Ariel Publicity

69: Tell Them It’s Okay To Share With Creative Commons Licensing

Copyright law is clear: Your songs are yours. But what if you want to tell people it’s okay to share your music, or use it for noncommercial purposes, as long as they attribute you? Enter creativecommons.org, a simple way to license your music to let people know what you want people to do with your music, while keeping the rights that you want to reserve. If you use the creativecommons.org website banners on your own site, your music can come up in searches for Creative Commons material, which can get your music used, and exposure in places you would never have dreamed about.
- Randy Chertkow

The derivative works clause of the Creative Commons license didn’t cost me a bit of time or money and I found niches I never knew about including the World of Warcraft Machinima Music Videos. A video artist named Spiff created 15 videos using my music and there is a huge online community of people who love Machinima videos. Some of them have been viewed millions of times which is VERY good for someone who has a marketing budget of zero dollars… It would never have happened if I had posted warnings about my content
- Jonathan Coulton

70: Get in a Podsafe Collective – Let Podcasters Find You

Podcasts are “the radio of the internet” and they are hungry for new music to play thanks to very strict copyright rules about using major-label music. Consequently, they are always looking for the right songs to play during their podcast, and they turn to podsafe collectives because all of the music on them has been branded safe for them to play. Read the agreements carefully on these websites, and if you’re comfortable with them, post your music. In return for using your songs, they’ll attribute your band, and even link to your website, exposing your music to new potential fans. Examples are http://www.podsafeaudio.com/ and http://www.musicalley.com/
- Randy Chertkow

71: Activision’s “Guitar Hero” Not Calling You For A Synch Deal? Join The New Rock Band Network Yourself!

Rock Band is a multiple player video game. The game licenses music from famous artists (like the Police) and currently you can buy music from many named artists to compete with. The creators of Rock Band are opening up the platform for all musicians to submit songs in the game. Rock Band will sell your tracks for you using their powerful network but you must hire a programmer to program your music to synch with the game. I think the potential is there for an unknown artist to rocket to the top in this whole new median. I wouldn’t be surprised if people start writing songs that go with this game. It’s a brand new opportunity to put your music in a place where it can bounce around and find it’s feet and find your future fans – someone will be getting famous as the first rock band from Rock Band.

Watch the how to video here: http://creators.rockband.com/
- Jonathan Coulton

72: Sponsored streaming single or album release through Reverb Nation, Pandora, imeem, Rhapsody

All of these media companies connect music with advertising on the vast platform of the Internet, which can help you, get maximum (and track able) exposure to your music. This is your Johnny Carson. This is your Oprah. If you get this, you will be exposed to over 40 million potential new & genuine music fans with high consumption rates on the web. All three companies have engaged in advertising programs which package a new release in a stream surrounded by an advertisement. Read about Reverb Nation’s DIY Song Sponsorships here, or Pandora’s sponsored album releases here. Tip: all of these companies are engaging or about to engage in sponsored video streams. Prepare now. Get your videos together now. Watch their video series. Rhapsody has been promoting independent live shows for 3 years, with its Rhapsody Rocks series. Big Light was featured in Rhapsody Rocks San Francisco where every band was paid appropriately and then featured on a Rhapsody Rocks play list. Remember, these placements are just another 15 minutes if you don’t make a connection with every single person who connects with you about their experience with your music. Know who is listening and thank them. Tip: You are not ready to begin pitching for this until you have 1000 true fans on Facebook and/ or Twitter (or whichever network you use).
- Corey Denis

73: You Say Rolling Stone, I say Hot Lips: Get a Live Show Review on Jambase, Appear on Jambase TV, Perform In Their Office For Jambase Live

Jambase has become the source for Live Music exposure online. Recently, artists Big Light & Nathan Moore teamed up for Jambase Live & the crowd went wild. Jambase is not just a source for how to see live music – more than a 50,000,000 music lovers participate in the Jambase community, with massive syndication generating 750,000 unique visits every month. Think it’s just for Jam Bands? You’re wrong. It’s not. Read that sentence again, please. Jambase has the most accurate show listings online, for more than 50,000 artists across 50 genres, performing in 50,000 venues worldwide. Jambase is headquartered in San Francisco and has been around for 10 years. Go say hi now.

http://www.jambase.com.
- Corey Denis

74: Spin Magazine Doesn’t Exist: Album review on Stereogum (buzznet), My Old Kentucky Blog, Largehearted Boy, Gorilla Vs Bear

