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Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Sites Where You Can Get Your Music Reviewed
3. Radio Shows that will Play Your Music
4. Online Services that will Help to Sell Your Music
5. Sites Where You Can Upload Your Band's MP3s or Videos
6. Helpful Music Resources
7. ""Internet Radio: The Affordable Alternative" by Nathan Fisher, live365.com
8. "Inside the Head of a Music Reviewer" - PART III
by Suzanne Glass, Indie-Music.com
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THE TROUBLE WITH RELYING ON SALES OF CDs
If you own or control quality-sounding material, you should be
pursuing licensing opportunities for your music - one of our
artists just landed an $85,000 licensing deal for a single song;
That’s a lot of CD’s to sell! Indie911 doesn’t compete with or
replace how you currently sell music– we support it, while
exposing your music to profitable licensing opportunities and a
larger audience. If you make music, we’ll help you take if further.
How? Through the lost art of presenting great new music, and by
paying artists for online radio “airplay,” licensing fees, and sales
Thousands of listeners are discovering great new music every day
with a FREE and LEGAL system that doesn’t involve file sharing or
illegal downloading.
Join us or just listen for free at http://indie911.com
Tel: 310-943-7164
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SELL THOUSANDS OF CDs ON THE INTERNET!
"How to Build a Music Web Site That Sells" is a step-by-step
guide to the best-kept secrets of selling more CDs on the
Internet you ever thought was possible.
"This is the most on-the-money best laid-out easy and
entertaining incredibly informative absolutely accurate and
insightful book I have ever seen on the subject of promoting your
music online." - Derek Sivers, CDBaby and Hostbaby
Beat major labels on the Web: http://www.musicpromotiontips.com
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THIS MONTH'S PRIZE WINNERS
This month's winner of the Sennheiser E835 microphone
(visit http://www.sennheiserusa.com )
- Tom Connelly, Oakland, CA
This month's winner of a pair of Sennheiser HD280Pro headphones
(visit http://www.sennheiserusa.com )
- Chris Miller, Clayton, GA
This month's winners of the A&R Directory (for more information
visit http://www.musicregistry.com ) are:
- Marco Bonte, Hoensbroek, The Netherlands
- Aaron LaFalce, Asheville, NC
- Jane, Essex, England
This month's winner of the Publisher's Directory (for more
information visit http://www.musicregistry.com ) is:
- Jordan Munoz, San Pedro, CA
This month's winners of the Musician's ToolKit CD (for more information
visit https://www.bookingagentsdirectory.com ) are:
- Patrick Pfeiffer, New York, NY
- Terri Leman, Ninilchik, AK
This month's winner of the musicSUBMIT music promotion and publicity
service (for more information visit http://www.musicsubmit.com ) is:
- Steve Jelliman, Toronto, ON
This month's winner of "How To Successfully Promote Your Music on the
Internet" e-book by David Nevue (for more information on this book, visit
http://www.promoteyourmusic.com ) is:
- Pete Bradley, Isle of Wight, UK
This month's winner of "The Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook" e-book
by Bob Baker (for more info visit http://www.thebuzzfactor.com) is:
- Hal Camplin, Bristol, UK
This month's winner of the CD Trophy Clock (for more information visit
http://www.cdstands.com/index.shtml?icn ) is:
- Denis Gauthier, Ajax ON
The winner of the Sumadek (for more information visit
http://www.sumadek.com/indiebible.html ) is:
- Leandra Hill, Los Angeles, CA
The winner of a shirt/jersey from Enjoy Music (for more information
visit http://www.enjoymusic.com ) is:
- Chase Gregory, Gibsonia, PA
The winner of a free entry into The Rock Solid Pressure Radio Show
competition (for more info visit http://RockSolidPressure.com ) is:
- Randy Sanville, Craftsbury, VT
This month's winner of "The Ultimate Survival Guide to the New Music
Industry: Handbook for Hell" by Indie 911 is:
- Jarome Matthew, Vancouver BC
This month's winner of the 1-2-3 Music Store (for more information
visit http://easybe.com ) is:
- FM Smith, Park Ridge, IL
This month's winner of the an Artist Press Kit (ArtistPK)
(for more information visit http://TOURdatabase.com ) is:
- David van Rensburg, Cape Town, South Africa
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Whether it's a new CD, upcoming tour, charity concert, or any other
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more potentially rewarding than a positive response to a well-written
press release. Our clients have had their music featured in major
media outlets like New York Times, CNN, Entertainment Weekly and
USA Today to name just a few. In addition to press release distribution,
Beat Wire can also write a press release for you.
