Music Promotion, Marketing and Distribution Newsletter

January 2018

The contacts listed are sorted into FIVE sections:

1. Publications, Review Websites and Music Blogs that will REVIEW your music
2. Radio Stations, Shows and Podcasts that will PLAY your songs
3. Labels, Vendors, Distributors and Promotional Services that will help you to SELL your CD
4. Websites where you can UPLOAD your band's MP3s or videos
5. Helpful Resources for recording artists

SECTION ONE: SITES/PUBLICATIONS WHERE YOU CAN GET YOUR MUSIC REVIEWED

Juice Magazine
319 Ocean Front Walk #1, Venice, CA 90291
PH: 310-399-5336
Terri Craft juicemagazine@gmail.com
www.juicemagazine.com
Since 1993, Juice Magazine has been dedicated to illuminating those who face resistance from the mainstream. Readers want something real and true. We give them great stories backed with the talent of the heroes of skateboarding, surfing and Punk music who have been to the mountain and stayed to dominate. facebook.com/JuiceMagazine @JUICEMAGAZINE

Asian Pop Weekly
Jocelle Koh asianpopweekly@gmail.com
www.asianpopweekly.com
The best place for informed, independent and intelligent news on Chinese music. I review mostly Chinese language music, with a focus on bringing Chinese music to the Western world through accessible English-language content, but am also interested in working with any Asian-heritage artists who are wanting to get their music out there, as helping them is also something I am very passionate about. I'm happy to work with any genres as long as they are in some way influenced by Asian diasporic heritage, but if I had to pick I work most closely with artists in Pop, R&B, Hip Hop, Rock, Jazz, Electronic and Folk genres! facebook.com/asianpopweekly @jocellekoh

The Write Reviews
Warren Peace warrenpeacewrites@gmail.com
www.thewritereviews.net
The final word in Hip Hop album reviews. Dedicated to underground artists and committed to assisting in the expansion of those artists while providing fans with the most up-to-date information and honest, unbiased reviews on the internet. Get your album reviewed. Send a message and we will tell you how!! facebook.com/WarNPeaceWrites @WarNPeaceWrites

Pump It Up Magazine
30721 Russell Ranch Rd. #140, Westlake Village, CA 91362
PH: 877-451-7744
info@pumpitupmagazine.com
www.pumpitupmagazine.com
Top USA and France based entertainment online & printed magazine We showcase independent music and are an authentic launching pad for unsigned talent. facebook.com/pumpitupmagazine @pumpitupmag

Invicta Magazine
Cheri Faulkner submissions@invictamag.com
www.invictamag.com
We love working with the hottest, up and coming names in the Alternative world. Metal, Hardcore, Doom, Sludge, Thrash, Metalcore etc. All submissions for features should be directed to our e-mail address. This includes EP/Albums, live reviews and interviews. facebook.com/invictamag @InvictaMag

SECTION TWO: RADIO STATIONS, SHOWS AND PROMOTERS

2.1 RADIO - STATIONS AND SHOWS

The JJ Kane All New Music Show
JJ Kane jj@caravanmusicpromotions.co.uk
www.mixcloud.com/jj-kane
I have worked in the music industry for 15 years both as an artist and for the last 10 in music PR. Send e-mail submissions only. I accept all genres. My show goes out to over 3,100 syndicated college stations. The show is global and can me listened to online as well as on regional stations in the UK, USA, Europe, Canada, Australia and even Africa.

Bombshell Radio
Tom McNeil bombshellradio1@gmail.com
www.bombshellradio.com
I've been lucky to host Addictions and Other Vices Podcast for a few different Internet radio stations. Through a few acts of faith and blind courage I've started my own 24-7 Internet radio station. Added some amazing shows from Scotland, Corsica, Canada and the UK and it's off and running. The primary drive is to expose some great up and coming indie artists mix it up with some other music inspirations add some of my love of film and have a good time. For artist submissions send choice MP3, a short bio and few links to social media pages via our ONLINE FORM. Please listen to show first to see if you think your music is a good fit. facebook.com/BombshellRadio @Bombshell_Radio

Blues & Roots Radio
Stevie Connor info@bluesandrootsradio.com
www.bluesandrootsradio.com
We bring you the best in Blues, Soul, R&B, Celtic, Folk and Roots from around the world. We play many independent artists that you have never heard before, Singer/Songwriters, fantastic bands and interviews from all around the world. facebook.com/BluesAndRootsRadio @BluesRootsRadio