Tip: first read these blogs and determine if your music is appropriate, and contact bloggers in accordance with a planned digital strategy. Pork is the other white meat, and these top music blogs are the other Spin Magazine. A review on any of these music review blogs will get you exposure to at least 10,000 true genuine music lovers. Blogs are also now participating in the presentation of events ranging from local to major showcases at SXSW. Wendy Darling hopped on a My Old Kentucky Blog concert. Tip: Time your solicitations appropriately, read the blog for at least 3 months before you submit or ask for their attention. Know the writers, respect the blogosphere, and communicate with them via their blog. All three bloggers above have been writing about music online for 6 years. They have specific taste and did not do this for the money. Tip: do not spam. Ever.
- Corey Denis

75: Video / Music Video Feature on Current TV

Rotary Downs was featured on Current TV and the band is still receiving feedback via comments on the video, which was syndicated across the web. In addition, Current TV recommends “like music” to appropriate fans, so Rotary Downs enjoyed the benefit of entering the Current TV recommendation realm. Also, how can you deny the awesomeness of Al Gore? Pay attention to all the music contributors and if you think you fall into the category of something they may feature and go for this if you know you have at least 500 true fans who will enjoy it. Tell them when it airs and encourage them to share the video with the embed code. When you acquire new fans, make sure they know where to find your music and how to connect with you. Return the connection favor. Rotary Downs enjoyed a 40% increase in digital sales as a result of their feature on Current TV. Tip: remember, Current TV also airs on cable. www.currenttv.com
- Corey Denis

76: Premiere Your Music Video on Singing Fool

Signing Fool offers exclusive music video premiere offers for professionally made music videos. The videos are then premiered on top sites such as, billboard.com, Allmusic, Windows Media, Friendster, and many more. Contact them and ask if they will consider your video for a premiere. www.singingfool.com
- Christina Duren

77: Feature on Indiefeed Podcast: A Single Serving Podcast

With single servings (one track at a time) this is the ultimate way to expose your single to a passionate group of music listeners. Indiefieed is the number one music podcast on iTunes. I have placed at least 30 tracks with Indiefeed, and as a result every track was exposed to over 1 million Nielson Certified listeners. Indiefeed likes to post your promotional mp3, and links to your website in the show notes available at Indiefeed.com, which has lead to at least 1000 dedicated-fan downloads and a minimum of 20% traffic increase with every feature I have placed. Tip: Time this appropriately with your strategy, and give Indiefeed an exclusive if you can. Start listening to the show immediately, and follow the contact information provided for submissions. www.indiefeed.com
- Corey Denis

78: Record a Cover For Coverville – One of iTunes’s Highest Rated Podcasts

I love Coverville – it’s a great podcast b/c it’s bands covering other bands and it has a devoted listener base. Brian (Coverville’s host and producer) has been very kind to me and helped me promote my cover of “Baby Got Back.” This is the kind of track that would never fly on radio…..
- Jonathan Coulton

I was a fan of Coverville, one of iTunes’s highest rated podcasts. When I submitted our version of “Mad About You,” I referenced other bands who had placed rougher, minor chord arrangements to sugary pop-songs; also noting this arrangement was in the minority of his submissions. A lot of what Brian gets seemed to be slower acoustic versions of popular songs, so I knew ours stood out. I think we formed a relationship because he sensed I knew a little about his job, and noted how my song would complement his programming. Ultimately, he featured our song as the title track in one of his podcasts. When the video was made, I thought, “Brian might like this” and brought it to his attention, he posted it on Coverville’s front page. We got tons of You Tube hits from his placement of that video on his site, which doubled the exposure “Mad About You” had gotten from the original podcast www.coverville.com
- Derek Nicoletto

79: Accident Hash Podcast: A Podcast Hosted By A Social Media Icon

C.C. Chapman hosts one of the longest running independent music podcasts. Accident Hash receives several thousand listeners each month. An added bonus is C.C. is well know in the Social Media world and he has over 17,000 followers on Twitter (so if you connect with him there you will be sure to find some new online fans, and friends.

Genres: Assorted (almost all) www.accidenthash.com
- Ariel Hyatt

80: The Chillcast: The Largest Podcast For Chillout & Electronica

The Chillcast is a weekly music podcast featuring. Hand picked podsafe music hosted by Anji Bee, vocalist of Lovespirals. Anji Bee is a Southern California vocalist, lyricist, podcaster and vidcaster. She is one half of the indie band, Lovespirals. Anji’s podcast gets tens of thousands of downloads per show and Anji is always looking to discover great new artists in the genres listed.

Genres: Chillout, electronica, worldbeat, soul, and jazz.www.thechillcast.com
- Ariel Hyatt

81: The Mothpod Podcast: Featuring Emerging Artists

It was on that day that Internet DJ Zack “The Mothman” Daggy formed The Mothpod. Featuring bands and artists from both near and far, established and emerging, signed and unsigned; The Mothpod presents only he best and brightest talent that the music industry has to offer. New episodes are available for download every Monday. Also check back for Music Video Wednesdays, Artist Spotlight Fridays, and Moth Pick of the Week Sundays.

http://www.mothpodproductions.com
- Ariel Hyatt

82: Discover Overplay: UK based Indie Website

When I posted on Overplay, I got international perspective on my music, I won their Play & Rate Competition and I got offered a distribution deal for my upcoming indie release as well as a recording contract for future albums by UK based record label, Maddie Records www.overplay.co.uk
- Jennie Walker

83: Go To Australia: Use WhoTune

Post music on WhoTune indie band site out of Perth Australia and get to

know the Managing Director, Karl George.I submitted my song “Night Flight to London” and it was featured in “You Gotta Hear” listing, rose to #1 on Top 20 song list. As a result, I was asked to create radio promo spots, participate in interview and also serve as a DJ for the station and music is now used on their Internet radio station and for promos in their business development activities. http://www.whotune.com
- Jennie Walker

84: Get A “Take Five” Feature Interview on All About Jazz , one of the largest Jazz Portals Online

If you are a jazz musician looking to get some extra exposure look to All About Jazz. They have a free way for you to further raise the awareness of your music and yourself if you would like to be featured on this wonderful site it’s very easy. Just logon and fill out their online questionnaire and get instant content to add to your press kit/ Sonic Bids profile. All About Jazz will promote your Take Five questions and answers on the AAJ home page and link to it from your AAJ musician profile.

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/submit_take_five.php
- Ariel Hyatt

85: Join the Remix Culture at CCMixter

Letting people remix your songs is an exciting way to get exposure for your music. Go to sites like ccmixter.org, put up your tracks, and see where your music can go. The tracks will be released under Creative Commons licenses, which allow people to remix your music, although you’ll keep the original rights, and they’ll have to attribute if they use your music. Some bands have been so successful at this that they released entire albums of remixes of their music. And the remixers of course promoted it to their fans.
- Randy Chertkow

86: Twitter Karma: Piggyback Off Similar Bands on Twitter to Grow Followers

When you target new people to follow, it is always wise to make sure they already like your genre of music. If you somewhat sound like Radiohead, wouldn’t it make sense to target the followers of their various Twitter profiles? For the people who do not follow you back, check out Twitter Karma. It allows you to ‘bulk unfollow’ anyone who has not followed you back; it’s a great tool for Twitter maintenance.

http://dossy.org/twitter/karma/
- Chris Gesualdi

87: Use Indieguide to Find What You Need

Keeping track of all of these sites, tools, and resources seems like a full time job. Fortunately, IndieGuide.com does exactly that by organizing all of the links into easy-to-use categories. You can read the blog (blog.indieguide.com) to see suggestions for resources and tools, or use IndieGuide.com to locate the website you need, whether it’s print-on-demand CD stores, copyright resources, merchandise manufacturers, or places to get your music played, this is a site worth exploring.
- Randy Chertkow

88: Forget iTunes Features

I used to work for Apple on the corporate level, so I’m an informed source on this one. Truly, stop wasting time trying to get featured on iTunes, and don’t believe distributors who say they will get you featured. Here’s why: iTunes features two kinds of music. Music that will sell like mad (Madonna, Taylor Swift, NOT unknown indie artists), and music that is catching the ear of the staff, whether it’s popular or not. It is one of the only music stores around that truly lets the staff select taste-based features, but there are millions of us and a very, very few of them, so unless your dad or wife or the person you donated a kidney to is an iTunes content producer, getting picked for a feature runs the same odds as winning the lottery. Best approach is to pray your song catches their ear and go spend your time on a task that can offer some return.
- Phil Putnam

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89: Consider Fan Financed Recordings/Projects

As the fan base grows, so does their desire to see an artist succeed. Last year, Shane wanted to record and went out to the fans for support. See www.teamtrance.com. This effort raised just over $34,000 in just 60 days.
- Michele Samuel

