Adam Brostoff of Perfect Time Publishing
Posted by Justin Boland on Oct 19, 2011 | 0 Comments
Continuing with overdue interviews, Adam Brostoff is an expert on a subject Audible Readers ask about constantly: music publishing. He runs Perfect Time Publishing, a hip hop focused upstart operation that’s been having a great year…
How did you get started in the music business?
AB: A year and a half ago I decided that perhaps my natural place in the musical jungle was in a more behind-the-scenes role. I had been making beats for years and editing video for Duck Down Records, but I always felt I would have benefited from a business partner. I found it very difficult to hone my craft and handle the administrative work at the same time. I formed Perfect Time Publishing a year and a half ago to fill that same void for others and have since found my most success. I believe that is partially attributed to never forgetting what it was like for myself when I was in the artist’s shoes.
What are the most common misunderstandings new artists have about publishing?
AB: I think the most common misunderstanding is what a publisher does. A publisher without a doubt can become one of the most trusted allies in your musical army. A publisher has a vested interest in you as an artist and will be there every step of the way offering opportunity and support. I license my artist’s music to TV but that is just one piece of the puzzle. In this new music age, opportunity can be found in brand new places for example, I’ve recently licensed tracks from my catalog to an iphone/ipad app. It’s a great opportunity because the tracks are being featured not only in the app, but through the company’s website as well, a great way for my artists to cast a wide net in the latest form of media. In addition to licensing, I also promote my roster of artists through appropriate marketing outlets and connect them to fellow peers for collaborations. As a result, one of my producers The Arcitype is currently working on an entire album with Brooklyn emcee Ruste Juxx.
What is it like for Perfect Time as a business, competing with the Leviathan-sized existing catalogs of major labels? Do they affect your strategies or is it a new industry every day in the Information Age?
AB: It might sound cliché, but as a smaller company I really can move quicker and more freely. When someone from a network deals with Perfect Time Publishing they deal personally with Adam Brostoff. Between rotating staff and multiple departments, creating personal relationships is something the big publishers and music libraries have to work at. Perfect Time Publishing is also a niche based company, I can’t compete with an enormous catalog containing every genre, so I don’t, I focus instead on “beat driven†music - hip hop and pop/club. From my artist’s perspective, I am always available, one phone call or email away, ready to brainstorm and hear the latest treat out of the kitchen! From a competitive stand-point, it’s even more gratifying when we land a license somewhere we know the “bigger” guys have as well. It feels like not only a win for us but a win for the entire DIY and independent communities!
What do you look for in artist, from a publishing perspective? Is it much different from what an agent or label A&R would be looking for?
AB: When it comes to finding and working with new artists, I’m proud to say talent is the most important thing. It’s different from what an A&R might be looking for because one’s “image” and/or “buzz” is not usually the highest on my list. First off, I look for artists and producers who work sample-free, doing both sample-free and samples is all good, but I need to make sure your sample-free game is on point, that’s what we’ll be licensing and I gotta be excited and inspired by it. Secondly, I look for producers/artists who are “self-contained” meaning they have access to a professional set-up either at home or work. If every time we need to generate splits or tweak a mix requires booking studio time and waiting a week…. we’re going to miss opportunities and lose business. Lastly, originality and style is key! I am looking to create a demand for what it is you do and that’s best if what you do has it’s own distinguishing sound.
What are the biggest changes you’ve seen in the industry in the past couple years?
AB: The biggest changes in the business of music these past couple years…. Digital is up, Physical is down. Everyone is aware that CD sales are sliding but check out ifpi.org and read about just how much digital sales are climbing! The IFPI is reporting that in the US digital music sales and physical music sales are almost dead even. Thats a very encouraging stat for any DIY or independent artist because the digital marketplace is a much more level playing field. Lately this digital trend is most evident in my genre, hip hop. Jay-Z and Kayne West broke iTunes first-week sales records with 290,000 units of “Watch The Thrown” and no more than three weeks later… Lil Wayne had already broke that record! Lil Wayne’s “Tha Carter IV” has sold over 300,000 downloads on iTunes and set what is now the current first-week sales record. These achievements coupled with the arrival of Spotify in the US, shows me that the public and the music industry has an increased interest in getting their music digitally - as a publisher I embrace this! I am a strong believer in giving the consumer what they want, if they want to be able to download an album to their TV and play it back in the shower, then lets give it to ‘em! At the end of the day I really wanna see the public make an even greater comeback to purchasing or streaming music legally. When I was a kid there was excitement around a new release and buying it first and sharing it with friends was part of the experience. This past weekend I was at a going away party for a good friend of mine. During the party a friend of mine bought a new album from his phone and we instantly made it the musical background for the night. If we can get back to making music purchasing just as social as music listening, I think we’ll all win.
I’d like to thank Audible Hype for reaching out and allowing me to share my perspective with their audience. I’d also like to shout out my team - The Arcitype, Ruste Juxx, The High Life, Fran-P, VICEVERSA, Carolina Black, Dominik Omega, the entire AR Classic Records family, Jay Tablez, Justice Of The Beatz, and FoldBack Productions - It’s their passion and talent that inspires me to get up everyday and create new opportunities for all of us.
For those who want to get in touch with me, you can use adam@perfecttimepublishing.com or twitter: @PerfectTimePub