KCRW
1900 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405
PH: 310-450-5183
Jason Bentley jason.bentley@kcrw.com
malcolm.kcrw.com
Through the years, KCRW has been known as one of very few stations that listen to and play music from anyone who wants to send it to us. We've been instrumental in helping start the careers of a wide range of musicians, from big name artists like Beck, who sent us a demo on cassette, to more recent breakout bands like Fitz and the Tantrums. We've pledged to continue this tradition by listening to as many submissions as possible, but we've created a new way to do it. Meet our friend Malcolm. Malcolm allows you to submit your three best tracks to our secure and private server. Upload your bio, photo, and link to your website and social media page too. Even pick who you want to listen to your work the most. @jason_bentley @kcrw

Hellcast Metal Podcast
Reaper reaper@hellcast.net
www.hellcast.net
Dive head first into the underworld of Extreme Metal with Hellcast! An Extreme music talk show, we bring you an unholy barrage of interviews, introspect, reviews and much more Metal madness. Episodes are unleashed biweekly, with the black blessing of Hells Headbangers! facebook.com/hellcastmetalpodcast

2.2 RADIO PROMOTERS

National Record Promotion
137 N. Larchmont #500, Los Angeles, CA 90004
PH: 323-658-7449
Larry Weir larry_weir@sbcglobal.net
www.larryweir.com
We promote artists and groups at radio with an emphasis on independent labels and recording artists. Over the last five years NRP has worked with many major acts. NRP will assist you in weekly tracking reports...national chart activity & radio interviews. facebook.com/National.Record.Promotion

CIMG, LLC
119 Bowling Ave. Nashville, TN 37205-2357
Tony Bates contact@cimgllc.com
www.cimgllc.com
Our Radio Promotion work focuses on relevant radio stations (terrestrial and online), especially college radio stations, in the U.S., Canada and the Commonwealth of Independent States. Our staff works daily to build relationships with radio stations, regional promoters, music/entertainment publications and websites, and media outlets throughout North America as well as in eastern and central Europe. We work mostly with Rock, Pop-Rock, Americana and Alt-Country artists. facebook.com/cimgllc

Howard Rosen Promotion
521 W. Channel Islands Blvd. #15, Port Hueneme, CA 93041
PH: 805-382-2200 FX: 805-201-7816
info@howiewood.com
www.howiewood.com
Since 1985 We have been helping artists reach their goals of obtaining radio airplay, expanding their fan base, and creating awareness throughout the industry. @Howiewoodpromo

SECTION THREE: SERVICES/VENDORS/LABELS THAT WILL HELP SELL YOUR MUSIC

3.1 SERVICES - PROMOTION/PUBLICITY

Music Gorilla
12407 Mopac Expressway N. 100-312, Austin, TX 78758
PH: 201-796-8742
Alexia info@musicgorilla.com
www.musicgorilla.com
A leading commercial marketplace for independent musicians worldwide. We set out to help artists get their music to the people who can make a difference in their careers. Through established relationships, we're now a trusted provider for an evolving music industry looking for emerging artists and material. With our personalized approach, we quickly earned the reputation of being a small company, doing big things. Music Gorilla showcases artists from all over the globe and helps them get their songs heard and licensed by key players in the television, film, advertising, web, and gaming industries. We find and create opportunities and get them in your hands. We believe that your success begins with opportunity. facebook.com/MusicGorilla @MusicGorilla

Right Angle PR
PH: 212-777-6727 x234
Jamie Roberts jamie@rightanglepr.com
www.rightanglepr.com
Offers public relation, promotional / marketing and publicity services. We do personally tailored campaigns that are true to the artist's personality to represent them as honestly and thoroughly as possible. Your goals are our goals and we use many non-traditional methods through which to reach them. We work with Hard Rock, Metal, Pop, Rock, Indie, Dance, Electronic, Punk, Prog Rock, Jamband, Industrial, Goth and Alternative artists. Submit via our ONLINE FORM. facebook.com/rightanglepr @RightAnglePR

MuzicNotez
Nick Galien nick@muzicnotez.com
www.muzicnotez.com
We are a dedicated team of digital marketing professionals, whom are obsessed with music, and love promoting new material. We're still young and on the edge of marketing trends, so our strategies are new age, highly successful, while keeping our prices lower than any of our competitors. MuzicNotez is here to support you! You're a musician, focus on your music, we will focus on your promotion. All independent musicians need to be their own manager, PR agent and social media director. Also, no matter if you're just launching your career, or an established touring musician, an independent musician's promotional budget is slim. We created promotional strategies that decrease costs, increase broadcasting reach, creating incredible values for you. facebook.com/MuzicNotezCrew @MuzicNotez