For more information, please got to http://www.beatwire.com
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International Songwriting Competition (ISC) - Less Than 1 Month
For Deadline!
Enter your songs now for your chance to share in over $100,000
in cash and merchandise, and have your songs heard by some of
the most influential people in the music industry! Judges for
this year's competition include Monte Lipman (President
Universal Records), Sean "P. Diddy" Combs , Macy Gray, Darryl
McDaniels (Founding Member/Rapper Run D.M.C.), Tara Griggs-Magee
(Executive VP Gospel/Urban Music Sony Records), Aaron Lewis
(Lead Singer/Songwriter Staind), Clint Black and many more. For
a complete list of judges categories and an entry form go to:
https://www.indiebible.com Deadline is October 15 2004
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2. INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the September Indie Contact Newsletter.
This month's first article is by Nathan Fisher of live365.com.
Nathan gives an overview of the current status of Internet
Radio, its value, and how it is growing in leaps and bounds.
Article two is Part III of an article by Suzanne Glass and the
staff of Indie-Music.com. In this last installment of her article,
Suzanne lists the 10 keys to consider when sending in your music
for review. This is invaluable advice for anyone sending their
CDs to various publications with the hope of getting a review.
As is the case every month, there is a large group of new contacts
listed that can help you to gain more exposure for your music. So
dig in, and enjoy the September issue of The Indie Contact Newsletter!
David Wimble
Editor
The Indie Contact Newsletter
newsletter@indiebible.com
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Below are the contacts that were submitted to me in August.
The contacts listed are sorted into FIVE sections.
1. Publications that will review your music
2. Radio stations/shows that will play your music
3. Services that will help you to sell your music
4. Sites where you can upload your band's MP3s or videos
5. Helpful resources and promotional sites for recording artists
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THE INDIE BIBLE is the All-In-One resource for Recording Artists.
It lists 4000 publications that will review your music and 3200
radio stations that will play your songs. Over 10,000 contacts
in all. ALL genres of music are covered!
It was only yesterday that I purchased the Indie Bible,
yet it’s already proved most useful. Congratulations on
a fine publication, and heartfelt thanks from a struggling
up-and-comer! - Kevin Bracken, Recording Artist
Get your copy today at http://www.indiebible2004.com or visit
your local Guitar Center, Sam Ash, Borders or Barnes & Noble
(in Canada at Long & McQuade).
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vinyl, we have the experience to make your music sound the
way your audience wants it to sound. Put our 2,500+ albums of
mastering experience to work for you.
http://www.RareFormMastering.com
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2. SITES/PUBLICATIONS WHERE YOU CAN GET YOUR MUSIC REVIEWED
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cdreviews.com
2622 U St. Sacramento, CA, 95818
PH: 877-576-0706
Eddie Meehan eddie@cdreviews.com
http://www.cdreviews.com
Are you in a band? Do you have a CD out? If so, let us know.
Pipedreams Newsletter
3604 Calumet Street, Philadelphia PA 19129
Jim Calder jccalder2000@yahoo.com
New print newsletter doing music reviews of all types of music.
Distributed in Philadelphia. Send CDs for review.
Beyond The Grave Music
766 St. Michaels Cir. Pleasanton CA 94566
Jeremiah Chogull@yahoo.com
http://www.beyondthegravemusic.com
Honest reviews for all genres.
Spunout Central
4174 N. Newhall St, Shorewood, WI 53211
PH: 414-962-8269 FX: 414-393-6860
Adam Mico admin@spunoutcentral.com
http://www.spunoutcentral.com
If your act is full-on brilliant, intriguing and / or God awful,
send your CD (at least five tracks) for feature consideration to
a fully exposed, popular music review site.
