Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast

In this episode, I’m sharing the story of how I turned approximately $1,800 in Facebook ad spend into over $40,000 in ticket sales in a town of just over 8,000 people. Over the years, I’ve fine-tuned a strategy that consistently delivers results, especially in smaller cities and towns, whether you're promoting a tour, festival, concert or other live event. Join me as I break down the exact steps I took and how you can apply these same techniques to fill seats and boost ticket sales for your next event!

As more and more musicians recognize the importance of developing sustainable sales models, they face a unique challenge: balancing the need for brand growth through streaming with the potential for reduced sales revenue. Streaming has become a dominant force in music consumption, and while it plays a crucial role in brand development, it can also cannibalize traditional sales. While album sales remain a viable income source for many independent musicians, forward-thinking artists are exploring models that not only complement their streaming strategies but also future-proof their sales approaches. Membership sites offer a powerful solution to these challenges.Although platforms like Patreon have popularized the concept of fan-supported content, many musicians have yet to fully realize the potential of running their own membership site. By creating a dedicated platform for your most engaged fans, you can generate recurring income, maintain full control over your branding and customer experience, and keep the majority of your proceeds. This approach allows you to monetize your music without relying solely on streaming revenue or traditional album sales.In this episode of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast, we'll explore why membership sites are the perfect tool for musicians looking to complement their streaming strategies, future-proof their sales models, and create a sustainable income stream. We'll discuss the key advantages of this model and provide practical tips for building and growing your own membership community.We'll also take a moment to catch up on the latest developments in AI and how it's impacting the music industry. From AI-powered music creation to innovative marketing tools, we'll explore the current state of AI and what it means for independent musicians.Whether you're looking to diversify your revenue streams, strengthen your relationship with your most dedicated fans, or create a more sustainable foundation for your music career, this episode will give you the insights and inspiration you need to start your own membership platform.For more music marketing strategies, tactics, and tips go to https://musicmarketingmanifesto.com/

In the latest episode of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast, we deep dive into the world of "AI Workflows". I'll break down how AI can help you attract more fans and generate more revenue. This means less burnout and more time for what you truly love: making music.We'll also be joined by a very special surprise guest, and together we'll answer all of your burning questions about using AI to further your music career.Register for the Musician's AI Toolkit: https://musicmarketingmanifesto.com/aiearlybird

Rewind to six months ago, the Music Marketing Manifesto podcast was among the very first music industry podcasts to discuss the release of ChatGPT and the looming AI revolution. Fast forward to the present, AI is not just a buzzword - it's a seismic shift that's ignited a veritable arms race in technology.AI tools such as ChatGPT 4, Midjourney, Runway's Gen 2, Stable Diffusion, and many others have permeated every corner of our lives, with an especially potent impact on the arts and music industry. Some herald this as a landmark leap in human evolution, while others are sounding the alarm, painting it as a potential hazard to our very existence.In today's episode, we're taking a reflective journey back through these whirlwind six months. We'll dissect what's transpired, the promises kept, and the ones that merely sputtered out, and we'll discuss what we might be expect going forward.Moreover, we'll share tangible, real-world AI use cases that can elevate your music career here and now, not in some speculative future. This episode aims to provide a comprehensive catch-up on this crucial topic and perhaps, make you reevaluate your perspective on AI.

At the heart of Music Marketing Manifesto lies the concept of a "Deep Sale Funnel." This approach aims to attract subscribers, form relationships with them, convert them into fans, and ultimately, into music buyers. This approach works and it works well. But it's not the only type of funnel out there! Another notable approach is the Free For Shipping & Handling Funnel. This method entices people to pay a small shipping and handling fee in exchange for a "free" physical album delivered to their doorstep. While these funnels can be more challenging to execute, their success often surpasses that of any other funnel types when done right.In this episode of Music Marketing Manifesto, we delve into the intricacies of Free For Shipping & Handling Funnels, and welcome back Kevin Goetz from Mute Prophet. Kevin shares his experience of generating over $50,000 per year in music sales using this funnel strategy.

