Why Social Media Matters to Artists- Part Two

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by Jonathan Robles, Exclusive to TMG

(Note: The preceding article is a follow-up piece to last month's TMG feature Why Social Media Matters to Artists.)

When the 2011 Grammy nominations were announced this month, 50% of the nods went to independent artists. In comparison to a decade ago it's a dramatic jump forward.

The definition of "indie" is certainly blurring. More musicians are choosing non-traditional alternatives to the powerhouse labels and the means by which we share music and connect with musicians have also changed.

As mentioned in the first part of this feature, your music career is your business. A recent study revealed that 94% of companies do not use social media channels to gather customer feedback. Instead they rely on email and phone surveys. (When is the last time you participated in an email or phone survey?) Meanwhile, as Billboard has proven to be true, there is a noticeable correlation between the top artists in sales and the top artists on social media.

Pat Monahan, the frontman of Train, says that "if you don't have a Twitter account, you're not going to do as well as you think." And for the most part, he's right.

So, what does that mean to YOU?

1. You have to start somewhere. Pick three social media channels. (Or start with one!) Don't just create the account. Complete the profile (and put yourself in the position of a fan--or potential fan!--when they view your page). If it's a Facebook or Myspace page, make sure you have music samples. Do you read ten paragraphs of bio information? They won't either. You can even sync your pages so that you only have to update one of them. Start a blog, like Posterous.
2. Connect with people. Do you have an email list or 50 contacts in your personal Gmail? Search Twitter or Facebook to find out how many of them are on those sites and follow them. Once you follow people, talk to them. Both Twitter and Facebook suggest other friends based on your current connections. Use these tools. If you're a jazz artist in upstate New York or a country singer from Tampa, connect with people in your area first. Then build on those connections.
3. Listen. The Facebook generation is very familiar with updating their status every hour. While this might also come naturally to entertainers, don't forget to observe. If you're a musician just starting out or trying to build your fan base, it is especially important for you to have two-way conversations online. If a new fan follows you on Twitter, follow them back.
4. Don't start, and then stop. It's very easy to give in to hype, create a Facebook page, update excitedly for a few weeks, then phase out because you get bored. Adam Smith, whose following is the envy of many in Twitter Nation, recently acknowledged that tweeting often helped him obtain and retain followers.
5. Be authentic. "Transparency" isn’t just a buzz word; it’s a strategic imperative, which should apply to your social media participation as well as all other aspects of your career or business. You might be your grandmother's favorite rapper, but there are many folks trying to be Jay-Z. Be you. Follow back. "Re-tweet" others. And follow the Pareto principle (the 80-20 rule): Spend 80% of your time in social media activities that are not self-promotional and 20% or less on activities that are self-promotional.
6. Contribute something. A quick online search will tell you that there are millions of music artists in the pool today. If you're trying to make even a splash in the industry, you have to set yourself apart. When it comes to new media, think about your fans. If your content doesn’t add value to your audience’s lives, they won’t talk about it and share it with their own audiences.
7. Establish goals. Determine to update your Facebook and/or Twitter three times a week and blog twice a month. Don't commit to more than you can handle, but challenge yourself. Reach out to a set number of people online each day or week. Define your "niche" and focus your efforts accordingly.
8. Be realistic. A common thought on Twitter is, "if I only had more followers..." If more people thought of Twitter followers kind of like money, they'd realize they wouldn't know what to do with 1 million. Even the Bible says that whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with very much. Remember, the people that follow you on Twitter are still people. Don't think of them as numbers. And keep in mind that most Twitter users with large followings probably have accomplishments outside of Twitterland. Many folks see 1,000 or 100,000 followers and they want to duplicate that, just like many folks see a millionaire or billionaire and they wish they could just snag a quick million or billion. Building a social media base is not easy. Don't ever let someone convince you that it is. It's not just a matter following a bunch of people and hoping they follow you back. Honestly, when you see someone with a "successful" social media presence, that person has probably done a whole lot more offline than online.
9. Network, build relationships, network, build relationships. Connect with like-minded people. Join communities. Go to other shows. Talk to others with similar interests who are in a similar phase of life. Life still requires that you reap what you sow. Sow good seeds offline. When others in the industry ask for favors, oblige them. (Favors usually have a nice way of being returned.) Perform live every chance you get...live events are still the cash cow. Remember, if no one knows who you are, they can't search for you online, they can't follow you on Twitter, and they can't find your music.

Ultimately, social media efforts reflect what we probably already know. Lady Gaga may be the "queen of Twitter", but she's also topping charts, selling millions of albums, and winning Grammys. If a business has a problem online, chances are the problem didn't start there. If an artist has a dozen "likes" on Facebook, there's probably more that can be done offline. But for the time being, treat those 12 people like they are the world...Don't discount a small online network. You'd be surprised how powerful that small, well-preserved network can be. Thanks to new media and an evolving industry, it's really anybody's game. And it's not too late to start...

