80 Years Later, Disc Makers is Still Here
This year, Disc Makers, the company that I’ve been proud to run for almost two decades, turns 80 years old. That’s a pretty unlikely milestone for any company, and particularly […]
Author: Tony van Veen
If I Were Starting as an Indie Artist in 2026…
You know, it’s been close to 40 years since I was — or thought I was — a serious artist. Sometimes I’m still tempted to pick up the drumsticks and […]
The Psychology of Merch: Why Fans Buy More Than Just Music
Let’s talk about merch — but not just what to sell. This article digs deeper into the psychology of why fans actually buy your merch. If you think they’re buying […]
How to Boost Revenue from Your Vinyl Release
Got a vinyl release on the horizon? As you start planning how to market that album, I want to give you an idea for your next vinyl release that your […]
Making Your Last Album a Memorable One
At Disc Makers, we’re fortunate to work with countless new artists releasing their music on CD or LP for the very first time. It’s always a super exciting experience. But […]
How to Generate Extra Music Revenue This Holiday Season
Did you know that the best time for independent artists to prep for the holiday season is significantly earlier than you might think? If you’re an artist, the time to […]
Why Does Spotify Pay the Lowest Streaming Royalties?
If you follow the music business on socials, you may have seen charts claiming that Spotify pays rightsholders less per stream than other platforms do. But is that actually the […]
Advice for Musicians During Uncertain Times
Today I want to discuss what my 30 years in business have taught me about not just surviving — but thriving — in uncertain times.When thinking about the current state […]
How Record Jackets Are Made
Ever wonder what goes into making a record jacket? In this article, I’ll share how we make your record jackets at Disc Makers (and why they look so good). The […]
How Much Music Can Fit on a Record?
Ready to dive deep into the inexact science of how many minutes of music fit onto a vinyl record? This is a topic that has tripped up plenty of artists […]
Can Independent Artists Afford to Go on Tour?
As you look at your schedule and the potential gigs on the horizon, the burning question is: Can today’s independent artists actually afford to tour? It’s a question British distributor […]
Spotify’s $47 Million Deception: How Small Artists Got Robbed
I recently made a video about how much money Spotify stole from independent artists in 2024. I calculated that because of Spotify’s policy change to stop paying royalties on tracks […]
How Much Money is Spotify Stealing From Indie Artists?
Making money is important to any artist — but it’s even more crucial for independent artists like you. Luminate — the company formerly known as Nielsen Soundscan —came out with […]
If I Press Vinyl, Will I Make My Money Back?
One of the questions our Disc Makers product specialists get asked the most is this: If I spend $1000 to press vinyl, will I make my money back? In this […]
How Musicians Succeed at Online Fan-Building
As an independent artist, building a fanbase is crucial (and at times it’s also tricky). Did you know that free CDs are a key incentive for fan-building? It’s true! One […]