Posted by Jessica Brandon on Fri, Mar 05, 2010 @ 03:03 PM
by Brandon, Sonicbids Member Relations Representative
I’m a pretty cheap guy. This doesn’t seem to help much in the dating scene, but can quite useful as a musician, instruments cost hundreds of dollars a piece and unless you’ve reached a certain level of success, it’s difficult to pay that back quickly, if at all. So, when starting out you’ll want to minimize your costs as much as possible while gradually increasing your presence both locally and (inter)nationally. I’ve found quite a few ways to do so, and thought I’d share them. Obviously the possibilities are endless, so feel free to comment here and share your ideas as well.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FRIENDS AND STUDENTS
Hiring big names for collaborations is great for quick exposure, but if you’re short on cash, there are alternatives. Friends, local contacts and students are great ones for several reasons:
1) They (in most cases) know you already, so you can form a personal relationship in addition to a professional one.
2) They may even be more motivated to help out (students in particular – see below).
3) They are less expensive to hire.
If you have a brother who’s a marketing genius, for instance, perhaps try to get him on board to help you with marketing your project and creating your brand.
I also mentioned this in my last post, but colleges are a cesspool of many things, including budding young talent. Aspiring art students are looking for their big break in graphic design, photography or illustration — hire a student who understands your branding goals to do your artwork for you. Since they’re just starting out, they won’t be as expensive to hire as a renowned artist, and may do equally great work.
EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY WITH YOUR WEB PRESENCE
A couple of ideas here:
1) Email your Electronic Press Kit. It’s free to do with your Myspace or Sonicbids account, and you can track when the recipient actually opens the electronic press kit unlike in a normal email. This is a good way to save cash while getting that closure you need.
2) Build a cheap website. While sites like Sonicbids, MySpace, Facebook, etc. allow you to promote your band and its identity, you’ll want a home site on the internet, which helps secure that identity at an easy-to-find location (yourbandname.com, for instance). Building a website seems daunting at first, but there are tons of cheap/free services out there to help make this relatively painless, both on your brain and your wallet. I’ve personally found Wordpress, known for its blogging capabilities, to be an immensely powerful site-building tool as well, and it’s totally free to use. Check out a great example of a Wordpress-powered site for Sonicbids band Stereogrove here.
BE SMART ABOUT PROMOTIONS AND TOURING
When The Seedy Seeds came by the Sonicbids office recently, I had a good conversation with Brian, one of the masterminds behind the band, who mentioned their small, incremental touring method, rather than going all-out on a massive national tour. This is a smart way to approach touring: there’s no sense in blowing all your cash on a great tour and then not being able to afford another one after that, losing that expanded fanbase you just got in a matter of weeks. Try a shorter approach to touring, by doing short, frequent trips to very specific targeted regions. Also take some time to study the music scenes of those regions: there’s no sense in playing metal in a city where indie rock is all the rage.
Again, there’s a ton of possibilities here. This is just a start, so please comment away, or feel free to reach me and the Sonicbids Member Relations Team.
Posted by Jessica Brandon on Wed, Feb 10, 2010 @ 09:40 AM
By Molly-Ann Leikin, Songwriting Consultant
The music business is a business. The people we need to connect with on a professional level may look street and talk street, but when money is at stake – especially big money, which is often the case in our industry – we serve ourselves best by acting and doing business like the pro’s.
That means conducting ourselves as we would in any other business - whether it’s selling seashells, stocks or sour cream cinnamon raisin coffee cake, nuts optional. It’s not about what we want. It’s what the guy on the other side of desk needs, and, assuming we have it, trying to determine how best to present it.
Say you’re a pretzel baker and I’m the World Distributer. I would expect you to approach me the way my already established clients do. Remember, as the Pretzel Honcho, I have thousands of people coming at me every day with pitches. Therefore, to get my attention, what you’re selling has to sound as good or read as well as, if not better, than everyone else’s. Notice I didn’t say your product, I said your pitch, because, since I’m Pretzel Queen, if you don’t catch my ear or eye, you’re out.
Only if your pitch is interesting, will I be willing to try your pretzel. I didn’t make that up. That’s how business is conducted, no matter what the product.
The initial part of your pitch is the presentation.
Fancy jewel cases containing photos of your dying iguana lying on a copy of your past-due rent slip, or dancing adorable treble clefs breaking out as rashes all over your letterhead, don’t cut it. Use a simple jewel case, include a short letter stating your goal, plus a professional, accurate business card identifying you as your music self. Leave out the jicama franchise and your muffler academy. We’re only talking music here, okay?
