SONG CONTEST BLOG

In September 2008, Billboard Magazine published a  list titled, “The 100 Best Ways For Your Music To Get Attention” which caught my attention this month when I received the top 20 from Peter Spellman’s Music Biz Insight newsletter.  Note the volume of high profile opportunities in the licensing branch of the music industry as opposed to the more traditional sales and ticketing divisions which would have dominated this list through the 90’s:

1. Placement in a television ad for Apple

2. Performance on Oprah (6.6 million viewership)

3. Placement in a television commercial that runs during a special event with significant viewership (97.5 million viewers for the 2008 Super Bowl, for instance)

4. Song Featured as iTunes “Free Single of the Week”

5. Song covered on American Idol (approx.  27 million viewers)

6. Placement in Activision’s “Guitar Hero” videogame (approx. 10 million unit sales)

7. Song placed during a hit movie’s opening credits

8. Placement in a heavy-rotation television commercial for Nike

9. Performance on Lollapalooza Main Stage

10. Placement in MTV’s “Rock Band” videogame (US sales total 3.4 million units to date)

11. Video on YouTube’s Most-Viewed Videos page for music (approx. 75 million unique visitors)

12. Cover editorial in Rolling Stone

13. Placement in Rockstar Games’ “Grand Theft Auto” (4.7 million unit sales and growing)

14. Placement on HBO’s “Entourage”

15. Video on the YouTube’s home page

16. Placement in ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy”

17. Any single or video listed in the “Free on iTunes” section

18. Single played on Radio Disney (approx. 36.5 million listeners per week)

19. Performance on Bonnaroo’s What/Main Stage

20. Placement in CW’s “Gossip Girl”