No Labels Necessary

Latest Episodes:

#90 | The Prodigy Working Behind-The-Scenes With Kanye, Mike Dean, Metro Boomin ft. Johan Lenox Aug 31, 2023

Show notes

No Labels Necessary is a Weekly Podcast hosted by Sean "BrandMan" Taylor and Jacorey "Kohrey" Barkley, unveiling the world of marketing from Indie Artists to Major Labels.

Exposing the Lies Keeping You From Monetizing Your Fanbase:

https://www.nolabelsnecessary.com/monetizenow?el=nlnep90

Topics Covered:

00:00 Intro
01:55 Branding Myself as a Composer vs. Producer
03:23 Starting his Career in Classical Music
04:25 Transitioning from Classical Music to Rap/Pop Genre
05:51 Finding Success in Songwriting
08:26 Is There an Advantage to Working in Person With an Artist
11:04 Taking a Risk Leaving Classical Music and Moving to LA
15:52 Would You Label Yourself Classical Music While keeping your unique sound
18:47 Boundaries of Classical Music Vs Hip Hop
21:01 Building a Marketplace for Classical Music
22:25 Transitioning to working with Big Artists
27:46 What was your reaction of becoming established
30:01 Do you want to leave the producer lane behind
31:56 Creativity Management: Balancing Personal Work With Artists Work
33:51 Working with No I.D
36:01 The Different Levels of Success
37:31 Working with Metro and Spiderman Across The Spider-verse
43:49 The struggles of being a producer and artist
47:29 Does being an opener help grow your fanbase
50:04 What is the Johan Experience
54:12 What does No Labels Necessary Mean to You

#89 | Why This Artist Brand Move is a Dangerous Game... ft. Jaylon Ashaun Aug 29, 2023

Show notes

Houston-native Jaylon Ashaun has captivated audiences as an independent singer-songwriter, blending Pop, R&B, Hip Hop, and Soul seamlessly. His unique artistry skillfully weaves personal experiences into his music and visuals, drawing listeners into his universe. Garnering over 1M monthly listeners, 15M combined streams on Spotify and Apple Music, and recent features in Billboard, Jaylon's partnership with Sony for an international campaign marks his rising trajectory, supported by his "Hometeam" community.

No Labels Necessary is a Weekly Podcast hosted by Sean "BrandMan" Taylor and Jacorey "Kohrey" Barkley, unveiling the world of marketing from Indie Artists to Major Labels.

JOIN US AND LEARN THE SECRETS OF HOW WE CONSISTENTLY TAKE ARTISTS FROM 100 STREAMS TO 50K+ MONTHLY LISTENERS IN JUST 90 DAYS:

http://www.nolabelsnecessary.com/

Pre-Save Your Future Releases:

http://www.foreverfanmusic.com/

Topics Covered:

00:00 Intro
01:59 Jay Ashaun's Beginning
04:05 From College to becoming an Artist
05:39 Jay Ashaun: The Moment I Realize I Had A Fanbase
10:59 How to Build Your Network Intentionally
13:40 Going Viral After Doing One Cover
19:14 What do you consider a break out song
22:30 Following the Tobi Lou Content Blueprint
25:50 Accepting Who You Are Not
32:26 Growing an International Audience
35:00 Targeting an Audience For This Purpose
38:17 Whats The Jaylon Experience
42:48 Learning from other Artists Experiences
47:33 5 Year Plan
50:57 The difference of one year
53:31 What does no Labels Mean to You

#88 | How to Create Viral Pop Music From Your Room, Lil Boo Thang Famous Sample Cleared ft. Paul Russell Aug 24, 2023

Show notes

Paul Russell has taken the music world by storm with his viral hit "Lil Boo Thang," which created over 55.5k TikToks, over 500 million views on his TikTok, and another 600 million on Instagram Reels. This modern masterpiece pays homage to the disco-funk classic "Best of My Love" and has amassed millions of views across platforms. Russell's ability to craft joyful escapism through music is evident as he invites listeners to celebrate life's moments, both old and new.

No Labels Necessary is a Weekly Podcast hosted by Sean "BrandMan" Taylor and Jacorey "Kohrey" Barkley, unveiling the world of marketing from Indie Artists to Major Labels.

JOIN US AND LEARN THE SECRETS OF HOW WE CONSISTENTLY TAKE ARTISTS FROM 100 STREAMS TO 50K+ MONTHLY LISTENERS IN JUST 90 DAYS:

http://www.nolabelsnecessary.com/

Pre-Save Your Future Releases:

http://www.foreverfanmusic.com/

Topics Covered:

02:11 The Beginning of Paul Russell
03:59 The Creation of a Unique Sound
05:31 Testing Music With Different Audiences
09:40 Songwriting to Capture Attention
13:14 The Process of Clearing His Hit Song Lil Boo Thang
14:25 (UPDATE: He Signed to Arista on 8/17/23)
17:40 What Label Benefits Are You Looking For
19:25 The Problem With The Pop Genre
21:19 Creating Pop Underground Through TikTok
23:10 Underground vs Polished Artist
25:44 The Purpose of Showcases for Artists
29:17 Using Private Events For Rollout
31:24 Creating Experiences at my shows
37:01 Paul Russell: Stevie Wonder Inspiration
39:28 The Problem with Creating Happy Music
41:49 Lionel Richie Inspiration
43:18 Louis Armstrong Inspiration
45:11 Creating a Unique Voice
47:27 The Dave Brubek Quartet Inspiration
48:59 Transitioning from College to Becoming an Artist
56:51 Paul Russell's Milestones