Further, if you want to be taken seriously, don’t send anyone an unidentified CD or a lyric scribbled on a used paper towel. Nor should you send a CD in a collapsed tangerine box stuffed with toilet paper, no lyric, and no contact information. Please - put your name, address, email address, and phone number on each item, making sure your spelling is correct and the information is easy to read.
Remember, perception is everything.
You deserve to be successful. And I’m confident you’ll see that by taking the time to make a thoroughly professional presentation, you’ll already be halfway there.
© 2010 Molly-Ann Leikin
www.songmd.com
Molly-Ann Leikin (rhymes with bacon) is a songwriting consultant with dozens of gold and platinum records plus an Emmy nomination. The author of “How To Write A Hit Song, Fifth Edition” and “How To Be A Hit Songwriter”, and the producer of “Molly-Ann Leikin’s Master Class in Songwriting”, Molly consults with talented writers and artists all over the world, with a view to helping them market their material. She also matches lyricists with composers. And she’s very good at it. Three of her clients have Grammy nominations, another won an Emmy, and so far, 5067 others, with Molly’s help, have placed their work in movies, on TV, CD’s and in commercials. Molly has also written articles for USA Songwriting Competition e-mail newsletters.
Her website is www.songmd.com, and you can reach her at songmd@songmd.com. If you live in the USA or Canada, you can call her toll-free at 800-851-6588. However, please check her website first so your conversation is as productive as possible. Deal?
Posted by Jessica Brandon on Thu, Jan 28, 2010 @ 11:38 AM
We have received e-mails from many songwriters and unsigned artists that haev asked us where can they get heard. Here are a list of radio stations that will play your material:
KTRL Radio
attn: Drew Slattery (Music Director), 90.5 KTRL, Box T-0095, Tarleton State U. Stephenville TX 76402
www.tarleton.edu/ktrl
A new station looking for all styles of Folk, Roots/Americana, Country and World Music.
KURT Radio
attn: Drew Slattery (Music Director), 100.7 KURT, Box T-0095, Tarleton State U. Stephenville TX 76402
www.tarleton.edu/ktrl
Send us your Rock music.
KYHY
PO Box 3422, Burbank, CA 91508
Jerry j.dailey@925thewhy.com
www.925kyhy.com
We have rocked Burbank, Los Angeles County and the World since May 1, 2008 and we continue to do so for one reason – independent music.
KRIM
500 E. Tyler Pkwy. Ste. A, Payson, AZ 85541
PH: 928-978-3795
Kit McGuire kit@krimfm.com
www.krim-fm.com
I am well known for presenting unsigned/Indie artists to the masses. Since we are about to stream (target date is April 1st) this will give artists a major boost and worldwide exposure. I personally screen all the artist's demos, media kits, promo packs, track-by-track myself. I screen for great music from artists hard at work touring and fullfilling their dream. I venture to say that I turn down at least 87% of what I hear. My show is only 2 hours long weekdays here so I am searching for the best artists there are!
High Plains Morning - HPPR
101 W. 5th St. #100, Amarillo, TX 79101
PH: 806-367-9088
Johnny Black music@hppr.org
www.hppr.org
Singer/Songwriters, Bluegrass, Contemporary Folk, World, Jazz and much more. Includes a performance studio.
WFUV (90.7 FM and WFUV.org)
eva@buzzwordpr.com
Feature established and emerging New York City-based indie rock and other styles.
Samm Brown's "For The Record", a weekly radio program on KPFK 90.7 FM, is seeking artists/bands for airplay and critique. Each Sunday, Brown hosts a program that focuses on the entertainment industry in general and the music business in particular. Send a package to Samm Brown's For The Record, KPFK Radio, 90.7 FM, 11054 Ventura Blvd. No. 237, Studio City, CA. 91604.
Radio Rietveld
Frederik Roeskestraat 96, 1076 ED Amsterdam, The Netherlands
PH: 003120-5711600 FX: 003120-5711654
Hans Kuiper/ Gijs Muller radiorietveld@gmail.com
www.radiorietveld.nl
We feature independent music, originally produced programs, soundscapes, radio plays, interviews and art specials. We are connected to the Gerrit Rietveld Art Academy in Amsterdam.
WBMB Baruch College Radio, 87.9 FM The Biz
55 Lexington Ave. Ste. 3-280, New York, NY 10010
PH: 646-312-4720
Gina Alioto ginanalioto@gmail.com
www.wbmbradio.com
Featuring all styles of music.
