Hisham Dahud Talks About Music Marketing With BitTorrent | Ep. 43: The Music Biz Weekly Podcast
Join Michael Brandvold and myself, Brian Thompson, for this week's 37min. episode.
This week we're joined by special guest Hisham Dahud (music industry journalist for Hypebot and digital marketer with Fame House). We get down and dirty and have a very in depth discussion about the recent and very successful campaign that electronic artist Pretty Lights did in partnership with BitTorrent.
Hit play below and share your thoughts with us in the comments. Or of course you can always send us a tweet or leave us a comment on Facebook too. Whichever you choose... share share share!
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I Want YOU To Be The Star In My New Crowdsourced Video
So I decided to make a little "testimonial" video. It's not going to be anything fancy, just a short little thing for people to get a vibe for what I'm doing.
And I want YOU to be the star of the video.
That's right… I'm crowdsourcing baby!
So… if I've possibly taught you some cool new things, or if I've helped you in some way, or simplified your daily routine, or inspired you or motivated you somehow, then send me a brief 10-30 second video message with your testimonial.
And it doesn't matter whether you're a present or past client, a fellow tweeter, a happy facebooker, a blog reader, a quote lover, a newsletter diehard or a podcast fan. It doesn't matter… I just want to see your smiling face and hear what you have to say!

So turn on your camera (or use your iPhone), say a few short words (no longer than 30 seconds) and then send the file using the form that's right here in this blog post.
On February 15 I'll edit the clips together and air the video we made together right here on this page.
This will be fun!
I can't wait to see what you come up with.
—Brian Thompson
Follow @thornybleeder
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The Rock Star Branding Podcast Ep. #1 - Lessons From AC/DC: Meeting Your Fan's Expectations

The Music Biz Weekly Presents… The Rock Star Branding Podcast
with your hosts Brian Thompson, Michael Brandvold and author Steve Jones.
Today's Topic?
Lessons From AC/DC: Meeting Your Fan's Expectations
This all-new weekly podcast series will air every Wednesday in all of the usual spots. You'll be able to find it right here on Thorny Bleeder, but of course you'll also be able to find it on iTunes, Soundcloud, Stitcher Radio, The DIY Daily, MichaelBrandvold.com and BrandLikeARockStar.com.
Follow @thornybleeder
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The DIY Daily Podcast #48 - January 24, 2012
Today's Topic?
The New Music Economy: Demand = Value
+
How To Get Motivated RIGHT NOW!
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The New Music Economy: Demand = Value

Demand = Value
If there's no demand, there's no value.
If you create demand you create an opportunity for monetization.
Without demand, your music is essentially worthless to the public, regardless of what you paid to record and produce it.
Encourage an open environment of sharing around your music.
Sharing creates new fans.
Fans create demand.
Monetize!
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The DIY Daily Podcast #47 - January 23, 2012
Today's Topic?
In Discussion, my new controversial blog post:
I Don't Want To Own Music, I Just Want To Listen To Music.
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FREE Webinar Announcement: How To Use Facebook To Promote Your Music
Michael Brandvold and I are excited to announce the next Music Biz Weekly Music Marketing Webinar. This is going to be another great event for everyone, especially considering the topic: How To Use Facebook To Promote Your Music!
Oh… did I mention that it's free? Here's the deets:
When:
February 6, 2012
6pm–7:30pm PST
Cost to Attend Live Webinar:
Free
Recorded Video After the Event:
$5.00Click To Read More...
I Don't Want To Own Music, I Want To Listen To Music.

"Culture is the sum of all the forms of art, of love, and of thought, which, in the coarse or centuries, have enabled man to be less enslaved”
—Andre Malraux
An editorial by Brian Thompson.Click To Read More...
SOPA Hopes To Censor The Internet + Marketing On Pinterest | Ep. 42: The Music Biz Weekly Podcast

This week we bullshit about various music and marketing topics such as thepending American legislation to censor the internet under the guise of killing piracy (SOPA and PIPA), plus more thoughts on using Facebook and Pinterest to market your music.
Hit Play and share your thoughts with us in the comments below! Or of course you can always send us a tweet or leave us a comment on Facebook too. Whichever you choose... share share share!
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Contest! Enter To Win A Free Music Consultation

This is an amazing opportunity for you to ask two experienced music marketers any questions you have on the music biz, branding, marketing, or social media. This is essentially a free consultation with both Brian Thompson and Michael Brandvold… except this will be recorded and made available for the entire world to hear!
After our 45min. podcast with YOU is complete, we'll end the podcast featuring one of YOUR recorded songs. This is an amazing opportunity for you to showcase your music to the world!
Entry is simple! Click To Read More...
This Is The Type Of Art SOPA Would Kill