Russell's Reviews
Russell Barker russ@russellsreviews.co.uk
http://www.russellsreviews.co.uk
CD, demo and gig reviews from reviewer based in Oxford, UK.
The Soundclash Music Webzine
3900 Oxford St. Napa, CA 94558
PH: 818-251-0846
Matt Armstrong shutterbox@gmail.com
http://www.soundclashmusic.tk
A website focusing on reviews and interviews of small label
and unsigned bands.
NewBeats
David newbeats@newbeats.com
http://www.newbeats.com
A music magazine that covers all types of music...the more
eclectic the better.
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Learn more at http://www.discmakers.com/hl
Also visit this site to get a FREE "Musician's Guide to the Web"
http://www.discmakers.com/imbible
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3. RADIO SHOWS THAT WILL PLAY YOUR MUSIC
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WCFS
3540 Holland Rd. Ste. 113 PMB 103, Virginia Beach, VA 23452
PH: 757-651-5063 FX: 757-468-6988
WCF indiebible@wcfsradio.us
http://www.wcfsradio.us
A streaming internet broadcast providing all original, non-
stop, commercial free, broadcasting of local bands to Hampton
Roads (and beyond).
Radio Crystal Blue
3655 Shore Pkwy. #1F, Brooklyn, NY 11235
PH: 718-646-0158
Dan Herman cblue456@optonline.net
http://www.radiocrystalblue.com
On the Internet since 2000, this Internet-only program is
heard each Sunday 7pm till 1am ET, featuring an outstanding
mix of talent (Folk, Songwriters, Rock, more) plus old
classics and spotlight on new music. Interviews, charts and
much more are also on the website. Archived programs and
playlists at cblue.lunarpages.com
Local Noize Radio
PH: 217-428-5093
Dennis DuBay d.dubay@insightbb.com
http://www.lnradio.net
Showcasing unsigned/indie rockers from Michigan, Illinois,
Ohio and Wisconsin.
Danko Radio
240 Clayton St. E., Listowel, ON N4W 2G1
Paul Cardiff citizenk@danko-radio.com
http://danko-radio.com
Home of the best underground Punk, Metal, Rock and whatever
else we feel like playing.
The RoadRash Bash
RoadRash roadrash@newartistradio.net
http://www.newartistradio.net/The%20Roadrash%20Bash.htm
Your host Roadrash takes you on a cold, hard ride with some
of the best the indie scene has to offer ... spotlighting
all forms of Rock and Metal from around the world. Hear the
bands the way they were meant to be heard ... complete with
commentary, news and interviews. The Roadrash Bash brings
the heaviest music to you loud and uncensored!
New Artist Radio
Theda Messic tmc@newartistradio.net
http://www.newartistradio.net
A FREE service offered to bands & new artists that would like
to get their music heard worldwide on a Top 40 show & 8 other
radio shows. Sign Up Today!!
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Get started selling your CDs at IndieGate.com for only $30.00
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back? Well, not any more! Sell your indie CD through the InterMixx
IndieGate and get started right now for a low set-up fee of only
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market grow for almost 20 years help YOUR market to grow as well!
Please visit http://www.IndieGate.com and become a Merchant
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Check out the new InterMixx DIScPLAY!
Now indies can sell more CDs at live events with this durable mobile
listening station! Comes complete with integrated CD player. Easily
portable, it closes to contain and protect all items neatly. Simple,
quick and easy to use... just open it and set it on your merch table.
Purchase price includes one set-up fee for IndieGate.com.
http://www.DIScPLAY.net
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4. ONLINE SERVICES/LABELS THAT WILL HELP SELL YOUR MUSIC
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Creativity In Music
PO Box 3481, Bridgeport, CT 06605
Gi Dussault npsfunk@optonline.net
http://www.creativityinmusic.com
Founded to assist the independent musician and singer in
spreading the word about their music. Radio Promotion on all
genres and locations, concert promotion, submission of press
releases to local, national and international media plus
business advice/consultation.
Clear Da Corner Entertainment
Robin cdce225@yahoo.com
http://cdce.topcities.com
We are currently reaching out across the entire Orlando,
Florida area to embrace our talented youth, remove them from
the street corners, and help them to take that next step
into the spotlight where they belong.
