Pages

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Tip of the Day - Unique Styles Magazine

Unique Styles Magazine is looking for new Rap and R&B talent to expose through their online magazine and radio show.

Send a press kit, CD and any other promotional materials available to:

Unique Styles Magazine
6224 Kelly Elliot Road
Arlington, TX 76001

If you are seeking radio airplay, send your best single (320 kbps) along with a drop to usmradio@gmail.com. Within the drop please state your name, where you are from, the show title (which is "The Unique Styles Show") and end it with "LG'z Up!" In the e-mail containing the audio files, be sure to include a link to your MySpace page or any other site which will allow them to learn more about you.

VERY IMPORTANT: Songs without a drop will NOT be considered for airplay!

Monday, April 26, 2010

Tip of the Day - The Role of Record Labels

In the most narrow sense, record labels provide two basic yet critical elements - funding & knowledge. These elements are essential for success yet often hard to come by for many independent artists and labels. As a general rule of thumb, record labels are comprised of various departments which carry out essential tasks necessary for bringing an album to market:
  • A&R (Artist & Repertoire) - discovers new talent and acts as the intermediary between artist/management and the label. They're typically involved in assisting with song selection and choosing a producer for the album as well
  • Art Department - prepares all the artwork relative to album cover art, advertisements and any other necessary elements
  • Artist Development - plans the career of the artist and nurtures their growth over the course of time
  • Business Affairs - takes care of bookkeeping, payroll and other financial matters
  • Label Liaison - coordinates release dates and other critical processes with the distribution company
  • Legal Department - deals with contracts and all other legal issues
  • Marketing Department - creates the overarching plan for each release and coordinates the plans with the promotions, publicity and sales departments
  • New Media - engages in developing music videos, websites, social networking sites, etc.
  • Promotions - solicits music to radio for airplay, and tracks the successes and reports details to marketing, sales & distribution. Often responsible for promoting videos to relevant outlets as well
  • Publicity - responsible for getting the word out about each artist through editorial content (articles in newspapers, magazines & websites) as well as securing radio and television coverage for an artist.
  • Sales - the label typically interacts with the distribution company to ensure albums end up on retail shelves in appropriate areas by providing essential information regarding the overall marketing plan and the successes being achieved at radio and other mediums. The label can choose to participate in retail marketing programs to receive featured placement in the stores (new release wall, listening station, endcap, free-standing display, etc.)
In an indie world these activities will likely be consolidated into the hands of a few key individuals, but it is essential to understand the various elements and ensure all aspects are engaged in order to increase the likelihood for success at retail.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Daily Feast Devotional - The Message of the Cross

Daily Feast Devotional from JesusWired.com

"The message of the cross..."
by David C. Coleman

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” - 1 Corinthians 1:18

Today is Easter…the day that Jesus conquered death and rose from the dead. Today is a day Christians celebrate a miracle unrivaled in history. Three days prior to that fateful day when Jesus emerged from a sealed tomb in victory over death, He was hung on a cross to die. Three days prior Jesus died the death of a common criminal. He was beaten mercilessly for the “heresy” of claiming He was God in the flesh.

In biblical times, Jews were required to sacrifice the best they had to offer as a payment for sin – typically the best specimen amongst their livestock. The message of the cross is this: Jesus, a man without sin, became that sin sacrifice for the sins of the world. He symbolically became the lamb that was slain in payment for all of humanity’s sin. He stood in our place and took all the punishment we deserve as imperfect beings – beings prone to sin. Acknowledging the fact that Jesus died for his or her sins and rose from the dead three days later gives assurance to the believer that he or she will one day join Jesus in heaven to live eternally. The world sees this belief as foolish. Many believe there is no God. Others believe Jesus was “just a man” or “a great prophet”. But He was much more than that. The power of the Holy Spirit in the lives of those who believe is evidence of the transforming power of Jesus Christ.

Easter is a day of victory. Easter is day on which God gave us the opportunity to establish a personal relationship with Jesus. No…Jesus is by no means dead. He lives in the hearts of those who call him Savior. Are you one of these people? Have you experienced the victory Jesus has provided for each and every one of us?

Lord Jesus, I pray that if there is anyone out there reading this who doesn’t know you as Savior, You will bind the work of the enemy in their life and open their eyes so they can see the magnitude of the sacrifice that was made on their behalf. Soften their heart. Show them that the world has nothing to offer them except broken promises and empty dreams. Speak to their spirit in a way that they have never known before. Shine Your light upon their life. Let them know that they are not “too dirty” or “too bad” to receive the free gift of salvation. Let them know that you accept them just as they are right this minute. Forgiveness is there for the asking, no matter how bad the sin. All it takes is a humble heart. A tired, haggard life can be made new. Restoration is available, but it is only available through you, Jesus.

If this is you, please pray the following prayer:

Lord, thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Thank you for taking my place and taking the punishment I deserve. I believe you are God’s only son who came down from heaven to live amongst us in the flesh. I believe you died on the cross and rose from the dead. I confess my sins to you right now and ask to be forgiven. Make me new. I want to be one of your very own children. Thank you, Lord, for drawing me unto you. Amen.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Tip of the Day - NewReleaseTuesday.com

As an independent Christian musician, band or label, it's important that you are promoting your activities to the music buying public in a timely and effective manner. One of the free tools available for you to promote your artist "brand" and any new projects currently in the pipeline is NewReleaseTuesday.com. Many avid Christian music fans reference this site each week to see the week's hot new releases. If you don't have a profile set up with your past, current and upcoming titles in place, you're missing a golden opportunity to promote your project and your brand alongside all the top names in the Christian Music Industry. I recommend that you create a profile now and add coming release info as far in advance as possible. But it is ESSENTIAL that you keep the information current...particularly the street date. After all, that's what this site is all about.