ChatGPT has made enormous waves since its release to the public approximately six weeks ago. In this episode, we'll dive deep into what ChatGPT, and AI in general, might mean for the future of music and how it can help your music marketing right now.If you are not yet familiar with it, ChatGPT is an AI-based language model that completely redefines the definition of a chatbot. Siri and Alexa have nothing on this thing! In fact, ChatGPT is so good at generating content (if you feed it the right prompts) that it has the potential to create your music marketing campaigns for you. Facebook ads, landing page copy, blog posts, social media posts, and even your music itself can be handed over to ChatGPT and made easy work of. However, it's not without its pitfalls, warnings, and legitimate reasons for concern, all of which we discuss in this episode.In this episode, we're also joined by innovation consultant and TunePipe designer, Sean Earley, to discuss this exciting new tech, what you can do with it, and what it might mean for your music career.AI is a divisive topic, especially among artists. But like it or not, AI, ChatGPT, and an avalanche of new and coming AI-based services are here to stay. Find out what you need to know as a musician on the latest episode of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast.

In the latest episode of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast we conclude our "Album Release Series" with Josh Solomon from the Empty Pockets. Josh is a long time MMM member who has used the strategies he initially learned in the program to help his band generate over $750,000 in online sales and generate numerous Billboard chart positions for several of their recent albums.Over the last few months Josh has been walking us through the release of their brand new album Outside Spectrum, and sharing the details of their marketing and promotion campaigns throughout the process. Well, their album just came out and we're both extremely excited to announce that it debuted at #1 on the Billboard Blues chart; an enormous achievement for any artist, let alone an independent artist who is truly doing it all on their own. Also notable is the fact that that the album hit #3 on the Americana/Folk Chart and #5 on the Top New Artists Albums Chart.In this episode Josh talks about what worked and what didn't, and gives a detailed accounting of how many of their sales came from each of the marketing and promotional strategies they employed for this release.This is a fascinating conversation and definitely not one to be missed.

Radio promotion is one of those things that has been around since the very beginning of the recording industry and historically it has been absolutely key to breaking an act.However, radio promo is EXPENSIVE. It can cost you anywhere between a few grand and a few HUNDRED grand, depending on your format and your goals. And regardless of what you pay, there are no guarantees you will get the number of spins you are hoping for.So in a world where streaming and and the internet have changed the way people consume music, and with radio listenership waning, it begs the question... Should independent musicians still invest a portion of their budget in radio promotion?Find out in this episode of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast.This episode is yet another in the "album release" series with Josh Solomon from the Empty Pockets.

The making and marketing of beats through platforms like BeatStars has been driving the Hip Hop world for a few years now. But the saturation of these market places has forced many producers to turn to more advanced funnel strategies to attract artists and sell their beats.Moreover, the evolution of the beat making space has opened up opportunities for NON HIP HOP ARTISTS that are beginning to peak RIGHT NOW.I have to admit, as a singer songwriter, I had no idea how much the beat making space had evolved over the last few years. The things I learned in this interview with producer Sean Earley, kinda blew my mind. Whether you are a hip hop producer looking to get a better handle on marketing your beats, or a rock/singer-songwriter/country/whatever artist who doesn’t want to miss out on an evolving opportunity in the music industry... this is a must listen.

In episode #53 of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast we are going to walk you through the process of CREATING and PROMOTING a Spotify Pre-Save Campaign. It's no secret that one of the best ways to drive your streaming numbers up is to get added to popular playlists like Discovery Weekly and Release Radar, which are algorithmically generated.The best way to get picked up by any of these algorithmically generated playlists is to get a large number of followers and saves. HOWEVER, Spotify does not have a native pre-save option. But not to worry, in this episode we explain how to set up a pre-save page using third party services, and then how to promote that pre-save page for maximum impact.We also discuss how a Spotify campaign like this fits into a broader album release strategy....and if you enjoy the episode, be sure to leave a rating and review on whatever podcast app you use!

When it comes to selling music, the winning formula goes something like this...1. First, you "hook" your traffic with a simple sentence or two (in an ad, social post, or email) that makes your audience go... "I've gotta hear this".2. You build a bond with your audience by sharing music, telling stories, and making them go... "I love this artist".3. You ask your fans to buy some stuff and stream your music. Cha-ching!It's as straight forward as that.And it all starts with creating those HOOKS. Hooks are this simple "conversation starters" that become the basis for your ad campaigns, your email subject lines, and your social media posts.If you're not able to describe your music in a way that makes people want to click, then you're dead in the water.In the latest episode of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast we dive into the art and science of creating Hooks for your music.