West Coast Rockers
Leigh Davis leigh@westcoastrockers.com
http://www.westcoastrockers.com
We help "indie" artists by posting links, pictures, reviews,
interviews, news etc. & finding and promoting gigs. Come join
our family!
JPM Records
1126 Floyd Road, Columbus, GA 31907
PH: 706-562-1702
Melonie teea@sowega.net
http://jpmrecords.topcities.com
An independent record label and recording facility specializing
in the sounds of the dirty south.
Range Records
2730 E. County Line Rd. Ardmore, PA 19003
PH: 610-649-7100 FX: 610-649-7566
Joe Mattis Joem@rangeentertainment.com
http://www.rangeentertainment.com
Our expertise lies in artist development, recording, booking,
management and promotion.
Rosewater Agency
111 Edgevalley Green NW, Calgary, AB T3A 4Y9
PH: 403-547-0860
Gareth Lukes gareth@rosewateragency.com
http://www.rosewateragency.com
We provide booking/management services to artists touring
in North America.
Elevator Music
PO Box 628, Bronxville, NY 10708
PH: 914-509-5870
Viriato fernando@rcn.com
http://www.elevatormusic.com
Underground fire to light your way.
Qopel Records
PO Box 97, New York, NY 10156
PH: 631-827-3000 FX: 419-831-3032
Andrew Herzman andy@qopelrecords.com
http://www.qopelrecords.com
We cover 3 areas: Production, Distribution and Promotion.
We don't book gigs, write music or do managing.
Crooked Tooth Records
Casey Tolliver ctolliver@crookedtoothindustries.com
http://www.crookedtoothindustries.com
We fulfill all the needs of the unsigned bands.
SEVEN02 GROUP
1516 E. Tropicana Ave. #295, Las Vegas, NV 89119
PH: 866-738-3602 FX: 270-596-7511
Robert Walton rwalton@seven02group.com
http://www.seven02group.com
We are an artist management & image consultant company.
Indie Music Forum
Kollafjordur, Faroe Islands
PH: 298-506565
Rói Højgaard admin@indiemusicforum.com
http://www.indiemusicforum.com
Band promotion, resource links and musician's forum.
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YOU NEED BETTER SALES AND DISTRIBUTION FOR YOUR CD.
If your CD isn't for sale in CD Baby, you're losing sales!
CD Baby has been featured in the NY Times, MSNBC, Wired, CNET and more.
10,000 CUSTOMERS A DAY go through cdbaby.com looking for CDs like yours.
Such a popular online store, you HAVE to make sure your CD is there.
They pay $20,000 a week to musicians like you (over $1 million so far!)
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO TO START SELLING is go to http://www.cdbaby.net
Takes 5 minutes. Send them a box of CDs. They'll sell them and pay you.
Real cool people. Total first-class treatment. Great CD distribution.
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DAD (Digital Audio Distribution)
http://www.discmakers.com/dad
Launched by DISC MAKERS the DAD service gives independent bands
and artists the opportunity to sell their songs online on sites
like Apple's iTunes Music Store, Listen.com's Rhapsody, AOL's
MusicNet, Emusic, a nd newcomer BuyMusic.com. The DAD service is
FREE with all new CD orders with DISC MAKERS. The service is also
available to artists who do not make their CDs with DISC MAKERS
for only $75.
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5. SITES WHERE YOU CAN UPLOAD YOUR BAND'S MP3s
OR VIDEOS
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TrakHeadz.Com
PO Box 1304, Teaneck, NJ 07666-1304
PH: 888-632-5602 FX: 888-632-5602
customerservice@trakheadz.Com
http://trakheadz.com
Promotion and distribution system that allows independent
record labels and recording artists to get their songs into
the hands of professional club and radio DJs all over the
world! TrakHeadz.Com is the first website to provide an
effective way for recording artists to promote their music
offline.
Media Kinesis
Media Kinesis postmaster@mediakinesis.com
http://mediakinesis.com
Free 50mb of space for your MP3's. You can even sell your
music privately, create a radio station, post images, video,
history, messages. Musicians of all genres are encouraged to
join and provide an additional outlet for your material.
