Comments for Michael Brandvold Marketing - Music Marketing http://michaelbrandvold.com/blog Music industry marketing consultant based in San Francisco. Focused in the areas of online & social marketing as well as e-commerce and fan acquisition and retention. Thu, 17 May 2012 16:44:18 +0000 hourly 1 Comment on Bandcamp Releasing New User Interface and Pro Upgrade with Batch Uploads and More by Praverb http://michaelbrandvold.com/blog/2012/05/bandcamp-releasing-new-user-interface-and-pro-upgrade-with-batch-uploads-and-more/#comment-6922 Praverb Thu, 17 May 2012 16:44:18 +0000 http://michaelbrandvold.com/blog/?p=6534#comment-6922 Yes I agree, the brand recognition definitely favors iTunes and it is easier to purchase something via an Apple product. The marketing for Bandcamp is atrocious... Yes I agree, the brand recognition definitely favors iTunes and it is easier to purchase something via an Apple product.

The marketing for Bandcamp is atrocious…

]]> Comment on Bandcamp Releasing New User Interface and Pro Upgrade with Batch Uploads and More by Michael Brandvold http://michaelbrandvold.com/blog/2012/05/bandcamp-releasing-new-user-interface-and-pro-upgrade-with-batch-uploads-and-more/#comment-6921 Michael Brandvold Thu, 17 May 2012 16:35:43 +0000 http://michaelbrandvold.com/blog/?p=6534#comment-6921 No. iTunes has the mindshare and more importantly the machines. In the DIY world I think Bandcamp could become the preferred service... it works, it is easy to use, does nearly everything you would want for selling. But I do think they need to put some effort into their marketing. No. iTunes has the mindshare and more importantly the machines. In the DIY world I think Bandcamp could become the preferred service… it works, it is easy to use, does nearly everything you would want for selling. But I do think they need to put some effort into their marketing.

]]> Comment on Bandcamp Releasing New User Interface and Pro Upgrade with Batch Uploads and More by Praverb http://michaelbrandvold.com/blog/2012/05/bandcamp-releasing-new-user-interface-and-pro-upgrade-with-batch-uploads-and-more/#comment-6920 Praverb Thu, 17 May 2012 16:16:56 +0000 http://michaelbrandvold.com/blog/?p=6534#comment-6920 I like the fact that users can disable the streaming tracks...to me that is very huge. Michael, do you think Bandcamp will eventually trump iTunes? I like the fact that users can disable the streaming tracks…to me that is very huge.

Michael, do you think Bandcamp will eventually trump iTunes?

]]> Comment on As a Musician You Are Also a Entrepreneur – 9 Qualities of Successful Entrepreneurs by As a Musician You Are Also a Entrepreneur – 9 Qualities of Successful Entrepreneurs | Simply Boundless Entertainment http://michaelbrandvold.com/blog/2012/05/as-a-musician-you-are-also-a-entrepreneur-9-qualities-of-successful-entrepreneurs/#comment-6919 As a Musician You Are Also a Entrepreneur – 9 Qualities of Successful Entrepreneurs | Simply Boundless Entertainment Thu, 17 May 2012 01:50:23 +0000 http://michaelbrandvold.com/blog/?p=6532#comment-6919 [...] this actually really applies to musicians because every musician is also a entrepreneur. … Continue reading → No related [...] [...] this actually really applies to musicians because every musician is also a entrepreneur. … Continue reading → No related [...]

]]> Comment on Enough! Stop Spamming Your Music and Your Band, It Does Not Work by David Perry http://michaelbrandvold.com/blog/2012/04/enough-stop-spamming-your-music-and-your-band-it-does-not-work/#comment-6917 David Perry Wed, 16 May 2012 07:10:50 +0000 http://michaelbrandvold.com/blog/?p=6333#comment-6917 Good points here, and believe me, our positions are exactly the same on spamming. It's simply bad etiquette in any situation. As far as no one getting signed, well some still do get signed, but the labels want to wake up and find a beautiful baby wrapped in a blanket on their doorstep, and they are expecting someone else---the artists themselves, or a production/development company to drop it off. To some extent this has always been true (The Beatles were virtually worshipped in Liverpool yet were virtually ignored by everyone in the label system in London). But there has in the past been an on-again-off-again willingness to throw money at artists/bands who seem to have real potential, but aren't quite there yet, and that is mostly off now. I'm a freelance composer/producer, and I know that the possibilities are there for me to make a good living, but the expectations are extremely high, and most won't make it. A multi-platinum producer with a development company recently tweeted "We need 10's, not 9's" Well that's equivalent to a university where everyone who gets 90% on a test fails the class. That's about as demanding as you can get. All this means that artists and independent songwriters/producers have to know that you can't just do something that gets applause from friends and family or some nice comments on Soundcloud. You can't even be the proverbial "needle in a haystack". It's a better metaphor to say you must be the rare gold needle in a stack of silver needles. THIS is what the industry will respond to, and only this. Anything short of that would be like winning the lottery---it may happen for you, but you won't be controlling your own artistic/professional destiny through real excellence. That has to be the basis of your approach, and that requires extreme dedication. Good points here, and believe me, our positions are exactly the same on spamming. It’s simply bad etiquette in any situation. As far as no one getting signed, well some still do get signed, but the labels want to wake up and find a beautiful baby wrapped in a blanket on their doorstep, and they are expecting someone else—the artists themselves, or a production/development company to drop it off.