#87 | Making Money WITHOUT Blowing Your Music (The End of The Starving Artist) ft. @RuslanKD Aug 22, 2023

Show notes

No Labels Necessary is a Weekly Podcast hosted by Sean "BrandMan" Taylor and Jacorey "Kohrey" Barkley, unveiling the world of marketing from Indie Artists to Major Labels.

JOIN US AND LEARN THE SECRETS OF HOW WE CONSISTENTLY TAKE ARTISTS FROM 100 STREAMS TO 50K+ MONTHLY LISTENERS IN JUST 90 DAYS:

http://www.nolabelsnecessary.com/

Pre-Save Your Future Releases:

http://www.foreverfanmusic.com/

Topics Covered:

00:00 Intro
03:20 Entering the Christian Rap Niche
05:07 You Need to Stay Authetic
07:16 What the Beginning of An Artists Brand Looks Like
09:13 Why Everyone Thinks Art and Commerce Can't Coexist
11:12 The Reality of Making Music and Money
15:22 Applying Pressure To Yourself to Grow Your Music Career
17:52 Ruslan: I'm Not The Most Talented
22:22 Creating a Brand Beyond Music
31:03 Do Artist Truly Want The Fame?
34:56 Are you on The Right Bus?
36:43 Where The Indepenedent Artist Money is At
40:05 Dissecting an Artists Ego
45:30 The Slow Burn of Influnecers on TikTok
48:17 Is The Content Organic or do the Labels Own it
55:00 Creating Finicial and Creative Freedom
58:44 Creating Community
01:07:36 Building Brand Will Create Networks For You
01:10:05 Building Product Around Your Brand
01:20:02 The Problem With The Artist Struggle Narrative
01:26:55 Ruslan: How Family Nagivates My Business

#86 | How Indie Artists Create Content Vs Signed Artists, AfroBeats in Danger ft. MannyWellz Aug 17, 2023

Show notes

No Labels Necessary is a Weekly Podcast hosted by Sean "BrandMan" Taylor and Jacorey "Kohrey" Barkley, unveiling the world of marketing from Indie Artists to Major Labels.

JOIN US AND LEARN THE SECRETS OF HOW WE CONSISTENTLY TAKE ARTISTS FROM 100 STREAMS TO 50K+ MONTHLY LISTENERS IN JUST 90 DAYS:

http://www.nolabelsnecessary.com/

Pre-Save Your Future Releases:

http://www.foreverfanmusic.com/

Topics Covered:

00:00 Intro
02:46 Why Artist Need Content More Than Ever
04:09 Lil Nas X: Learning His Content Strategy
06:09 Creating an Indie Artist Content Strategy That Works
10:12 Building a Global Brand
15:30 Creating an Authentic Sound
18:21 Building Brand Outside of Music
20:12 Afro Beats in Danger of Being Exploited
24:11 International Artists Can Win Without a U.S Audience
28:47 MannyWellz Songwriting Process
32:10 What Intentionally Growing Your Audience Looks Like
37:57 How To Master Self Expression
40:23 What No Labels Means

#85 | The Music Branding Plan: How To Grow Your Fanbase Beyond Spotify ft. Clinton Sparks Aug 15, 2023

Show notes

Clinton Sparks is a versatile figure known for his roles as an entrepreneur, investor, executive, author, and innovative force in merging culture, collaboration, and cross-platform marketing. As a Grammy-nominated DJ, producer, and songwriter, he boasts a remarkable track record of selling over 75 million records. Notably, he's garnered awards like BMI Songwriter honors and ASCAP music accolades for his work with DJ Snake and other artists. His influence extends to shaping the gaming realm, co-founding XSET, a rapidly growing esports lifestyle brand, and promoting diversity by involving hip-hop artists like Offset and Pitbull in the gaming space.

He solidifies his influence through platforms like syndicated radio and Twitch, where his show "WIN BIG with Clinton Sparks" and book, "HOW TO WIN BIG IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS," have reached millions, sharing insights from successful individuals across various fields.

No Labels Necessary is a Weekly Podcast hosted by Sean "BrandMan" Taylor and Jacorey "Kohrey" Barkley, unveiling the world of marketing from Indie Artists to Major Labels.

Follow Clinton Sparks on his socials:

https://www.instagram.com/clintonsparks/

Get Clinton Sparks’ FREE book (How To Win Big In The Music Business):

https://clintonsparks.com/wp-content/...