To be clear… unauthorized sharing (copying) of content found online could not only have your website taken down without due process, but it could also land you in jail.
For example, if you were to post a version of you performing a Michael Jackson song on YouTube, you could not only have your account removed but you could also face up to five years in prison. That's one more year than the man who killed the man Michael Jackson himself. For singing a song without first acquiring a license to do so.
That Tumblr or Pinterest page of yours where you repost someone else's photo or cartoon or image?
SOPA would kill that.
That song you downloaded and posted on your blog to share with friends and readers?
SOPA would kill that.
But beyond trying to kill the culture of sharing (which is something humans have always done), it will also kill the creation of new art altogether. Any piece of music or art that uses a mashup or a collaboration of existing pieces, without proper consent from the original creators, would be illegal and punishable.
The Stop Online Piracy Act is a misguided solutions to a misunderstood problem. For more information on the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), click here.
To give you a taste of the types of beautiful music that would cease to exist if SOPA were passed… I present to you the following mashup videos created by Pogomix (illegally of course).
This Is The Type Of Art SOPA Would Kill:
Upular (Pixar Remix)
Info:
Video for the track 'Upular', composed using chords, bass notes and vocal samples from the Disney Pixar film 'Up'.
*see more examples by clicking Read More below*Click To Read More...
New Series Announced: The Rock Star Branding Podcast

We had such a great time recording that podcast and had such a tremendous response from it that we decided to do some brainstorming to see what else we could possibly do together. Well, it quickly dawned on us… why spoil a good thing? Let's do more podcasts together!
And so… a new series was born:
The Music Biz Weekly Presents… The Rock Star Branding Podcast
with your hosts Brian Thompson, Michael Brandvold and Steve Jones.
This all-new weekly podcast series will air every Wednesday in all of the usual spots, with the debut episode airing on Wednesday, January 25. You'll be able to find it right here on Thorny Bleeder, but of course you'll also be able to find it on iTunes, Soundcloud, Stitcher Radio, The DIY Daily, MichaelBrandvold.com and BrandLikeARockStar.com. Click To Read More...
The DIY Daily Podcast #42 - January 16, 2012
Today's Topic?
"As You Evolve, So Should The Things That Describe You"
(OR... How I Just Invented the Term: Idea Development Engineer)
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As You Evolve, So Should The Things That Describe You

When I do branding consultations I tell clients they need to have a clear and well crafted elevator pitch that accurately conveys the message of who they are and what they're all about.
Your elevator pitch needs to be the essence of you, distilled down into a carefully concocted piece of prose. And If you're not happy with it, then you need to refine it. It needs to evolve, in tandem with you.
And so it dawned on me that I needed to heed my own advice.
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Van Halen, Facebook Subscriptions & Spin Magazine Twitter Album Reviews | Ep. 41: The Music Biz Weekly Podcast
Join Michael Brandvold and myself, Brian Thompson, for this weeks 42min. episode as we bullshit about various music and marketing topics such as Van Halen, Facebook Subscriptions, MOG and Spin Magazine Tweets Album Reviews.
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Flow Chart: Should You Quit Your Band?

Here's a flow chart courtesy of Guitar Squid for you to follow and see if perhaps it's time for you to move on…Click To Read More...
How To Maximize Your Merch Sales At Venues

Guest Post by Skip Taylor
for SaskMusic's
"The Session".
Reprinted with permission.
Things have changed drastically in the music business in the last 10 years. Physical CD sales have continued to spiral downwards and musicians have been forced to adapt and become smarter at how they handle all areas of their business to survive. More and more, merch sales have become a larger part of the average independent artist’s overall revenue plan.
Merchandise sales has become an area of great innovation and increased efficiency for those artists trying to maximize revenue. As the industry has gone through great transitions, many different business models have emerged. In this article I am going to be discussing some general “best practices,” but depending on your business model they may or may not be right for you. Ultimately, you will have to decide what is right for you and your business.
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Two Guys Bullshitting About Music | Ep. 40: The Music Biz Weekly Podcast
Join Michael Brandvold and myself, Brian Thompson, for a 40min. episode as we bullshit about various music marketing topics such as listening to the social web for mentions of your brand, social media etiquette, how to pitch your music to people in the industry, plus a new option for you to get your music onto streaming music sites such as Spotify, Rdio, and MOG.
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Buy Your Tix Now: Songposium in Toronto, Halifax & Winnipeg

January 28 is quickly approaching and that's the day I'll be speaking on Digital Marketing at Songposium 2012 in Toronto. The event is also being live streamed to Halifax and Winnipeg, so if you're a musician in any of these areas I hope you'll take advantage of this amazing day of information.
BUY TICKETS HERE:
Toronto
Halifax
Winnipeg
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2012 Music Marketing Trends & Predictions | Ep. 39: The Music Biz Weekly Podcast

Click play below to listen to our end-of-the-year discussion on Music Marketing Trends and Predictions for 2012, inspired by this blog post from Bob Baker.
From myself and co-host Michael Brandvold… Happy New Year and all the best for 2012!
—Brian Thompson
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