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.