TMG Artist: Sweet Crystal

If patience is a virtue then the guys from Sweet Crystal are due for Sainthood. In 1971, these three high school kids united to form the band Sweet Crystal. With influences springing from British prog rock bands like Uriah Heap, ELO, Deep Purple and Pink Floyd, their main goal was like most bands, to create great music and eventually get signed to a label. As the 70’s rolled on Mark Speq (keys), Bill Blatter (Guitars) and Steve Weiser (drums) worked hard to create the epic 7-11 minute songs that were all the rage on the prog rock scene. It wasn’t until meeting producer Ollie McLaughlin that their writing began to evolve into something a bit more marketable. “Until I met Ollie I was into writing these epic songs, Ollie showed us how to “get to it”. He really helped us learn to tell the story more efficiently while staying true to the artistry of the song”, he influenced our writing style. Ollie has since passed but his expertise and legacy live on in us” says Speq.

Diligently working the late 70’s and early 80’s Detroit music scene, Sweet Crystal rocked clubs like The Silver Bird and the Ritz (10&1/2 Frazho), sharing the stage with bands like Toby Redd and the Almighty Strutt. Culminating at a performance in 1980 during the Republican National Convention at Harpos where the son of President Gerald Ford actually got on stage to rock out with the band. “The Detroit music scene in those days was a force to be reckoned with.” says Speq, “There were so many great bands as well as venues to play.”

Throughout the 80s Sweet Crystal continued to perform and record. With members coming and going the three main members stayed constant. By the 90’s the band was still together, yet doing more writing for TV shows and commercials. Playing live had all but stopped. And while the band continued to write and record, things had slowed a bit. Then around the turn of the century they began to feel the urge to perform again. In 2003 they released “Still Standing”. “The release of that album pushed us to perform again. One thing led to another where we found ourselves playing in Nashville, Tennessee for the CIS (Christian Music Organization). And to our surprise at the end of the show we were awarded a lifetime music award. It’s the biggest award we’ve ever received and we were honored beyond words to receive it. About a month later we were contacted by Tate Records. They said they loved our music and were very impressed by our longevity and they signed us. We couldn’t believe it, that after almost 40 years we were now a signed band. Tate records came in, signed us and helped us record our 3rd album. Fittingly entitled “3“. It’s by far, our best yet.” says Speq.

So there ya go boys and girls. To all of you who have been doing this a whole year and are feeling impatient about not being “discovered yet” this should serve as a lesson. Don’t be in a rush. It will happen or it won’t. But as long as you stay true to you dreams whether it takes 4 months, 4 years or 40 years, if and when it does you’ll be able to say you did it your way.

Congrats to Sweet Crystal. Be at their Charity CD Release Party on Dec 17th at the Token Lounge.
$10 cover at door gets you the new Sweet Crystal CD and $3 goes to the Detroit Rescue Mission.

Voices of Glory

Tate Music Group artists Voices Of Glory have set a precedence by selling more than 4,500 CDs in record time. Slated for release on January 4, 2011, the rapid advance sales of their self-titled debut have already authorized the return of their artist investment - meaning their project was recorded and is being marketed and distributed for free.

The inspirational and international recording artists are actually the Cole family trio of siblings known individually as Nadia, 10, Avery 14, and Michael, 18. The group came to fame as a result of a string of acclaimed performances on the smash NBC TV show America’s Got Talent. The start of their remarkable journey was inspired by love in the face of tragedy transcended into miracle when their mother Felicia Cole fell into a coma for 8 months. In 2007, when on her way home from class to achieve a fourth advanced degree, she was hit head-on by a drunk driver and severely injured. In response to the devastating news, the children decided they would sing at their mother's bedside in the hope that she would recognize their voices.

“People love these kids wherever they go. They work hard, they are respectful and honest and they have a team behind them that works even harder. I haven’t talked to one person that has had an unpleasant experience with VOG. From the kids, parents to the management team they are a first class operation all the way”, said Chris Rutherford Director of Music Marketing at TMG.

More than an idea for a hit song, belief is an omnipresent theme for the Cole family.

VOG manager and uncle, Gerard Cole said about their ascending success, “You have to be committed to your project and believe in it and what TMG can do for you … to get the job done. TMG can only do what you allow them to do. I was consistently involved with Tate and Tate has consistently been involved with us. If you follow the steps of their program, it will come together. Bottom line, it’s about believing … it’s important to concentrate on what you can do through press, marketing and social networking, Gerard Cole said.

At times, Cole said there were anxieties with TMG’s unique though undeniably successful process.

“The recording part was uncertain,” said Gerard Cole. “I wanted to move faster but Tate had a system,” Cole continued chuckling, “I didn’t have as much patience as the people in the Midwest. They are very laid back.”

The investment was another consideration, Cole added. Many outsiders openly scoffed at the idea of paying to record and release their own music versus the more traditional record label system, he said. Undeterred, Cole was already familiar having employed the same tactic of personal investment with his own daughter when it came time for college. According to Cole, your actions illustrate your commitment to the task.

As for VOG, the Tate offer has been strictly beneficial, Cole said.

“Each and every dept has been very supportive. When it was done absolutely everyone told me this is a very professional package,” Cole said. “I pressed harder but if you have money invested, make calls and get it right. Don’t complain if you don’t reach out. You have to be on top of own game. Strive for perfection; be patient but strive for perfection. Make sure each stage is at its best and correct for every level. When you get to the end, you will see it all come together and you will be satisfied.

