Seven traits of successful musicians
Musician, author, educator, and music industry consultant Bobby Borg gives advice about the qualities you need to find success in music — or anything you set your sights on. Read the post.
Music Business & Music Management
A collection of articles from the Disc Makers blog that relate to music and artist management, especially concerning the independent musician.
Subscription revenue and patronage can build your music career
Music income can be hard to depend on, so your best bet is to get direct support from your fans using tools like patronage, where you get subscription revenue every month and your fans get music and rewards. Read the post.
Tax write-offs for the working musician
It’s tax season, and if you’re a working musician, don’t forget to write off all of your music-related expenses so you can lower your taxes and keep more of the money you earned. Read the post.
You can’t make money if you can’t take money: How to take payments as a musician
Having things to sell requires you to find a way to take your customers’ money, whether by credit card, online payment, check, or cash. Read the post.
When should a producer get a publishing split?
While a producer may get points on your sound recording, is he or she entitled to a share of the composition (songwriting) royalties? It depends on how they’ve contributed. Read the post.
Don’t do it alone: Live music event roles
In part two of our DIY music business series, we focus on live music event roles. Learn how to leverage key services and expertise to help you delegate work so you can focus on creating and performing music. Read the post.
How to manage a crisis: Music career advice
Bobby Borg leans on the writing of sales and marketing consultant Ira Kalb to help musicians tackle the delicate task of managing a publicity crisis. Read the post.
How to turn music royalties into a cash advance
If you’ve established a proven stream of royalties, you can turn it into a lump sum of money that you can get today by using royalty auction services. Read the post.
How to promote a “Free CD” offer (and find fans and profit, too!)
A good offer needs good promotion to achieve its potential. In this post, Brian Hazard gives us insights into how he made his “Free CD + Shipping & Handling” offer reach new fans and turn a profit. Read the post.
Neighboring rights and SoundExchange
In our sixth video about music copyrights and royalties, Disc Makers’ CEO Tony van Veen discusses neighboring rights and SoundExchange, the organization that tracks and pays those royalties. Read the post.
What Can You Learn From Taylor Swift’s Master Rights Predicament?
Taylor Swift’s latest industry tussle raises lots of questions for music artists. Who’s right, who’s wrong, and most importantly, what can you learn so you can avoid having to fight for your master rights? Read the post.
How to make money off your social media channels (no matter how many followers you have)
Your social media provides more than a platform to reach your fans with new music, there are many ways to make money — and these income sources can start with your very first follower. Read the post.
Maximize your royalties by submitting cue sheets
Music licensing for film, TV, movie trailers, video, and advertising generates lucrative sync licenses and even boosts your performance royalties — but only if you submit cue sheets. Read the post.
Musician networking tips: Grow your revenue and audience
Growing your audience — and your revenue — boils down to getting to know the right people. Follow these musician networking tips to grow your connections and music career. Read the post.
Writing a business plan for your music career
For all the creativity needed to sustain a career in music, having a business plan is one way to stay grounded, define your goals, and keep you reaching for the stars. Read the post.