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indie music minute

young women buying CDs

Want to double your merch and CD sales? Here’s how to do it.

January 27, 2023January 27, 2023 Tony van Veen

There are simple ways to boost merch and CD sales at gigs — but you’ve got to have merch and CDs to do it! Read the post.

headphones in the foreground in front of CDs

Streaming vs. CDs — Who wins?

January 6, 2023January 27, 2023 Tony van Veen

We live in a streaming world — yet revenues from physical media (i.e., CDs and vinyl LPs) continue to grow every year. Read the post.

cynical musician upset because his distributor won't promote music

CD Baby won’t promote my music? Why not?

October 3, 2022October 3, 2022 Tony van Veen

Frustrated because your distributor isn’t doing enough to promote your music? The problem isn’t your distributor, it’s your expectations and understanding of who is responsible for driving demand for your product. Read the post.

woman with digital spotify concert ticket

Spotify’s selling concert tickets? Is this a good thing?

August 31, 2022September 15, 2022 Tony van Veen

There’s news that Spotify may be getting into concert ticket sales. The app already knows what music you like — so, is this good for music artists? Read the post.

superfans at a concert

How to make a superfan in 90 seconds

July 25, 2022July 25, 2022 Tony van Veen

Here’s my real-life story of how an artist I like took 90 seconds and converted me into a superfan. Read the post.

streaming revenue as depicted by a tiny $100 bill

The real reason you’re not seeing streaming revenue

June 29, 2022June 29, 2022 Tony van Veen

Let me tell you a little secret… the reason you’re not seeing streaming revenue is because no one is discovering your recordings. 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.

graphic of CDs with Bandcamp logo insert

Sell your CDs online: Stake a tent at Bandcamp

March 31, 2022December 23, 2022 Andre Calilhanna

Ready to start selling CDs and merch online? Bandcamp offers a customizable solution with the independent musician in mind. 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.

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.

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