General Music Chat

[No offense, but open mic doesn't seem like a serious avenue for making sales. And CDs? Digital sales are where it is at now. You want the fans to come to your content online and share the links with their friends.

Why do you think people won't buy merch if you present a good product and don't piss them off?

It is true that the music business sucks, especially if you are in hock to a label, but my assertion still stands. Why handicap what little business you might find.

Not sure where you've been lately, but except for the 'big superstars', download sales tanked, and have been dropping for years. People are streaming music these days, not buying it. For $10 a month, they can get rid of the commercials and have unlimited playback of any music they want.
At an open mic like I was at 75% of the audience were musicians - these (I repeat) are some of the few people around still buying CDs.
The 'snobs' who walked out? Nope, they wouldn't buy a CD or a tshirt if you offered them for $1, not their 'cup of tea'. I was at the merch table at that show watching the people who were looking (more lookies than buyers) - it was the 'old hippies' and real fans. Not the uptight conservative Republicans - they were never a target for rock merch.

[No offense, but open mic doesn't seem like a serious avenue for making sales. And CDs? Digital sales are where it is at now. You want the fans to come to your content online and share the links with their friends.

Why do you think people won't buy merch if you present a good product and don't piss them off?

It is true that the music business sucks, especially if you are in hock to a label, but my assertion still stands. Why handicap what little business you might find.

Not sure where you've been lately, but except for the 'big superstars', download sales tanked, and have been dropping for years. People are streaming music these days, not buying it. For $10 a month, they can get rid of the commercials and have unlimited playback of any music they want.
At an open mic like I was at 75% of the audience were musicians - these (I repeat) are some of the few people around still buying CDs.
The 'snobs' who walked out? Nope, they wouldn't buy a CD or a tshirt if you offered them for $1, not their 'cup of tea'. I was at the merch table at that show watching the people who were looking (more lookies than buyers) - it was the 'old hippies' and real fans. Not the uptight conservative Republicans - they were never a target for rock merch.

Fair enough. I've been in California. Plenty of uptight people here but they aren't Republicans. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that the music scene in Cali is probably a lot different than the scene in Taxachussetts.

These days you have to court your fans in other ways by offering them special content online in a more hands-on way. Via platforms like Patreon you can have subscription based privileges for fans. You can offer live streaming video of the band to promote. Fans are fine with just mundane feeds but they are more likely to support if they feel like they are involved. Getting your music into movies, video games, etc. is helpful too. I've noticed that many of the big-time musicians I like are very active on social media and referencing them will sometimes prompt them to respond bringing more people to look at your content. So you still have to do stuff online, you can't just sit around and wait for music to sell.

Never really liked their music all that much... but i did like this one.
The video (yawn) is... same narrative as any many west coasters... Preachy faqers.

You'd think by now most people have a basic understanding of this country's history... hw we got here the progress that has been made and will continue. What's the point in this continuation of the ills of the past? It's like you want people to feel guilty for things they had nothing to do with... it's nonsense. Not buying it... trying to tie the past to today?
White guilt is for the rich Liberals... not me.
Have you noticed how the West coast loves their immigrants... got have more... while they live in the nicest homes in the foothills... got to have someone to cut your lawn right?
Maybe he should take part of his 40 million and go clean up San Francisco... what a chit-hole that town is turning into.

The Liberal minded schools in America have it in the forefront for all to learn... probably more so today than when I was school-aged... don't think remembering our history is really the issue.
But I'm sure reissuing serves it's purpose... get your message out connect with some new younger audience and in the end sell more copies.

Not sure where you've been lately, but except for the 'big superstars', download sales tanked, and have been dropping for years. People are streaming music these days, not buying it. For $10 a month, they can get rid of the commercials and have unlimited playback of any music they want.

This new model of music biz is finally emerging and it's gotten much better recently. My royalty checks are as high as they were 10 years ago, and digital sales save me from manufacturing as much.

We're moving to a "world wide radio station" era where the potential audience is billions. The royalties on that kind of scale are bigger though the rate is much smaller than it used to be.

all that to say that the music biz is coming back...

Not the uptight conservative Republicans - they were never a target for rock merch.

"uptight" being the operative word there. Uptight liberals are in greater supply.

...This new model of music biz is finally emerging and it's gotten much better recently. My royalty checks are as high as they were 10 years ago, and digital sales save me from manufacturing as much.

We're moving to a "world wide radio station" era where the potential audience is billions. The royalties on that kind of scale are bigger though the rate is much smaller than it used to be.

all that to say that the music biz is coming back...