“We haven’t even scratched the surface,” Cole said

Black Friday Music Sales Recap

The Early Look: Black Friday Music Sales Recap November 27, 2010

Billboard.biz

The Music Business was hopeful for robust shopping on Black Friday, and why not? Overall consumer interest was up from last year, indie retail rolled out special exclusives from artists like U2, Metallica, and the Gaslight Anthem, and a full roster of new superstar releases just hit the shelves - Kanye West's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy," Nicki Minaj's "Pink Friday" and Ke$ha's "Cannibal," to name a few. What are the early results? Until the hard sales data is in, here's a look at how select stores performed and insight into some of the top sellers from a sampling of markets on Friday.

BARNES & NOBLE The Shops at Riverside, 187 Riverside Square, Hackensack, N.J.

Foot traffic (1 - 5 scale, 5 the highest): 1.5 Featured specials: Susan Boyle, "The Gift," $12.99; Jackie Evancho, "O Holy Night," $8.99; Josh Groban, "Illuminations," $16.99 The scene: By providing only modest discounts on new releases, Barnes & Noble didn't offer much to draw music shoppers to the store. Not surprisingly, the Hackensack, N.J., store's second-floor music section was nearly deserted at midday. In a 15-minute span, we saw only three customers perusing music titles. Biggest sellers: Susan Boyle, "The Gift"; Rod Stewart, "Fly Me To The Moon: The Great American Songbook Volume V"; Josh Groban, "Illuminations."

BEST BUY 1100 N Galleria Drive, Middletown, N.Y. Foot traffic:Store 4, music department 2 Featured specials: Carole King & James Taylor "Live At The Troubadour;" Rihanna "Loud;" Keith Urban "Get Closer;" Katy Perry "Teenage Dream;" Bon Jovi "Greatest Hits;" Maroon 5 "Hands All Over;" each 6.99 each. The scene: It was clear that this store was well shopped during the day: the music section was sparsely stocked and many titles were out of place. Best sellers: No word from the clerks on the best selling titles of the day, though many titles appeared to be sold out, including new albums and/or the latest by Usher, Drake, Big Boi, Avenge Sevenfold, Tom Petty, Rick Ross, Eminem, Justin Bieber, Dierks Bently, Tech N9ne, Lee Dwyze and Ozzy Osbourne.

BORDERS 281 Daniel Webster Hwy, Nashua, N.H.

Foot traffic: 4 compared to a normal day, 3 compared to other Black Fridays, according to Borders clerk Eric Valentine. Featured specials: $6.99-$9.99 pricing on hit releases. The scene: Clerks reported high sales on Friday, though there were just a few customers in the music section during midday when Billboard was there. The store's music section - which is on the second floor and in the mix with DVDs, Blu rays and books – had two racks of specially priced titles close to the stairs (pictured) and in plain sight. Biggest sellers: “I just had to re-stock Taylor Swift, and we’re Borders, so we’ve sold a lot of Susan Boyle and Michael Buble’ today,” said Valentine.

F.Y.E. Galleria at Crystal Run, Middletown, N.Y. Foot traffic: 3.5Featured specials: The chain was featuring the new and/or latest albums by Lady Antebellum, Darious Rucker, Katy Perry, Mumford & Sons, Waka Flocka Flame, Selena Gomes, Kid Cudi, Godsmack, Taio Cruz, Rick Ross, Jason Derulo and Hollywood Undead, all at $7.99. The scene: This is one of the chain's superstores, measuring about 15,000 square feet. Music is deeply stocked throughout the store, but it had very little of the front space by the cash registers. At 2:45 pm, there were about 85 customers in the store and by 3:00 there were about 115 customers browsing. There were small but consistent lines of about 10 customers at the registers that moved briskly during that time. The store opened at 5 am and about 20 customers were waiting in line at that time, one clerk said. Most of the doorbusters were in the portable electronics. Most of the music end-caps seemed to be well stocked, probably due to the plentiful store staff, some of whom were seen replenishing items around the store and returning stock to its proper place (That was something not seen in any of the other N.Y. stores visited that day). Biggest sellers: A store clerk reported that the new Nicki Minaj was the best selling title for the day, but said that movies were the big movers, due to the bargains.

F.Y.E. The Mall at Whitney Field, Leominster, Mass.

Foot traffic: 5 compared to a normal day (“one of the busiest of the year, easily, so far,” according to a clerk) and on par with last year’s Black Friday. Featured specials: Pricing specials were at $6.99 for CDs from artists like Justin Bieber, Melissa Ethridge, Hole and Johnny Cash, and $9.99 for titles by Ne-Yo, Jay-Z, Dane Cook and others. The scene: Set inside a popular area mall, the store was jammed with customers browsing music, DVDs and merchandise. Though a major portion of floor space is devoted to music in this F.Y.E., the front of the store was clearly pushing DVDs and other items. Customers needed to walk past six other racks or bins of goods to see the discounted music specials after walking in the store (pictured). Biggest sellers: Titles by Taylor Swift, Rihanna and Nicki Minaj were “going like gangbusters,” according to one clerk.

