystery Tour, 1967: It is kind of like the Beatles trying to expand on the concept of Sgt. Pepper’s but not quite getting there, but it is chock full of great singles, much like the Help! album, but much weirder. “All You Need Is Love” and “I am The Walrus” are on this one, and it is the only place you will get “Strawberry Fields Forever” or “Penny Lane” unless you’ve already got the “1″ album. And if you do, I hope this list has helped you take your Beatles listening further.

11./12. Please Please Me/With the Beatles, both from 1963: The beginning of the Fab Four. These albums show you where the Beatles came from. On these two albums, which really could be considered Vol. 1 and 2 of the same album, they bring you covers of the music that they loved when they were a struggling bar band, and they bring you their hand-written songs in which they use what they learned from the music they loved. To me, it really doesn’t matter which of these two you get first.

13. Yellow Submarine Songtrack, 1999 or the Yellow Submarine Soundtrack: It is up to you which one you get, but there is a huge difference. Either way you are only getting four songs that you haven’t already heard before. But the difference is this: The Soundtrack has the four songs you have never heard before, along with the song “Yellow Submarine” and “All You Need Is Love”, and rest is instrumentals by the George Martin Orchestra, if you are into that. The Songtrack on the other hand, has the aforementioned four “new” songs, and 11 other random songs taken from Rubber Soul to Magical Mystery Tour which appear in the film. It is a nice mix and you can get your fix of a couple of different eras in Beatles music without having to switch CDs.

Welcome to Beatledom, my friends. Enjoy!

Related posts:

1. The Beatles and the Beach Boys Race to the Toppermost of the Poppermost
2. The Beatles’ Studio Revolution of 1962
3. Beatles Rock Band Set To Go British Invasion on Your Video Game Console in September!

Recently a discussion popped up in the comment section over on GuitarFlame.com about why dreams die. This really got me thinking since I have gone through long stretches in my life where I let my passion for music fall by the wayside for one reason or another.

There was always something; either I didn’t feel as though I was good enough, maybe life got in the way or perhaps my guitar was buried under mounds of crap in a storage unit or basement – Out of site out of mind…not good my friend.

So how can you keep the guitar hummin – and the passion burnin – on a regular basis?

It’s real simple….make sure you see your guitar at all times. Set that sucker next to the TV, computer or somewhere else where you will be able to see it alot. If it is there you will pick it up, trust me. It will call to you.

Even if you pick it up for just two minutes on one occasion, that’s fine, BUT there will be that time where a quick pick up turns into a stress relieving marathon or an inspiring journey of learning and discovery (how’s that for cheesy?).

But seriously, go right now and dig that sucker out. If it doesn’t pull a few chords out of you right then and there, just find a good spot to put it in and go about your business. It will call to you sooner or later.

Oh and before I let you go, a few words of caution. Wives, husbands, girlfriends, boyfreinds or all of the above may not find the instrument visually appealing as it relates to your home decor. You’ll have to figure that part out by yourself. I suggest learning or writing a ballad or two (wink, wink).

Happy jamming!

Related posts:

1. Three Ways to Learn Guitar Online
2. Did You Know It’s Illegal To Play Cover Songs in a Bar?
3. Have You Heard About the Self-Tuning Guitar

If you don’t know who I’m talking about, check out the podcast featuring the Undercover Hippy.

Read his words below and then join me in voting so we can get him some of the exposure he and his music deserve.

Hi Guys,

if I’ve asked you already, sorry! But I really need everyone to vote for me and to tell their friends to vote! (Details below)
Thanks! Hope you’re all well and happy!

VOTE FOR ME!
Hello my lovely friends!

Once again I need your help! I wasn’t booked to play the Sunrise Celebration festival this year, but I still have one chance at a slot on the Main Stage… it all depends if I can get enough votes!

All you need to do is click on the link below and enter your email address… it’s that simple…

Please show some love and take 30 seconds to do this J Also, please forward this to anyone else you think may want to help…

Here’s the link: Vote for the Undercover Hippy

OTHER NEWS

In other news, I’ve got lots of gigs booked for the coming months… check it all out on my website: www.undercoverhippy.com.

If you’re on FACEBOOK (come on, you know you are), then please become a fan of my Facebook Undercover Hippy page.

That way I can invite you to gigs and stuff…

I’ve got a new band developing as we speak… having our second rehearsal tomorrow, and our first gig on Thursday at the Tao Bar in Bristol . Check my website for details!

Right that’s all for now J

Cheers my dears!
Billy xx

No related posts.

Buddy Holly wrote his own songs. Chuck Berry wrote his own songs. Little Richard wrote his own songs. Paul McCartney and John Lennon, being devoted followers of all three, began writing their own songs early, and often. McCartney wrote rough versions of “I’ll Follow the Sun” and “When I’m Sixty-Four” in about 1957. And many of the originals from the Beatles first album were written by John and Paul around that same time. They knew that it set them apart from the other up-and-coming bands.