Reptor Productions
16 Llys Glyndwr, Towyn, Abergele, Conwy, LL22 9PA UK
PH: 44-0-1745-343-777
Lynn Jones tinatanktop@reptorproductions.co.uk
http://www.reptorproductions.co.uk
Promoting unsigned acts/bands in the digital domain using
streaming audio radio shows and a promotional 'chartshow'
going from strength to strength.
BANDTIME.COM
Michael Zinn michael@bandtime.com
http://www.bandtime.com
Artists and bands can post their photo and mp3 tracks. Users
can listen, rate and download tracks. Bands can sell their
tracks and fans can add themselves to a band's fanbase.
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SELL THE INDIE BIBLE FROM YOUR WEBSITE AND MAKE
SOME EXTRA CASH!!
The Indie Bible is one of the most popular resources for Independent
Recording Artists in the world. As an affiliate, you will receive
$10 US for each sale of the Indie Bible generated through your site!
Visit http://www.indiebible2004.com/whole.shtml for details.
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6. HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR YOUR BAND
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BandAttack
fan basealfi Drive, Clay, NY 13041
PH: 315-727-9918
Tom Rock@Bandattack.com
http://www.bandattack.com
Features hundreds of the best resources available to
independent bands and artists from all over the web.
Industry news, contests, featured bands, massive
directory, articles and more!
Stage Right Talent
2141 Pamela St. Oxnard, CA 93036
PH: 805-604-0030 FX: 805-485-5109
Carlton Batts stagerightalent@yahoo.com
http://www.freewebs.com/stageright
A music consultant firm and referral service.
Absolute Indie TV
PO Box 97, New York, NY 10156
PH: 631-827-3000 FX: 419-831-3032
Andrew Herzman andy@qopelrecords.com
http://www.absoluteindie.com
A TV show that plays Independent music videos from all over
the world.
Quanta Webdesign
PO Box 972, Mukilteo, WA 98275
PH: 877-570-6448 FX: 877-570-6448
Denise Enck se@quantawebdesign.com
http://www.quantawebdesign.com
Hip, affordable webdesign, hosting, graphic design and
promotion for musicians.
Sweden Songs
PO Box 15210, SE-10465 Stockholm, Sweden
PH: +4686485762
Keith Almgren info@swedensongs.se
http://www.swedensongs.se
Music publishing service.
WCFStudios
3540 Holland Rd. Ste. 113 PMB 103, Virginia Beach, VA 23452
PH: 757-651-5063 FX: 757-468-6988
WCF indiebible@wcfstudios.us
local-scene.wcfstudios.com
Supports the Hampton Roads and beyond music scene: recording
studio, promotions, event listings, web design, promo packs
and more!
Indie Culture
1217 Leyson St., Talamban, Cebu City, Philippines
PH: 6332-4160333 FX: 6332-4160409
Ian Zafra ian@indiecultureonline.com
http://www.indiecultureonline.com
Support and nurtures indie musicians, as they are the
authors of music that is timeless and transcends pop
trends and cultures.
Rock in Action Free Music Forum
rockinaction@kristallradio.it
http://www.kristallradio.it
Please visit and sign up to join and submit a post! Post
CD reviews, articles, news, information about your band,
music organization, music association, fans club, pub
concert, live tour etc.
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BOOST TRAFFIC TO YOUR WEBSITE WITH THE INDIE LINK EXCHANGE!
The Indie Link Exchange is a list of music sites that wish to
exchange links with other music related sites. With over 1200
It's a simple one-to-one exchange of text links or banners.
ALL styles of music sites are welcome!
http://www.indielinkexchange.com/ile
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SONICBIDS is an online service that connects musicians and music
promoters. Instead of mailing out traditional, bulky press kits,
Sonicbids' members email Sonicbids Electronic Press Kits (EPKs).
Soncbids EPKs - which contain the MP3 files, pictures, press reviews
and contact information - can be easily emailed to anyone, anywhere!
In addition, members can directly submit their EPKs to some of the
world's biggest festivals, clubs, and conferences for free. Members
are also eligible for exclusive Sonicbids spots at some of the
hottest conferences around the world. Promote your band in a
powerful new way, for only $49.95 a year.
