Mechanical royalty rates are going up… Or are they?
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.
music streaming
You need to work on your Spotify playlist strategy
Getting on a Spotify playlist — or any streaming playlist — requires a strategy and a plan. Here’s some advice on what to do (and what NOT to do). Read the post.
Sell your CDs online: Stake a tent at Bandcamp
Ready to start selling CDs and merch online? Bandcamp offers a customizable solution with the independent musician in mind. Read the post.
The MLC’s $424 million royalty distribution conundrum
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.
How to get played on streaming services and playlists
Getting your music discovered, played, and featured on playlists on streaming services is well within your reach. Use these techniques to get your music played. Read the post
Why you should set a date for your music release (and make it a Friday)
There’s a reason why you should set your music release for a Friday. It’s not just a random day — there’s method behind the madness. Read the post.
How to monetize your music on YouTube
In my fourth video about YouTube and your music, I explain how to monetize your music on YouTube, because I know way too many artists are missing out on this revenue. Read the post.
New music royalties: The Mechanical Licensing Collective and what it means for you
The new Mechanical Licensing Collective collects digital audio mechanical royalties from download and streaming services. Learn about the collective and see if you qualify to sign up so you can receive these new music royalties. Read the post.
Why anyone can upload your music to YouTube (and why they haven’t been sued out of existence)
YouTube is the world’s largest music-discovery platform, where indie musicians can monetize their music and anyone can post whatever they want, whether they own the rights or not. What does that mean for you and your music? Read the post.
10 marketing mistakes independent musicians make
In these videos, I break down the 10 things I see independent artists do — or fail to do — that leads to underachieving in their music careers. Here are the top 10 marketing mistakes independent musicians make. Read the post.
How to use Spotify Canvas to add looping video to your streams
With Spotify canvas, you can include short looping videos that will play while your music streams. It’s a great way to increase shares and engagement, and it’s easy to use. Read the post.
My overnight success was 15 years in the making
With an adaptable music release strategy and an eye on results, I was able to get over 700,000 streams for one of my singles and over 100,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. Here’s how it happened. Read the post.
How Spotify blew up the “Top 40” and made it the top 43,000
In the continuing democratization of the music industry, Spotify and other streaming sites are spreading the wealth as more artists are getting their share of the pie every year. Read the post.
Promoting a Spotify playlist with Instagram Stories ads
Want to grow your Spotify playlist to expand your listener-base? Paid ads are one way to do do it, and in this post, Brian Hazard walks us through the steps of his successful Instragram Stories ad campaign. 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.