General Music Chat

Seems scary and I gotta wonder who really comes out ahead for it...

YOur thoughts?

Flip a coin..

none of them are beneficial, because nobody except other musicians ever go to their sites. So far, the only sites that would have such a capability would be youtube, where they could promote your work on their homepage, or something.

It's one of my major beefs about Reverb Nation- all musicians, no listeners. Why would anyone go there to waste countless hours wading through crap to find something worthwhile. This is a failure of our radio networks, for disallowing "DJ's" in the classic sense to play new music they thought was breakthrough and good.

What type of sites do you mean? Got an example? No one under the age of 30 (35? 40?) even buys CDs anymore.

What type of sites do you mean? Got an example? No one under the age of 30 (35? 40?) even buys CDs anymore.

The usual array of sites: Reverb, BM, BV, CD BABY, et etc...

The under 30's crowd downloads CDs (Or collections) ...they just dont pay for them. I blame that on sites

These sites need to be used as a part of a complete digital marketing campaign (social media, SEO, traffic building, digital retail) in order to be beneficial to you.

No one piece of the web is going to do everything for you.

Very Interesting Eric. You have revealed some of the zipper in the monster's costume;

social media: Face Book, My Space, etc
SEO: Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc
traffic building/ digital retail Ecommerce Lures and Sites

The only 'promotion' in any of the sites you list are what YOU promote yourself. Other than that they are just social media/informational web sites or e-commerce sites.

Through my former label, i am on every single dang music site in the known universe. Never saw a penny of it.

Through my own label, I decided to go the "Macintosh/Apple" way of marketing. People can only buy my music through my website.

I've done much better that way, but now that my last CD has been out for a year I'm planning to put it on CDBaby (maybe) because they seem to have the most options and pay better.

So yea, online sales sites are only as good as you make them. Hardly anyone is going to discover you over the noise, if you don't lead them to it.

I would agree with this. It's much better to play things the same way with sales, as it is with your own writing and so on.
I cannot count the times someone has written to me saying, "Hey my tunes are on (Insert Site)". But I hear them all on many sites in any case. I've no idea what that incentive might be?

I absolutely love hearing what other musicians think about my stuff, I always listen back if they have taken the time too. After all. YOU who are reading this, are my direct competition in some respects, and besides it is really a fun thing to do. I enjoy music...

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Through my own label, I decided to go the "Macintosh/Apple" way of marketing. People can only buy my music through my website.
I've done much better that way, but now that my last CD has been out for a year I'm planning to put it on CDBaby (maybe) because they seem to have the most options and pay better.

From a friend of mine that promotes artists for radio play around the world

But can they play live?

Today i was visiting a music site, and was disappointed in what I saw there, an invitation to have your music evaluated, by C.A.S.R. computer assisted song rating, combined with human input.

So I got to thinking and began to work out some thoughts on this whole music scene. And how it has come to a point where so many musicians fall into the trap of allowing themselves t...o get sucked into this type of baloney. Below is a whole slew of thoughts and things that I thought I would share here, some may disagree, some may say, right on, and some may even say, what do I know. But since this is a place to share ones opinions on things I thought I dump my rant here. and there are going to be grammar and spelling errors more then likely,but its the way I feel about things in general about what has happened to the music industry and well musicians desires to be recognized

here goes

Overload

It seems we have hit the capacity of an overload of artists in the 21st century, the "everybody wants to be a star" syndrome , online that is.
I have a song, a cd, we are recording a new album and then what? Hey, I am not diminishing the quality of songs here, or other places. I am just being real. How many "artists" are entertainers and performers? Yes, there are good musicians, indeed some of the tracks they lay down are pretty good, and some have magic happening. But, what I ask, how many of these aspiring internet achievers are hard core working class musicians, are they true well seasoned entertainers doing it live on a regular basis. That is really where it is at. That is how it happens, like doing your apprenticeship for a trade, that is really where it all happens my friends
Its one thing to record something, its another to take it out there and do it live and work your chops and get your magic happening at a gig, a club and make a living doing it, very few do, there is just not enough places to play for everyone who thinks they have something worth listening too. but in reality, can you play live, doing it exactly how you have done it here or other sites where your music lives, lets hope so.

The Reality

In reality, its a bust aiming to make it here in on the net, its not a magic wonderland, this "internet" few, if any at all can or will be able to do much with their music and only those who know how to market their material are ever going to make money and even then there is no guarantee you will gain fame, notoriety and or make it. And dont tell me you have, cause 99.999 percent of you have not really made much of anything.

Upload upload

We promise spins and line up your music for rotation claims one internet site, your music is lined up for spins, i think its something like Fanangle or is it Dangle Jingle and or Jangle (of the money in their pockets).
So get going upload your music to this site, that site, here there everywhere. So many music sites are clamoring for your $ and then you see your song climb the charts, what a thrill,cool , really, what does it really mean, not much, its the internet folks, It's not where it happens, there essentially is no meaning or credence or value here. its not real.
Sure you have a few nice comments, some right here,and yes there are people praising your works, reviewing your songs, telling you what they like, or if they are honest, what they dont like. is that what turns you on. it shouldn't. that is if you really do it for the love of doing it and don't look to be making any money from here or where ever, cause honestly , it ain't going to happen, not much at all, maybe the few, and that's about it

Contests and paid evaluation (we love your music, pay us to tell you how great it is)

These are ways to pull in cash from the poor unsuspecting artist, the hopeful ones who rely on their real job to pay out to some real shysters and contests and pull in huge dollars, and pay out little or nothing and maybe send you a nice certificate or mention you on their site. I am not saying all are like that, because some artists have indeed been rewarded in money and prizes, but for the most part it is a big scheme to fleece you out of your hard-earned dollars. just think about it, how much money some of these "contests" pull in. And like sheep, the many fall into the trap and the appeal of this amazing opportunity to perhaps "win" a contest. The only ones who win, really are the schemers, not the dreamers.

Lets Evaluate your song, it's your money.

Some sites exclaim: "We will analyze and even perhaps, mesmerize you with how great your song is, just pay us money and we will blow smoke up your ......................because, hey you make good music." yah right, that's bullroar, and the many unsuspecting musicians ,the hopefuls, the wannabe's those looking for acknowledgment fall into that trap, and that's a shame.
Some music sites have the audacity to invite you to have your music reviewed and analyzed for its quality and or its potential to be hit material. In reality, you are getting screwed blued and tattooed out of your money. They should say, we will take your money, tell you how good it is and even feature it on our site, because ,well it is so good, especially since you paid us to say so. I mean, what's up with that?!
I mean, dont you trust that your music is good already, do you have to have it analyzed and evaluated and pay money to have someone to tell you that! Its absurd and so sad that musicians get sucked into that type of scheme. i think it is a pathetic despicable way to pander to peoples ego and then suck them in and take their money and then feature their song on whatever site because the artist wants so bad to be recognized. That is the wrong motive folks, do it for the love of it, dont be mislead by these users.
You are the creator, love what you do, and do what you love. Dont prostitute your music to these scheming shysters, it is the wrong way to promote your music. There are better ways to spend your money developing your craft.

Go out and make music, play live , that's where it is at.See More

as long as there are overnight sensations, there will be applicants lined up around the block, qualified or no.

I mean, dont you trust that your music is good already, do you have to have it analyzed and evaluated and pay money to have someone to tell you that! Its absurd and so sad that musicians get sucked into that type of scheme. i think it is a pathetic despicable way to pander to peoples ego and then suck them in and take their money and then feature their song on whatever site because the artist wants so bad to be recognized. That is the wrong motive folks, do it for the love of it, dont be mislead by these users

Amen!

I had to chuckle when someone would tell me they were at the top of the (mp3, sound click, whatever) charts. I mean, those are artificial lists which can be gamed and usually were.

The "real" music biz is gamed also but there are at least tangible rewards for even placing in that game.

If 1 in 300 people like what you do enough to buy a CD, you have achieved GOLD record status. It's only a matter of finding that audience, so who cares what a bunch of amateur to semi-pro indie bands think about your music while puffing a spleef in their garage????

We're in a business where fortunes really can change overnight. If you're working, then you are already successful as long as you keep working.




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lol Nah you're not bitter.. noooo

Honestly, I gotta say that YouTube is the only real chance you have from the Internet - as far as "overnight" buzz.
It's a hugely powerful tool and much more deep than I ever thought it was.
There are people successfully monetizing their YouTube channels with just... Stupid sh*t.
If you put up good content, and something happens to go viral, or semi viral, you are off and running. What you do with it at that point could open doors - or, you could face plant.

Justin Bieber was greatly aided by YouTube.

And to be honest - if I ever post digitally for people to hear and review - I'm really looking for acknowledgement.
Not smoke, or praise.
If its my piece and not a collaboration, I already know (or feel) that it's good. I'm looking for someone to admit it.

I don't want to fish for compliments, or even hear false praise. I just want the "you Betta recognize!" to be acknowledged.

When I don't get that, it's maddening to me.
It may well be that what I put up sometimes isn't really that good and I just don't recognize it for what it is.

I try to keep a pretty good gauge on myself. I know what I can do and what I can't do.
I think you have to have a slight amount of arrogance to carry you through because self confidence is not that hard to lose.

I'm probably the quietest, most passive aggressive, lazy competitor you'll know - but the competitor is there, big time, under the placid surface.

Ya, I know, music isn't suppose to be competitive, but it is what it is...