Music Business Hacks

Latest Episodes:

#316 - INTERVIEW: Talking Spotify Strategy with Cenji Jul 05, 2019

Show notes

Cenji is a singer, songwriter, and producer from San Diego, California. He got his start singing cover songs in his college dorm room and has gone on to collaborate with acts such as Pure 100% on his remix of “Shelter” by Porter Robinson and Madeon. His collaboration with Konac titled “Flutter” has garnered support from channels such as Tasty Music, Hyper Potions, and Zekk. Now Cenji is working on creating more original music while working fulltime as a Software Engineer. He refuses to follow trends and strives to improve with every release in the hopes of one day achieving his dreams of becoming a full time musician.

Check out his newest release, "Be Myself" here.

Cenji & Konac can be found:

Konac: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6XoPTqzeS9Y6YhHCnSH5bQ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/konac SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/konac Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/konacmusic/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/konac_ FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/itskonac

Cenji: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2sQnHi9rmXwqRmwZ8UjrBq YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CenjiMusic SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/cenjimusic Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cenjimusic/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/CenjiMusic FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/CenjiMusic/

Resources:

Distrokid (distribute your music) Spotify for Artists How to Submit to Spotify Playlists

Producer Oak Felder's guide to producing a viral song:

Gear we discussed:

MIDI Keyboard: Akai MK Mini (25 key, USB) Headphones: Audio Technica ATH-M50X Studio Monitor Headphones Mic: Rode NT1-A microphone

#315 - What Patriotism and Religion Can Teach You About Making Fans Jul 04, 2019

Show notes

Happy 4th of July!

In today's episode, we talk about how patriotism is a lot like religion...and how those two ideas can teach you about making new fans. It's about building a community and so much more!

Resources:

Niels Nielson, author of Religions of the World, on Common Characteristics of Religions

Episode #118: Art and Activism

Episode #97: Storytelling part 1: Creating an Emotional Arc

Episode #99: Storytelling part 2: Writing a Better Bio

#314 - Touring with a Dog Jul 03, 2019

Show notes

Today, I discuss being a touring musician while also being a pet owner. Whether you decide to take your dog on the road or not, there are some important things to consider. Of course, if you're touring in a band, check with everyone in the group that it's OK first!

Resources:

Dog Sitting If you're interested in getting a pet sitter, dog walker, or someone to watch your home and your pets, check out Rover. If you use my referral link, we'll each get $20 in credit (no obligation).

Best dog stuff for the car: Comfortable travel crates: Sleepypod Mobile pet bed for comfort or Amazon Basics Travel Kennel for value. Harness for car travel: Slowton (size medium) or Bwogue (for small dogs) Dog waste bags: Earth rated (extra thick, good value)

Best hotels for dogs: Budget motel chains: Red Roof Inn, Best Western, La Quinta Inn, Days Inn Nicer hotels: Kimpton hotels, Ace Hotel Or, check out this search listing from Pets Welcome.

#313 - Winning With Video Jul 02, 2019

Show notes

Today, I want to focus on two opportunities to help expand your video (and revenue) earning horizons: Amazon Prime Video and film festivals. Of course, it all begins with having compelling content to begin with so if you haven't checked out the episode on making the most of your video (episode 308), listen to that first!

Resources:

Amazon Prime Video Direct main website (sign up here)

Amazon Prime Video Direct account setup FAQ

How to Get Automatic Captioning on YouTube

Film Festivals open to music video submissions (FilmFreeway)

Music Video Submissions for SXSW Film Festival

A List of the Best Film Festivals for Music Video (worldwide)

And, of course...my new memoir! Click on the cover to learn more:

#312 - Record Labels Accepting Demos Jul 01, 2019

Show notes

One of the most searched queries for music business websites and musician resources is "Record Labels Accepting Demos" (or some variation of that, like Record Labels Accepting Demos 2019). Today, I want to talk about the mindset, what it actually takes to get the attention of that major record label, and better ways to improve your chances of receiving an offer.

#311 - Weekly Recap: The Hidden Secrets to Success Jun 30, 2019

Show notes

Today is our weekly recap to combine all of the ideas covered over the past six days. In this, we talk about two seemingly conflicting ideas - when to persist and when to quit - and how this is often the ultimate secret to success.