RAPIDFIRE PR
PH: 360-509-1779
Cyrus Rhodes rhodesm@wavecable.com
www.rapidfirepr.com
Are you trying hard to get your music reviewed in a timely manner? Are you discovering how hard it is to get your music reviewed and posted on the world wide web. Whether your a Label Owner, PR Executive, Publicist on Independent Artist RADPIDFIRE PR has got you covered with over 50 writers on staff and dozens of website affiliates ready to promote your latest marketing campaign. @cyrusrhodes

CIMG, LLC
119 Bowling Ave. Nashville, TN 37205-2357
Tony Bates contact@cimgllc.com
www.cimgllc.com
We provide Social Media Marketing and Social Commerce Solutions for our clients, in addition to Artist Management and Record Label Services. We work with artists, record labels, agencies, events, and brands of all kinds that want to effectively engage their supporters and fans via social media. Considering the global marketplace and international appeal, we offer our services in several languages as well, when appropriate to meet your goals. We work mostly with Rock, Pop-Rock, Americana and Alt-Country artists. facebook.com/cimgllc

3.2 SERVICES - LABELS, DISTRIBUTORS AND ONLINE VENDORS

Indies Scope Records
Dolni Loucky 191, 594 55, Czech Republic
PH: +420-549-440-772
Premysl Stepanek indies@indies.eu
www.indies.eu
Has been successfully releasing CDs since 1989. We feature CDs, MP3 downloads and internet radio. facebook.com/indiesscope @IndiesScope

Trip Records
www.trip-records.com
An Italian independent label. We focus on Techno music and work also as managers of DJs and talented producers. Submit your music via our Dropbox. Upload a single track only, max. duration 12 minutes.

SECTION FOUR: SITES WHERE YOU CAN UPLOAD YOUR BAND'S MP3s OR VIDEOS

DatPiff
dpsupport@datpiff.com
www.datpiff.com
Largest mixtape site in the world w/ over 800k+ mixtapes. Create an account to upload your mixtapes or videos. facebook.com/DatPiff @DatPiff

Spotify
Birger Jarlsgatan 61, 4tr, 113 56 Stockholm, Sweden
office@spotify.com
www.spotify.com
Our music catalogue contains millions and millions of tracks and albums. It's so enormous, in fact, that it'd take you more than 80 years of non-stop listening just to get through it. And that's not counting the 10,000 new tracks we're adding every day. Artists don't need to be signed or have a record deal to get their music on Spotify. Getting independent artists music onto Spotify is important to us so we work on various solutions to assist artists. The current solution we offer indie artists is to make their deliveries through Record Union, CDBaby, Ditto Music and Zimbalam. They are artist-aggregators, and we highly recommend you to use them to get your music onto Spotify. facebook.com/Spotify @Spotify

SECTION FIVE: SOCIAL NETWORKS AND ONLINE COMMUNITIES

Snapchat
www.snapchat.com
An app used on iOS and Android smartphones. Enjoy fast and fun mobile conversation! Snap a photo or a video, add a caption, and send it to a friend. They'll view it, and then the Snap disappears from the screen - unless they take a screenshot. @Snapchat

SECTION SIX: HELPFUL TOOLS AND RESOURCES FOR YOUR BAND

6.1 RESOURCES - GENERAL

DigitalRadioTracker.com (DRT)
PH: 646-494-3783
support@digitalradiotracker.com
www.digitalradiotracker.com
Your premier radio airplay broadcast monitoring service that tracks radio airplay of songs in the US and worldwide on more than 5000+ radio stations. These radio stations include Major FM Terrestrial, College, Commercial and Non-Commercial as well as thousands of streaming Internet radio stations. Some of the radio broadcasting networks Although there are many genres of music, DigitalRadioTracker.com specializes in monitoring radio broadcasters in the following formats: CHR/Pop (Top 40), Rhythmic, Urban/Hip Hop/R&B, Country/Americana, Rock/Alternative, Gospel/Christian/Inspirational, Adult Contemporary and Jazz/Fusion. DigitalRadioTracker.com gathers millions of songs being played each day and compiles DRT Reports for our clients. A DRT Report breaks down exactly who is playing a song, when it's played and how often it's played. DigitalRadioTracker.com also offers Historical 8 Week Reports which list the history of airplay detections on all of our monitored stations during the last 8 week period. In addition, we provide Comprehensive Reports which shows the exact time of day/night a song is played on each of our monitored radio stations. If you have a song receiving airplay on radio and want to know when and where it's being played, get your DRT Report today!

