I heard a Robbie Robertson song on the radio today.<\/p>\n
Sirius XM’s Loft.\u00c2\u00a0 There’s not a terrestrial radio station that’d play the Canadian’s new album.\u00c2\u00a0 Not that he knew that.<\/p>\n
I’m constantly scratching my head.\u00c2\u00a0 These oldsters put out new music thinking it’s 1979, certainly no later than 1989, and then they’re flummoxed when nothing happens.<\/p>\n
This is what they need to do:<\/p>\n
1. You’ve got to know who your fans are.<\/span><\/p>\n It’s best if you’ve got everybody’s e-mail address.\u00c2\u00a0 But you need a presence on Facebook and Twitter too.\u00c2\u00a0 If someone decides to check you out on a whim, which is what fans do, we mindlessly surf to the firing of neurons in our brains, you’d better be readily available online, with up to date information.\u00c2\u00a0 People will go to Facebook first, but if you’ve got a Web page don’t focus on design but information.\u00c2\u00a0 Even if you yourself don’t post, make sure there’s new info EVERY DAY!\u00c2\u00a0 That’s what makes people come back.\u00c2\u00a0 And if you’re posting on Facebook or Twitter it had better be you, nothing pisses people off more than when an impostor, your lackey, posts for you.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s easy to detect, just like boys impersonating girls online and vice versa.\u00c2\u00a0 Anybody who says you can’t tell the sex of someone online doesn’t play, it’s OBVIOUS!<\/p>\n 2. You must be willing to work. <\/span><\/p>\n And I don’t only mean in the studio.\u00c2\u00a0 If you’re not willing to put in all day every day for the better part of a year, don’t even start.<\/p>\n It’s like starting all over.\u00c2\u00a0 All the old media you employed to get the word out is diminished or irrelevant.\u00c2\u00a0 Chances are your audience doesn’t listen to the radio, or if it does, they don’t listen to the stations that might air your music.\u00c2\u00a0 Oldsters listen to NPR.\u00c2\u00a0 A segment there helps, but it doesn’t define.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s best for brand new acts, not old farts.\u00c2\u00a0 Late night TV is meaningless.\u00c2\u00a0 If you’re friends with Dave, do it, but don’t expect a sales bump.\u00c2\u00a0 Sunday morning TV is better, as are "Today" and the other morning shows, but don’t go on and do happy talk, if you can’t say something worthy of restatement\/link, you probably shouldn’t invest your time.\u00c2\u00a0 And I’m not saying to whore yourself out, to make stuff up or reveal personal items you don’t want to, it’s just that TV is a mass medium.\u00c2\u00a0 And you’re niche.\u00c2\u00a0 EVERYBODY’S NICHE!<\/p>\n 3.\u00c2\u00a0 The music had better be damn good.<\/span><\/p>\n And only release that which is good.\u00c2\u00a0 If that means your album is only four or eight tracks, so be it.\u00c2\u00a0 Price it accordingly.\u00c2\u00a0 Don’t worry about CDs, chances are retailers aren’t even going to stock ’em.\u00c2\u00a0 We live in a digital world.\u00c2\u00a0 Focus on MP3s.\u00c2\u00a0 Don’t tell me they sound shitty, that’s like lamenting the loss of vents in car windows, that ship has sailed, it’s HISTORY!<\/p>\n There had better be tons.\u00c2\u00a0 And it had better be on YouTube.\u00c2\u00a0 And don’t bother spending money and doing something slick, hiring hairdressers and the like.\u00c2\u00a0 Buy a camera and have your son or daughter shoot you playing, around the house, and upload this footage.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s not about one infinitely playable clip, it’s about having enough stuff up there that if someone stumbles upon you, they can go deeper, find more.\u00c2\u00a0 That’s the mantra of today, not thin for everybody, but vast for those who care.\u00c2\u00a0 Focus only on those who care.\u00c2\u00a0 If you’re lucky, your new project will grow.\u00c2\u00a0 But probably not.<\/p>\n You need multiple formats of your project to sell.\u00c2\u00a0 Not only the MP3s but vinyl (it’s a souvenir!) and a photo book and autographed ____________.\u00c2\u00a0 The most expensive stuff sells first.\u00c2\u00a0 But make it worth it.<\/p>\n That’s what everybody wants.\u00c2\u00a0 Answer e-mail and people will be blown away.\u00c2\u00a0 At least show footage from backstage or in your house.\u00c2\u00a0 Figure out a way to meet the public.\u00c2\u00a0 And I don’t mean at a record store!\u00c2\u00a0 Do a house concert in each and every state.\u00c2\u00a0 Have a contest.\u00c2\u00a0 You show up and play acoustically.\u00c2\u00a0 Or maybe full bore electric in the backyard.\u00c2\u00a0 If the police show up, you’re lucky!\u00c2\u00a0 You’ll get press, you’ll be a local hero.\u00c2\u00a0 Think local!\u00c2\u00a0 You can be the biggest news in nowheresville as opposed to the smallest news in the big city.\u00c2\u00a0 And news from anywhere can be experienced everywhere if it’s interesting or funny.<\/p>\n 7. Virality<\/span><\/p>\n You never know what is gonna go, what’s gonna get people’s attention and fly.\u00c2\u00a0 Which is why you’ve got to do a lot.\u00c2\u00a0 What’ll spread is what you least expect, that which is rough not smooth, the day your hair looked bad and your voice cracked.\u00c2\u00a0 See this Paul Simon clip for example.\u00c2\u00a0 This went viral, it had greater penetration than all of the mainstream press, it made Paul look good, it enhances his reputation: <\/p>\n
4. Video<\/span><\/p>\n
5. Topspin\/Bandcamp<\/span><\/p>\n
6. Access<\/span><\/p>\n\n