In this episode we walk you through the entire album release process, discuss each component of a release, discuss why you might or might not want to employ certain strategies in your release, and layout a timeline for the entire thing.

In episode #50 of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast we are joined by Alexander "Aor" Osipov from the Russian Symphonic Metal band, Imperial Age. Alexander is someone who bought my training program Music Marketing Manifesto a few years back and really ran with the strategies he learned. In a fairly short amount of time he was able to take his popular, but financially struggling band and turn them into a thriving success; bringing in a healthy six figures in music revenue each year.When the war between Russia and Ukraine broke out he was one of the first people I thought of. However I was afraid to reach out for fear that even a conversation about the war could create problems for him.I was relieved, and incredibly humbled, when a week or so ago Alexander reached out to tell me that thanks to what he learned in Music Marketing Manifesto - and the overseas and recurring revenue his band now brings in - they were able to flee Russia and move to Turkey; with a hope of eventually relocating to the USA or the UK. I asked Alexander if he'd be willing to sit in on the MMM Podcast and share their extremely relevant story, and walk us through exactly how his band markets their music. This is their story.

In this episode we discuss the importance of marketing your music with funnels and the release of John Oszajca's new platform Tunepipe, a funnel builder for musicians. John is also joined by Empty Pockets front man, Josh Solomon who sits in to discuss his experience building funnels and ask various questions about John's new platform, TunePipe.

In this episode of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast, John Oszajca takes a very important look at the difference between a Streaming Model vs a Sales Model, and the impact that each approach might have on your career, as an independent musician.

This sound familiar? You hit the stage… The crowd loves it… You make sure that everyone knows how to find you on Spotify and your socials… You get home and wait to see those stats skyrocket… But then… NOTHING HAPPENS. All that work; all that exposure, and the needle doesn’t move at all. This is […]

Most musicians are on significantly limited budgets and typically there is very little money set aside for marketing. In this episode I field a question from listener, Jason Eli, who asked how I would spend my money if I had just $500 (approximately) to spend on music marketing. If you’ve got a question that you […]

n the latest episode of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast we are going to speak with Kevin Goetz from the metal band, Mute Prophet. Kevin is a Music Marketing Manifesto member who I have watched over the last few years as he (along with other members of his band) took Mute Prophet from obscurity and turned them into an incredible indie success story. When the band's first album was released they initially sold less then ten copies. Things didn't look great for this symphonic metal band. However, Kevin is one of those guys that doesn't give up, and he worked diligently over the last few years to master the art of direct to fan marketing. He has asked smart questions and has stuck with it for the last few years, and that hard work is really paying off! These days Mute Prophet sees an average of 26 album sales per day, all on their own terms, and without touring! In this episode Kevin pulls back the curtain on his band's success and shares EVERYTHING. He walks you through his entire marketing process and shares the precise numbers. This is one you won't want to miss.

Many in the digital marketing space are suggesting that Apple’s coming iOS 14 update will mean the end of Facebook Advertising as we know it. Spoiler alert… It’s not. But there are things you NEED to know. In a nutshell, apple will soon be asking all app users if they are willing to allow their […]

In episode #43 of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast we chat with Brian Vander Ark - lead singer of the band The Verve Pipe - about how he has consistently made six figures per year from house concerts, and how you can too! House concerts have long been one of the best ways for independent artists to generate a significant amount of revenue each year. That said, with all that is going on in the world, this is probably not the best time for any kind of touring, house concert or otherwise... However, with so many live venues closing down, and no real end of the pandemic in sight, musicians may need to start thinking ahead to a time when we can start touring again. Because for many, house concerts may be the best, if not only, option. I could think of no one better to tackle this topic than Brian Vander Ark. Brian is the lead singer of the platinum selling rock band, The Verve Pipe. Years ago he embraced the 1000 true fan model and began doing house concerts across America for his existing fan base. The result was as much as six figures a year in revenue by performing backyards and living rooms for just a few months each year. In this interview he will explain exactly how he did it and how YOU can too!

