A Message To Up & Coming Artists…
December 16, 2009
From ThatRetailChick – Is your mixtape just somebody else’s jewel case?
I get so many free mixtapes I could open a stand and sell the jewel cases. LOL But really, let’s get serious about our methods of promoting new artist because this mixtape thing is getting out of hand. The worst part is, pretty much every new artist that has a mixtape makes the same mistake. They never tell you what the hit single is on the cover. I see more cars, expensive bags, and jewelery on the cover, when all they should really be trying to do is break a song. ONE SONG!!!!! NOT 7 SONGS, 5 FREESTYLES, AND 4 INTERLUDES.
To sum it up…if your name isn’t Wayne, Jeezy, or Gucci…right now customers are not that interested in “free mixtapes.”
As a music retailer in ATL, you know what would help me out, giving me one song to pass to customers. It’s so much easier for me to say check out a new single than to say here’s a free mixtape. Most customers are leery about “new artist mixtapes” anyway. People have been passed so many bad ones that the thrill is pretty much gone.
Don’t get me wrong I love a good mixtape. Jeezy’s Streetz is Watching still gets airplay in my car, Dedication 2 was dope as hell. Locke High is THE most slept on mixtape of last year. But if you are an artist, ask someone other than your crew is your mixtape that hot? If it is…cool. But to be safe let me check one out with my customers, tell you what WE think, and get back to you. Until then, just give me the hottest song you’ve got and let’s work with that.
Now what you do after that one song becomes a hit…well, that’s up to you and the team that you have working with you. And boy do I hope they know what they’re doing. How many artist do you know with one hot song (great ringtone), bad album sales, but haven’t been seen in a while around the music industry???? (I can email you a list if you need some help with that answer) When that one song takes off you have to be ready to keep serving your fans with good music. Otherwise, they will move on to whatever comes next.
- That Retail Chick
www.thatretailchick.me
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4 Comments, Comment or Ping
D
One of the best articles I’ve read in a while that artists need to recognize. The blog this came from too is just as good!
Dec 17th, 2009
PALEFACE
MIXTAPES ARE SO FUCKIN WACK! I AM SO SICK OF MIXTAPES! THE JEWEL CASE CRACKS AND FALLS TO PIECES AS SOON AS U OPEN IT. THE DISCS ARE BURNT TO CD-R`S, THATS CRAP. THE FAKE DRUGS, FAKE MONEY, RIDICULOUS JEWELRY,EVERYBODY JACKIN THE SAME “HOT BEAT OF THE MONTH” LIKE PIRAHNAS. ITS GOTTEN CHEAP, TRENDY, AND GIMMICKY. AND THE DJ TALKIN ALL THRU THE ALBUM EATIN UP THE TIME CLOCK. JUST RAP. YOU DONT NEED 20+ SONGS, JUST MAKE 10 SOLID, THOUGHT PROVOKING, GOOD ONES. MOST RAPPERS ARE GOIN THE CHEAPEST,EASIEST, LAZIEST ROUTE. THE BEST ERA FOR RAP MUSIC WAS 95`- 99`, IF IT AINT BROKE, DONT FIX IT. DONT CHANGE THE FORMULA. THERE WAS SO MUCH TIME, THOUGHT AND QUALITY THAT WENT INTO RAP MUSIC BACK THEN. THESE MIXTAPES THAT ARE THROWN TOGETHER IN ONE WEEK ARE A SAD REPRESENTATION FOR RAP.
Dec 21st, 2009
Ivan G
Artists and labels are going to have to do the ONLY THINGS that actually work:
1.) Record your own music, fill a cd with your own music, make it look like your own style STOP FOLLOWING TRENDS AND SET YOUR OWN FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW, and sell it to your fans.DO THIS IN PERSON AND DON’T OVER REACT WHEN THEY SAY NO THANK OR THEY’RE NOT INTERESTED. TELL THEM IT WAS NICE TO TALK WITH THEM ABOUT YOUR MUSIC AND INVITE TO COME TO YOUR UPCOMING SHOW(S) OR PARTY(S). Start at $1 per cd, when you sell 1000 start charging $2, and so fourth. Local record stores have and are going out of because they are all music snobs who no longer do instore shows or anything fun to interact and entertain would be paying customers. IAP is working on an International Tour to entertain our fans to sell more cds/merch,put on big concerts, and keep our fans loyal.
2.) Do shows and parties, and make them fun and safe for people. Start free, BE YOUR OWN DJ PLAYING ONLY YOUR MUSIC and set up merch tables selling your CDs, Tee-shirts, stickers, etc(if you need help purchasing these merch items, email ivan@iap-tv.com) for your fans to buy your stuff at your shows/parties. Like your first few cds, they might not be great, but you’ve got to start some where.
3.) Once people actually care about what you’re doing, keep up the good work and keep records of $$$ spent for taxes and to monitor your profit and losses of your growing business. Let the record labels come find you, they’ll be much more interested if they see you have a real large, growing fanbase that pays $$$ for tickets, cds, and merch.
MORE FANS = MORE FUN = MORE $$$$
Ivan G
Grind Time Official
Dec 22nd, 2009
BANGS
U MAKE MIXTAPE I MAKE MIXTAPE MUTHASUCKA!
BANGS 100
Dec 22nd, 2009
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