modern music marketing

What Is Podcasting and Why Should You Care?

Amy Gahran has an excellent post called What Is Podcasting and Why Should You Care? She outlines several ways bands can put the technology to good use.

In a nutshell, podcasting is simply online audio content that’s delivered via webfeed. (Background: What’s a webfeed?) Think of it as radio on demand. However, it gives you far more options in terms of content and program style than radio. While the field of radio has generally settled into few established types of programs, podcasting reflects more of the variety that is available on CDs.

Plus, podcasting is like TiVo for radio. That is, you can download whatever programming you want and listen to it whenever and wherever you want. You also generally have full access to the audio archives for the programs you like. This removes time, use, and content restraints.

MTV taps into tech alliances to reach teens

MTV is pursuing a number of partnerships with technology-based companies to become a credible player in teens digital media entertinament market.

Todd Cunningham, senior vp brand strategy and planning, said MTV also is working to expand its gaming business with new alliances, and to launch its digital music download service to give marketers, advertisers and musicians "yet another through line straight to what they (teens) are all about without having to try to create that on their own."

Falling on Def Ears

A great story on Def Jam Enterprises' mobile ambitions...and why not? "I live wireless," said Russell Simmons..."Right now I've got a phone in my ear, a phone in my lap and a BlackBerry in my left hand. That's just what I do."
This month, Simmons will launch Def Jam Mobile, a wireless content platform created in partnership with AGMobile, the wireless services division of greeting card giant American Greetings. The new outfit promises mobile carriers a channel to connect with the urban youth market they have long pursued but never quite reached.
The story gushes a bit, but the going will be difficult in this already crowded market...Def Jam wants to ride its music and hip-hop culture creds and channel that into wireless. Surely, others more younger outfits like Bad Boy Entertainment and Roc-a-Fella wouldn't be far behind...
But it will be an interesting battle to watch..much more than perhaps what we've seen in the music market...

Howard Mandel to hold free professional development lecture for jazz musicians

CHAMBER MUSIC AMERICA PRESENTS JAZZ WRITER AND CRITIC, HOWARD MANDEL, IN A FREE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR FOR MUSICIANS ABOUT JAZZ MEDIA AND PROMOTION.
Howard Mandel, the renowned jazz writer and critic, will conduct a free professional development workshop for jazz musicians at Chamber Music America in New York City titled “How to Get Your Ensemble Media Attention.” This seminar will offer practical information on the workings of jazz media and effective techniques for promoting one’s own ensemble. Mr. Mandel is the President of the Jazz Journalists Association and editor of its website, www.jazzhouse.org.

The workshop will take place November 9, 1:00–3:00 p.m., at CMA offices at 305 Seventh Avenue, between 27th and 28th Streets, New York NY. Seating is limited; please RSVP by email by Monday, November 8.

For additional information contact Bill Pace, Program Officer, (212) 242-2022 ext. 14

Music marketing has become very complex

via NetFamilyNews

However, even though teenagers won't be scrambling for an iPod sporting the signatures of U2's musicians, this special-edition iPod is very interesting - as part of the ongoing recording-industry-vs.-music-fans debate. One analyst told Wired News he was following this one because he's very curious to see how other bands will work with MP3 player makers as a means of distribution. Music marketing has become very complex - from testing tunes on blogs like MySpace.com to pre-installed playlists on MP3 players - and our teenagers are key targets of all these methods and messages.

New Marketing Strategy for Musicians leaves big labels behind.

British rock band Marillion has raised $1 million dollars from its fans via its website. This has allowed them to finance 2 albums and tour North America. They did it by pre-selling their album through their website. This is a completely different take on music marketing and financing, and appears to be working out. The Internet saves the day again. Check out all the details in the Reuters article.

Livewire: Today's Pop Stars in It for the URLs [Reuters]

James Taylor Sends Musical Greetings Via Hallmark

Good ideas are everywhere. This one comes via Yahoo news:

The Hallmark name is synonymous with card shopping, but it has also turned into a successful music retailer during the holiday season.

This year James Taylor joins a long line of artists to release a holiday album exclusively through Hallmark's Gold Crown stores. "James Taylor: A Christmas Album" is due in the United States and Canada Nov. 1. Grammy Award winner Dave Grusin produced the 11-track set, which features a duet with Natalie Cole on "Baby It's Cold Outside."

"Our estimation with James Taylor is that this will be a platinum album (for U.S. shipments in excess of one million copies)," Hallmark manager of integrated marketing Ann Herrick says.

Maybe you should put together a Christmas album exclusivly in your city and make a deal with a local retailer, preferably one with a chain of stores.

Record Labels Said to Be Next on Spitzer List for Scrutiny

Elliot Spitzer, the New York State attorney general is casting his eyes on the music industry, particularly its practices for influencing what songs are heard on the public airwaves.

According to several people involved, investigators in Mr. Spitzer's office have served subpoenas on the four major record corporations - the Universal Music Group, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, the EMI Group and the Warner Music Group - seeking copies of contracts, billing records and other information detailing their ties to independent middlemen who pitch new songs to radio programmers in New York State.

The inquiry encompasses all the major radio formats and is not aiming at any individual record promoter, these people said. Mr. Spitzer and representatives for the record companies declined to comment.

Dave Matthews Band Goes Wireless

Nancy Gohring fill us in on how Dave and his band use wireless technology at shows...

Dave Matthews Band uses between two and four Vivato base stations to cover concert venues where the band plays. The network is used for a variety of band-related business including ticketing services, audio/video information for crew, publishing of set lists for concert attendees, and band personal business including keeping in touch with family and friends.

Fake Buzz

Spin Me has some wise words on Message Board abuse.

If you're gonna do the old "hit the message board" trick, at least get folks posting from different IP addresses on different days, or you're going to invoke the wrath of bulletin board or weblog moderators. Remember that fake buzz is worthless and real buzz is priceless. You can't pay someone to fake buzz, and you certainly can't muster it yourself. When trolling boards, align yourself with folks who have been members for a while -- those testimonials will be valuable, and true.