Festival Network Online
PO Box 18839, Asheville, NC 28814
PH: 828-658-2779 FX: 828-645-3374
Julie Cochrane julie@festivalnet.com
www.festivalnet.com
Lists more than 10,000 events throughout the U.S. and Canada seeking performers, from local & regional to national & international. @_festivalnet

6.2 RESOURCES - EDUCATIONAL

Harris Institute
118 Sherbourne St., Toronto, ON M5A 2R2
PH: 800-291-4477
John Harris info@harrisinstitute.com
www.harrisinstitute.com
A school like no other, where future leaders gather, and minds and music matter. Harris Institute ranked the top private school for a 6th year in the 2018 'Media Arts Education Report'. The Report states, "Harris Institute is the best school of its kind in Canada - Highly Recommended. The college is the only school in both Billboard Magazine's "Top 11 Schools" and Mix Magazine's "Audio Education's Finest".

Sound Radar
Jonny Bennett jonny@soundradar.org
www.soundradar.org
We are a non-profit organisation made up of me (Jonny), Cally, James and Ivy. We try to bring you the latest music news from around the globe, whilst educating kids in schools about music.

DIY Musician Podcast
13909 NE Airport Way, Portland, OR 97230
Kevin Breuner podcast@cdbabypodcast.com
www.cdbabypodcast.com
Join CD Baby's Kevin and Chris as they discuss current music news, interview artists and industry professionals, offer tips and tricks to help today's independent musician move their career forward and much more! Interviews about how to be a successful musician without compromising your art. It's a perfect time to take advantage of the many opportunities for Do-It-Yourself artists that are springing up everywhere. @cdbaby @kbreuner

6.3 RESOURCES - TOOLS AND APPS

Bandzoogle
1608 S. Ashland Ave. #92842, Chicago, IL 60608-2013
support@bandzoogle.com
www.bandzoogle.com
The most effective platform for musicians to build their website and manage their direct-to-fan marketing and sales. Independent and DIY musicians can create a pro and fully functional website without having to code anything or hire expensive designers. They can add features like mailing list management and e-mail blasts, centralized Facebook/Twitter/Bandcamp updates, blogging and detailed fan analytics. With Bandzoogle, artists can also quickly build an online store to sell their digital and physical goods, at no commission. facebook.com/bandzoogle @bandzoogle

MyNewsletterBuilder
comments@mynewsletterbuilder.com
www.mynewsletterbuilder.com
A user-friendly, feature-rich, online newsletter management program for novices and professionals alike. facebook.com/MyNewsletterBuilder1

6.4 RESOURCES - AUDIO

DISC MAKERS
7905 N. Crescent Blvd. Pennsauken, NJ 08110-1402
PH: 800-468-9353
www.discmakers.com
The nation's leading CD / DVD duplicator, replicator and printer. When you're ready to make CDs, we're ready to make it happen. We're musicians too, so we know what you need to make it in this business: The best-looking product, the hottest-sounding audio and the most valuable (and free) promotional tools, including free distribution, a free UPC bar code and much more! facebook.com/discmakers @discmakers

OASIS CD Manufacturing
7905 N. Route 130, Delair, NJ 08110
PH: 540-987-8810
info@oasisCD.com
www.oasiscd.com
We help you manufacture your CD or DVD project. We also help you package it creatively, promote and distribute it so it doesn't become just more clutter in your apartment. facebook.com/OasisCD @oasisdisc

6.5 RESOURCES - ORGANIZATIONS

AFM & AFTRA Intellectual Property Rights Distribution Fund
4705 Laurel Canyon Blvd. #400, Valley Village, CA 91607
PH: 818-255-7980
access@afmsagaftrafund.org
www.raroyalties.org
Recording Artist Royalties Formed for the purpose of distributing royalties from various foreign territories and royalties established by government statute under U.S. Copyright Law.

SECTION SEVEN: THIS MONTH'S ARTICLE

The Reason Most Bands Don't Get the Gig (and how to fix it)
by Craig Kelley, GigFaster
© 2018 All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission

MOST BANDS DON'T GET GIGS AND WONDER WHY?

