Latest Indie News

  • Amanda Palmer's Lessons For Musicians Too Uncomfortable To Ask Their Fans For Money

    Mar 12

    By Levi James (@launchrelease) of music crowdfunding blog Launch + Release. At the 5:55 minute mark of Amanda Palmer’s now legendary TED talk, I actually teared up a bit. I could totally relate. She talks about the un-documented immigrant family who sleeps on the couches and the floor in their small apartment so that Amanda and her band can take the beds. Amanda lies in bed with a sinking feeling of “These people have so little. Is this fair?” In the morning the Mom expresses her...

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  • Come Say Hi to CD Baby This Week at SXSW

    Mar 12

    CD Baby’s Official SXSW Day Party & Evening Showcase Once again, CD Baby is headed down south to Austin for SXSW! We want to get some “face-time” with CD Baby artists and our industry pals, so we’re hosting a couple big events while we’re there. Hopefully you’ll come visit with us for a bit. First,… CD Baby / Rumblefish Day Party at SXSW When: Wednesday, March 13th  2-5pm Where: Darwin’s Pub: 223 East 6th Street, Austin, TX 78701 (@ San Jacinto) Bands: 2-2:30pm – MC...

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  • Big Boi and B.o.B. Star in Army of TWO: The Devil's Cartel Game, Watch "Double or Nothing" Video

    Mar 12

    Big Boi is back with new music following Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors. "Double or Nothing" is a collaboration with B.o.B, and it's for the video game Army of TWO: The Devil's Cartel. Both Big Boi and B.o.B. also play characters in the game itself. According to a press release, "From facial features and body movement down to their tattoos, the duo has been recreated in-game where they play the role of TWO operatives, helping players blast their way through Mexico’s most dangerous cartel."...

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  • The Artist As Entrepeneur, D2F & More w/CEO Of ioumusic [Upward Spiral Podcast]

    Mar 12

    This episode, we're joined by Rob MacArthur of ioumusic.com. We discuss how the tenets of entrepreneurialism and the "lean startup" apply to bands, and we evaluate whether the Direct-To-Fan business model has reached its full potential. Plus news on industry revenues, Amanda Palmer's TED talk, and recommendations for beer, apps, and more! Plus, meet up with Jason at SXSW for the chance to hear your voice on an upcoming show! Listen for details. Resources: Industry Revenues...

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  • YouTube Video Tips & Tools From The Music Playbook To vidIQ

    Mar 12

    YouTube remains one of the core web and mobile tools for musicians for so many reasons from revenue generation to social media power. While some consider YouTube a fair weather friend, especially when the topic of revenue arises, it's an inescapable part of most working musicians' lives. Here are a variety of tips and tools for upping your YouTube video game. YouTube's Music Playbook Guide YouTube's Creator Playbook is an official source for tips and insights on improving your YouTube...

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  • Watch AraabMuzik's "The Prince Is Coming" Video

    Mar 12

    AraabMuzik's video for "The Prince Is Coming", off his new mixtape For Professional Use Only, begins with the following words: "In the age of legends, the story of man was written in rhythm." And it goes from there, depicting an ancient civilization in which the MPC seems to be worshipped as a holy object. The clip was directed by Tilla. Watch it below, via TrillHD. Watch AraabMuzik perform "Streetz Tonight" at last year's Pitchfork Music Festival:

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  • School of Seven Bells Raising Money for Benjamin Curtis' Cancer Treatment

    Mar 12

    Photo by Abbey Drucker Last month, we reported the unfortunate news that School of Seven Bells guitarist Benjamin Curtis has been diagnosed with T-cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma. Now, a fund has been set up at SupportBenjaminCurtis.com to offset the cost of his treatment "so he can focus his energy on getting better and getting back to making more of the music we all love," according to a press release. "Every little bit will aid in a fast and positive recovery." "He is responding really well to...

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  • New Music Stats From Spotify & Facebook: 24 Million Users, 40 Billion Plays

    Mar 12

    This morning Spotify shared new users stats. The music streamer added 1 million paying subscribers for a new total of 6 million, or 25% of 24 million current active users. That's impressive growth - faster it appears than it's competitors, but still far from enough to allow the company to turn a profit. Facebook Stats: More than 1 billion instances of app activity are shared via Facebook daily, the company announced at SXSW 2013 Sunday. As for music: 110 million songs, albums, and...

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  • Top Managers Team For Int'l Publishing Venture

    Mar 12

    Danny Rogers, manager of Gotye and The Temper Trap, has teamed up with Adam Tudhope, manager of Mumford & Sons, to form And Publishing. The new venture will have offices in both London, where Thomas Child will handle A&R; and Sydney, where A&R duties will be handled by Travis Banko, theMusic.com.au reported. Kobalt Music Group has been brought aboard to provide administrative services. “That’s going to be a huge point of difference for us. There are plenty of good young managers...

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  • Apple Joins Digital Resale Movement. Ready For Even Less MP3 Revenue?

    Mar 12

    In January, Amazon was granted a patent on tech related to the resale of digital content and now Apple has filed their own version. Not only are they covering quite a bit of ground with their patents but ReDigi is in court defending its digital resale system while a recent case in Europe supports the idea. This growing momentum means that musicians have to be prepared for the possibility of another hit to music revenue streams. Apple Insider broke the news last week that Apple has filed a...

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