90: Start Your Own Subscription Service

In October of 2008 I started my own subscription service- www.matthewebel.net -with no clue whether the fans would like it or not. Part of the offerings were two new songs and one live concert recording every month. It seemed like a tall order to me, but something I could accomplish. Little did I realize that new releases every two weeks would be better than any good album reviews or press coverage. Giving my fans something new to talk about every two weeks meant exactly that: they talk about me every two weeks. They’re not buying an album, raving about it, and losing interest after a few months, they’re constantly spreading my name to their Twitter followers, coworkers, pets, etc. Regular delivery of quality material is damn near my one-step panacea for the whole industry.
- Matthew Ebel

91: Legally Record & Sell Cover Tunes

Singer/songwriter Steve Acho realized that fans who love a particular song will often collect other versions of the favorites. After getting the proper publishing licenses, he would record new arrangements of songs popular by various artists, and release them on iTunes via TuneCore. When a song-collecting fan enjoyed one of his tunes, they would often also buy his originals.
- Carla Lynne Hall

92: TV/Film/Game Licensing – aka SYNCH Licensing

The Billboard Maximum 100 article was ba-na-nas off base overall, but they were on the right track with Synch Licensing. If you own the copyrights of your music (if you don’t, you’re a complete moron, leave the music business now) placements of your music in TV/Film/Games is a vital part of your long-term financial success. There are about 900,000 shows besides Grey’s Anatomy and Gossip Girl that need music, and there’s no reason why your music can’t be the right pick. As you dive into these waters, remember two things: THEY need YOU, and a Music Supervisor needs the right song for their show more than they need a household name singing it.|
- Phil Putnam

93: Sign With More Than One Licensing Agency

Licensing Agencies have relationships with TV/Film production companies and work to get their clients’ music placed in TV shows and films. The beauty of this is that a contract with a Licensing Agency is non-exclusive, according to current industry standard. That means you can sign with a few agencies and have them all working to place your music. It may add some more work for you on the admin side, but can payoff on the paycheck side. Note, however, that standard cut for the Licensing Agency is 50%, so if you can get placements without them, do it. And never sign an exclusive Licensing contract.
- Phil Putnam

94: Create iMixes at iTunes & Sell More Music

With artists that compliment your music and artists you get compared to. Add in some top sellers as well to ensure popular music buying choices are in your iMix. The key here is: include your music. This will be putting you exactly where you want to be: in harm’s way! Online where people have their credit cards out and are ready to buy music.

http://www.tinyurl..com/arielitunes
- Ariel Hyatt

Jazz guitarist Cameron Mizell developed a technique of creating iTunes iMixes that featured one song of his among other songs in his genre. iMix lovers would discover his tunes, and buy them as well.
- Carla Lynne Hall

95: Make Merchandise for $0

Sell merch for free, and make money on every sale

With sites like Cafepress.com, Spreadshirt.com, and Zazzle.com, you can upload pictures that can be printed on all sorts of merch. The stores are available for free, and you’ll make money each time a fan makes a purchase. You can use sites like this to find out what designs are the most popular in case you want to do a mass printing to have an inventory of your own to bring to shows.
- Randy Chertkow

96: Let Fans Pay What They Want

Stop setting prices at shows for your merch, unless you already have a huge ‘brand’. Most fans are either buying memorabilia from the event to mark that they were there, or they are donating to support the band. Don’t put a price ceiling on them by limiting them. Let them pay what they want for that t-shirt and you will be rewarded with more money.
- Jed Carlson

97: Learn Tom Jackson’s Live Music Methods & Sell More Merch

Just like you learned how to play and sing, there are techniques and tools/ gear, theories, and concepts that make a great performer. I’ve seen Tom in action and I have interviewed artists who are making more money from merch sales at live shows directly by implementing Tom’s teachings. Everyone is scratching their heads trying to figure out what will make them money and Tom Jackson will make you more money. www.onstagesuccess.com
- Ariel Hyatt

98: Keep Detailed Financial Records

If you aren’t keeping stock of what expenditures got you a worthwhile return you will run out of money even quicker than most.
- Rick Goetz

99: Invest in Your Own Career to The Best of Your Ability

You need to spend a certain amount of money to appear professional so while bartering is encouraged if you have big gaping holes in your marketing material or image – spend the money on yourself. Be it a professional website, a well written bio, professional sounding recordings, quality press photos etc.
- Rick Goetz

100: Be Like Amanda Palmer: Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For Money

Singer/songwriter Amanda Palmer had a major deal that was doing nothing for her, so she took matters into her own fans. By announcing impromptu all ages shows on Twitter, she found that her fans were willing to come out on short notice to hear her play, buy her CDs, and eat cake. She then began whipping her 30K+ twitter followers, aka “the losers of friday night on their computers” into a frenzy. She created a hand-designed t-shirt in real-time which made $11,000.00 in a matter of days. She followed that up with a webcast auction, and a twitter donation-only gig, which brought her month’s income to $19,000.00

Amanda wrote an inspiring blog post about this topic here: http://tinyurl.com/amandapalmermoney
- Carla Lynne Hall

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Money is on everyone’s mind during this weird time. The news seems to be screaming out a new bad thing happening in the economy everyday. My advice; turn off the news. Don’t listen to all of the negative messages. It won’t help you succeed. It will only make you focus on the negative stuff and what you focus on expands.

