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Author: Tony van Veen

money on sheet music depicting new copyright rates

Mechanical royalty rates are going up… Or are they?

June 1, 2022February 26, 2023 Tony van Veen

The Copyright Royalty Board announced plans to increase the mechanical royalty rates for product sales, which is great for songwriters. But will streaming rates do the same? Read the post.

headphones depicting music NFT

NFTs are not ready for indie music

April 28, 2022May 3, 2022 Tony van Veen

There has been so much hype and activity centered around NFTs that I felt compelled to dig in and lay out why NFTs are not ready for indie music. Read the post.

case with money depicting the music industry's royalty distribution issue

The MLC’s $424 million royalty distribution conundrum

March 23, 2022June 21, 2022 Tony van Veen

The music industry has long had a royalty distribution problem, AKA the infamous “black box,” which represents hundreds of millions in mechanical royalties collected on behalf of publishers and songwriters who have not been paid because they cannot be tracked down. Read the post.

woman shopping for CDs — there's a CD revival

There’s a CD revival in the making

February 24, 2022August 2, 2022 Tony van Veen

CD sales are up for the first time in over a decade, and we take a dive into the DIY market to explore the details of what’s being hailed as a CD revival. Read the post.

music success

Don’t stand in the way of your own music success

February 1, 2022February 24, 2022 Tony van Veen

Stepping outside of your comfort zone, by definition, makes you uncomfortable. But you might need to try something new to find success in your music career. Read the post.

music industry predictions

Tony’s 2021 recap and 2022 predictions for the music industry

December 20, 2021February 24, 2022 Tony van Veen

Let’s take a look back at the year in review and go out on a limb for what could happen in 2022. We’re in unpredictable territory, but there are encouraging trends in the music industry. Read the post

record label

What’s a record label looking for?

December 2, 2021February 24, 2022 Tony van Veen

These five questions are ones a record label needs answers to if you hope to get attention and a potential deal. Read the post

major label record deal

The pros and cons of a major-label record deal

November 16, 2021December 20, 2021 Tony van Veen

Getting signed to a major label is a dream come true, right? Well, there are definite advantages, but your chances of career success are somewhere way south of guaranteed. Read the post.

record deal

Should you sign a record deal or stay independent?

October 18, 2021October 18, 2021 Tony van Veen

There are downsides to being an independent artist, but there are so many incredible advantages, as well. We look at the pros and cons of signing a record deal versus staying independent. Read the post

album release

The album release in the streaming era

September 21, 2021September 21, 2021 Tony van Veen

In today’s streaming era, while music promotion should launch a new album release, your music is always “on the shelf” and lightning can strike long after it first hits the marketplace. Read the post

physical music sales

The data is in: Physical music sales are UP in 2021!

September 2, 2021September 2, 2021 Tony van Veen

It may be hard for skeptics to believe, but physical albums were up a robust 37.5 percent compared to this time last year, from almost 28 million units to over 38 million units. Read the post.

music marketing

Is your music marketing working?

August 12, 2021August 16, 2021 Tony van Veen

Is your music marketing working? Is it generating streams, views, sales, and (importantly) revenues? Would you even know if it was? Read the post.

demand for your music

Your #1 job as a music artist? Create demand for your music.

July 20, 2021December 21, 2021 Tony van Veen

There are two million songs released every month. But those artists, those songs, are not your competition. Your success is driven by your commitment and patience. And your great music. Read the post.

social media

Promoting your music on social media: It’s all about you

June 25, 2021June 25, 2021 Tony van Veen

Promoting your music act via social media is no time to be coy. Make it about you and all the cool things you do. Read the post.

indie artist

You’re an indie artist — do you need legal protection?

May 28, 2021May 28, 2021 Tony van Veen

When music becomes more than just a pastime and you set out to write, play, and release music, it’s time to consider steps you should take to protect yourself. Read the post.

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