They look at the bands playing the venues they want to perform at and think: why them and not us?

Bands that don't get the gig say, "We are so much more talented. That should be us up there!"

Why do some bands get the gig while others just sit in the crowd?

It is not for a lack of effort. Most bands and artists are hustling day and night trying to book shows and performances, but they either write ineffective emails or waste countless hours calling club owners and promoters using old techniques that simply don't work anymore.

It's also not for a lack of talent that some bands don't get the gig. There are plenty of bands and artists that have honed their craft and are their music is far superior to what you see on a lot of stages. That holds true for the big stadium shows as well.

Perfecting your sound and skills is just one part of landing gigs though.

THE OLD WAY TO BOOK GIGS

Back in the day a phone call was pretty much the only way to contact venues.

Like every other working musician out there, I spent countless hours trying to connect with promoters and booking agents. It took a lot of time. Hours, days and mostly weeks just to get a response.

Here's how the process typically worked:

Call the club: The phone would either ring endlessly or you would get the answering machine.If someone answered they would write your name and number down (probably on a napkin) and tell you the booking agent would get back to you.

Even when I spoke with the actual promoter he/she would tell me to call back. Some would be nice enough to give me a hint of "when" to call.

Call the club again: This time when I called, I'd be armed with "I was told to call back at this time" that pretty much got me nowhere. Literally 90% of follow-up calls were greeted with "this still isn't a good time, call back later."It took a lot of scheduling to remember when exactly to call.

Borderline Insanity: The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

That's what it feels like trying to cold-call clubs. I had a club owner tell me to call back 4 times. I called every time at the exact time he wanted except for the 4th time. I was at work and couldn't. When I finally connected with him after many other calls he was angry that I missed his call!

This is common. If it wasn't obvious already, calling to get gigs just doesn't work anymore. On top of that, promoters now say they don't want you to call. It's the 21st Century.

THE BEST WAY TO BOOK GIGS

Emailing venues is by far the most effective way to get new shows.

I'm living proof of this and I've booked big shows using just email. I've shared the stage with GRAMMY-winning and nominated artists such as Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Rick Derringer, and guitar-slinger Gary Hoey, just to name a few.

Emails work, but you can't just fire off one email and expect to land the show. What you need is an email sequence.

An email sequence is a set of focused scheduled emails. As a do-it-yourself artist, I will bet you are already sending emails.

Here's an email sequence that I love to use to book supporting gigs at major venues:

Introduction email - Briefly reach out and introduce yourself to the venue. If there is a specific artist and show coming to town ask about the possibility of opening for the show.

Follow-up email - If you haven't received a response, follow up and inquire about the upcoming show.

More Follow-ups - If you don't follow up, you'll be forgotten. Schedule reminders in your Google calendar or on your phone and be sure to follow up.

Hopefully you already are using emails to pitch your band. Great! This leads me to the reason why most bands don't get the gig. Again, it's not for lack of effort or talent. It's also not because they are using obsolete techniques (even though that's part of it).

MOST BANDS DON'T GET THE GIG BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO ASK FOR IT.

The focus is solely on how "great" their band is and why they should be playing the venue. Bands look desperate. They feel needy.

You have to remember that the club is the employer. They don't want needy desperate people who think highly of themselves. Clubs are looking for artists that can bring in more money than they put out. They are looking for people that are enjoyable to work with. It has to be a win-win. It's a business.

So, how do you get gigs without coming across as needy, arrogant or desperate?

You start with a simple introduction email.

Catch their attention, introduce yourself and ask a specific question.

"Hi Jim,

I see you have BandX playing on November 26th. Congrats, I'm sure that show will be awesome.

Quick question for you, are you guys considering any opening bands for the show?

Thanks,

Craig

http://craigkelley.com"

In this simple introduction email I was very specific, short and asked one question.

I included one link to my website. Again, simple and not overwhelming.

If you don't get a reply then be sure to follow up as I mentioned above.

Who is your dream gig with? If you have any questions, get in touch. I'm happy to answer your questions all day long.

I put together my favorite email pitch that you can grab here for free. I used this simple email to get the conversation started for many my gigs.

Craig Kelley is the main gigmaster at GigFaster.com. He recently released his eighth album, Live at Sellersville Theater, and has supported GRAMMY award-winning artists including Rick Derringer, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Gary Hoey, Joan Jett, Fuel, and many others. This article originally appeared in the November, 2017 DIY MUSICIAN Blog

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