In episode #42 of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast we chat with Michael Sloane, the CEO of StreamingPromotions.com about the art and science of getting your music on more Spotify playlists. As many of you know, the streaming promotion landscape is littered with charlatans and low quality promotion services that can hurt your music career […]

In episode #41 of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast we will speak with Karen Allen the author if “Twitch for Musicians” about how musicians can use the world’s largest streaming platform for gamers to grow their fan base and potentially generate a full-time income from their music. I also want to remind everyone that I […]

The current global pandemic has had a tremendous impact on musicians. The loss of the ability to perform live, the fact that our fans have less money to spend on non-essential items, and the fact that many of us have lost our day jobs during this time has really hit musicians hard. In the wake […]

Niels Schroeter from NCS Entertainment and Blue Élan Records once introduced me to a very important concept: Not every marketing tactic is right for every artist, and the next step an artist should take is really determined by where their career is at, and where they want to take it. This is important because so often I see artists spending thousands of dollars on promotions that stand very little chance of working because they are simply not ready for it, or because it's the wrong prescription for their genre. This was one of those nuggets that I have repeated more times than I can count, and so I thought... Why don't we get Niels on the podcast to explain this himself. Niels is a very smart guy who has been there and done that in just about every aspect of the music business. He's worked in A & R, product development, artist management, music marketing, and as a general manager of several labels. In episode #39 of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast I ask Niels to explain his concept of "Stepping Stones" and to walk us through just what it takes to go from the very beginning of one's career, to becoming an international act. This is one of the more substantial conversations we've had on the podcast in a long time. I really think you're going to dig it.

In episode #38 of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast we are going to be doing something a bit different... This episode consists of the audio taken from a LIVE Music Marketing Q & A that I held earlier today. It is MUCH longer than the average MMM podcast episode and clocks in at 2.5 hours. That was me being obsessive about trying to answer everyone's questions :-) But there were some incredible questions and I think you'll find that there is a LOT of little light bulb moments throughout this Q & A. If you are interested in grabbing the 60% off Cyber Monday discount mentioned in the podcast, you can click here to get the discount: https://www.musicmarketingmanifesto.com/cyber-monday/ Just make sure you act before Thursday, December 5th, at Midnight Pacific (which is when the discount expires.

When a musician comes to me with a troubled marketing campaign, 9 times out of 10 the issue is in the branding... However, branding is one of those ambiguous words that most people think they understand but seldom truly do. Musicians tend to associate it more with the simpler concept of "image", "genre", or "niche". But branding goes much deeper than that. Ultimately your brand is your core identity; it's what makes you unique and stand out from the hundreds of thousands of other musicians out there making similar music. Your brand is the succinct expression of your unique qualities, and when well crafted, it creates a shortcut to the mind of your potential fans and makes all of your career decisions much much clearer; from the font you use on your website, to the targeting options you choose, to the content that you share with your fans. If you're not completely clear on what your brand is, then you're winging it. And if you're winging it, the odds are stacked against you... In episode #37 of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast I go into depth on my concept of "brand". I explain what it is, why it's so important, and outline a few actionable steps that you can take right now to better develop your brand.

One of the questions I receive most often from independent musicians is “how do I get my music licensed in television and films?” It’s easy to understand why licensing would be on the minds of so many musicians. A placement in the right television show or film can be incredibly lucrative, it can lead to […]

One of the benefits of following a marketing strategy like the one outlined in Music Marketing Manifesto is that, if done right, you stand a very good chance of charting on key sales charts such as those in Billboard Magazine. A chart position can be valuable to an up-and-coming artist because it helps to build […]

If you’ve ever gone through any of my training programs then you know that I’m a huge fan of paid advertising. I think that it’s an invaluable tool for musicians who want to get their music in front of a large number of people very quickly. Having said that, it’s not for everyone. Some musicians […]

There is no question about it, streaming is here to stay. However, despite the industry shift towards streaming, we still see a landscape in which 99% of all Spotify streaming comes from just 10% of songs. This should cause independent artists to take pause and ask themselves if they are moving towards streaming because they […]

In Episode #32 of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast I am going to teach you how to grow your fan base using Facebook ads for just $5 a day. This strategy varies from many other strategies that I teach in that it is less focused on lead generation, and more focused on slow and steady […]

UPDATE 11/14/2018: In an interesting development, early this morning Jared Threatin’s social media profiles came back online, revealing a post that simply states “Jared Threatin to make “fake” official statement tomorrow”. Have his accounts been hacked? Has this all been an elaborate ruse? Or is he simply attempting to make the best of a bad […]