To some extent this has always been true (The Beatles were virtually worshipped in Liverpool yet were virtually ignored by everyone in the label system in London). But there has in the past been an on-again-off-again willingness to throw money at artists/bands who seem to have real potential, but aren’t quite there yet, and that is mostly off now.

I’m a freelance composer/producer, and I know that the possibilities are there for me to make a good living, but the expectations are extremely high, and most won’t make it. A multi-platinum producer with a development company recently tweeted “We need 10′s, not 9′s” Well that’s equivalent to a university where everyone who gets 90% on a test fails the class. That’s about as demanding as you can get.

All this means that artists and independent songwriters/producers have to know that you can’t just do something that gets applause from friends and family or some nice comments on Soundcloud.

You can’t even be the proverbial “needle in a haystack”. It’s a better metaphor to say you must be the rare gold needle in a stack of silver needles. THIS is what the industry will respond to, and only this. Anything short of that would be like winning the lottery—it may happen for you, but you won’t be controlling your own artistic/professional destiny through real excellence. That has to be the basis of your approach, and that requires extreme dedication.

]]> Comment on ZZ Top Release New Single I Got To Get Paid in Jeremiah Weed Commercial – Dropping The Needle Episode 5 by Michael Brandvold http://michaelbrandvold.com/blog/2012/05/zz-top-release-new-single-i-got-to-get-paid-in-jeremiah-weed-commercial-dropping-the-needle-episode-5/#comment-6916 Michael Brandvold Wed, 16 May 2012 03:48:17 +0000 http://michaelbrandvold.com/blog/?p=6508#comment-6916 Jeff Hogland I know I can speak for Mitch Lafon when I say keep the comments coming, we love them! You can comment on the original posts on my site, each to remember url is www.DroppingTheNeedle.com. Jeff Hogland I know I can speak for Mitch Lafon when I say keep the comments coming, we love them! You can comment on the original posts on my site, each to remember url is http://www.DroppingTheNeedle.com.

]]> Comment on ZZ Top Release New Single I Got To Get Paid in Jeremiah Weed Commercial – Dropping The Needle Episode 5 by Jeff Hogland http://michaelbrandvold.com/blog/2012/05/zz-top-release-new-single-i-got-to-get-paid-in-jeremiah-weed-commercial-dropping-the-needle-episode-5/#comment-6915 Jeff Hogland Wed, 16 May 2012 03:03:16 +0000 http://michaelbrandvold.com/blog/?p=6508#comment-6915 Another great podcast Michael and Mitch. The best angle your podcast has is that it's a music talk show that doesn't play music. When you touch on a band or subject that holds interest for me, I have to make an effort to check that out, and that's something I still love to do. I hope your format stays that way. As far as ZZ Top and JW, I've already seen the add. I call it an add because it's too long for a TV commercial. If it's ever seen on TV, it will have to be shortened to probably 30 seconds. I think it's brilliant for ZZ Top to do this because they aren't gonna sell a million records and they won't get played on Top 40 radio. They will probably make more money on this "commercial" than they will on the actual album. It's also brilliant on JW's part because this will buy them a piece of the ZZ Top fan base. Maybe not the diehards, but definitely those folks who say "I love ZZ Top", but couldn't name 3 of their songs or 2 of their albums. Those folks will see the commercial and have to give old Jeremiah Weed a shot. And I think Mitch hit the nail on the head when he mentioned the possibility of 2 or 3 singles from ZZ being in follow up commercials. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see that happen. Like Mitch said, everything else has sponsors now like college football bowl games and NASCAR drivers. Why not bands. I can see Monster paying Kiss to license out all of the songs off of Monster (the album) in a 2 or 3 year contract, then seeing all things Monster drink related bearing the Kiss image or music. Proffesional bands have to make money somehow in this day and age, and although it may not be ideal to the diehard fan, if it helps keep the band making new music, then who am I to complain? Great show guys. Is there a website specifically for the podcast that allows comments? Just curious. Keep up the quality entertainment. Another great podcast Michael and Mitch. The best angle your podcast has is that it’s a music talk show that doesn’t play music. When you touch on a band or subject that holds interest for me, I have to make an effort to check that out, and that’s something I still love to do. I hope your format stays that way. As far as ZZ Top and JW, I’ve already seen the add. I call it an add because it’s too long for a TV commercial. If it’s ever seen on TV, it will have to be shortened to probably 30 seconds. I think it’s brilliant for ZZ Top to do this because they aren’t gonna sell a million records and they won’t get played on Top 40 radio. They will probably make more money on this “commercial” than they will on the actual album. It’s also brilliant on JW’s part because this will buy them a piece of the ZZ Top fan base. Maybe not the diehards, but definitely those folks who say “I love ZZ Top”, but couldn’t name 3 of their songs or 2 of their albums. Those folks will see the commercial and have to give old Jeremiah Weed a shot. And I think Mitch hit the nail on the head when he mentioned the possibility of 2 or 3 singles from ZZ being in follow up commercials. I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see that happen. Like Mitch said, everything else has sponsors now like college football bowl games and NASCAR drivers. Why not bands. I can see Monster paying Kiss to license out all of the songs off of Monster (the album) in a 2 or 3 year contract, then seeing all things Monster drink related bearing the Kiss image or music. Proffesional bands have to make money somehow in this day and age, and although it may not be ideal to the diehard fan, if it helps keep the band making new music, then who am I to complain? Great show guys. Is there a website specifically for the podcast that allows comments? Just curious. Keep up the quality entertainment.

]]> Comment on Two Guys Shooting The S@#t About Social Media Marketing Perturbances With Facebook & Twitter by Michael Brandvold http://michaelbrandvold.com/blog/2012/05/two-guys-shooting-the-st-about-social-media-marketing-perturbances-with-facebook-twitter/#comment-6914 Michael Brandvold Wed, 16 May 2012 02:47:33 +0000 http://michaelbrandvold.com/blog/?p=6448#comment-6914 No service should automatically message anyone unless they have opted into receiving the messages first, otherwise it is spam. Facebook needs to develop tools to assist you on contacting your friends. That is what is missing right now. They really leave no option other than message everyone. Facebook Events IMO right now are close to useless as they are so spammy right now. No service should automatically message anyone unless they have opted into receiving the messages first, otherwise it is spam. Facebook needs to develop tools to assist you on contacting your friends. That is what is missing right now. They really leave no option other than message everyone. Facebook Events IMO right now are close to useless as they are so spammy right now.

]]> Comment on Two Guys Shooting The S@#t About Social Media Marketing Perturbances With Facebook & Twitter by Dave King http://michaelbrandvold.com/blog/2012/05/two-guys-shooting-the-st-about-social-media-marketing-perturbances-with-facebook-twitter/#comment-6913 Dave King Wed, 16 May 2012 02:27:03 +0000 http://michaelbrandvold.com/blog/?p=6448#comment-6913 Hey Guys, Just started listening to your podcast a while back. I found the Facebook topic interesting because I'm frustrated with the way Facebook Events work as well, but from a completely different angle. I would prefer it if when an event is created, it automatically appears on all of your friends walls. I have almost 300 friends on Facebook and there is no convenient way (at least to my knowledge) of selecting them all without clicking on each individual friend. What a pain in the you-know-what! I gig pretty regularly, so it really is a nuisance having to go through this every time I want to promote an event. I send out emails as well to promote gigs via my mailing list. Any tips or better methods for Facebook usage would be appreciated! Thanks. Hey Guys,

Just started listening to your podcast a while back. I found the Facebook topic interesting because I’m frustrated with the way Facebook Events work as well, but from a completely different angle. I would prefer it if when an event is created, it automatically appears on all of your friends walls. I have almost 300 friends on Facebook and there is no convenient way (at least to my knowledge) of selecting them all without clicking on each individual friend. What a pain in the you-know-what! I gig pretty regularly, so it really is a nuisance having to go through this every time I want to promote an event. I send out emails as well to promote gigs via my mailing list. Any tips or better methods for Facebook usage would be appreciated! Thanks.

]]> Comment on Bandcamp Releasing New User Interface and Pro Upgrade with Batch Uploads and More by Bandcamp Releasing New User Interface and Pro Upgrade with Batch Uploads and More | Simply Boundless Entertainment http://michaelbrandvold.com/blog/2012/05/bandcamp-releasing-new-user-interface-and-pro-upgrade-with-batch-uploads-and-more/#comment-6912 Bandcamp Releasing New User Interface and Pro Upgrade with Batch Uploads and More | Simply Boundless Entertainment Wed, 16 May 2012 01:41:35 +0000 http://michaelbrandvold.com/blog/?p=6534#comment-6912 [...] a album and uploading tracks. But what also jumped right out to me was a bit of copy and … Continue reading → No related [...] [...] a album and uploading tracks. But what also jumped right out to me was a bit of copy and … Continue reading → No related [...]

]]>