But rock n’ roll had changed drastically by 1960. Holly was dead, Berry was in jail, Little Richard had become a preacher, and Elvis, the King of Rock and Roll himself, had become a balladeer, more interested in making movies than creating a movement. Rock n’ Roll was in trouble. Balladeers singing already-proven hit songs were running the charts. Nothing new was happening!

Fast-forward to September 1962. The Beatles had just been brought in to record their first professional single at Abbey Road Studio. In June of that year, during their audition, they had brought in a number of original songs that they intended to show off. After playing them all, producer George Martin did not think any of them were strong enough to be a single. He also did not like their drummer, Pete Best.

When the Beatles came back in September with Ringo Starr on the skins, Martin suggested a song called “How Do You Do It?” written by Mitch Murray, a professional songwriter. So the Beatles came in and recorded the song. But they knew it did not suit them. They insisted on having another go at a song they had submitted in June, “Love Me Do”, and they continued to argue for it until they got their way.

Their first single, “Love Me Do” was their own song, as was it’s b-side “P.S. I Love You”. Gerry and the Pacemakers went on to success of their own with “How Do You Do It?” but not as much success as the Beatles. The Beatles version of the song can be heard on the Beatles Anthology 1 CD, disc one.

The version of “Love Me Do” recorded on Sept. 4 would become the Beatles first single, but another version would be recorded for the Beatles first album, Please Please Me a week later. It seems that Martin did not like Ringo’s drumming either, at this point, and brought in a professional session drummer, Andy White.
Many fans now point out how painfully simple and repetitive “Love Me Do” is. This may be true, but the Beatles had taken creative control from day one, and went on to inspire generations of musicians to sing their own songs, and do your own thing. September 4, 1962 is certainly the day “The Sixties” began, at least for rock n’ roll.

Related posts:

1. Beatles Rock Band Set To Go British Invasion on Your Video Game Console in September!
2. The Beatles: A Case Study in the Law of Truth and Karma
3. The Beatles and the Beach Boys Race to the Toppermost of the Poppermost

I recently received a question from a musician who is having more than her fair share of problems obtaining print media coverage in areas where her band is touring.

Hopefully, my advice and ideas that I gave her can benefit you and your band as well should you experience similar difficulties with obtaining print media support for your gigs/tours.

________________________________________________

FROM: Megan

I started touring with my band last fall (we were in New York City before that…), and we are about to leave on another tour for our debut ep. Booking is going as well as can be expected

starting out, but we’re having a hell of a time getting any press…we have a kit and an epk, and a press release, and we send off everywhere, but we’re in that limbo spot where honestly, not many people care about our music enough yet…any suggestions?

________________________________________________

[---MY RESPONSE---]

What has been occurring for several years (if not longer) and, particularly, with local and regional print publications, is a little thing called “nepotism.”

I utilize this phrase to describe print papers that will only devote “ink” (press coverage) to their local/regional up-and-coming musical artists, with the only exceptions being granted for mega superstars or outside artists who are coming into the media sources’ area for performances, of which the latter describes Megan your situation.

And, since you and your band are, indeed, touring and “qualify” for coverage in your performance areas, you should conduct an in-depth search on the web (using Google) for print media in each of your tour stops.

As an example, if you are playing Richmond, Virginia, you should simply use Google to search phrases such as:

* “richmond, virginia print media”

* “richmond, virginia print publications”

* “richmond, virginia music magazines”

* “richmond, virginia arts and entertainment magazines”

* “richmond, virginia daily newspapers”

* “richmond, virginia weekly newspapers”

or similar key phrases.

You should then contact the print editors or music editors in each area where you will appear and inform them on your upcoming performance location, i.e., name of venue, date, time, etc. and also request if the editor would be interested in interviewing you/your band in advance of your performance.

At this time, you should also direct the media to your website for advance review of your music, biography, etc. With print publications, you can do interviews via telephone, or if the media prefers “in person” interviews, you could simply schedule the interview earlier in the day, prior to your performance, which will mean you will need to get into town a bit earlier than

normal set-up time.

You should also bear in mind that, with print publications, “lead time” (the amount of advance time publications require to review projects before writing about them) is very crucial in order to ensure media coverage.

Daily newspapers, generally, demand a minimum of 2-3 weeks “lead time” and, possibly, longer depending on the publication. The “trick” is to stay anywhere from 3-4 weeks ahead with the (“lead time”) of each tour appearance.

Example: For an upcoming May 3, 2008 appearance, daily print media contacts should be initiated around April 10th at the *latest*.

Likewise, you should also contact radio station talk shows, television morning shows, prime time talk/interview shows, television newscasts, and cable music and entertainment shows at *each* station in each of your tour cities.

Should you secure any media interviews, you should then notify other media contacts in the same area that you will be interviewing with the particular source, in an effort to influence other area media to consider you as well, in addition to requesting their reviewing your already-scheduled interview. This can (sometimes) serve to foster a bit of competition between local media, with all being good for the musical group.

To add even better “fuel to the fire,” you should invite all media contacts in *each* area out to your performances. This can, potentially, serve as background media coverage *after* you have performed, and the opportunity to get TWO bits of media coverage, thus, prolonging your exposure in any single given area.

