Music Industry Blog

How Much Is A Band Competition Worth?

Lior Shamir — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 08:35:42 +0000

In 2007, Detroit-based rock act, Schaeffer, were selected as the winners of Breaking the Band 1, our international band competition. As part of their prize package, they embraced the opportunity to work with We Are Listening’s TV and radio guru, Jon Delange.

Jon, who continues to mentor the band to this day, helped them achieve national awareness, first at radio and then with television networks by scoring placements in their original programming. Annually, they have preformed during Austin’s SXSW event.

Eventually, the group emerged as America’s favorite in the FreeCreditScore.com band search which began with a shortlist of more than 100 hopefuls showcasing nationwide.

Now, The Victorious Secrets, the band’s new alias, are engaged in a $30 million advertising campaign.

As the new face of FreeCreditScore.com, they will be featured in a series of television commercials slated to debut during the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards next month. They will also receive a $10,000 check, a Gibson Guitar prize package and Pearl drum kits, and a studio session with the music industry’s best of breed. They will also walk the red carpet at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards and have the opportunity to perform on the 2010 VMA Tour.

Here are The Victorious Secrets, in all their glory:

Our Song Contest Is A Farce

Lior Shamir — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 19:42:06 +0000

In response to an email alert that automatically goes out to our members seven days before a song contest deadline, I received this email this morning. It made me chuckle. Is that bad?

I am pleased to see that there are only 7 days remaining before this farce comes to a blissful end. Every day this “opportunity” has been before us it has seemed like a miserable exercise in futility. Please inform me when you have completely closed your doors to any additional submissions so I can rest in peace. It’s been a nightmare.

The Stupidest Blog Post I Ever Wrote

Lior Shamir — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:15:32 +0000

“Quit your day job. Start a label.” has to be the stupidest blog post I ever published. And yet, it’s the second most visited post on this blog.

(For your information, “Katy Perry” is the most popular post on this blog but that’s just because Google picked up on the image tag so when Katy Perry fans (of which there are many) search for Kary Perry images, my blog shows up. There’s no value in it for me whatsoever. I’m confident that zero Katy Perry fans care about this blog.)

But with “Quit your day job. Start a label.“, there’s no fabricated traffic. It’s all real visitors searching for authoritative content which, to my disgrace, leads them to the worst post on this site.

How do you explain it?

Alexandria Maillot: Our New Song Contest Winner!

Lior Shamir — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:30:39 +0000

Alexandria Maillot came in first place in Round 3 of The 2010 Singer/Songwriter Awards for her song, “All We Need”.

Constructive criticism welcome by leaving a public comment here.

“Can’t even get a review included with my $30?”

Lior Shamir — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 09:36:34 +0000

I received this email yesterday:

Most contests are a scam. But the reason musicians come to this conclusion is because they pay some big fee to enter a “contest” and they never hear anything back except an email telling them they didn’t win. Kind of like what I got from your contest. Sure it had a chart that said I got 3 stars, but why? Can’t even get a review included with my $30? Oh well, live and learn.

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Evolution of Guitar Rock – With No Guitars

Lior Shamir — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 08:32:20 +0000

Don’t see the video?

“$500 If You Make Me Famous!”

Lior Shamir — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 07:23:30 +0000

I received this email this morning:

Hi. My name is XXXXXXX. I was wondering if we could maybe strike a deal. You see, I have no money because I am not famous yet. If you can help me become famous, then instead of giving you 30 dollars, I will give you 500 dollars!

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Prince – “The Internet Is Over”

Lior Shamir — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 11:04:24 +0000

Prince, in a world exclusive interview published by British tabloid, Daily Mirror, said:

“The internet’s completely over. I don’t see why I should give my new music to iTunes or anyone else. They won’t pay me an advance for it and then they get angry when they can’t get it.”

“The internet’s like MTV. At one time MTV was hip and suddenly it became outdated. Anyway, all these computers and digital gadgets are no good… They just fill your head with numbers and that can’t be good for you.”

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5 Ways To Get More Fans On Jango

Lior Shamir — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 09:13:43 +0000

::1:: How To Increase Your Fan Base

Jango’s Basic Geo-Targeting feature allows you to hone in on those regions where Jango listeners love your music most. If you’ve already run a Jango Airplay campaign, simply check your Geographic Reports in your dashboard for this data. Then, select the cities and states where you have the strongest following before you run your next campaign. Not only will you turn passive listeners into loyal fans, you will also establish a local presence, leading to more requests for regional showcases and festival appearances. And the best part… Basic Geo-Targeting is FREE!

::2:: How To Get Free Jango Airplay Credit

Every Jango Airplay artist has a PopScore. Each week, artists with the highest PopScores receive free credit. The PopScore reveals how well your music is resonating with Jango listeners based on your campaign targeting. The more precise your targeting, the higher your PopScore. Obviously, if you are a Scandinavian Black Metal band targeting Dolly Parton fans, your PopScore will be gasping for air, so make sure you target the artists whose fans are most likely to identify with your music. Remember, free credit means more plays. And more plays equals more fans.

::3:: How To Get A Live Showcase

Top Jango PopScore artists get booked at the Wakarusa Festival, The Moondance Jam, The Viper Room in LA and more. If you climb the PopScore charts, you might find yourself juggling phone calls and trying to decide which event is best for your band.

::4:: How To Make A Lasting Impression

Want to get listener attention, lightning fast? Make an audio intro and attach it to the front of your song before uploading the MP3 to Jango Airplay. A quick message, five seconds or less, telling the listener who you are and what they’re about to hear. This is a simple way for you and your music to get cemented in the listener’s memory.

::5:: How To Rise Above The Noise

For artists looking for additional promotion, Jango Airplay offers robust packages though ‘Airplay PRO’. These promotions include banner ads on Jango.com as well as customized overlay ad units that appear every time your song plays. Give away an MP3, promote an album or tour; even run a contest, bouncing the listener directly to your own website. Here’s a 60 second video demo of how the overlay ad units are served:

In addition, you can get a banner placed in Jango’s listener newsletter, sent to over 3 Million registered users each week. For more info on these packages email: airplay-premium@jango.com

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$30 To Review It?

Lior Shamir — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 06:47:47 +0000

I received this email this morning:

…I was gonna submit a song but then I realised you want $30 to review it. Well? I want $30 to send it. Please send a check or money order to:

XXXX XXXXXX
40 XXXXXXXX Avenue
XXXX Cottage
XXXXXburg, XX
077XX

When I receive payment I will send you the song.

Thanks!

-M

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