Go to http://www.sonicbids.com/default.asp?pID=1435 today!
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7. INTERNET RADIO: THE AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVE
by Nathan Fisher, live365.com
© 2004 All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission
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Many people don't yet think that Internet radio is or could be
a viable medium. This is simply not borne out by facts. Internet
radio already has millions of listeners per month and is growing
stronger by the day. Independent artists who recognize this
opportunity have a decided advantage over those who would wait
for years to make it on corporate FM radio, often unsuccessfully.
What is Internet Radio?
In appearance and feel, Internet radio is similar to regular
radio. Instead of turning a dial, you enter a URL. Anyone with
a broadband Internet connection can hear CD-quality audio, better
sound quality, in fact, than with traditional FM radio. Even
dial-up users can get sound quality roughly analogous to AM
radio. Another key difference is that under federal law, Internet
radio stations are responsible for paying per-performance
royalties for each track they play that they do not own the
rights to. Regular radio stations are not responsible for per-
performance royalties.
Internet radio operates on a different, radically decentralized
model: individual DJs decide what music they like and what music
to play. And music fans listen; they even pay a premium to listen
to ad-free content.
Traditional Radio is Limited
Traditional radio suffers from play list homogeneity and an
astonishing unwillingness to take risks on new artists. FCC
regulations, licensing fees and scarce spectrum bandwidth make
it virtually impossible for independent stations to exist unless
they are run by colleges or are pirated. This is compounded by
the deregulation of radio station ownership following the federal
Telecommunications Act of 1996, which made it easier than ever
for big industry players like Clear Channel and Infinity to own
a nationwide empire that can offer a limited range of
programming formats. Indeed, in 1996 Clear Channel was a small
media company that owned thirty stations. With the benefits of
deregulation, Clear Channel now owns over 1,200 stations.
Together, Clear Channel and Infinity control forty-five percent
of the American radio audience.
What the Future Holds
Though Internet radio currently gets fewer listener-hours than
traditional radio, the number is steadily increasing and has
the potential to experience exponential growth in the next few
years as broadband connections become increasingly available in
portable devices and automobiles. Plus, it's a good bet that
the average Internet radio listener is more of a music fan than
the average traditional radio listener.
Moreover, Internet radio makes it simple to track listening
behavior, accurately gauge total listener-hours and gather
demographic data on listeners. You can easily use Live365's
Web site to see which stations are playing your music and how
many listening-hours they have had over the past month. This
is completely unlike traditional radio, whose ratings system
is stuck in the proverbial dark ages.
The Live 365 Lowdown
Live365 makes it easy for independent artists to get their
tracks into broadcasters' hands and listeners' ears. The
ever-expanding library http://www.live365.com/cgi-bin/library.cgi
is a virtual record pool, (a secure service that lets all
Live365 DJs preview and add your tracks directly into their
stations' playlists.) You can also allow broadcasters and
listeners to download your entire track, if you prefer. Live365
is licensed and pays royalties to ASCAP, BMI and SESAC.
Each week, Live365 reports its DJs' playlists to Radio and
Records, College Music Journal, Billboard Online, New Age
Reporter, and other web properties. With the help of
Radiowave.com, Live365 also compiles and reports a run-of-site
weekly airplay chart. As the largest Internet radio network,
with thousands of active broadcasters and over 2 million
unique listeners a month, Live365 provides independent artists
with an unprecedented opportunity for large-scale radio
exposure. You can also submit your album or track to Live365's
editorial department for consideration to be listed, free of
charge (www.live365.com/labelservices.)
=============================================
Nathan Fisher is the Editor and Music Library Coordinator for
Live365. He grew up in idyllic South Minneapolis, where he
learned to implicitly mistrust the status quo. After graduating
from Pomona College with a degree in Politics, he relocated
to Oakland, CA, where he lives a vaguely bohemian lifestyle
with several other roommates in their early twenties. For
more information about what Live365 has to offer please visit
them @ www.live365.com.
