Can a Music Blog Break a Band?

Here's an encouraging story for those who believe in the power of the Internet to level the playing field. This is how an article on MTV.com explains it:

The Hysterics aren't signed to a major label. They haven't groomed a following through a string of indie records. In fact, they haven't even released an official CD yet. So how did the Brooklyn, New York, foursome end up as one of MTV News' picks for You Hear It First? They have their science teacher to thank for that.

That's right, the Hysterics are only teenagers, still enrolled in high school. It was a demo song by the group's lead singer, 15-year-old Oliver Ignatius, that landed in the hands of J.P. Connolly, a science teacher at St. Ann's School in Brooklyn, and started the young group's journey toward semi-fame.

Connolly -- the hip educator that he is -- is also involved in a blog called Music for Robots. After posting a Hysterics demo track called "Mostly Untitled," the response from music fans was instantly strong. I'll let this New York Times article pick up the story from here:

That's where Joseph Patel, an MTV News producer and regular reader of the blog, heard the song. He also loved it, and decided to put the Hysterics on the air, despite the fact that they had done little more than practice in drummer Geoff Turbeville's parents' bedroom.

This exposure has done wonders for both the Hysterics (who are now courting offers from record labels) and the Music for Robots blog.

Lesson: Take advantage of new technologies and creative ways to reach new fans. You never know who might be listening. Of course, it doesn't hurt to have a really cool science teacher to help you along the way.

Can a Music Blog Break a Band?

Here's an encouraging story for those who believe in the power of the Internet to level the playing field. This is how an article on MTV.com explains it:

The Hysterics aren't signed to a major label. They haven't groomed a following through a string of indie records. In fact, they haven't even released an official CD yet. So how did the Brooklyn, New York, foursome end up as one of MTV News' picks for Yot Hear It First? They have their science teacher to thank for that.

That's right, the Hysterics are only teenagers, still enrolled in high school. It was a demo song by the group's lead singer, 15-year-old Oliver Ignatius, that landed in the hands of J.P. Connolly, a science teacher at St. Ann's School in Brooklyn, and started the young group's journey toward semi-fame.

Connolly -- the hip educator that he is -- is also involved in a blog called Music for Robots. After posting a Hysterics demo track called "Mostly Untitled," the response from music fans was instantly strong. I'll let this New York Times article pick up the story from here:

That's where Joseph Patel, an MTV News producer and regular reader of the blog, heard the song. He also loved it, and decided to put the Hysterics on the air, despite the fact that they had done little more than practice in drummer Geoff Turbeville's parents' bedroom.

This exposure has done wonders for both the Hysterics (who are now courting offers from record labels) and the Music for Robots blog.

Lesson: Take advantage of new technologies and creative ways to reach new fans. You never know who might be listening. Of course, it doesn't hurt to have a really cool science teacher to help you along the way.

Top 10 Blog Posts of 2005 (So Far)

As we pass the halfway mark of the current year, I thought it might be fun to look back at some of the top posts from this Music Promotion Blog. I based my definition of "top" on a combination of reader comments and my own subjective opinions. If you missed them the first time around, enjoy these posts from January to June 2005:

Who Do You Sound Like? And Why It's Important

Why You Need to Get Off the Fast-Track Mentality

The End of the Music Business as We Know It?

Marketing Lessons Learned from the Grammy Awards

Two Tips for Commercial Radio Airplay

Your #1 Success Tool

Marketing Lessons from an 8-Year-Old Girl

The Power of Personality - Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3

The Future of Music: Flowing Like Water?

Stream Your Music with Webjay

Top 10 Blog Posts of 2005 (So Far)

As we pass the halfway mark of the current year, I thought it might be fun to look back at some of the top posts from this Music Promotion Blog. I based my definition of "top" on a combination of reader comments and my own subjective opinions. If you missed them the first time around, enjoy these posts from January to June 2005:

Who Do You Sound Like? And Why It's Important

Why You Need to Get Off the Fast-Track Mentality

The End of the Music Business as We Know It?

Marketing Lessons Learned from the Grammy Awards

Two Tips for Commercial Radio Airplay

Your #1 Success Tool

Marketing Lessons from an 8-Year-Old Girl

The Power of Personality - Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3

The Future of Music: Flowing Like Water?

Stream Your Music with Webjay

Formulating Your Best Music Promotion Plan

Here's an item from the Buzz Factnr e-zine archives. I think this one is worth a second look. And if you're celebrating it in your part of the world, have a great Indie-Pendence Day weekend!

A lot of people who subscribe to my Buzz Factor e-zine, read my books and attend my workshops tell me that once they shift into a brainstorming mode, the self-promotion ideas come faster than Billy Joel behind the wheel of a Mazarotti. My first piece of advice regarding this fantastic state of mind is:

Buy a notebook or journal and capture these thoughts by writing them down. Don't expect to remember everything later. That rarely works. Grab ideas while they're hot.

