Posted: Dec 11, 2013

Category: Renman Music & Business

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This playlist is a group of videos arranged to get a manager's head in the right place for success. It starts off with the basics of what a manager does, from what to expect to what your actual role is. The playlist ends with a forward by Brandon Boyd, which perfectly describes the relationship of artist and manager, and gives insights on what it takes to succeed and work together over long periods of time.

Posted: Dec 3, 2013

Category: Renman Music & Business

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No matter what you do in life, it's helpful to have a mentor that can help show you the way. This is especially true in the music industry, but having a mentor in this biz is much easier said than done! In this clip, industry analyst Bob Lefsetz tells us that the music business is of renegades and if you have a mentor, you're lucky!

Posted: Dec 2, 2013

Category: Show Booking

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**Guest post written by Joy Ike, creator of Grassrootsy.com and Independent Musician, as featured on Grassrootsy.com.

"STEP 1: Perfect your performance. Play as many open stages as you can to network with others and solidify your stage presence. Become a familiar face and make sure you get to really know the people. Give this a 6-month time period." Click the title to read numbers 2-7, including an in-depth description of each crucial step...

Posted: Nov 27, 2013

Category: Renman Music & Business

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In this highlight clip, Nate Ruess, lead singer of grammy award winning band Fun., talks about his career and path in the music business. Nate has a fantastic story about coming up in the business and prior to superstardom with his band Fun., he had given up all hopes of commercial success. Nate leaves us with a handful of great quotes to remember and motivate everyone trying to make a career out of their music.

Posted: Nov 13, 2013

Category: Renman Music & Business

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Jack Conte is a musician, businessman, and creative entrepreneur. He's probably best known as one half of the band Pomplamoose, but what we didn't know was what an interesting perspective he has on today's music industry. In this clip, Jack talks about what it takes to be successful in today's music business and how the industry has changed from massive rock stars to everyday hustlers. It's the rise of the middle class musician!

Posted: Oct 28, 2013

Category: The Musician Business

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**Guest post written by Brian Penick, author of Musicians' Desk Reference and Touring Musician, as featured on Billboard.com.

1. Reality Check! (Setting Milestones + Goals) 2. Proper Merch Mentality 3. Take Care Of Yourself First - Initial Self-Servicing...

Posted: Oct 23, 2013

Category: Renman Music & Business

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Everyone that's somewhere in this music industry got there somehow. Getting your foot in the door in the music industry is a tough thing to do and no matter how you get your start, it's even more difficult to get to that next level. Take a few minutes and listen to program director of KROQ, Lisa Worden, talk about how she got coffee, held table reservations, and did what it took to move up in the biz.

Posted: Oct 9, 2013

Category: Renman Music & Business

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As an artist, it's hard to make creative decisions based on money. Sure, you need cash to make a living, but when it becomes your main decision maker, you can run into trouble down the road. In this clip, musician and founder of Artist Growth, Matt Urmy, talks about these challenges and how he's learned to deal with them. In addition, Matt reminds us how an artist in today's Music Industry needs momentum and traction on the business side to supplement the music.

Posted: Oct 2, 2013

Category: Renman Music & Business

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In the music industry, you're going to run into the word "no" more times than you will the word "yes" and if you're going to make a career in this biz, you can't take no for an answer! In this clip, record exec and A&R heavyweight Jason Flom talks about why this is important and gives great advice on NOT taking no for an answer. Jason's enjoyed a long career in the music business and most recently signed Lorde and handled the record-label business behind her new album "New Heroine".

Posted: Sep 23, 2013

Category: Sponsorship

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**Guest post written by Justin Stang of Science!, Seattle based acoustic guitar duo.

Tour sponsorship is one way that a band can generate funds for a tour in order to start off in a place of relative financial security. This is particularly important because the first few dates of a trip might be a few tanks of gas apart, and you never know if your Tuesday night show in San Francisco is going to pan out quite the way you had hoped. Bands commonly desire endorsement deals with music companies in exchange for gear; however, this idea is something completely different...

Posted: Aug 28, 2013

Category: Renman Music & Business

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Seth Hurwitz is a partner at I.M.P. Productions and a longtime veteran concert promoter. As part owner of the 9:30 Club in Washington DC, Seth has been involved in the independent promotion business for decades and his experiences in the business shaped a "realist" attitude toward the industry, to say the least. In this clip, Seth advises aspiring artists to simply: bring it. And for the aspiring business professionals, Seth says the key to success is to figure out what reality is, stick by it, and don't change your version of it because someone's trying to change your version of it. Wise words from an experienced veteran.

Posted: Aug 26, 2013

Category: Show Booking

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**Guest post written by Ari Herstand, a DIY singer-songwriter from Los Angeles, CA with 500+ shows under his belt, as featured in his blog "Ari's Take". 

"...But what all the non-superstar musicians in LA have in common is, when we play a show in town we accept shitty shitty deals...This isn't going to be a post about LA (as that could fill a book), but rather the issue of "pay to play" clubs. Let's explore some of the many scenarios bands get offered by venues and promoters every day..."

Posted: Jul 15, 2013

Category: The Lefsetz Letter

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**Guest Post by Bob Lefsetz of The Lefsetz Letter.

"DON'T DEPEND ON THIRD PARTIES - Being an artist is doing it your way. Now you no longer need a label, gatekeepers are not as powerful as they once were, so why are you playing to them? Of course it's more difficult going your own way, but that's the paradigm of the future. He who plays by the rules gets left behind..."

Posted: Jul 3, 2013

Category: Renman Music & Business

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From Imagine Dragons to Eminem and Rihanna, Alex Da Kid works with and produces the biggest artists of today's music business. Currently, Alex is flying high thanks to his production on the smash single RadioActive by Imagine Dragons. In addition to producing, Alex recently started his own record label Kid In A Korner in partnership with Interscope. In this clip, Alex talks about who helped him along his career path and why he studies successful people's careers to help him in his own.

Posted: Jul 2, 2013

Category: Live Performance

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**Guest post written by Nifty of MusicFullTime.com.

"Begin by thinking of yourself as more than just a “hired” musician playing for an evening in a nice (or not so nice) restaurant. Viewing this opportunity as a typical “gig” is actually a 9 to 5 mentality that’s fatal to your income potential. The restaurant has hired you, not for the purpose of doing “you” a favor, nope. The restaurant owner is trying to add value to her customers."

Posted: Jun 28, 2013

Category: The Musician Business

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**Guest Post by Bret Alexander of The Badlees and Saturation Acres.

Music doesn’t sell in the numbers it once did, but a bigger variety is being consumed. There is so much more to choose from. Everyone is splintering into thousands of little niches. So your best course of action as a creator is to nurture and take care of the core people who are really passionate about what you do...[And]...

You have to do everything yourself. And that means booking, teaching lessons, playing shitty gigs for cash, producing, making your own records, working in a music store, etc. etc. You can’t specialize anymore...

Posted: Jun 17, 2013

Category: The Lefsetz Letter

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**Guest Post by Bob Lefsetz of The Lefsetz Letter.

"The major music business, the "new music" business, is built upon radio, it depends upon it....[but] just like music piracy is a dead conversation, just like streaming has eclipsed it, terrestrial radio is dying...however, its replacement has not reared its head yet. Therefore the oldsters say radio is forever. But lousy sales figures of today's mass market records proves this to be wrong...[so] The young acts of today have to depend upon the young entrepreneurs of today to build their careers..."

Posted: May 16, 2013

Category: The Lefsetz Letter

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**Guest Post by Bob Lefsetz of The Lefsetz Letter.

"...That's one thing wrong with the younger generation, they date in groups, they want to be a member of the club, individuality is shunned. But when it comes to lasting art, individuality is key..."

Posted: May 13, 2013

Category: The Musician Business

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**Guest post written by Nifty of MusicFullTime.com.

"What many struggling artists fail to realize is that “successful” musicians operate with solid business principles. Successful business models – for the most part – can be applied across different businesses and areas of life. The primary business principle I’m talking about is “putting your customer first”; in this case, your “customers” are your fans. Fall in love with your fans and stop falling in love with your own music..."

Posted: Apr 9, 2013

Category: Renman Music & Business

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Tom Windish heads up The Windish Agency as President, representing one of the most diverse and eclectic rosters in the music business. Operating on gut and killer instinct, Tom moves fast and snatches up his talent early. That can be both wonderful and intimidating all at the same time because The Windish Agency gets the chance to develop their touring plan and add value to the band before they take that leap to the next level. But, what is their strategy to develop and build that band on the live side? Sometimes, their acts haven't even played a live show yet! So, how do they get the band the necessary reps to build up and deliver a mind-blowing concert? Find out right here with Mr. Windish!