Episodes:

Episode #305 - Getting Unstuck

Episode #306 - The 2 Most Important Habits for Success in the Music Industry

Episode #307 - Do You Need a Reseller's Permit?

Episode #308 - How Artists Can Use Video

Episode #309 - How to Use My Maps for Tour Booking

Episode #310 - The Secret of Quitting

#310 - The Secret of Quitting Jun 30, 2019

Show notes

One of the greatest skills of any entrepreneur is knowing when to quit something. In the music world, that means knowing when to give up on a song or album, on a band, or just a strategy that isn't working for you. In today's episode, we'll discuss some of the key ways you can determine when you ought to quit (or stick through it).

Resources:

BOOK - The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit by Seth Godin.

Episode #8 - SMARTER Goals

#309 - How to Use My Maps for Tour Booking Jun 28, 2019

Show notes

Today, I want to focus on an underutilized tool: Google My Maps. Not only can you use this for your tour venue database and have it serve as a visual aid for booking, but you can also use it to get an overview of music festivals, conferences, places to stay, or see where your fans are concentrated.

Resources:

Google My Maps page

Live Music Venue Database example (United Kingdom) Folk Club Map (United Kingdom)

Google My Maps Tutorial:

#308 - How Artists Can Use Video Jun 27, 2019

Show notes

How can musicians and bands use video? Today, I'm going to provide broad overview of video strategy that is full of tips for you to help achieve your goals. Whether you are wondering to post on YouTube, Facebook, or Linkedin or wanting to know how you can use video to dominate your search engine optimization game, this crash course into video can help you get started.

Also, remember that today is the last day to get the early bird rate for the DIY Musician Conference! Join me there by registering today.

Resources:

Online video editors: Animoto, Clip Champ, Movie Maker Online, Adobe Spark

Explainer video generators: Whiteboard Animation Studio, Animaker

Mobile video editing (for iPhone users only): Apple Clips - bonus: it includes a subtitle generator!

Stock video footage: Adobe Stock, Art Grid, iStock, Shutterstock

#307 - Do You Need a Reseller's Permit? Jun 26, 2019

Show notes

Today's episode covers an important part of a music business that no one is really talking about: having a reseller's permit or sales tax ID. In addition to being a part of the actual business part of your career, it can actually unlock several valuable benefits!

Resources:

WikiHow: How to Get a Resale Number Entrepreneur Magazine: Benefits of a Resale License

Department of Revenue by state:

Alabama Department of Revenue—also offers an iPhone app

Alaska Department of Revenue

Arizona Department of Revenue

Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration

California Franchise Tax Board

Colorado Department of Revenue

Connecticut Department of Revenue Services—you must register to file and pay online

Delaware Division of Revenue

District of Columbia Office of Tax and Revenue

Florida Department of Revenue

Georgia Department of Revenue

Hawaii Department of Taxation

Idaho State Tax Commission

Illinois Department of Revenue

Indiana Department of Revenue

Iowa Department of Revenue and Finance

Kansas Department of Revenue

Kentucky Revenue Cabinet

Louisiana Department of Revenue

Maine Revenue Services

Comptroller of Maryland

Massachusetts Department of Revenue

Michigan Department of Treasury

Minnesota Department of Revenue

Mississippi Department of Revenue

Missouri Department of Revenue

Montana Department of Revenue

Nebraska Department of Revenue

Nevada Department of Taxation

New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration

New Jersey Division of Taxation

New Mexico Taxation and Revenue

New York Department of Taxation and Finance

North Carolina Department of Revenue

North Dakota State Tax Department

Ohio Department of Taxation Oklahoma Tax Commission

Oregon Department of Revenue

Pennsylvania Department of Revenue

Rhode Island Division of Taxation—offers free filing of both federal and state returns for some taxpayers

South Carolina Department of Revenue

South Dakota Department of Revenue

Tennessee Department of Revenue

Texas Window on State Government

Utah State Tax Commission

Vermont Department of Taxes

Virginia Department of Taxation

Washington Department of Revenue

West Virginia Department of Revenue

Wisconsin Department of Revenue—you can apply online for a payment plan

Wyoming Department of Revenue

Where I Order My Merchandise:

RG Riley - for shirts, hoodies, and other closeout items

Wholesale Merchandise - for the occasional deal that you can resell or print a logo on

Wholesale Printing - for very large volumes of printing

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