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Indie-Music.com - Where Serious Musicians Surf
One of the original musician resource websites, Indie-Music.com
offers thousands of contacts - venues, studios, media, radio,
labels, and more. Plus, an extensive archive of how-to's for the
music business, and up-to-date commentary on the industry. The
Indie News newsletter provides a free tip sheet with listings
for radio airplay, record label submissions, gig opportunities,
and more.
https://www.bookingagentsdirectory.com
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WE HAVE THE A&R CONTACTS YOU NEED!
The A&R Registry, Publisher Registry, Music Attorney, Legal &
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7. INSIDE THE HEAD OF A MUSIC REVIEWER - PART III
by Suzanne Glass, Indie-Music.com
© 2004 All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission
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Review Check List:
1. Communicate professionally - Use standard grammar and
punctuation, proofread, and use a spell checker. You don't
have to write a business letter like you learned in 8th Grade
Grammar class, the letter could be creative, but make sure
it is identifiable as a business communication and not junk
mail. Make sure to directly state you are looking for a
review. Don't send mass mailings, it's obvious to the
recipient. On the phone, leave useful messages designed to
make it easy to call you back (spell your name, and repeat
your phone number twice to make copying easy for the listener).
2. Follow submission guidelines - Guidelines exist for a
reason, which is to help an organization handle a large flow
of music submissions in an efficient manner. Each publication
does it differently, but if you choose not to follow the
guidelines, expect your submission to be late, lost, or worse.
3. Send a cohesive promo pack - Writers have differing
preferences on what they like to receive as part of a promo
pack. Most writers, though, like to read a band biography
and a few press clips (it helps in writing a review to know
more about an artist), and many also like to see a band photo.
If you are unsure what a writer requires, err on the side of
sending too MUCH rather than not enough. If you choose not
to include photos and graphics, make sure they are easily
available on your website, in case the reviewer plans to
publish your review with pictures.
4. Give contact information - When your review goes up,
nothing would be dumber than to make your CD hard to find.
Many artists, though, forget to include full contact
information including mailing address, phone, email, and
website URL.
5. Identify your genre - When people read reviews, they
want to know, upfront, whether it's their "style" or not.
So even if you simply say "a cross of rock, folk, and punk",
that is much better than saying "we cannot be categorized".
Better to categorize yourself than let a writer do it for
you. Many writers are not musicians, and do not know
precisely how to describe your genre just by listening.
Help them.
6. Write a meaningful bio - Drop the lines that say you
are "incredible", "changing the face of music", or "talented
beyond belief etc.
7. Make the writer's job easy - Since writers are, at the
basic level, just people doing their job, it only makes
sense that if you can make their job easier, they will like
you and try to return the favor. That's just human nature.
Include everything the writer needs, be sensitive to their
schedule, and provide graphics or answers to any questions
promptly.
8. Follow up courteously - Writers vary greatly in how
they respond to follow-ups. Some people will respond
promptly, keeping you up to date at each step of the
process. Other writers ignore follow- ups completely. Your
best bet is learning each writer personally. As a general
rule, follow up about 2-4 weeks after your submission
should have arrived with a short note. If you hear nothing,
try again in another two weeks. If you again hear nothing,
try waiting a month. Don't threaten or chastise the
writers, just ask if a decision has been made about your
review yet.
9. Don't argue with the reviewer - You can't win. If you
don't like the review, you can pass on that reviewer with
your next CD. Or you can submit again and see if their
opinion has changed. Either way picking a fight about
something the reviewer wrote is a waste of your time. If
there is a factual error, fine, ask the writer to correct
it. But don't argue, "Our choruses are NOT boring! They
are complex and emotive". Since the characterization of
your choruses as "boring" is only the reviewer's opinion,
you are not going to change it. You might, however, piss
off the writer for life.
10. Keep the connection - You need to cultivate your
relationships with writers. Check in with them periodically
between CDs, read their other work, let them know if you
have news, and send thank-you notes - even if you did not
get reviewed. Your goal is to build a relationship. You
never know when that relationship may help you out - but
you can be sure it will work in your favor if you present
yourself as nice, interested, and understanding.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Suzanne Glass is the founder of Indie-Music.com, All the
reviewers featured in this piece write for Indie-music. For
more information please contact: https://www.bookingagentsdirectory.com.
------------------------------------------------------------------
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