Here’s the good news. I have an amazing, new, special report available on my website and it’s an in depth interview with Randy Chertkow about how to create multiple streams of income as a musician during this crazy time.

Here is a brief excerpt of the entire interview which includes the list but to read the entire in depth conversation I conducted with Randy just a few days ago, please visit http://www.arielpublicity.com and enter your name and your e-mail address on the boxes on the page. Don’t worry if you’re already opted into my newsletter list. You will not get opted in again, I’ll make sure of it.

As a way to jump-start your multiple streams of income, I am launching my cyber PR Roadies program. It’s my new affiliate’s program which will help you earn more money by sharing my book, PR services and products with other musicians.

Click here to find out more and download the full special report on how to make more money

http://www.arielpublicity.com/affiliate

37 Ways for Musicians to Earn Income
Randy Chertkow’s Multiple Income Stream List
(With a few Additions from Ariel)

Randy: The easiest path to multiple sources of income is to have a day gig, and make music your night gig. I don’t know why more musicians consider it so terrible to have a day gig. Most of the stuff you’d do with music is at night anyway, so the day gig doesn’t tend to get in the way as much as you’d think. In fact, in our own band, we found that our day jobs made us spend our time much more wisely, and we were actually more productive. (We released 365 songs in one year from thesongoftheday.com, all while having day gigs. Our nights were spent in the studio.) We found that others that we knew that quit their day gigs in order to “dedicate themselves” just organized their lives around meals, and still did their work at night.

If you want to dedicate yourself to music, let your music career tell you when that time has come. This is what happened to the musicians that we interviewed for “The Indie Band Survival Guide” that went out on their own. They started to make some money from the music, and at some point, they got enough income that it made sense for them to quit their day gigs.

If you want to make money at music and solely at music, here’s a list of stuff that’s all related to music just to give you ideas. We’ve either done these, or know people who do them:

• Live gigs
• T-shirts
• Selling your music digitally
• Selling ringtones
• Selling CDs
• Merchandise
• Sponsorships
• Advertising
• Songwriting for money
• Recording for money (which you can do over the internet too!)
• Teaching music
• Licensing music
• Accompanying
• Playing weddings/corporate events/etc
• House concerts
• Playing conventions
• Instrument repair
• Music retail
• Music for TV/radio/podcasts
• Music publishing (PROs)
• Master licensing (SoundExchange)
• Backing a theater company
• Music arranging/notation
• Music photography
• Graphic arts for musicians
• Web design for musicians
• Band manager
• Band publicity
• Radio promoter
• Booker
• Recording engineer
• Live soundman
• Live lighting guy
• Mastering
• Selling other bands music and products
• Online affiliate marketing
• CD duplication

and…the list goes on. Your best bet is to take a talent that you’regood at and apply it to music somehow.

The full in-depth interview on how to make money with Randy can be downloaded from my website – http://www.arielpublicity.com/affiliate

Just enter your name and email address and it will get sent to you automatically! (Don’t worry you will not be opted-in to my list twice, the magical email elves will make sure of it). You will be signed up to My affiliates program as well so you can recommend us and make money!

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A few weeks ago, I threw a book launch party for my friends, Randy Chertkow and Jason Feehan to celebrate the launch of their new fabulous book, “The Indie Band Survival Guide,” published by St. Martin’s Griffin here in New York, and I was honored to be interviewed and prominently featured in the PR chapter. Weighing in at 329 pages, it is jam-packed full of incredible information.

“The Indie Band Survival Guide” is a book that all artists, independent or not, need to own.

Randy & Jason are founding members of the Chicago based independent band Beatnik Turtle, and this book started out as their blog where they chronicled their personal experience releasing a whopping 18 albums, touring, building a formidable following, and writing music for film and TV. This book was not motivated by money or a desire for fame. It came from the 12 years of experience as independent artists that they achieved directly by releasing albums, and as they learned along the way, they wrote it all down. As their lessons and experiences grew, so did their blog, and because of their blog a literary agent approached them, and they got a publishing deal.

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