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What's a Blog Post Worth?
http://www.ohword.com/whats-that-blog-post-worth/
Rafi Kam drops a thoughtful, important piece on attention vs. numbers, conversion and engagement, and questions how important getting coverage on “Big Blogs” really is in 2011….or any other year.
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An Oral History of Superfly Productions
http://www.inc.com/magazine/201106/how-we-did-it-superfly-presents.html
How did 4 dudes go from booking local gigs to building Bonaroo? Well, hot damn, now you can read that story and find out. Chock full of actionable details and good advice.
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What to Expect from a GOOD Music Publicist
http://weallmakemusic.com/what-to-expect-from-a-good-music-publicist/
Essential reading — I see way too many artists wasting their budgets on trash PR from people who can’t even write a proper email. This is like a Client Bill of Rights. Read this before you spend a single dollar on PR.
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Sampling Advice from Blockhead
http://phatfriend.wordpress.com/2011/06/02/some-sampling-dos-and-dont-for-beat-makers/
Must read stuff for producers. Bonus: also pretty f’ing hilarious writing.
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Behind the Scenes @ Ever Ready Records
http://www.indiehiphop.net/ever-ready-records-a-glimpse-inside-the-inner-workings-of-an-indie-hip-hop-label-guest-post/
A good read on a west coast indie label with actual office space! Sounds like fun.
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How Not to Be a Shitty Promoter
http://www.syffal.com/ground-lift-media-promoter-guide-vol-1
Great read on a critical topic. If you’ve got a show coming up? Guess what, you’re a promoter now. Study up.
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Almost the Perfect Odd Future Article
http://thephoenix.com/Boston/news/120228-odd-future-blew-up-out-of-nowhere-but-they-didnt/
Chris Faraone avoids the usual meta-critic bullshit and hones in on the real meat: the business moves and PR campaign that put rape-rap on the map in 2011. This was just excellent.
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Artist Management = Business Development
http://blog.tunecore.com/2011/02/artist-managers-must-understand-their-role-is-now-business-development.html
One of the best articles of 2011 so far, from George Howard. Perfect piece.
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Doomtree talks business
http://abovegroundmagazine.com/news/culture-news/04/27/doomtree-members-speak-about-business-side-of-the-crew/
Great, great interview here. Dessa is one of the smartest people in independent hip hop today.
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Willie Green on The Production Grid
http://abovegroundmagazine.com/columns/pro-logic/04/28/the-production-grid/
Willie Green, in addition to being dope as all hell on the beats, has been writing a first-rate column called Pro Logic about the science behind hip hop production. This latest article was critical intel.
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Important Read on the Future of Facebook
http://technologyreview.com/web/37334/
Ugly, depressing, cynical as fuck: “You Are the Ad,” as the title proclaims. Really important reading.
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An interview Fred Pessaro from Brooklyn Vegan
http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2011/04/brooklynvegans-fred-pessaro-on-how-to-get-music-on-blogs-the-value-of-live-shows.html
Surprisingly detailed and awesome interview from Hypebot, lots of insights on the blog game and maximizing live shows…
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Questlove on Building a Movement with Your Music Career
http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2011/04/marketing-music-careers-by-building-music-movements.html
Clyde Smith spotlighting some important advice from an architect of The Roots success story. Parts of this are worth printing and framing.
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Why Does Indie Rock Vinyl Out-Sell Hip Hop Vinyl?
http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2011/03/03/134204727/slow-and-steady-vinyl-survives
The article itself is just about vinyl’s “Comeback” being way less than the hype — but to me, it raises a competitive question: why are indie rock fans buying more Vampire Weekend than hip hop heads buying…well, anything? What is going on there?
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Venture Capitalist perspective on the recorded music business
http://www.avc.com/a_vc/2011/04/some-thoughts-on-the-music-business.html
An enjoyable fresh and clinically precise thinkpiece. I have a low tolerance for articles about “the music biz” but I thought this was an exceptional refresher course. Dig it.
