Category Archives: music distribution

Music Artists as Entrepreneurs: Building Your Empire

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Until recently, the only way to “make it” was to be picked by an A&R rep at a major record label, and even that didn’t guarantee success if the label dropped your record or cut your marketing budget. Today, your success is primarily up to you. You are your own CEO and your product is your music. Identifying multiple sources of revenue and having a team is the first step in thinking like an entrepreneur and forming your thriving business 

Develop Your Product & Identify an Audience
Think about exactly what it is you are making and how it is different from existing music. What genre do you mow identify with? Your personality and image are significant aspects of your business, too. Understanding how to develop your brand in the market is invaluable.
Next, find out who your customers or fans are. Use internet tools like Google Analytics, Facebook, Twitter and other social media channels to see who is listening, watching and commenting. Talking to fans after shows will allow you to figure out who your key demographic is. 
Get Your Music Out There
You’ll need to get your product to the market as quickly as possible, so release small and often on easily accessible digital platforms. If you don’t have the money to release a full length album, start with distributing singles every few months or EP’s. Cover Songs for your YouTube channel can keep fans interested without forcing you to spend thousands of dollars. Another good method is releasing a song to social media and telling fans you’ll release the next once you get a certain number of comments or likes. Promotions are key to building your fan base. Most importantly, get feedback as soon as you can and adjust your business accordingly. 


Network
Take tips from outgoing and energetic entrepreneurs and don’t be afraid to talk about your music, your band, and what you are trying to achieve. When you play gigs, Introduce yourself to the other bands playing or the guys behind the scenes running lights or sound. You never know who you can meet and you may find a way to collaborate! In the music industry, your success will come from your connections.
Build a Team
Think about who you know who would be willing and able to work with you to develop your career. Hiring professionals, like those at Pro Music Records, to carry out your website, marketing, promotions, and submissions to labels or radio stations can ease your stress and keep you organized. Delegating tasks to your team can also give you more time to hone your craft and create more music. There’s a reason most successful businesses are more than one person! 
Pro Music Records & Entertainment

Artist’s Guide to Streaming: Digital Music Distribution

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As an artist, finding the right distribution method can be tricky, particularly because there are so many online services these days. In terms of royalty payments, each site has its own pros and cons, so knowing the way they work is essential to growing your career and generating revenue. A closer look at five of the biggest distribution methods can help you understand. 
Bandcamp: This site is most often used by smaller bands or labels. Inexpensive and easy to use, the site provides easy downloads and streaming and allows artists to name their own price for a download. Physical releases and merchandise are also up for purchase. Unfortunately, no revenue is generated from album streaming alone, so purchases are needed to making money on the site.
Soundcloud: This service offers free accounts for only two hours of upload time and then an up-front payment is required. Extended accounts or even unlimited ones offer more uploads, analytics and let users highlight five songs at the top of their profiles. It does not pay directly for streams which makes it a better tool for sharing rather than selling. Links to sites that offer your music for purchases, however, can be included on your profile. 


Spotify: Though it is free to put music on this site, it only uploads music from distributors or labels. Merchandise can also be posted for free on profiles and no cut is taken. Royalty payments vary from $.006 and $.0084 per stream.

Pandora: One million plays on this site can result in about $1,370. This money does have to be divided among performers, songwriters and labels, but still makes more money than song plays on terrestrial radio. Music must already be on iTunes or Bandcamp in order to be posted to Pandora.

iTunes: The dominant distribution service for music, iTunes relies on downloads as opposed to streaming. It can be costly to upload songs to the site, especially if an aggregator is required to post the music, but the music is readily accessible for fans since it can easily transfer to laptops, iPods and other devices. 
While certain sites offer more reward for music distribution, others still provide exposure and music for the masses. Whichever services you feel are right for you and can lead fans to discovering and sharing your music, Pro Music Records and Entertainment Media can get you set up for success. PMR can put up a single, EP or entire album on any site so you can start making money today. We can even do promotions on sites like YouTube, another distribution option, so your music can be heard even more often. You own all the music and rights in this non-exclusive deal, Pro Music Records is simply the distributor that gets your secure digital media to retailers. Visit us at http://www.promusicrecords.com to learn more or e-mail info@promusicrecords.com with questions and submissions.