In Episode #30 of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast you will hear the audio replay taken from a music marketing webinar I held earlier this week. The focus of the webinar, and therefore this episode, is the power of words! Promoting your music online means creating content. That might be a Facebook ad, a social […]

In Episode #29 of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast we’re going to be talking about what it takes to get your music on to the Billboard Charts. Not so much from a numbers perspective (although we will address that as well), but instead we’re going to look at how an independent artist can take sales that […]

In Part 2 of the “On Getting Signed” interview I talk about what happened after I landed my deal with Interscope Records and how things eventually took a turn for the worse and I was dropped by the label. In the interview you’ll hear what that’s like, and how I eventually turned things around. To […]

If you’ve ever heard me talk about music marketing then you’ve heard me mention the fact that I was once signed to Interscope Records when I landed what the trade papers called, “the largest new artist record deal in history”. While I’ve certainly mentioned that deal, I’ve never really told the story of how I […]

When it comes to building your fan base, it’s not just about the U.S.. You have millions of potential fans and music buyers spread out around the world and they shouldn’t be neglected. But many international musicians have felt that while one thing might work in the United States, it doesn’t always work in other […]

Episode #25 of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast marks the beginning of a a bit of a “reboot” for the show. The format is changing, and episodes will be released far more frequently. In this episode we discuss iTunes and the future of downloads. It’s been rumored for some time now that iTunes would be […]

In episode #24 of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast Ariel Hyatt from Cyber PR joins us to discuss the impact that a well developed brand can have on your music career. Because without a well developed brand… the marketing just isn’t going to work. In this interview Ariel lays out a few simple steps that any artist can take […]

As you may already know, Registration for Music Marketing Manifesto 4.0 went live a few days ago. Hundreds of musicians have already signed up and the members area is buzzing. Well, yesterday I held a fairly impromptu LIVE Q & A call to just chat about marketing music the MMM way, and to address the […]

In episode #22 of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast we are going to speak with Josh Solomon of The Empty Pockets. Josh is a Music Marketing Manifesto member who used what he learned in the course to transform his band’s last album release from a “flop” into an ENORMOUS indie success story. When the band’s […]

In episode #21 of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast we are going to speak with Jason Scheff – the long-time vocalist and bassist of the world famous rock/pop band, Chicago – about thriving in the new music business. If by some chance you have been living under a rock for the last few decades and […]

In episode #20 of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast we are going to talk with blues artist, Janiva Magness, about her recent Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album of 2016. I take particular pride in sharing her story as I had the good fortune of being part of it. Early in 2016 I was […]

In episode #19 of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast we are going to take a look at Facebook advertising and the notion that it is to modern independent musicians, what touring has been in decades past. Now before all you road veterans get yourselves all worked up in the comments below, I am not hear […]

In episode #18 of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast Ali Handal, co-founder of Triple Scoop Music, joins us to offer insight into the world of music licensing. Triple Scoop Music is a boutique music licensing company that focuses on serving photographers, filmmakers, and leading brands worldwide. Ali gives us an insider’s perspective on how music […]

In episode #17 of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast we are joined by James Book of Top Secret Productions to talk about sponsorships. What they are, how they work, and the best way to go about trying to secure one for your band or music. James Book is the former bassist of the gold selling […]

A few weeks ago I posted something on the MMM Facebook page about the Fact that Taylor Swift recently pulled her entire catalog from Spotify. She was quoted as saying “I’m not wiling to contribute my life’s work to an experiment that I don’t feel fairly compensates the writers, producers, artists, and creators of […]

Over the last few months I’ve had the pleasure of working as the marketing director for blues artist Janiva Magness‘ newly formed indie label, Fat Head Records. The label’s first release debut at #5 on Billboard’s Blues Chart and has held the #1 spot on blues radio for much of this summer. In the […]

In the latest episode of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast, Xerxes Horde from the New Jacobin Club, joins us to discuss how he’s been able to use the strategies learned in MMM 3.0 to outsell two years of web sales in under three months, and generate some pretty impressive sales and subscriber stats. The […]

In this episode of the Music Marketing Manifesto Podcast, CD Baby founder Derek Sivers, joins us to discuss how he transitioned from musician to owner of the world’s largest distributor of independent music. He also discusses some of the defining patterns and traits he observed in their best selling artists. To listen in just go […]