Yes sir! I'm still tuning and testing the demographic aim of my material prior to expanding my targeting. So far, I get about 1.3/100 fan response rate. That would mean that these people liked it enough to sign up as fans and look for more of our material based on just random play in their interest category on Internet radio. With just the restricted targeting I'm using now (mostly Spanish speakers), that scales up to 13,000 people if I manage reach a million people. The new material to be released is leaning toward the style of the material that has the best response. Visibility is leverage in this market.

[No offense, but open mic doesn't seem like a serious avenue for making sales. And CDs? Digital sales are where it is at now. You want the fans to come to your content online and share the links with their friends.

Why do you think people won't buy merch if you present a good product and don't piss them off?

It is true that the music business sucks, especially if you are in hock to a label, but my assertion still stands. Why handicap what little business you might find.

Not sure where you've been lately, but except for the 'big superstars', download sales tanked, and have been dropping for years. People are streaming music these days, not buying it. For $10 a month, they can get rid of the commercials and have unlimited playback of any music they want.
At an open mic like I was at 75% of the audience were musicians - these (I repeat) are some of the few people around still buying CDs.
The 'snobs' who walked out? Nope, they wouldn't buy a CD or a tshirt if you offered them for $1, not their 'cup of tea'. I was at the merch table at that show watching the people who were looking (more lookies than buyers) - it was the 'old hippies' and real fans. Not the uptight conservative Republicans - they were never a target for rock merch.

What does being a conservative have to do with music? I enjoy music/entertainment from all folks regardless of their political leanings. You should quit lumping all conservatives into a group that don’t like your music. If it is good music it will stand on its own, just saying.

What does being a conservative have to do with music? I enjoy music/entertainment from all folks regardless of their political leanings. You should quit lumping all conservatives into a group that don’t like your music. If it is good music it will stand on its own, just saying.

Pay attention, Haley - I was talking about the snobby season-ticket holders at Tanglewood who walked out on the Stills-Collins show because they were expressing their beliefs. If you choose to include yourself in the 'snobby conservative category, that's your choice!

What does being a conservative have to do with music? I enjoy music/entertainment from all folks regardless of their political leanings. You should quit lumping all conservatives into a group that don’t like your music. If it is good music it will stand on its own, just saying.

Pay attention, Haley - I was talking about the snobby season-ticket holders at Tanglewood who walked out on the Stills-Collins show because they were expressing their beliefs. If you choose to include yourself in the 'snobby conservative category, that's your choice!

Pay attention Mike I am not a mind reader, all I saw in the post I have quoted is the snobs that walked out. It is obvious you do not like conservatives and republicans quit talking out both sides of your mouth and acting like you do.

Pay attention Mike I am not a mind reader, all I saw in the post I have quoted is the snobs that walked out. It is obvious you do not like conservatives and republicans quit talking out both sides of your mouth and acting like you do.

Nest time try reading the whole thread - or at least the posts that pertain to what you forming your opinion of prior to reading!
I have nothing against "conservatives and republicans" as a category, only the narrow-minded ones...... Unlike others (take a look in the mirror), who lump everyone into the same category.

Keep on Jive Talkin

There you go talking out both sides of that big mouth of yours again.

I've been bopping in an out of the music business since the 70s and played with or at least jammed with, literally hundreds of musicians. One thing I'm absolutely sure of: I could care less what musicians think about politics.

I get it, OK? You love whales, believe in global warming and want everyone to be excellent to each other. Does it really take twenty minutes to say that?

When I pay to hear music, I darn sure don't want to hear that blathering.

Musicians in general, are slightly more intelligent than actors and politicians, as is my cat Felicia. But I sincerely wish they'd all spare us the commentary and just a write a book summing up their no doubt trenchant insights.

Talbot

i disagree MT. If musicians feel passionately about a cause they believe in, whether it's Nash and Crosby trying to educate people about whale hunting or Ted Nugent ranting his right wing politics...that's their choice. And it's concert goer's choice whether they want to attend shows where they can pretty much expect these people to use the platform they have.

BTW...points to you Haley, if as you say no musician's politics stands in the way of you enjoying their music. Most enlightened. Color me impressed.

But I must say i think it's pretty damn sad when Mike B puts up a link to a MUSIC video in the MUSIC forum, and the very first reply out the gate... Jahva has to beat his drum and start in with slamming liberals.

Damn bro....can you leave your liberal bashing aside for just a minute or two? If that's all you're about on this site since returning....how about you take that to the non music side and leave the General MUSIC forum for those interested in talking about MUSIC?

I tell you what...this is the kind of stuff that's flushing this site right down the fukking toilet.