F.Y.E. 91 Route 4 East, Paramus, N.J.

Foot traffic: 3.5 Featured specials: $7.99 sale price for: Katy Perry "Teenage Dream," Darius Rucker "Charleston SC 1966," Lady Antebellum "Need You Know," Mumford & Sons "Sigh No More," Taio Cruz, "Rokstarr" and others. The scene:This store was attracting a steady, but not overwhelming, number of customers in the early afternoon -- still a pretty impressive feat given that it's a standalone store that isn't located inside or adjacent to any of Bergen County's many shopping malls. Customers here tend to linger and browse more than they would at a big box store. Biggest sellers: Jay-Z, "The Hits Collection, Vol. 1"; Kanye West, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy"; Ne-Yo, "Libra Scale."

GRIMEY'S 1604 8th Ave. South, Nashville

Foot traffic: A long line had formed before the store opened and Grimey’s was jam packed when it opened at 10am. After a frantic hour, traffic had died down but there were still 15-20 people browsing around the store. Featured specials:The Black Friday exclusives at indie retail which, as reported last month, would include special products from U2, Metallica, the Black Keys, Gaslight Anthem and many more. The stores wanted to underscore the day without trying to replicate April's annual Record Store Day event, explained Michael Kurtz, president of Music Monitor Network, last month. "We limited this to less than 30 pieces because we don't want this to be seen as 'Son of Record Store Day.'" He says Record Store Day can have upward of 300 exclusive pieces. The scene: Grimey’s had sales of over $5,000 the first hour it was open, according to co-owner Doyle Davis. The store quickly sold out of its allotments of exclusive vinyl releases by Dr. Dog, Jimi Hendrix, Sharon Jones, Frank Sinata, Gaslight Anthem and the Doors. Customers returned in strong numbers at 4pm for a free performance of Metallica’s “Live at Grimey’s” in its entirety by a cover band called Fade to Black Friday on the same stage Metallica played when the album was recorded. Biggest sellers: Metallica’s “Live at Grimey’s,” U2’s “Wide Awake in Europe,” Jimi Hendrix “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,” the Black Keys’ “Brothers Double,” George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass” 3 LP reissue, and MGMT’s “Congratulations.”

RASPUTIN MUSIC & DVDs 5611 Blackstone Ave., Fresno, Calif.

oot traffic: 2.5

Featured specials: The Black Friday exclusives at indie retail and 50% off music posters. Vinyl exclusives on display included: -- U2, "Wide Awake In America," $9.99 (sold out) -- The Black Keys, "Brothers," $35.99 -- George Harrison, "All Things Must Pass," $53.99 -- Metallica, "Live at Grimey's," $27.99 -- Rod Stewart, "The Lost Album: Once In a Blue Moon," $15.99 -- Iggy Pop & the Stooges, "The Stooges," $42.99 -- Job For A Cowboy, "Ruination," $79.99 -- Parlophone, "Record Store Day," $19.99 -- and 50% of all music posters The scene: At 1:30, the store manager expected things to pick up later, but suspected that shoppers who had started in the early hours of the morning were exhausted by this time. The store was stocked nicely and the Black Friday vinyl table was off to the side of the store near the checkout lines. The 50% off music posters were also situated near the checkout lines. All the hot sellers (Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Kanye West, Jimi Hendrix) were placed on the end-caps in the front of the store. So, shoppers could see them upon walking into the store. There was a mix of young and older shoppers looking through the various music genres in the CD area, and quite a few shoppers lingering in the vinyl section near the back of the store. Biggest sellers: Rihanna, "Loud," $15.99; Nicki Minaj, "Pink Friday," $12.99; Kanye West, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,"; Jimi Hendrix, "West Coast Seattle Boy: The Jimi Hendrix Anthology," $60.99.

TARGET Galleria at Crystal Run, Middletown, N.Y. Foot traffic:Store: 5, Music department: 2 Featured specials: Lady Antebellum "Lady Antebellum," Guns & Roses "Greatest Hits," and Eminem's "Curtain Call;" each for $6.50. The scene: The store was packed and had a long checkout line. All the aisles were crowded, making it difficult to browse the store. If you wanted to get away from the crowds, the music department was the place to be. In the back of the store, most of the aisles there were empty, but it was clear that it had traffic earlier in the day as the end-caps were half-picked clean. Biggest sellers: Of the featured titles, Nicki Minaj's "Pink Friday" and Josh Groban's "My World" and "2.0" appeared to be sold out. The clerks in the department said they didn't know if there were more of those titles in stock. One clerk said that Nicki Minaj was sold out before Black Friday and Miranda Lambert's "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" sold out as well. Of the catalog titles, Rascal Flatts "Greatest Hits," "Me And My Gang" and "Unstoppable" were sold out. Also not in stock on the end-caps, according to place cards, Simon & Garfunkel's "Greatest Hits," and Journey's "Greatest Hits," both of which were priced at $6.50. Clerks said the DVD section of the store, right next to the music department, was where the crowd was doing most of the shopping. One clerk pointed to the DVD and Blu-Ray sales as the big draw of the day.

WALMART 66 Parkhurst Rd, Chelmsford, Mass.

