A collection of articles from the Disc Makers blog that relate to the music industry, including trends and news that relates to the independent musician.
There’s more social distancing, more quarantining, and more medical emergencies ahead. But it’s heartening to see so many companies rushing to help defeat this crisis — and I am so proud that Disc Makers is among them. Read the post.
For musicians who were the originators of the “gig” economy, music gigs, music lessons, and merch sales are not the income drivers they were just weeks ago. Read the post.
There are tons of legitimate music services, but the scammers are out there, too. Use these four questions to evaluate any service you’re thinking of using and avoid getting suckered into something you’ll regret. Read the post.
We hear from consummate indie artist Jim Infantino to get some real-world advice about cultivating relationships, merch and physical product, and being creative with how you survive as a musician in the 21st century. Read the post.
Whatever your relationship to music is, the manufacturing process for CDs and vinyl is just plain cool to see in action. Let’s take a look! Read the post.
From new wave pioneers to hip hop artists who were just making their mark, the list of music icons and notable musicians who died in 2019 is lengthy and significant. Read the post.
With the explosion of music streaming, physical media appeared to be out for the count. However, the majors are now reporting physical music revenue growth compared to 2018. Heck, even cassettes are making a comeback. Read the post.
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.
Why pass up the chance to make additional revenue, build your artist brand, and cement a special connection with your fans?
Read the post.
Before and after the Carpenters scored a massive hit with “(They Long To Be) Close To You,” others tried, but they all seemed to miss what Richard Carpenter figured out: When you have a great melody, great lyrics, and a great singer — less is more.
When you analyze the money you can earn from streaming, you’ll find it’s difficult (at best) to earn enough to support yourself as an artist. But streaming is still valuable: it can be a gateway to discovery and other means of monetizing your fan base. Read the post.
If you won’t respect somebody’s art enough to pay for it, what makes you think you deserve the same in return? Read the post.
Here are three of our most popular Indie Music Minute videos so far, tackling the topics of being your own record label, mixing vs. mastering, and getting a mechanical license for YouTube. Read the post.
The parallels between the changes in the music industry and the publishing industry are striking. Just as the music industry tilted to give independent artists a fighting chance two decades ago, writers are enjoying the same power to bring their books to market as independent authors. Read the post.
As the music industry evolves, artists are thinking about physical product in new ways: there’s a split between basic and premium CD packaging and which best reflects their brand. Read the post.