The Sunny Side of Ska Punk
Who would think that the calming vibes of Jamaican music would be destined for a collision with punk rock and hardcore? As it were, the Caribbean sounds of the '50s were an easy fit for California beach culture. So, when bands like Madness and The … [Read More...]
Better Know a Musical Genre: Metalcore
Keeping up with all of the boutique and specialized music genres around the world can be quite overwhelming. Today, let's take a look at a genre that bridges two of the most aggressive styles on the planet. Metalcore is a musical tradition that … [Read More...]
Pop Punk “Descends” from The Ramones
Some people confuse the broader spirit of punk, which is to most an ideology and approach to creativity, with the genre called pop punk. The two terms or so interchangeable in the minds of many mainstream music fans that their belief that the genre … [Read More...]
Tough Times for Rick Ross — The Rapper, That Is
Rapper William Leonard Roberts, AKA Rick Ross, has run into a sudden storm of legal trouble. It is common for rap stars to take on names derived from the monikers of famous gangsters. However, in this case, the real Freeway Rick Ross wants his name … [Read More...]
A Davy Jones Tribute: The Remarkable Coincidence of Last Train to Clarksville
Today the world lost Davy Jones from The Monkees. His decades-long career as an actor and musician took him down many paths, starting as a pop bubblegum act with a popular television show and leading eventually to a voyage into psychedelia with … [Read More...]
In the Wake of Dave Grohl’s Grammy Speech on Music’s Human Touch
Last night's Grammy awards were in some ways a battle of ideas about the future of the music industry. We live in a time when technology can provide the highest-gloss, perfect songs, sometimes crafted by people with little passion for music as a … [Read More...]
Real Bonnaroo 2012 Lineup Released: Beach Boys, RHCP, Phish, Radiohead, and More
In a previous blog, I wondered whether the fact that someone created a fake flyer for Bonnaroo 2012, complete with a really exciting lineup, would cause a public relations disaster for Bonnaroo. After seeing the real lineup, which basically includes … [Read More...]
Bonnarumor Debunked: Leaked Bonnaroo 2012 Lineup Proven Fake
Thanks to some quick sleuthing by Michael Keene of The Faceless, the mysterious Bonnaroo 2012 poster complete with a leaked lineup has been proven a fake. In fact, I'm pretty surprised I didn't think to check on it this way myself. Do you ever … [Read More...]
Mysterious Bonnaroo 2012 Poster Goes Viral: Leaked Lineup?
As a native Nashvillian, I am fairly near the source of most rumors about Bonnaroo. This festival out in rural Manchester, TN is as close to the realization of a modern Woodstock experience as you can get (provided that one doesn't count the … [Read More...]
Why Online Music Services Should Pay Bands Directly (and Fairly)
Typically, the launch of most online music services will be followed by a press release detailing something along the lines of "So-and-so.com reaches $xx million settlement with music industry." As a member of the music industry whose music is … [Read More...]
When an Indie Label Isn’t Really Independent at All
Much like in the case of hot dogs, sometimes a close examination of the parts that make up something can change your perspective a little bit. While nothing in this article is intended to imply that major or independent labels are better or worse … [Read More...]
How to Not Sell Out: Creativity Is Sacrosanct
Musicians worry often about whether or not the actions they are taking constitute selling out. In the vaguest sense, selling out is typically conceived as any effort to increase one's fame or financial well-being by creating, performing, recording, … [Read More...]
How to: DIY Music Press Releases
For artists with insufficient funding to hire a PR team, press engagement is still a crucial part of getting the word out about new releases. PR is most definitely a professional field, so it is important to observe all the traditional protocols when … [Read More...]
Why Bands Should Still Continue to Periodically Update Their MySpace Pages
At one time, MySpace was the dominant social network. Most of the online world was using it, and musicians across the spectrum of genres engaged fans on the platform. The site's traffic was immense for many years, and, as a result, lots of bands used … [Read More...]
Musicians: How to Use Video Content to Teach Your Fans to Play Your Songs
Enabling your fans to be able to play along with your songs on their favorite instruments can be a worthwhile use of time. Nothing better solidifies a musician's connection with a fan than providing them with the ability to learn to jam that latest … [Read More...]
The Best Way to Help Your Favorite Musicians: Share Their Singles
Music is one of the few industries where there really are some serious good guys on the consumer side. I've seen first hand how some fans will go out of their way to learn how to buy merchandise such that the artist gets the maximum amount of the … [Read More...]