Foot traffic: Store: 5, Music department: 1 Featured specials: Certain albums, like Justin Bieber’s “My Worlds Acoustic,” priced at $10. The scene: The $10 specials were given end-cap placement in the music section. This store's music floor space is toward the back and small compared to overall floor space. Two clerks couldn’t give an opinion on how the overall foot traffic in the music department had been that day, nor could they comment on any of the day's best sellers. -- Reporting by Ed Christman, Louis Hau, Glenn Peoples, Mitchell Peters and Chris M. Walsh.

Radio Myths

Common Commercial Radio Myths

The way Tate Music Group is structured we happen to talk to musicians at different stage of the game. Undoubtedly the same misconceptions about radio airplay are apparent to anyone who hasn’t received tons of commercial radio play. I want to clarify that I am talking about Commercial Radio, not the mom and pop station that hasn’t updated their equipment in 20 years. If you have to send a physical CD to the radio station for them to play your music, more than likely they are not a large commercial station. Therefore they are probably not a reporting station and besides the fact that you can get easy spins there it doesn’t really matter.

One Myth is the DJ’s choose what songs are in their rotation. Again we are talking about Commercial Radio. The majority of people in the US listen to commercial regular-rotation radio and on these stations DJ’s have no say at all in what is being played. If you ask a DJ to listen to your music for possible spin consideration they are not allowed to say “No”. At the least it is up to the Program Director and sometimes they are completely out of the mix depending on how large or corporately owned the station is.

Myth – Good songs spread to other stations – Tons of research and money goes into every song you hear on these stations. The DJ’s just make it sound like they picked the record out of a hat, but in turn that is not the case.

Myth – College or Specialty Mix Shows will expand to Commercial – Just because you receive regular spins on a show like this doesn’t mean it will transfer over. Again this is usually just a testing ground and very few make the transfer.

Myth – Request calls will help – Having all of your friends call and request your song really doesn’t help. Your time will be better spent inviting people to your gigs. Stations know which calls are real and which are bands and their friends calling in.

These are just a few of the myths you can find out more by checking out the article on Music Biz Academy.com “Commercial Radio Myths” by Bryan Farrish.

Create a Fan Base Through Social Networking!

One of the practices that should consistently be used by artist regardless of where they are in the music game is maximizing the opportunity social networks provide. This is a great way to get your music in front of tons of people. Just think of how many events you would have to play to equal the amount of personal exposure the internet provides. Once an artist is ready for marketing at Tate Music Group, we want to mobilize these networks to spread the word that the project is ready!

There are just a few steps to make this really beneficial to an artist and their project. Anytime you are sending a message, reaching out to someone or requesting anything be sure there is a link in your message back to your websites. Usually you have one opportunity to catch someones attention and you might just catch them at the right time where they feel interested enough to click through to your website and listen to your music. So be sure you don't miss any opportunities to attract a new fan.

(We used this very tactic in promoting Variance Magazine and garnished over 200K hits from it.)

I always suggest to search facebook, Myspace, Twitter and other social sites to find artists or influential people in your genre. Request them as friends, leave comments on their page and search their friends list to do the same. Again you are reaching out to music lovers of the same genre befriending them and asking them to check out your music.

Trust me this works. There are some bands that pride themselves on this. Building a bands social network is vitally important to their future growth. Think of it like building an online street team. These are the people that are going to spread the word about a new single, concert, or CD release.

Very important to remember that once you have fans you have to keep them. That means keeping your websites fresh with content. Do not let it become stale because as quickly as they come they will leave in the same fashion. You have to engage and mobilize social networks for them to be beneficial.

TMG Launches Internet Radio Station

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, November 8, 2010

Tate Music Group Launches Internet Radio Station

OKLAHOMA CITY – In the two short years since its inception, Tate Music Group has made huge strides in an industry whose future is more and more questionable each day. Taking their next step into future of music, TMG launched their very own internet radio station, TMGRadio, late last week.

Based on Tate’s high number of artists in the Christian music demographic, the station’s content is predominantly a mixture of Christian rock, contemporary, worship, and urban gospel. “We play both the top TMG artists and the best of what is currently on the charts now, from Need to Breathe to Skillet to Lacrae,” Director of Radio Promotions & Development at Tate, Allen Finch, says.

The station will include several daily programs, much like its terrestrial counterparts. According to Finch, several shows and specials are still in the works, but here’s a taste of what listeners can expect from TMGRadio:

“[During] The Morning Drive, we play only the top artists from Christian rock, AC, and CHR charts from 8-9am. At lunch we have The Retro Lunchbox, where we focus on the best Christian music from the 80’s and 90’s. And every Sunday morning we will play great worship music all morning long,” Finch says.

But the sweetheart of the operation is an unorthodox special designed for a little nostalgic inspiration. It’s called The Carman Cure.

“Yes, that is correct. We have a segment dedicated to the king of all Christian music, Carman,” Finch reports. “Every day at 2:30, we play a favorite Carman song to help get listeners over that afternoon hump.”

Whether or not they catch The Carman Cure, listeners can tune into TMGRadio at http://www.tatemusicgroup.com/radio.php. An iPhone app for the station is also being created for listeners on the go.