If you're driving when inspiration strikes, carefully pull over and scribble down your thoughts on a gas receipt, fast food bag or whatever is handy. If you're in a bar or restaurant, use a napkin. If you're in the shower ... well, be creative and find a way to record those great ideas.

Once you have a master list of earth-shattering, career-boosting concepts, things don't get any easier. Now you probably feel as if you have so many options, you don't know where to start. Most music people get so flustered at this point, they do nothing. Or they do a little bit of everything all at once and spread themselves too thin, with nothing to show for all their hard work.

Well, I believe in keeping things simple. Don't overwhelm yourself. For starters, there are two things you should do every week, if not every day:

1) Write, record and perform great music. This is no secret. The most creative promotion ideas in the world will do nothing to help mediocre music. So work on your music making craft constantly. All it takes is one killer song to light a fire that will sustain an entire career.

2) The second thing you should do almost every day is to take steps to connect with and attract more fans. Don't get sidetracked with technicalities and industry connections and stuff that doesn't matter. Keep a constant focus on fans.

Now, what about those specific big ideas you have for getting exposure, selling CDs, etc.? Get out a calendar that covers the next 12 months, and start writing down your best ideas and the times of the year they would work best.

Think this through and move things around on the calendar until you've got one or two great ideas listed for each month. Doing this will give you a promotional roadmap so you know the best ways to spend your time and energy every month. Your efforts will be more focused this way and more likely to generate results.

Don't just wing it and leave things to chance. This is your career and livelihood at stake here. Set priorities. Create an action plan. You can always tweak and alter the plan as you go. But having one in the first place gives you a starting point and a direction ... and a reason to get busy and start promoting your music now.

So formulate a plan -- your ideal plan -- then ... get out there and promote yourself!

Formulating Your Best Music Promotion Plan

Here's an item from the Buzz Factor e-zine archives. I think this one is worth a second look. And if you're celebrating it in your part of the world, have a great Indie-Pendence Day weekend!

A lot of people who subscribe to my Buzz Factor e-zine, read my books and attend my workshops tell me that once they shift into a brainstorming mode, the self-promotion ideas come faster than Billy Joel behind the wheel of a Mazarotti. My first piece of advice regarding this fantastic state of mind is:

Buy a notebook or journal and capture these thoughts by writing them down. Don't expect to remember everything later. That rarely works. Grab ideas while they're hot.

If you're driving when inspiration strikes, carefully pull over and scribble down your thoughts on a gas receipt, fast food bag or whatever is handy. If you're in a bar or restaurant, use a napkin. If you're in the shower ... well, be creative and find a way to record those great ideas.

Once you have a master list of earth-shattering, career-boosting concepts, things don't get any easier. Now you probably feel as if you have so many options, you don't know where to start. Most music people get so flustered at this point, they do nothing. Or they do a little bit of everything all at once and spread themselves too thin, with nothing to show for all their hard work.

Well, I believe in keeping things simple. Don't overwhelm yourself. For starters, there are two things you should do every week, if not every day:

1) Write, record and perform great music. This is no secret. The most creative promotion ideas in the world will do nothing to help mediocre music. So work on your music making craft constantly. All it takes is one killer song to light a fire that will sustain an entire career.

2) The second thing you should do almost every day is to take steps to connect with and attract more fans. Don't get sidetracked with technicalities and industry connections and stuff that doesn't matter. Keep a constant focus on fans.

Now, what about those specific big ideas you have for getting exposure, selling CDs, etc.? Get out a calendar that covers the next 12 months, and start writing down your best ideas and the times of the year they would work best.

Think this through and move things around on the calendar until you've got one or two great ideas listed for each month. Doing this will give you a promotional roadmap so you know the best ways to spend your time and energy every month. Your efforts will be more focused this way and more likely to generate results.

Don't just wing it and leave things to chance. This is your career and livelihood at stake here. Set priorities. Create an action plan. You can always tweak and alter the plan as you go. But having one in the first place gives you a starting point and a direction ... and a reason to get busy and start promoting your music now.

So formulate a plan -- your ideal plan -- then ... get out there and promote yourself!

Spreading Music Tips Around the World

In case you didn't know it, many of my articles, as well as the posts that appear on this blog, are freely available for use on other web sites, blogs and e-zines. Interested? Get all the details on reprint rights here.

I may start regularly listing some of the many cool sites where my words are being shared with musicians around the world. Here are two new ones from the past week alone:

Australia-based musician Corey Stewart used my "The True Meaning of INDIE" article on his The Bizzo - Indie Music Industry Tips blog. He also runs a nice songwriting tips blog at www.coreystewartonline.com.

Stewart writes, "I am an Aussie singer-songwriter who just wants to network worldwide, develop a sense of community (something that is missing in our society) and help people out along the way by getting all of the info I have collected over 15 or so years of active musical service and putting it all on the web."

Cheers to that!

Also, my recent "Internet Music Promotion Principle #1" post was just published in Guitar News Weekly, a discussion forum for guitar players.

It's very gratifying to know that good people are spreading the word. Thanks!