IOTM Blog
Posted: Dec 18, 2024
Category: Tips & Tricks
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**Guest post originally featured in the Symphonic Distribution Blog.
"Every year from about mid-December onward, the music industry becomes a ghost town. People start going on vacation and taking time off, major label artist releases slow down big time, and for indie artists, it’s no man’s land. And while that coupled with the frigid temperatures might be enough to have you hunkering down and never leaving the safety of your home for the next few months, this time of year is actually incredibly powerful for setting yourself up for success. Here’s everything you need to know..."
View Full ArticlePosted: Mar 5, 2024
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post written by James Hill, a veteran of the music industry. He has worked at Warner Reprise Records and then Interscope/ Geffen Records and now helps indie artists with branding and manufacturing through his company Unified Manufacturing, a CD/DVD, custom vinyl records and merch company in LA.
"So, you’ve finally decided to release an album. Wuhoo! But listen up – getting your album out there isn’t just about tossing it into the world. It’s more like planning a grand wedding for 1000 people – you need a solid plan. In this guide, we’re going through fifteen essential tips—covering everything from using digital tools to finding the right partners—to make your album release stress-free (or at least less stressful than usual). Let’s get started!" View Full Article
Posted: Dec 6, 2023
Category: Tips & Tricks
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**Guest post originally featured in the Symphonic Distribution Blog.
"Every year from about mid-December on, the music industry becomes a ghost town. People start going on vacation, taking time-off, major label artist releases slow down big time, and for indie artists, it’s no man’s land. And while that, coupled with the frigid temperatures, might be enough to have you hunkering down and never leaving the safety of your home for the next few months, this time of year is actually incredibly powerful for setting yourself up for success. You just have to know how to take advantage of it. Here’s how..."
View Full ArticlePosted: Jan 3, 2023
Category: Promotion
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**Guest post by One Submit, the ultimate music submission platform.
"If you're an independent artist and currently promoting your music by yourself without the help of a label, the process can be sometimes hard and take valuable time and effort. The purpose of this article is to give you some tips and links on how and where you can promote your music easily and efficiently."
Posted: Dec 7, 2022
Category: Tips & Tricks
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**Guest post originally featured in the Symphonic Distribution Blog.
"Every year, from about mid-December on, the music industry becomes a ghost town. People start going on vacation, taking time-off, major label artist releases slow down big time, and for indie artists, it’s no man’s land. And while that, coupled with the frigid temperatures, might be enough to have you want to hunker down and avoid leaving the safety of your home for the next few months, this time of year is actually incredibly powerful for setting yourself up for success. You just have to know how to take advantage of it. Here’s how..."
View Full ArticlePosted: Mar 21, 2022
Category: Selling Music
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**Guest post written by Melanie Kealey of Bandzoogle.
"Whether you’re an up and coming indie artist, or have a new album almost ready, releasing a single is a great way to create some momentum around your music. A single can not only get your fans excited, but can be pitched to press, radio, or playlists to build some buzz. Along with this, you should sell a single from your official website...Anyone who gets to your website is interested in finding out more about you - so make it a priority to pitch your single and the story behind it. Here’s how to prepare, release and sell a single from your music website."
View Full ArticlePosted: Aug 23, 2021
Category: Live Performance
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**Guest post written by Kristen Ford, Nashville based indie rock act with a passion for music business and a book on DIY touring in the works.
The East Room is one of 13 Nashville venues where either "Proof of a Vaccine or Negative Covid Test" is required for entry...All of New York City has this policy, as well as all NIVA (National Independent Venue Association) venues...Music festivals such as Folk Alliance and Kerrville already have similar policies for future events. This means regardless of your local rules and regulations, or your personal views on vaccinations, touring artists need to be ready for this policy change.
View Full ArticlePosted: Aug 16, 2021
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post written by Carla Malrowe for Bandzoogle.
"A brilliant band photo is one that captures the style and story of the music, expresses the characters of the musicians, and bears elements akin to the genre. It is impressionable, professional, unique and authentic. Brilliant photos sell the total sonic experience that awaits the listener...Here are the do’s and don'ts when it comes to putting together your band photoshoot project."