For more information, contact Bryan Norris, President, Key Marketing Group at 877-727-0697 or bryan@keymgc.com.

"There's a vulture on my shoulder / And he's telling me to give in!"

There may be a vulture on Sierra Kusterbeck's shoulder, but she won't be giving in any time soon. The young lead singer of explosive rock band, VersaEmerge is a powerhouse of sound and emotion that will not be denied. With the recent release of their first full-length album, Fixed at Zero, VersaEmerge has built momentum that catches up dedicated fans and new listeners alike.

The band just finished up their first headlining tour, "The Vultures Unite Tour," and according to Sierra each night was incredible.

Be sure to log onto Variance Magazine January 1st to see full article plus features on Disciple, Venus Infers, Christopher Moore, Barats and Bereta, KTTK, Michelle Buzz and many more.

Get a free subscription to Tate Publishing’s new magazine! www.variancemagazine.com

Tocco and Chandler Perform at Rock the Universe 2010

This year we are proud to announce that two Tate Music Group artists Chuck Tocco and Jeff Chandler joined the lineup for Rock the Universe 2010, held at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. The event was once again two amazing nights of heart-pounding music and dynamic entertainment, featuring our TMG artists alongside some of the hottest talent in Christian Music such as Skillet, TobyMac, Kutless, and Newsboys. Rock the Universe proved to be an unforgettable weekend of fun and fellowship at Universal Studios for our TMG artists and the thousands of fans in attendance.

TMG Artists Angel I and Johnny K

Deputies Pick Up Rap Beat

Stafford deputies spread the Gospel with microphones and a hip-hop beat

Date published: 8/14/2010

BY JONAS BEALS

By day, Angel Irizarry and Johnny Kyle are Stafford County Sheriff's deputies, working as school resource officers in middle schools. Behind microphones, they become Angel I. & Johnny K., and they want to be the next big thing in Christian hip-hop.

"Our whole concept is to change people's lives," Irizarry said. "Our vision is to take Stafford by storm, to take Fredericksburg by storm to take the world by storm.

"It's a message ordained by God," he added. "It can't be stopped."

Mixing the crass braggadocio of popular hip-hop music with Christianity might not sound like a match made in heaven, but gospel rap has been around almost as long as rap itself.

From Michael Peace to DC Talk to Group 1 Crew, there is plenty of proof that the word of God lends itself to a poetic flow. Even superstars MC Hammer, 2Pac and Kanye West have worked Jesus into a popular hip-hop context.

But Irizarry and Kyle want to do more than shout-out to the Lord--they want to spread the Gospel, live the word and convert their listeners.

"We see a lot going on with the youth," Kyle said. "We want to get out there and really change some things; reach some people."

They hope a recent record deal with Tate Music Group will spread their rhymes to a wider audience. Their latest album, "I See You," is scheduled for a Nov. 2 release, and will be available on iTunes.

The opening track is "Foolish Man," a cut that features what Irizarry calls a SWAT intro. It sounds like heavily armed officers are about to break into a gangster's hideout. At face value, it's difficult to differentiate it from the sort of violent skits rappers like Ice Cube and Onyx used to litter albums with.

But the lack of bad language is a giveaway. Despite the gun references, these officers want to slay evil with morals.

"We act as people with authority--people who are bold," Irizarry said. "We're armed with the word of God."

Kyle said that their music is a reflection of their professional lives, and vice versa. He and Irizarry fully embrace their charge to "protect and serve." Both men spoke of using their profession to offer salvation to kids and adults who chose the wrong path and wound up in the back of a squad car.

"No matter where you've been, no matter what you've done, you're somebody," Irizarry said. "That's how we treat everybody. It's empathy."

The two deputies were working security at the Virginia Gold Cup Races in Fauquier County when they discovered a mutual interest in music.

Kyle perked up when Irizarry mentioned his "demo." Kyle had been playing guitar since he was a kid in Northern Virginia. He had his own home music studio in Stafford. When he finally listened to Irizarry's rhymes, he heard potential.

But Kyle, 34, wasn't exactly a hip-hop expert. He grew up with rock 'n' roll, playing in a number of rock bands in and out of church. His heroes were Van Halen and Jimi Hendrix.

"I had to learn a lot about hip-hop," Kyle said. "I think God just entered into it for me. I started picking up on things and was able to create rap beats. It was awesome."

Irizarry, on the other hand, was well-versed in hip-hop. The 32-year-old grew up in York, Pa. He said that as long as he can remember, "he always wanted to be an entertainer." He was drawn to popular hip-hop like Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube and the Wu-Tang Clan. He performed in a group called the Young Godfathers.

"I was into everything, but I loved hip-hop," Irizarry said, "I couldn't just make a rhyme, I could make people's heads bob."

After a stint in the Marines, he decided to stay in Stafford. He was saved in 1999, and got married in 2001. His musical life changed when his pastor suggested he use his talents to write a song for Jesus.

So now Irizarry does the writing and the rapping, Kyle makes the beats and produces the songs.

"We've got something," Irizarry said. "Everyone can jam to it."

Part of the music's appeal is that it relies on the familiar tones and aggressive posturing of popular rap. In some cases, the spiritual message almost becomes subliminal, available only to those listeners paying close attention. But Kyle and Irizarry have a decidedly different attitude than their sound implies.