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4 Ways To Make Your Music Go Viral

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Dream Big, but Start Small. 
Instead of focusing on the endgame, which can be both daunting and discouraging, prioritize the steps you’ll need to get there. For example, you’ll probably have more success submitting to an independent publication than Rolling Stone, and more luck trying to get signed by a record label if you play outside your town/state. There are many steps you can take to launch your career and amongst them are building a solid website, advertising, optimizing your results on search engines and reaching out to music blogs. PMR has experts on each of these tasks to leave you more time to work on your music and make the process less overwhelming.

Know Your Competition. 
Make a list of competing bands or artists in your genre. Who motivates you? Who is getting sponsorships and airplay? Who is being interviewed? Then, understand why. If they have a stronger brand, it may be worthwhile to rethink yours by seeking consulting or brand development services. If they have better marketing, spend some time getting your name out. PMR can submit you to hundreds of the best internet resources for independent music and entertainment to drive traffic to your site.

Focus on Your Music as Your Business. 
Once your music is released, you are no longer just an artist, you are a business owner. Selling your music and personalized merchandise is your #1 goal. Entertainment professionals exist to help you succeed by marketing your talents, gaining publicity and spreading the word about your goods. 

Get Popular. 
Be everywhere for everyone and never underestimate the power of social media. Your music needs to be available on Rdio, Spotify, iTunes, CDBaby, YouTube, underground music sites and discovery platforms. Making money is great, but the more people can hear your music for free, the more likely they will be to purchase it, attend your concerts and talk about your talent. PMR can handle your physical and digital distribution as well as promotions on social media.
For more info, please contact Pro Music Records & Entertainment Media:
502 S. Verdugo Dr. Suite 204
Burbank, CA 
91502
Office: (818) 971-9301
info@promusicrecords.com




6 Steps to Releasing a Record with PMR

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Navigating the music world can be challenging, but Pro Music Records & Entertainment Media can guide you through the process to releasing your next (or first!) album.



Step 1: Create a website! You’ll want to showcase your best self through high-quality photos and videos so that people can know you’re a legitimate artist.  

Step 2: Save Up! You’ll have to spend money to make money. Setting aside a budget for marketing, promotions, merchandise and studio space can ensure you’ll have a product that fully exemplifies your talent.

Step 3: Network Network Network. And wisely. People need to know you exist, but without being bombarded with information. That being said, not all people need to know. You’ll want to connect with other artists or music professionals using social media (creating profiles on Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.) and create relationships. People want to know you care about their work too, instead of feeling like they’re just a means to an end in your career.

Step 4: Present your best work. Your single should be your absolute best song, but every track on your album should be “the best.” Make sure each song is mixed and mastered to perfection because the higher the quality, the more likely you are to be looked at by top producers and labels. 

Step 5: Set a Release Date. Typically, if you’re releasing a single off an album, you’ll want to share it anywhere between 2-4 weeks before the album comes out. Timing is everything! If it’s too far in advance people will forget and if it’s too close to the album date, no one will see it coming.



Step 6: Spread the word! Make sure your fans know about your upcoming music through your social media profiles, website, e-mail newsletters and any other music forums. Word-of-mouth marketing can spread like wildfire if you target the right people to start it!

At PMR, we can take care of all these steps for you, creating customized packages to suit all your marketing, promotion and distribution needs. Releasing your music can be scary and overwhelming, but we’re here to help and make the process easier. Ultimately, your goal is to become a successful, working artist and we can get you there! Please visit us online at http://www.promusicrecords.com