View Full ArticlePosted: Jul 12, 2021
Category: Live Performance
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**Guest post written by Melanie Kealey for Bandzoogle.
"As restrictions are starting to ease in some parts of the world, we thought it would be beneficial to have a conversation with Kyle Weber (founder of live show & tour booking platform Indie on the Move) and Kristen Ford (singer-songwriter and touring artist) to gain some perspective on how artists are going about booking or re-booking tours..."
View Full ArticlePosted: May 3, 2021
Category: Promotion
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**Guest post written by Leonard Patterson of Artist Collective AKA @ac_leonardp. This is an excerpt from his new book, 365 Livestream Ideas For Musicians.
"1. Custom Domains 2. Custom Overlays 3. Partner with Venues..."
View Full ArticlePosted: Apr 26, 2021
Category: Touring
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**Guest post written by Patrick McGuire for Bandzoogle.
"...responsible budgeting is just as important here as it is in any other facet of life. If you’re just starting out booking shows on the road, or if you’ve had bad experiences that have cost you gobs of money in the past, here are four considerations to make so that you can safely avoid going broke on your next tour."
View Full ArticlePosted: Mar 22, 2021
Category: Show Booking
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**Guest post written by Dustin Drennen, DIY independent songwriter and musician.
"Shouldn’t music and friendship still be central to building a community and playing your songs? Absolutely. But, you don’t have to bumble along, you don’t have to loose direction or heart. That’s where this advice will come in handy. Here are four bits of advice for securing shows and building a reputation that makes it easier to do so."
View Full ArticlePosted: Aug 24, 2020
Category: Fundraising
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**Guest post by Nicole Hoglund, Managing Director of Bandtwango, the premier crowdfunding platform for country music artists.
"There are always elements that can lead to an artist having a successful campaign. From choosing the right incentives for their audience, shooting for a realistic monetary goal, and to having an engaged fanbase all help, however there is one element that we know is the most important one for artists to succeed, pre-promotion of their campaign."
View Full ArticlePosted: Apr 6, 2020
Category: Tips & Tricks
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**Guest post by Kristen Ford, Nashville based indie rock act with a passion for music business and a book on DIY touring in the works.
Seeing as so many gigs are canceled, with business as usual impossible due to coronavirus social distancing, I am trying to make the most of this unfortunate situation. If you are a musician like me, whether you are self employed, have a small business with a few employees or just do music part time and are still missing some of your income due to Coronavirus cancelations, I hope some of these resources will be helpful...
View Full ArticlePosted: Aug 5, 2019
Category: Health
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**Guest post written by Electra (The Rock-n-Roll Health Chick), an Integrative Health and Nutrition Consultant and Coach, specializing in the health of musicians.
"No one likes a hypocrite, and I want to feel great as well. I’ve been having the lemon and salt water in the mornings and more fruits and veggies. That leads us to the second most important change you can make to think and feel your best...EAT WELL."
View Full ArticlePosted: Jun 10, 2019
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post written by Sophie D’Orléans, singer and keyboard player for The Sophistocrats (Canadian Smooth Jazz band).
"After spending 3 years and 4000km away from home, I wanted to move back to my hometown. I left my mountainous college town knowing that all my musical connections would be very far, yet it was what I needed to do for my personal growth. Trying to keep a ‘band’ together at a distance has been challenging in ways I didn’t suspect, while other difficulties I had predicted never happened."
Posted: May 13, 2019
Category: Touring
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**Guest post written by Ellisa Sun, Jazz/Soul musician formerly based in San Francisco currently full-time RVing across the USA.
"200 days ago, my partner Ken and I left our home base in Oakland, CA to spend one year full-time RVing and playing as many shows as we can to build an audience, learn about the industry, and hopefully earn enough money to survive...the following 10 Things I’ve Learned are more focused towards DIY Musicians like myself..."
View Full ArticlePosted: May 2, 2016
Category: Touring
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**Guest Post by Ezekiel Morphis, San Diego based Americana/Folk Singer-Songwriter.
"If you just started playing music last week, this article will aid you further down the road as long as you stay committed and work on your music first. If you are like me — two EPs completed, well practiced, working on an album, playing for a handful of years, don’t mind smelling like beer and shame for days on end and still want to know how to tour DIY — then this is the article for you."
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