"So much of gangster rap is negative," Kyle said. "I think, with us being police officers, it's so awesome to bring it to a positive. Being on patrol and being on the streets, we've seen a lot of things. We're here to bring a positive message and reach the youth."

Dr. Tate Speaks the Truth...

THE MISTAKE AUTHORS AND ARTISTS MAKE

by

Richard Tate



My wife and I traveled for over 25 years speaking, singing, and conducting seminars and conferences across the US and even overseas. We averaged about 40+ events per year for a quarter of a century. Much of what Tate Publishing and Tate Music Group does for authors and artists is a direct result of our experiences, both good and bad. They say no teacher is more effective than experience and we can certainly vouch for that. Many horrible hotels, hours and hours in a car with kids asleep in the back seat, endless hours in airports, small record and book sales and low payment for services and work, work, work. When I was in the Marine Corps back in the 60’s one of our officers made a statement to us during an especially difficult time. “No one ever drowned in sweat,” he screamed. How true that is.

The sad issue today is that many new authors and artists think that because they have a good book or great music that it should just “happen” for them and that it is the total responsibility of the publisher or label to do all the work. It takes work, persistence, and lots of effort by the author or artist along side their publisher and label. Trust me, it is all worth it and Rita and I have a million good memories as a result of those years and made a fine living on the road. You can too if that is your dream, if you are willing to work with your team.

Last fall I was outside our house standing in the driveway talking with my son Ryan, who is the effective President and CEO of our companies, about TMG issues when my cell phone rang. The voice on the other end was our good friend and country music legend, Kenny Rogers. He was calling about his upcoming trip to our location and wanted to go over a few things with me and Ryan. Here is the “kicker” to the conversation. I said, “Kenny, you sound a bit tired my friend!” He replied, “Just a bit Richard. We have the Fiftieth Anniversary tour coming up in January with Dolly Parton and I have been working ten hours a day on the phone and on the computer calling venues, newspapers, radio and TV stations, and promoters working to get the crowds out. I have been doing this for half a century and it is still a lot of work.” Kirk Webster, who works with us out of Nashville and manages Dolly Parton, told me at our dinner there recently, “Richard, I have never seen anyone work harder than Dolly. She is after it hours and hours every day to stay successful.” Lee Greenwood who is a new part of our music and publishing family and the author of “God Bless the USA” told us in the conference room at his last visit that he worked for years and years in every kind of venue that would book him, large or small before his career took off and he became the legend he is today. Two time country music artist of the year Neal McCoy is doing several projects with us. He was Entertainer of the Year TWICE and said to me his bus one night after a packed out show, “It took me 13 years Richard before I had a hit. 13 years of any and every kind of gig until things took off. I work harder today than ever to keep us on the road doing what I love.” We love our relationship with the Oak Ridge Boys and their long time manager Jim Halsey. I was visiting with Joe Bonsall when the “Boys” were here recently and I asked him (they still do over 100 shows a year) what he would tell some of our new and aspiring authors and artists. He did not even hesitate. “They have to be willing to work. They have to be willing to sing or speak to 5 just like they would to 5,000. Most people think they should get their break because of the record label. Not so. It takes the label and the artist working hard every day. You don’t deserve that booking, you have to work for it and it HAS to be about your music or the message of your book first of all.”

Our marketing and publicists work hard to make each artist and each author as successful as possible. But, the biggest mistake I see authors and artists make is to think they deserve it and it should just “happen.” It takes hard work even after you have become a legend in the industry. Just ask Kenny Rogers.

Variance Magazine released its debut publication July 1st and has since garnished over 65,000 unique impressions

“Variance is a new venture and I think we hit it out of the park for our first issue. I had a goal of 50k impressions by the next issue and it looks like we will destroy that number” said Chris Rutherford. The magazine is another killer marketing option TMG is able to provide our artists with. Along with Nationwide TV commercials and radio programming Tate Music Group has a share in the three major marketing and advertising mediums available. As Tate Music Group grows so will our share in all three. Variance gives us a go to resource for ads, reviews and articles that demands the attention of people interested in music, books and media. Tate Music Group and Tate Publishing have been able to drive thousands of impressions to our artists and authors this last week that wasn't available two weeks ago. As the viewership increases over time these numbers and results will only get better.

With the positive responses we've received we are excited to get started on the next issue!

Country music icon Lee Greenwood, best known for his amazing hit song “God Bless the USA” and for twice being named CMA Male Vocalist of the Year, visited the Tate Publishing and Tate Music Group offices recently to discuss his future book and music projects. Mr. Greenwood performed “God Bless the USA” to honor local veterans during his visit. We are honored to have hosted him and look forward to future developments as they continue to unfold.

EVEN LESS SHELF SPACE AHEAD

If you've been around or talked to anyone in the music industry you've heard over and over that digital distribution is what matters 100% to 99.99% of the artists out there with a product. It allows artists to distribute their music to the masses 24/7. As an example Tate Music Group provides artists with over 170 different digital retail outlets through our partnership with E1 Entertainment. If asked right now I couldn't name you 17 physical retailers that sell music in today's economy and it looks like another Major Retail Chain is redirecting its focus.