WNCW - Isothermal College
PO Box 804, Spindale, NC 28160
PH: 828-287-8000 x349 FX: 828-287-8012
Martin Anderson marting@wncw.org
www.wncw.org
We're always looking for new Americana, Rock, Singer/Songwriter and World music to play.
WOJB - Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa College
13386 W. Trepania Rd. Hayward, WI 54843
PH: 715-634-2100 FX: 715-634-4070
Nicky Kellar programdirector@wojb.org
www.wojb.org
We're one of the most diverse and popular stations in Wisconsin.
KRCK-FM 97.7
73-733 Fred Waring Dr. #201, Palm Desert, CA 92260
PH: 760-341-0123 FX: 760-341-7455
The Big KC kc@krck.com
http://www.krck.com
KRCK supports local talent and encourages independent artists. Rock & Alternative format.
*The list of radio stations have been complied from our staff here at
USA Songwriting Competition as well as
Indie Bible directory.
Posted by Jessica Brandon on Mon, Jan 25, 2010 @ 06:52 PM
These are the top 10 USA Songwriting Competition winners of the decade:
1. Kate Voegele (2005 USA Songwriting Competition, 1st Prize Winner, Pop) appeared on "The Tonight Show" with Conan O'Brien performing her hit song "99 Times", a Billboard Adult Top 40 Hit, peaking at #24. She hit Top 10 On Billboard 200 Albums Chart on June 15, 20. Her album "A Fine Mess" was released on Interscope/MySpace records. Her winning song"Only Fooling Yourself" hit the Billboard charts at #37.
2. Ari Gold. Winner of the 12th Annual USA Songwriting Competition (2007). After his win in the USA Songwriting Competition, Ari's winning song went on to hit #10 on the Billboard Charts, #1 on Sirius OutQ, #1 on Logo TV, etc.
3. Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer. They won the first prize in the Children's music category of the 2005 competition for their song "Scat Like That". The album of the same name won a Grammy award in the "Best Musical Album For Children" category.
4. (3 way tie) Kyler England, Gabriel Mann and Adrianne Gonzalez. Kyler England (2009 USA Songwriting Competition 1st Prize Winner), Gabriel Mann (2003 USA Songwriting Competition Overall Grand Prize Winner) & Adrianne Gonzalez (1999 Overall Grand Prize Winner) formed a Pop group "The Rescues", were just signed to Universal Republic Records in 2009.
7. Sarah Lonsert. Only 17 years old, not only broke the first prize record of being the youngest winner but also the overall grand prize winner of being the youngest winner ever. The previous youngest first prize winner was Kate Voegele, who won in 2005 at 18 years old. Adrianne Gonzalez was the youngest overall grand prize winner at 22 years old when she won in 1999. Sarah also won first prize in the Dance/Electronica category, making her the first from that category to ever win the overall grand prize. Sarah Lonsert will be releasing a full length CD earlier next year. Although Sarah suffers from autism (first autistic winner ever), she is a budding singer-songwriter and has also won the L.A. Music Awards a month before her win.
8. Darrell Scott. His song "Good Ol USA" (first prize winner of the country category in 2005) was released by Faith Hill's album in 2006.
9. Vikki Simpson. Vikki became the first non-USA based musician to ever will the overall grand prize at the USA Songwriting Competition. She achieved that in 2006. She is part of the award winning group "The Waifs".
10. Steve Tannen. Steve won the overall grand prize in 2001. He went on to get signed by Nettwerk records with his duo "The Weepies" .
Posted by Jessica Brandon on Thu, Jan 14, 2010 @ 04:25 PM
Haiti faced a natural disaster of unprecedented proportion, an earthquake unlike anything the country has ever experienced. The magnitude 7.0 earthquake - and several very strong aftershocks - struck only 10 miles from Port-au-Prince. Wyclef Jean, member of the hit group "The Fugees" has created a charity fund:
http://www.yele.org
Posted by Jessica Brandon on Tue, Dec 15, 2009 @ 04:17 PM
The 2007 Overall Grand Prize winning song of the USA Songwriting Competition "Where The Music Takes You" written & performed by Ari Gold will be on ABC TV's "Scrubs" on 12/16/09. The winning song hit Top 10 on the Billboard Charts 6 months after winning the competition.
Posted by Jessica Brandon on Wed, Dec 09, 2009 @ 01:18 PM
Teen phenom Sarah Lonsert won the Overall Grand Prize of the 14th Annual USA Songwriting Competition along with co-writer Jonathan George. Her winning song "Dancing Through Life" will be on the USA Songwriting Competition's compilation CD next year. Sarah Lonsert, only 17 years old, not only broke the first prize record of being the youngest winner but also the overall grand prize winner of being the youngest winner ever. The previous youngest first prize winner was Kate Voegele, who won in 2005 at 18 years old. Adrianne Gonzalez was the youngest overall grand prize winner at 22 years old when she won in 1999. Sarah also won first prize in the Dance/Electronica category, making her the first from that category to ever win the overall grand prize. Sarah Lonsert will be releasing a full length CD earlier next year. Although Sarah suffers from autism, she is a budding singer-songwriter and has also won the L.A. Music Awards last month.
Eric Colville (from Ipswich, MA) won the overall second prize and Anne Simoni (from Brazil) won the overall third prize.
This year also marks the first time that USA Songwriting Competition had two winners from Spain. Ariel Queupumil from Guadalajara, Spain won the first prize in the Latin Category while Eduardo de la Iglesia Nieto from Madrid, Spain won the First Prize in the instrumental category.
Celeste Scalone, an American Idol semi-finalist and "Making The Band" reality tv show finalist won 1st prize in the R&B category.
Nicole Morier and Fabien Waltman from Los Angeles won the first prize in the Pop category. Nicole has written songs for Britney Spears and is also an artist. Helle Hansen (from Denmark) tied with Ariel Queupumil for having the most songs in the finals, at 5 songs each. Here is the list of winners:
OVERALL GRAND PRIZE WINNER:
Sarah Lonsert
Dancing Through Life - Sarah Lonsert & Jonathan George; Mission Viejo, CA
OVERALL 2nd PRIZE:
End of War - Eric Colville; Ipswich, MA
OVERALL 3rd PRIZE:
Papagaio - Anne Simoni; BRAZIL
FIRST PRIZES IN EACH CATEGORY:
1st Prize - LATIN
Fruto Prohibido - Ariel Queupumil; Guadalajara, SPAIN
1st Prize - LYRICS
End of War - Eric Colville; Ipswich, MA
1st Prize - R&B
Red Light - Celeste Scalone & Enpho; Sherman Oaks, CA
1st Prize - DANCE/ELECTRONICA
Dancing Through Life - Sarah Lonsert and Jonathan George; Mission Viejo, CA
1st Prize - FOLK
Bullets To Bite - Melissa Greener; Austin, TX
1st Prize - COUNTRY
You and I - Kyler England; Los Angeles, CA
1st Prize - ROCK/ALTERNATIVE
I'm Not - Carla Cappa; Blue Bell, PA
1st Prize - POP
Good Boy - Nicole Morier & Fabien Waltman; Los Angeles, CA
1st Prize - HIP-HOP/RAP
Strange Kinda Love - Ashley J. Llorens, Monique Harcum, Steven Boel & SoulStice; Columbia, MD
1st Prize - WORLD
Papagaio - Anne Simoni; BRAZIL
1st Prize - INSTRUMENTAL
The Pursuit - Eduardo de la Iglesia Nieto; Madrid, SPAIN
1st Prize - JAZZ
Your Eyes - Vanessa Moodley; Durban, SOUTH AFRICA
1st Prize - GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL
Every Time - Tom Poulter; NSW, AUSTRALIA
1st Prize - NOVELTY/COMEDY
The Starbucks of County Down - Greg Trafidlo, Neal Phillips & John Seay; Salem, VA
1st Prize - CHILDREN
Tallest Tree - Jeremy and Rebecca; Visalia, CA
Honorable Mention Awards
1. Vamo Ya - Peter Torsiello & Liliana de Leon; Mesa, AZ
2. Beautiful Life - Claire Ulanoff, Will Hopkins; Nashville, TN
3. Anyway U Want - Nichole C. Minor aka Alias; Washington D.C.
4. This is My Life - Andrea Benham; Bloomfield, NJ
5. The Peddler - Maria Dunn; Edmonton, CANADA
6. Hurricane - (Mandee Radford) Alathea; Unicoi, TN
7. The Runner - Jesse Terry/Fred Wilhelm; Nashville, TN
8. Bait Shack - (Whitelaw, Lewis & Lewis ) Jimi Whitelaw; Gallatin, TN
9. Hard To Smile - ORBO & The Longshots; Os, NORWAY
10. Waiting - Jonathan Ferreri & Chris Upton; Nashvile, TN
11. Guitar - Carsten Lindberg, Joachim Svare, J. Belle & Jayden; Loa Angeles, CA
12. Eye for an Eye - Rebecca Wolfers & Dirtywings; Queensland, AUSTRALIA
13. Vai-e-Vem - Luiz Simas; New York, NY
14. Reason For Me To Smile - Helle Hansen & Ole Kibsgaard; Copenhagen, DENMARK
15. Where There Are Dreams - Jen Waters & Bob Farrell; Toluca Lake, CA
16. What I Do With Your Time - (Anadara Arnold and Stephanie Lewis) Anadara; Nashville, TN
17. I've Done It - Brent Lillie & Paul Harris; Queensland, AUSTRALIA
18. Jubilation - Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer; Kensington, MD
19. Woman In The Dark - Dewi Puspita; Bali, INDONESIA
20. Hypnotized - Beezy; Commerce City, CO
Entries are currently being accepted for the 15th Annual USA Songwriting Competition. Winning songs of the 15th Annual USA Songwriting Competition will receive airplay on a nationally syndicated radio program "Acoustic Café" as well as Sirius XM Satellite Radio. This is the first Songwriting Competition that gives airplay to the winning songs, giving deserving bands, songwriters the recognition and exposure they deserve. Entrants stand to win a grand prize of over US$50,000 in cash and music gear from sponsors such as Sony, D'Addario Strings, Ibanez Guitars, Audio-Technica, IK Multimedia, and more, making this the largest prize package for any annual songwriting competition. For more information on the 15th Annual USA Songwriting Competition, visit:
http://www.songwriting.net
Posted by Jessica Brandon on Thu, Jul 23, 2009 @ 11:02 AM
6th Annual IAMA (International Acoustic Music Awards) is currently accepting entries, this awards competition is judged based on songwriting, performance & artistry. Win prizes in 8 different categories: Best Male Artist, Best Female Artist, Best Group/Duo, Folk/Americana/Roots, AAA/Alternative, Instrumental, Open, Bluegrass/Country. There will also be an Overall Grand Prize winner awarded to the top winner worth US$11,000, which includes radio promotion to over 250 radio stations in US and Canada! Also, our past winners Charlie Dore and The Refugees will be featured on Acoustic Cafe, a syndicated radio program. You may also obtain the entry form at:
http://www.inacoustic.com/entryform.htmlOr enter online, *FREE EARLY ENTRY BONUS: First 1,000 entrants will each receive a FREE subscription from Broadjam worth $25.00 (first 1,000 entrants, must be entered by Oct 31st or earlier, so hurry!) :
http://www.broadjam.com/contests/details/contest/index.php?contest_id=1493
Posted by Jessica Brandon on Thu, Jul 23, 2009 @ 10:37 AM
Kate Voegele not only hit the big time by landing #10 on the Billboard 200 Album charts but also appeared earlier this week on Tonight Show "Conan O'Brien" on July 20, 2009. Kate got her start right here by winning the 2005 USA Songwriting Competition and she is still the youngest first prize winner at 18 years old at that time.
Posted by Jessica Brandon on Sat, Jul 11, 2009 @ 10:52 AM
Songwriting Critiques Week - Exclusive Midsummer Week Promotion!
Sonicbids & 14th Annual USA Songwriting Competition are offering songwriting critiques. This is exclusively for the week of 7/10/09 to 7/17/09. Yes, only all songs submitted during this time period will each receive a songwriting critique.
Winning songs will receive radio airplay in United States and Canada along with great prizes such as a Top Prize of over $50,000. Past years winning songs went on to hit the charts as well as get placed with various recording artists. You could hit the Top 40 charts or have your song placed on TV, Film or various recording artists and receive execellent exposure!
Sponsors of the 14th Annual Competition are: Acoustic Guitar Magazine, New Music Weekly, Sony, Audio-Technica, Ibanez Guitars, D'Addario Strings, Cakewalk, Sam Ash Music Stores, Singer & Musician magazine, Mi7.com, Overloud, Sonoma Wireworks, Intellitouch Tuners, SongFrame Software, Indie Bible, Acoustic Café Radio Program, Livewire Contacts, AirplayAccess.com, Loggins Promotion, Superdups.com, Sirius XM Radio, Broadjam & Sonicbids.
Hurry, you must your songs enter no later than July 17, 2009:
http://www.sonicbids.com/usasong