Be sure to provide complementary media passes for all local media contacts that have agreed to come out to the show, as well as inform the venue owners of the media contact names. This should be tightly coordinated and confirmed with venue owners or managers prior to the show.

While this seems a bit more work, as you can see, there are definite advantages as well as “extra” opportunities for media coverage within a single tour location if conducted well.

Now, multiply this degree of opportunity within *each* tour area, and you are likely to create quite a buzz on your tour route as well as have a degree of successful results through implementing this proactive process.

________________________________________________

Editor’s Note: Kenny Love is a radio/video promoter and media publicist, as well as co-owner and Director of Marketing for Eartastic Records. Get more information regarding him from his MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/jazzman795

Related posts:

1. Wanna Know Who’s Gonna Be Rockin’ in Your City?
2. Tips for Winning a “Battle of the Bands”
3. Launching in the Digital Age

Check it out. Let me know if you use any of this stuff already.

Related posts:

1. Music Marketing Strategies: Where You can Send Your Music Demos
2. Top Twenty List of Music Review Blogs

They have podcasts and articles focusing exclusively on the lovable music retreads. So far I’ve heard very cool versions of The Cults “She Sells Sanctuary” and Pete Townshend’s “Let My Love Open the Door” on episode 414.

I also read an eye opening – yet not surprising – article shedding some light on some of the shady practices of American Idol.

This is solid Musicgoat reading and listening material. I am already a subscriber and you can bet I will be adding it to my blogroll.

Hmm…all covers, all the time. Damn! Now why didn’t I think of that?

Stop by and check out Coverville today.

Related posts:

1. A List of the Worst Cover Songs
2. It’s Official…Metalheads Are Smart.

Are you looking for quality free music downloads that don’t leave you with all that guilt? Who isn’t right? Well check this out.

Lately, finding music downloads is getting easier and easier to do. So easy, that their are a ton of places to look. You could spend hours looking and comparing websites before even doing what you really want to be doing; downloading and listening to free music. Thats where I come in.

Every week or so from now until the foreseeable future, I am going to be doing a weekly post on where you can find free music downloads, what you have to do to get those downloads and point out a few tracks that you might want to check out.

Lets get to it.

Website
Todays source of tasty free music comes from a site called We7. The site was initially funded by Mr. Shock the Monkey himself, Peter Gabriel. The site relies on the use of advertising to sponsor songs to generate revenue so that you and I can get free music.

So far it seems to be working. They have over 100,000 users and have had over one million downloads. I will spare you all the intimate details but if you want to learn more stop by the We7 about page.

What to Like
Other than the fact that all of the downloads don’t cost anything, they are in an mp3 format and are DRM free.

Another feature that you might like is the one that lets you subscribe to your playlist as a podcast either in iTunes or whatever you currently use to aggregate your feeds.

Finally, sign-up is quick and you are hunting for tunes in no time.

What Not to Like
The ads before the songs are only 10 second ads. Which is not bad when your hunting and taste testing but they could get annoying when a bunch of the ad laden songs are in a playlist. But, when you think about it, if you like the track enough to put it in a playlist, just buy it and it will be ad free. Also, after about four weeks you can re-download the song without the ads.

In the pet peeve department, I don’t like the fact that the previews are extremely short. It is difficult to tell if it is worth the download until you actually do so. This is something that is common on a lot of sites so I won’t hold it against them.

Finally, I noticed that there where quite a few tracks that were not available in certain geographic locations. Track links by popular artists like Frank Sinatra, Motorhead, and Willie Nelson – I could go on – where inactive. Not exactly sure why that is. Must be some contractual distribution B.S. or something.

Tracks to Download
Here are a few tunes that should interest you. There are a ton more so stop over and check it out for yourself. If you do find anything that you think I missed, please share. Let us know in the comments below.

Baum “Happy Proud and Free” and “All Down There”
-Good ultra-mellow acoustic Switzerland style. Very good guitar work and introspective lyrics.

Coolio “Gangsta Rap featuring Snoop”
-Polished gangsta from gangsta veterans. Gotta love Snoop.

Natalie Williams “Since you’ve Been Gone”
-Most downloaded when I was there. Soothing R and B from a woman with a A-List vocals. Also love the bluesy organ in this one.

Word on the Street
Multiple opinions are better than one. There are multiple places to learn more about We7. Mashable briefly discusses We7 and Techcrunch has some recent news concerning We7.

Marshall Kirkpatrick over on Read Write Web applies the “girlfriend test” to see how easy it was to use We7.

Most importantly, if you have used the service and have anything to report – like a good experience or great music – let us know in the comments below.

You don’t want to miss the next post or podcast. Subscribe to the Goat now for the all time low price of free. You can subscribe to Musicgoat.com by email and have this stuff in your inbox seconds after I post it or you can subscribe in your feed reader or on your home page. Either way you get the info fast and easy. Don’t understand this whole subscribing thing? Check out this short video on RSS. Isn’t technology great?

Related posts:

1. Are Downloads Killing The Music Business?
2. Free And Legal Music Downloading: The Fingertips Digest (May Edition)
3. Amazon.com To Offer DRM Free Music