Billboard reported today that "BEST BUYS LOOKS TOWARD GAMING"

-- "As Billboard already reported, Best Buy shares dropped 6% on weaker-than-expected quarterly profits. The company did not reveal much about music sales, but it did make clear the category was among the losers last quarter."

What that means in the long run. As expected retail chains have dramatically reduced their shelf space for music, and it looks like the trend will continue. The majority of CD sales come from live events. With the ability to download singles and albums over the internet, physical CD distribution is becoming extinct.

Radio Airplay

Rick Lee Promotions – Radio Promoter Q&A


1. What stations do you concentrate your efforts on for your clients?

I have phone conversations bi-weekly with all R&R (Billboard) Reporters and CRW Reporters. These are the stations that drive the charts and will influence most other stations in what they decide to spin. It is hard to imagine that there are around 150 music programmers that decide what most all of the country will hear on Christian Radio. Getting airplay on non reporting stations might help with booking in those areas but will do nothing to advance your results at radio.

2. What percentage of a chance does a new artist have in receiving a radio spin on a reporting station?

Bottom line is only “great” songs make it to radio. Now there are a number of opinions as to what constitutes a “great” song. One good way to gauge that is simply to ask yourself, or more importantly a non-biased party, is my song as good as the ones you hear on the radio? Understand that most of the songs that make the top 20 have had thousands of dollars put into production. Most of those songs have been written or co-written by writers who consistently have hit songs on the radio. A radio song must be great in lyric, performance and production.

Most stations have a short list of songs in their rotation. They have their top 20 and then a recurrent list that is usually made up of songs that are past top 20. There may be 5 songs in heavy rotation (30 spins) and the medium (20) and light may go down to 10 per week.

Stations are very hesitant to play new artists. Picture yourself driving down the road listening to your favorite station and you hear 5 songs in a row from famous artists that you love and then a song comes on from a person you have never heard of. Unless you are blown away by the first 5 seconds of the song you will be tempted to turn the dial. That thought scares a programmer to death. Radio needs listeners, that is how they either sell commercials or raise funds from listeners. Content is the key and they are trying to appeal to a broad spectrum of likes and dislikes. It is not easy.

3. Why do artists hire radio promoters? What is the average fee a radio promoter will charge for a single, what results should an artist expect?

Music programmers are inundated with requests to play music. A radio promoter is a voice that separates you from the hundreds of other appeals. A radio programmer adds credibility and will increase the chances of your song being heard. A good radio promoter should be able to assure you that your song has been heard by the key decision maker at the radio station. Once the promoter gets it to that point the song must stand on its own merit.

I would venture to say that if there is not a promoter out there working on your behalf your song will not be heard by 90% of the programmers. The only exception to this scenario is that there would be some sort of heightened awareness about the song through publicity, movie theme, great story etc.

A successful Christian AC radio promoter will charge $1500 per month, $6,000 over the life of the song.

4. What is the correct way an artist can promote their single to radio? Should they send physical CD’s?

Sending CD’s to radio stations is a thing of the past. A song will be better received at radio by sending the single through digital delivery services like PLAY MPE. This is an industry standard and is user friendly for programmers. Additionally using digital distribution will add credibility to the song and the artist as well as separating from the sea of songs they are going through. I would say the best way to get a “NO” from any significant radio station would be to take a CD to the station and/or call the station yourself. Another no-no is to get a mass number of people to call the station and try to convince them to spin your song. Once a song is getting spins then that is appropriate for people to call and say “I like that song…..”

5. Is it common place to see a label and a radio promoter to be one in the same?

It is expected that record labels like the music on their label. It is quite another thing for a promoter to believe and push the song along with other valid artists. Independent artists usually hire outside promoters.

Creating BUZZ

Whenever an artists arrives in marketing her at Tate Music Group one of their questions is "How do I create a buzz"? The simple answer is to network your butt off. TMG always emphasizes the importance of social networking...blogs, twitter, myspace, facebook etc...

Tate Music Group understands how important these networks are for artists that our production team goes as far as building and designing these sites for all of our guys so that they have a professional page to direct family, friends and fans too.

In a recent article in Billboard it looks like MTV understands the importance and power of social networking and wants to create an outlet where fans can follow artists and keep up with all of their network sites.

"MTV Networks wants to establish its Web properties as the go-to outlets for fans to track all of their favorite artists’ social media activities.

MTV executives said the initiative is aimed at "super-serving" music enthusiasts that expect back-and-forth relationships with their favorite performers, while enabling fans to foster those relationships in a single locale."

Regie Hamm's Release Party

Tate Music Group Director of Development and Music Operations Bryan Norris and Associate Director of TMG Marketing Chris Rutherford were in Nashville this past week for TMG Artist Regie Hamm’s official release party for both his new CD “Set it on Fire” and book “Angels and Idols”.

Regie’s release was held at the Nashville office of SESAC, where Regie has been a SESAC writer for over 16 years and awarded SESAC writer of the year 4 times. The turn out was really impressive with about 15 different media representatives in attendance close family and friends and a ton of industry pros. The place was packed!