Topics Covered:

00:00 Intro
02:28 Focusing on Brand Early in His Career
04:27 Dont Pigeonhole Yourself
07:22 How To Unlock Creative Freedom and Grow Your Brand
10:44 Brand Strategy: Build Brand Off Your Strengths
18:37 Brand Authenticity
25:30 Producing Akon's "Sorry, Blame it on me"
27:50 Karmaloop: Marketing Beyond Music
36:25 Bringing Artists into The Faze Brand
38:56 Before You Think Outside The Box
40:32 Music Promo Tip: Keep it Simple
43:59 Clinton Sparks Free Music Branding Book
48:22 Artist Usually Confuse These Two Things
51:52 Designing The Life You Want
59:37 Building Community

#84 | His Viral Short Form Content Formula is Breaking These Artists Aug 10, 2023

Show notes

Evan Blum is a videographer known for his work with various music artists. He specializes in creating short-form vertical content and has gained recognition for his unique and creative approach to music videos. With a background in music production, Evan brings a unique perspective to his videography work.

No Labels Necessary is a Weekly Podcast hosted by Sean "BrandMan" Taylor and Jacorey "Kohrey" Barkley, unveiling the world of marketing from Indie Artists to Major Labels.

JOIN US AND LEARN THE SECRETS OF HOW WE CONSISTENTLY TAKE ARTISTS FROM 100 STREAMS TO 50K+ MONTHLY LISTENERS IN JUST 90 DAYS:

http://www.nolabelsnecessary.com/

Pre-Save Your Future Releases:

http://www.foreverfanmusic.com/

Topics Covered:

00:00 Intro
03:38 The success of Flying a Boss and the impact of their videos
08:44 Selecting Ideal Song Snippets for Videos
11:36 Unveiling the style and approach of the running TikToks
16:20 Why Specializing in Content is Important
20:08 The benefits of using one-take videos
22:22 The appeal and addictive nature of one-take videos
25:08 You need to listen to the market and audience
35:05 Focus on a specific niche

#83 | Worse Than A 360 Record Deal , Exposing Features Scam, Threads vs. X Aug 08, 2023

Show notes

No Labels Necessary is a Weekly Podcast hosted by Sean "BrandMan" Taylor and Jacorey "Kohrey" Barkley, unveiling the world of marketing from Indie Artists to Major Labels.

JOIN US AND LEARN THE SECRETS ON HOW WE CONSISTENTLY TAKE ARTISTS FROM 100 STREAMS TO 50K+ MONTHLY LISTENERS IN JUST 90 DAYS:

http://www.nolabelsnecessary.com/

Pre-Save Your Future Releases:

http://www.foreverfanmusic.com/

Topics covered:

00:00 Intro
00:53 A Record Deal You Already Signed?
10:16 B.O.B's Manager Exposes Feature Scam
14:39 Threads Vs X (The Twitter Killer)
23:20 Making Money Doesn't Help Your Personal Problems
32:30 Jason Derulo: My Side Business is worth $2 Billion Dollars

#82 | Turning Artists To Legends: Marketing Music, Strip Clubs and Lifestyle ft. Nick Love Aug 03, 2023

Show notes

Nick Love is a project manager and music industry veteran. He has held various positions throughout his career, including VP of Marketing and Promotions at CTE World, co-founder and general manager of Coalition DJs, and brand curator and co-creative director of Magic City. Currently, he is the project manager over Urban at ONErpm.

No Labels Necessary is a Weekly Podcast hosted by Sean "BrandMan" Taylor and Jacorey "Kohrey" Barkley, unveiling the world of marketing from Indie Artists to Major Labels.

Check out the Content Rollout Plan That Got Our Artist 1 Million Streams on His First Song Ever:

http://www.nolabelsnecessary.com/

Pre-Save Your Future Releases:

http://www.foreverfanmusic.com/

Topics covered:

00:27 Intro
04:00 Nick Love: My Job is More Than Hanging With Rappers and Going to Clubs
05:23 Working at CTE, Coalition DJs, Tequila Avion, Magic City, Thousand Islands and ONErpm
09:31 Beware of this When Working with Artists
14:24 Falling out with Jeezy and rebuilding their relationship
23:32 Magic City: Being the Brand Manager of The Most Prominent Strip Club in ATL
33:40 Solving ASAP Twelvyy's Biggest Problem with ASAP MOB
40:52 Artists Can't Last Without This
48:20 Pay to Win Doesn't Exist in The Music Industry
54:57 Tequila Avion: Growing a Liquor Brand with Jeezy
01:00:37 Artists Who Last Are Selling This
01:15:21 What is a Project Manager
01:18:05 Timing Your Rollouts

#81 | Is Touring Dead? How Festivals Are Taking Your Fans (ft. Lil Baby & Kid Laroi) Aug 02, 2023

Show notes

No Labels Necessary is a Weekly Podcast hosted by Sean "BrandMan" Taylor and Jacorey "Kohrey" Barkley, unveiling the world of marketing from Indie Artists to Major Labels.

Check out the Content Rollout Plan That Got Our Artist 1 Million Streams on His First Song Ever:

http://www.nolabelsnecessary.com/

Pre-Save Your Future Releases:

http://www.foreverfanmusic.com/

Topics covered: