Music

8 posts



Success in the music business has never been an easy journey or an overnight success story for anyone. Establishing a cohesive brand story is critical for distribution, label shopping, press outlet attention, and more. For artists looking to make a new profound impact and leverage fanbase activity, consider rebranding an essential tool to remain relevant and adapt to the dynamic trends in the music industry.

Rebranding provides an opportunity to refresh your image, connect with new audiences, showcase artistic growth, and share new stories and experiences. Ultimately, rebranding can revitalize an artist’s career, open doors to new opportunities, and reignite interest from fans and industry stakeholders. Let’s start our conversation with a quick recap on branding.

What Is Branding?


Branding involves taking deliberate actions to build a brand and shape how your audience perceives you. The goal is to ensure your audience views you the way you intended.

For music artists, their brand is the cornerstone of their success. It determines lucrative collaborations, event invitations, social media followers, and favorable public opinion shaping their career trajectory. A well-defined brand strategy is pivotal in attracting the right audience, driving awareness and recognition, and, ultimately, paving the way for a thriving career.

What Is Rebranding?


Rebranding concept

Artists must continuously evolve to remain relevant and advance their careers. The key to achieving this is through rebranding.

Rebranding is a strategic process of altering a brand’s identity, image, or message to align with evolving goals, target audience, or market positioning.

For artists, considering rebranding is essential to stay relevant and adapt to the dynamic trends in the music industry. This strategic process offers a valuable opportunity to rejuvenate their image, establish connections with new audiences, and exhibit artistic growth. This can include changing their messaging, incorporating new fashion images, releasing new music, updating content, exploring new storylines, engaging in collaborations, being featured in other artists’ work, experimenting with different hairstyles, and more. Embracing this transformation enables artists to effectively communicate their evolution and resonate with a broader, more engaged audience, positioning themselves for continued success in an ever-changing industry.

As the music industry continues to evolve, artists who embrace rebranding as a means of adaptation will be better positioned to thrive in the competitive landscape. It allows them to keep their artistic journey fresh and exciting, appealing to both long-time fans and newcomers alike. Rebranding represents an artist’s commitment to growth, relevance, and longevity in an ever-changing creative landscape. By carefully evaluating their artistic direction and brand identity, artists can decide whether rebranding is the right step to propel their music career forward.

A Winning Rebranding Strategy


Rebranding/branding concept

A successful rebrand strategy should include the following key elements:

  • Clear Objectives: Define the goals and outcomes you want to achieve through rebranding efforts.
  • Market Research: Conduct research to understand your target audience, competitors, and industry trends.
  • Brand Identity: Develop a compelling and cohesive brand identity, including a new logo, color palette, and visual elements.
  • Messaging: Craft a strong brand message that resonates with your audience and reflects your unique value proposition.
  • Consistency: Ensure consistency in brand communication across all touchpoints, including website, social media, and marketing materials.
  • Internal Alignment: Get buy-in and support from internal stakeholders, ensuring everyone is aligned with the new brand direction.
  • Rollout Plan: Develop a well-structured rollout plan to launch the rebranding smoothly across all platforms.
  • Customer Engagement: Involve your audience in rebranding through surveys, feedback, and interactive campaigns.
  • Building a Community: Focus on creating and nurturing a community around your brand to foster deeper connections with your audience and promote loyalty.
  • Public Relations: Leverage media and PR strategies to create buzz and generate positive coverage for rebranding.
  • Monitoring and Evaluation: Continuously monitor the performance of the rebrand and assess its impact on key metrics.

By incorporating these elements into the rebranding strategy, you can set yourself up for success and ensure a seamless transition to your new brand identity.

Miley Cyrus’s Bold Rebranding Success


Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus’s rebranding success story is a shining example of a transformative artistic evolution. Known initially for her wholesome Disney image, she strategically embraced a bold and edgy persona, shedding her previous image to redefine her brand. With her album Bangerz and provocative performances, Miley fearlessly broke away from her previous teen idol image, grabbing headlines and sparking public discussions. Despite initial controversies, her authenticity and fearlessness resonated with a new audience, expanding her fanbase and reinvigorating her career.

In 2023, she took another daring leap, releasing her new album Endless Summer Vacation while pivoting once more, embracing an Old Hollywood glamour look with platinum hair, beachy waves, and red lips. Miley’s evolving rebranding of herself has showcased the power of embracing change, unapologetically expressing oneself, and taking creative risks, solidifying her position as a boundary-pushing artist in the music industry.

As part of her rebranding strategy, Miley Cyrus has undertaken several key actions to successfully transition from her wholesome Disney image to a more edgy and provocative persona:

  • Image Makeover: Miley underwent a dramatic transformation, shedding her clean-cut, girl-next-door image for a daring, bold, and rebellious look. With her recent album Endless Summer Vacation, she took another daring leap, embracing an Old Hollywood glamour style exuding sophistication and elegance with platinum hair, beachy waves, and red lips.
  • Music Direction: Alongside her image transformation, Miley shifted her musical direction, moving away from a pop-oriented sound to a more edgy and mature vibe. Her album Bangerz showcased her emotional depth and candid storytelling about past relationships, while in Endless Summer Vacation she sings about self-love and courage, reflecting her evolving artistic growth.
  • Provocative Performances: Miley’s performances became the centerpiece of her rebranding strategy during Bangerz, delivering memorable and controversial shows that garnered widespread media attention and ignited public conversations. Today, with Endless Summer Vacation, she continues to distribute thought-provoking and authentic videos that align with her artistic vision, captivating audiences with her newfound Old Hollywood charm.
  • Embracing Authenticity: Throughout her rebranding journey, Miley prioritized authenticity and fearlessness, openly expressing herself and her creative vision. With each album, she has fearlessly challenged societal norms and expectations, forging a path that remains uniquely her own.
  • Engaging with New Audiences: Miley’s rebranding efforts aimed to connect with a broader and more mature audience, attracting new followers who resonated with her evolving persona and musical style. Her recent transformation to an Old Hollywood glamour look further expands her appeal and audience reach.
  • Media Engagement: To generate buzz around her rebranding, Miley strategically engaged with media during Bangerz. She gave interviews and utilized social media platforms to communicate her new image and creative direction directly to her audience. With Endless Summer Vacation, her media engagement continues to highlight her bold and glamorous transformation.

Miley Cyrus’s ability to successfully navigate two distinct rebranding journeys from the edgy and provocative to the timeless and sophisticated demonstrates her versatility as an artist and her commitment to embracing change to remain relevant in the music industry. Her recent rebranding to an Old Hollywood glamour look with Endless Summer Vacation further solidifies her position as a boundary-pushing artist, captivating the world with her artistic evolution.

Taylor Swift’s Fearless Rebranding Reinvention


Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift’s rebranding success story exemplifies a masterful transformation from country sweetheart to global pop superstar. Starting her career as a country singer-songwriter, Taylor strategically pivoted her music style, image, and brand identity to appeal to a broader and more diverse audience. With her album 1989, she fully embraced the pop genre departing from her country roots. This bold move paid off as 1989 became a massive commercial success, earning critical acclaim, selling 1.287 million copies in the U.S. in its first week, and is the most awarded pop album by any artist in history with 158 awards (Grammy Awards, BBMAs, AMAs, VMAs, Emmy, and more).

Taylor’s rebranding showcased her versatility as an artist, allowing her to break from previous stereotypes and connect with fans worldwide by continuously reinventing herself and fearlessly exploring new musical horizons. Taylor Swift established herself as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry, solidifying her position as one of the most influential artists of her generation. Today, she continues to captivate audiences, taking them on a journey as she fearlessly evolves and stays true to her roots.

Taylor Swift undertook several strategic actions to rebrand herself successfully:

  • Shift in Music Genre: Taylor shifted from country music to pop, departing from her country roots.
  • Visual Transformation: Taylor adopted a more sophisticated and stylish image, reflecting her evolution as an artist. Her fashion choices and iconic red lipstick became synonymous with her new pop persona.
  • Embracing Independence: Taylor embraced her independence and artistic autonomy, making bold decisions and taking creative control over her music and image.
  • Public Persona: Taylor cultivated a more relatable and down-to-earth public persona, engaging with fans through social media and candid interviews. She allowed fans to see a more authentic and vulnerable side of her.
  • Narrative Shift: Taylor’s songwriting shifted towards more mature themes and storytelling, exploring love, heartbreak, and personal growth.
  • Engagement with Fans: Taylor actively engaged with her fans, creating a loyal and dedicated fanbase that played a crucial role in the success of her rebranding.
  • Global Appeal: Taylor focused on expanding her global appeal, collaborating with international artists, and embarking on successful worldwide tours.

Timing & Patience To Accomplish Your Rebrand


Music festival/concert

Rebranding can provide a deep well of opportunities for music artists, yet patience is key while transitioning your brand. Before launching your new brand, ensure streaming platforms have been notified months before your releases. Don’t get discouraged as rebranding, especially on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music, can take up to two to three weeks before updates on artist brands are completed.

  • If changing your name, you can expect delays from the platform updates. However, the most important factor here is to run a copyright search by an attorney to secure your new name and register it so that your name cannot be challenged for ownership.
  • While going through the digital asset change process, stay quiet. Try to refrain from brand deals, posting on social media, etc. Essentially, you are striving for a complete rollover and new launch of the new you! This can take time as each music company updates your information, especially on social media platforms, where finding your correct stakeholder can be daunting. Try emailing or messaging account managers from Instagram, Twitter, Threads, Facebook, TikTok, etc. separately, informing them of your rebrand, supplying them with new digital assets, and requesting a rush update!

With the constantly changing landscape in the music industry, rebranding is an effective way to boost your results as a music artist for increased music sales, reconnect with your fans by providing new ideas and style to your already successful projects, and present new concepts for relevance in the space by curating new artist branding. A rebrand can also market you to labels, publishers, booking agents, and more.

As we define AI in music, a consistent and effective brand presence will be critical for artist success as a differentiator and disruptor in the music business. By having a story that you can continually create and tell, in a consistent high-quality way, the better your chances are to ultimately attract teams, producers, and executives to your projects.

Kathryn Marshburn has spent 12+ years in the music and gaming industries guiding teams on identifying targeted goals with an agile approach resulting in driving revenue and reducing risk.

For a step-by-step guide on how to develop a brand strategy, check out How to Develop a Brand Strategy by Lisa Perry. For more brand marketing insights, follow Lisa Perry.

This article was written by Kathryn Marshburn and Lisa Perry.

Acquiring Job Advance Your Career Career Changing Careers and Employment Education Internship

Rebranding In The Music World: How Artists …

Sonic Branding: What Is It & Why Is It Important?



Sound has an amazing effect on our life. It evokes memories, emotions, and other strong physiological reactions. During the pandemic, many experienced difficult emotions of stress, isolation, boredom, and even anger. People responded by taking to their balconies, windows, and even rooftops all over the world to sing. The reaction was immediate: a happy switch flipped on, spirits lifted, and neighbors cheered and clapped their hands.

The power of sound connects, uplifts, inspires, and transcends cultures, languages, and even the visual world. Let’s take a look at what sonic branding is, why you should use it, how to incorporate it into your brand experience, and how to develop a strategy.

What Is Sonic Branding?


Woman with hearing aid hears sound waves

Did you know that we react to sound in 0.146 seconds? Sound affects every aspect of our lives. It’s not surprising then, that sound has a powerful emotional effect on us.

Sonic branding is a holistic and strategic approach to using sound and audio elements, ensuring your brand is heard as well as seen. It includes voice, jingles, songs, and identifiers that build an emotional connection with your consumers. It’s the creation of a comprehensive audio brand architecture. Some of the best and most iconic examples include NBC chimes which have endured for 90 years and were the first trademarked sound, Intel’s audio logo that’s said to be played somewhere in the world every five minutes, McDonald’s I’m Lovin It “ba da ba ba ba” ditty, Mastercard’s priceless music album that is available on Spotify with songs by 10 artists, and the 1-877 Kars4Kids song which has taken on a life of its own, becoming a force for good nationwide. Source.

Sonic branding creates a memorable brand experience, engaging consumers across every possible brand touchpoint.

Why Should You Incorporate Sonic Branding?


Mom and son listen to music together

To stand out from the competition, it’s critical to find innovative ways to connect with consumers. By incorporating sonic branding into your strategy, you will be adding to the overall consumer experience while building closer relationships.

Here are a number of reasons why you should consider investing in sonic branding so your brand can truly stand out:

  • 74% of young adults feel emotionally connected to brands, thanks to music
  • Music improves brand recognition by 46%
  • 40% of businesses are integrating voice branding into their marketing efforts
  • Brands that use music are 96% more likely to be remembered by consumers
  • Audio ads are 2x more likely to lift purchase intent and information intent than display ads
  • Music and the pace of it can influence customer behavior (slower music increased sales at a U.S. supermarket chain by 39.2%)

(Sources: Writer's Block Live, Modev Blog, and Audiodraft)

If this hasn’t convinced you that your company needs sonic branding, then check out these 10 reasons why:

  • First to market advantage in your niche
  • Increases brand recognition
  • Creates brand consistency
  • Helps differentiation
  • Increases emotional recall
  • Positively alters perception
  • Changes how we feel
  • Reminds us of something important
  • Convinces us to act
  • Boosts brand personality

How To Use Sonic Branding


Woman in music studio smokes

There are different types of audio content to integrate into your branding strategy. Before you dive in, here is a list of 13 to consider:

  • Audio Logos: MGM’s iconic lion roar with their audio logo as an example
  • Audio Names: LinkedIn's use of your name in audio form
  • Audio or Video Content:
    • Social Media: Elf commissioned a branded song, “Eyes Lips Face” with thousands of celebrities, influencers, and content creators like Brittany Broski, joining in on the lip sync and makeup tutorial trend.
    • TV: The popular Law and Order television franchise is known for its iconic “doink-doink” as well as their “da, da, da, da, dong.” These have become their hallmark sounds, being included in their ad campaign.
    • Radio: Danmark Radio needed to be more present as the mother brand. So it introduced sonic branding across its radio stations, TV channels, numerous websites, and streaming services.
    • Streaming Audio and Video: Pandora has developed their own signature sound.
  • Podcast or Vlog: Consider using music or jingles in your podcast/vlog. Ensure the volume is not too high so as to distract from what you are presenting or too low so as to not create the mood you want. Jingles and audio logos are other options to help round out the overall experience.
  • Audio Advertisements: Salesforce Customer 360 Product ad starts with a soothing woman’s voice and soothing sound effects telling you to relax and take a break while they take care of the stressful details of your work.
  • Website Interactions or Button Clicks.
  • Script Writing and Voice Artistry.
  • Curated Playlists: Herbal Essences released a playlist of “songs to sing in the shower.”
  • Audio Manufactured Devices (i.e., computers, cell phones, computer games, appliances, etc): Apple has been ahead of its time in sonic branding, creating a song, “Start Up” that has been around for over 45 years. Whether you are using Apple Computer, Apple Phone, Apple Pay, or AirPods, the song offers emotional cues and expectations of the consumer for each interaction.
  • Audiobooks: A signature page transition or audiobook introduction.
  • Customer Service: Hold music when customers contact the customer service center. Cisco’s hold music has been trending for some time and is quite catchy, worth calling just for a listen.
  • In-Person Experiences: Music plays when consumers visit your brick-and-mortar store, events, conferences, trade shows, fairs, etc. AT&T has a retail flagship store in San Francisco. As you take the escalator to the second floor, a piece of music with a low-volume instrumental track, piquing consumers’ interest, draws them in, with the music reaching a crescendo as they enter the second floor.
  • Product Sounds and Design.

Develop A Sonic Branding Strategy


music/sound mixer and equipment

Let’s start by developing your sonic brand strategy. Here are four steps to keep in mind as you create a strategy that builds your sound identity.

1. Research & Insights

  • Know Your Target Audience: Here are some questions to consider before you begin developing your sonic brand strategy.
    • The age of your customer
    • What are your customers looking for from you
    • What brand sounds are resonating with consumers
    • What do you want your sound to convey to your customers: dramatic, exciting, gentle, welcoming, fun, carefree, family friendly, romantic, seductive
    • How do you want your customers to feel when they hear your sound
    • What sounds will appeal to your customers
  • Conduct Competitive Analysis: Get insights into the experiences other companies are creating with their audio branding strategy.

2. Align With Your Brand Identity: As you create your sonic brand strategy, ensure that it is aligned with your overall brand identity.

3. Develop Your Sound: You can leverage sound experts to manufacture your sonic branding or use services like Cloud Cover which provide instant access to fully licensed sounds, jingles, and songs.

4. Create Consistency: Ensure your sonic branding is consistent across all consumer touchpoints and with every aspect of your brand voice.

Now is the time to consider sonic branding for your brand strategy. Music, jingles, voice, and melodies are all great ways to enhance your customer's experience, helping your brand stand out above the competition. Start building your brand leadership today. You’ve got this!

Acquiring Job Advance Your Career Career Changing Careers and Employment Education Internship

Sonic Branding: What Is It & Why …

Executive Spotlight: How These Leaders Have Changed As A Result Of The Pandemic



The disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic spurred change across every industry. Businesses had to change, and so did workers—especially leaders, who also had to facilitate change within their organization. We recently asked our leading executives how they have changed as professionals as a result of the pandemic.

Here are their responses...

Jim Black, Engineering & Technical Executive


Man leads a virtual team meeting

At the beginning of quarantine, I hated working from home. I put in extra hours, I disliked people instant messaging me all day long, and I loathed the isolation. Even me as an introvert. After about 12-16 weeks, my entire demeanor changed. I found my stride. I enjoyed virtual team meetings with my engineering staff. I found ways to keep myself engaged and involved despite my physical location. I worked to be productive despite being alone. I found an interesting fact: I was more productive in this environment.

Since returning to work, I spend the majority of my time in the office. We have a policy where employees can work from home up to two days a week. I cannot every week; however, the weeks where I can work from home now are so enjoyable. I get many tasks accomplished, I remain connected, and I avoid my commute. I actually miss the quarantine occasionally.

Jim Black is an engineering professional focused on the development of technical professionals. He is also a professional bass player.

Kathryn Marshburn, Music Program Manager


Executive looks out the window while working from home

From my recent work at a major music streaming corporation, I have observed changes within the Gen Z and millennial co-working spaces, where there is an openness to talk about mental health and work-life balance issues. These groups approach work differently than generations before them. These two groups work extremely hard and are overachievers; however, they are acutely aware of wellness after the pandemic.

For example, as a program manager, I had the pleasure of managing eight cross-functional teams, and part of my responsibilities included gathering teams to share results. As I looked at each team member's availability on their calendars, I often saw time blocked off for “Therapy” or “Counseling” and even “Workout Time.” These did not exist pre-pandemic, and I love this shift. Almost a more vulnerable type of communicating is now encouraged by executives, complemented by shifting company priorities, and it has created a more open form of comms exchange. Successful teams are paying attention to their own wellness and taking control of their mental health as a community.

Kathryn Marshburn has spent 12+ years in the music and gaming industries guiding teams on identifying targeted goals with an agile approach resulting in driving revenue and reducing risk.

Lisa Perry, Global Marketing Executive


Woman works from home with her dog

The most significant change I’ve experienced as a marketing executive due to the pandemic is that I feel like I get to have it all. Prior to the pandemic, I spent on average three hours a day in LA traffic driving to and from work. I left for work at 6:30 am and got home at 8:30 pm barely getting any time with my girls and husband. The cost of gas, the wear and tear on my car, the frustration. It takes a toll. A typical day included greeting my team, back-to-back meetings, and lunch with co-workers.

Life post-pandemic is very different. I am home! I see my girls, husband, two labs, and my cat every day. If my girls have questions or need me, I’m there for them. If I need to take my girls or my pets to the doctor, I can do it now. I can manage my work and my family life, no problem. My days are full of Zoom meetings, blurred background with kids and dogs scurrying behind me as I work. I still go into the office two days a month and interact with my co-workers.

Lisa Perry helps companies build leadership brands, driving loyal customers & delivering profitability. She does this through a process that builds brands consumers love. Her goal is to help companies develop, monetize, and grow their brands.

Percy Leon, Digital Media Content Executive


Digital content creator records a video

I've always been a professional content creator/filmmaker, but the pandemic has really changed the way I work. I used to be very reliant on in-person interactions with friends and family to help me come up with ideas and film new videos. However, since the pandemic started, I've had to get creative with my content. I've started using my family and friends as resources for new ideas, and I've also started filming new videos by myself. I also started doing a lot of micro-learning on subjects that would help me in my career (video editing for YouTube, TikTok, professional development [Executive Online Presence]). I have also been learning as much about Web3.

This has been a big change for me, but it's one that I've really enjoyed. I'm much happier with my work now, and I feel like I'm more fulfilled as a content creator. The pandemic has definitely changed the way I work, but it's also made me a better professional.

Percy Leon is a digital media content producer specializing in educational technology and entertainment. He is interested in web3, metaverse, and the use of virtual reality for storytelling.

What's the number one way you have changed as a professional as a result of the pandemic? Join the conversation inside Work It Daily's Executive Program.

Acquiring Job Advance Your Career Career Changing Careers and Employment Education Internship

Executive Spotlight: How These Leaders Have Changed …

5 Signs Your Record Label Needs NFTs As A Music Distribution Differentiator



Anyone that buys or sells music has discovered that COVID-19 brought upon us all a new set of consumer expectations. Companies using outdated pre-COVID-19 music sales strategies will not survive in a post-COVID-19 world. If you are distributing music in a traditional way, such as streaming, and your sales strategies are similar to a few years ago chances are that those distribution methods are outdated which means that you may be unconsciously losing fanbase market share.

I recognize the pain points and that everyone has anxiety due to recent market shifts, and might be afraid or fearful about cryptocurrency, stock market concerns, economic unrest, and the like, but don’t put this off because the rough spots in the market will pass, however, you cannot afford to not use NFTs as a true distribution source for music. NFTs are a differentiator for your record label. This is guaranteed and if you do not innovate others will pass you by.

Passing You By Due To Lack Of Innovation


Macy Kate

I was working for one of the world's largest gaming companies, negotiating Influencer and streetwear licensing deals, when the pandemic hit and it was an overnight shift in how we saw buying. We use microtransactions for gamers' avatar vanity capsules, however, after COVID-19 the gamers began gaming differently, and music artists began broadcasting concerts in the gaming vertical on Twitch. Consumers started to communicate how they wanted to be contacted, how they wanted to buy, which platform, when, and how they made their own decisions. They were becoming a different type of consumer and this directly empowered them.

It’s been painful to observe record labels struggling with artist music releases, where rollout plans have horribly failed for large artists, and where labels have failed to engage fans as they are not paying attention to new consumer patterns of buying and they keep doing the status quo.

Those who have tuned in to see where fans are hanging out like in Discord NFT rooms and Twitter rooms, community collaboration events with other music and NFT peers, and are open to experimenting with cryptocurrency, have shared insights of who will be able to differentiate or who will be successful.

From the cryptocurrency, Web3 conversations, which can be overwhelming and confusing as the market shifts, sometimes can provide a looking glass into the future.

Still, navigating the space will prove to be the key for successful labels, and without adoption of new strategies, it may also just be the grounds for early disqualification by fans. Especially for Gen Z and Gen Alpha, embracing NFTs as a form of distribution is beneficial for the artist fans and the labels and will be profitable for all.

5 Signs That Your Record Label Needs NFTs As A Music Distribution Differentiator And Is Begging For Leadership To Engage


NFT graphic
  1. Your consumers are picking cheaper subscription music service models from a competitor.
  2. Your A&Rs, artist and label partnership managers, and C-suite executives appear to not be active in virtual spaces, AR spaces, engaging in crypto discussions, and designing record deals that included advances in cryptocurrency and address NFT procurement & distribution in major label deals.
  3. A well-planned teaching initiative for fans, educating the audience in NFT/cryptocurrency basics, where the fans foster demand organically and achieve scalability. Effective planning to counter the learning gap for fans to buy NFTs must be closed and it must be constantly cultivated for ease of purchasing NFTs.
  4. The artist marketing efforts are focused on traditional music distribution models rather than on educating on NFTS and creating demand for your artist's music in new platforms and innovative spaces like NFTs.
  5. Buying new music from you is a hassle without an easy way to use cryptocurrency on the label website, where the labels provide links to Coinbase wallet, Opensea, and more. This helps fans understand the process for executing an NFT purchase.

What has been your experience with the modernization of the sales process and engaging modern buyers? I would love to get your perspective.

Acquiring Job Advance Your Career Career Changing Careers and Employment Education Internship

5 Signs Your Record Label Needs NFTs …

Why Record Labels Still (And Will Always) Matter



I’m guilty of fighting for the underdog in all circumstances especially when it comes to music. This may be a product of my upbringing, as my mother was known for being an incredibly kind, caring individual, treating my siblings and me exceptionally equally in all matters of life. This early pattern has served me well today as we see huge culture shifts in the music industry emerging, where indie artists are able to survive, maybe not thrive, but survive. This is inspiring to me.

However, I will always be a fan of major label achievements as well, with a focus on social media platforms like TikTok for talent scouting and metaverse concerts now moving into a mainstream position. Even with independent musicians gaining newfound revenue on brand deals, NFT opportunities, increased distribution partnerships, and touring revenue, I still worry about the impact of not having major label support. I have learned from working with music tech companies and gaming companies that having label support is essential to sustain a robust career in music. You may be discovered on TikTok but how do we know if you can maintain the heat?

As a professional signed music artist, your job is to make hot records. It’s nothing personal.

Success always comes down to a hit song and without it you're climbing a serious uphill battle. To me, having the connections of decades of music work where studio sessions, producer connections, and collaborations thrive in the major label system, provides serious insight into why major record labels thrive. Do I believe that there are exceptions to hit songs where an indie artist can create a banger? Well yes. Yes, I do. But economies of scale and history of voluminous impactful hit records in multiples have always resided in houses built by Sony, Warner & Universal. Let’s explore further why major labels have success-breaking music artists on a scale that is undeniable.

Artist Leveraging


I've seen a greater ratio of success with a larger volume of artists under one roof, where leveraging leading music artists helps smaller less established ones. Majors are able to execute proven roadmaps to break artists, for less money, more efficiently at a faster rate. And why shouldn’t they? They’ve actually put in the work.

To do this, they:

  • Leverage decades of work where they've had the opportunity to test many different types of distribution
  • Experiment in many different forms of social media ad placements for release strategies like hiring TikTok influencers to twerk to a Tyga song or rolling out an ad campaign for Dua Lipa that geographically targets her fanbase
  • Not to mention huge success with peers on the label that succeed in the touring with each other

Business Acumen That’s Exceptional


​For example, with Universal Music group going public and reporting today a 21.6 quarterly revenue increase to 2.32 billion dollars, their portfolio style approach has shown us what a leader UMG is in the space. The growth across multiple business units is incredible and with their diversified artist roster, songwriters, retail merchandising, publishing and emerging metaverse projects in new markets is an incredible achievement. I’m excited as I have a feeling that UMG is just getting started. The teams at UMG are exceptional, enough said.

Marketing Buys & Ad Promotions


We cannot deny that when your company is making billions of dollars there may be a correlation to artist marketing success. (An understatement). However, the benchmarks from years of taking the risks and investing in huge music artists have provided the roadmap. Majors have invaluable, incredible statistics and analytical data assisting in maximizing dollars helping to make streaming ad buy decisions and spends for marketing dollars with an almost guaranteed success for releases.

Although I will always root for indie artist street hustle on the daily, I value and appreciate what labels are accomplishing as we make a huge culture shift. If you're considering a career in music, building a strategy for gaining label exposure is essential and fighting for that major label deal is crucial and definitely worth the effort.


Acquiring Job Advance Your Career Career Changing Careers and Employment Education Internship

Why Record Labels Still (And Will Always) …

Join The Band! Spotify Is Hiring



Spotify considers its workforce a giant band, and like any band that consistently produces hits, everyone needs to play a role. Are you interested in making some beautiful music at Spotify? Here's some insight into what it takes to work at Spotify.

Some Basic Facts About Spotify


Spotify has over 50 offices worldwide.

If you're listening to music or podcasts on the go, at the gym, or at work, then chances are you probably already know what Spotify is and are an avid user of the platform.

But for those who are not familiar, Spotify is the world's largest audio streaming platform. Whether it's on a smartphone, tablet, or computer, Spotify gives its users access to millions of songs, podcasts, and video streaming content.

Spotify has 345 million users, including 155 million subscribers, across 178 markets.

Spotify was launched in 2006 and is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, and has 50 office locations across 25 countries.

4 Unique Opportunities That Come With Working At Spotify


Spotify employees at the Stockholm office.

1. It's an opportunity to be part of a band

You're not literally making music or going on tour, but Spotify considers its business "a band" and its employees "band members." This isn't just meant to be a cool play on words, but rather a reminder to band members that their mission to create the best audio experience possible helps bring music to millions—which in many ways is what a band does.

A band also needs all of its members to be working together at a high level to produce the hits, or in the case of Spotify, a great product and customer service. So, if you missed out on your chance to be in a garage band, a career at Spotify could be your chance to make up for it.


2. It's an opportunity to embrace chaos

"Welcome to controlled chaos" is a phrase often said to new members of the Spotify band. It's not said to scare them off but rather to encourage them to throw themselves into the workforce and not be afraid to show off their creative side. Things can change fast at Spotify and band members need to be willing to adapt and bring ideas to the table.

Spotify is willing to give band members all the support and autonomy they need, but band members must be willing to bring their best selves to work.

Band members who make the best music at Spotify typically meet the company's five values:

  • Innovative - Move fast and take big risks.
  • Sincere - All Spotify band members, leaders included, are transparent and don't play office politics.
  • Passionate - Love and own what you do, then keep growing as a band member.
  • Collaboration - Spotify is a band, not a solo act; collaboration and idea-sharing are encouraged.
  • Playful - It's okay to have fun at work and take some time to enjoy the music.


3. It's an opportunity to work from anywhere

Given Spotify's worldwide presence, job seekers already had many options but remote work has brought that flexibility to another level. Spotify launched its Work From Anywhere program in February 2021 which allows employees to work from the office, work from home, or a combination of the two. (Employees need to consult with their immediate supervisors.)

"We believe we're happier and more productive when we have the freedom to choose where we work. It helps us find better ways to communicate and collaborate with one another. It means we can work with the very best people for the job, regardless of what city or country they call home. It helps us to become a more diverse place to work - a place that can flex with our people as their lives and ambitions change. And perhaps best of all, it supports a better work-life balance. A life-work balance," the company states on its website.

Spotify is treating this policy as a workplace remix and is always exploring other ways to make the workplace more flexible.


4. It's an opportunity to experience great entertainment

Prior to COVID-19, it was very common for band members to bond at trips to concerts, industry festivals, and other events. These experiences are a big part of Spotify's business and culture and they will be again. You can't stop the music forever!

What Spotify Looks For In Band Members 


@workitdaily

Reply to @siren_ee 200+ remote positions open?!? #workitdaily #AerieREAL #jobtok #jobportalabroad #wfhjobs #remotework #remotejobs #hiring #hiringnow

Spotify is hiring in the following departments: Engineering, Data, Research & Insights, Design, Product, Content, Finance, Sales, Business Support & Operations, Global Affairs, Marketing, and Human Resources.

Spotify also offers multiple internship programs throughout the academic year and summer, so students are urged to check the company's website frequently.

Spotify's interview process usually begins with a video or phone interview with a recruiter, and those who make it past the screen are invited to a second interview with one or two Spotify band members. The final round of interviews usually involves meeting multiple band members across the business. Job seekers are told in advance of all interviews who they'll be meeting with at each step of the process.

Here are some of the benefits and perks that come with a job at Spotify:

  • Global parental leave - Six months off—fully paid—for all new parents
  • Flexible public holidays - Swap days off according to your values and beliefs
  • Extensive learning opportunities - Spotify wants its members to stay with the band and become leaders
  • Employee well-being - Spotify has a great employee assistance program and self-care hub

Career Opportunities At Spotify 


If you're interested in working at Spotify, visit the company's careers page to learn more.



Acquiring Job Advance Your Career Career Changing Careers and Employment Education Internship

Join The Band! Spotify Is Hiring

Can You Afford To Not Have A Major Brand Presence At Coachella?



After three years of desert quiet, we finally experienced a return to Indigo Empire Polo Club grounds as the famed Coachella Festival arrived. An exciting three-day celebration prevailed. Whether watching it via live stream or in person, you could tell that the music festival did not disappoint. It was definitely a vibe. It's not hard to see why it was so successful this year for so many brands, artists, and fans that were in attendance. We experienced excitement in particular as some of the largest brands in the world participated in the event with a robust and impressive strategy for brand activations.

Coachella has been on hold through the pandemic since 2019 when it was delayed twice. This made the event this year pretty special with an amazing amount of professional execution and successful installations for an estimated 100,000 people in attendance.

This year Goldenvoice took on full ops of the Empire Polo Club which serves as the festival grounds through 2050. Festival-goers could feel the increase in crowd numbers which is an indicator that our society is hungry for live music, community, and ready to celebrate post-pandemic. The desert festival has been referred to as one of the most successful events produced and this year was no exception.

Brand activations were at an all-time high with many branded events dominating the experience with companies including Revolve, American Express, Soho House, and newer but culturally relevant brands like The GLD Shop.

The combination of brand experiences, great weather, and live music performances reminded all of us how grateful we are to live in a post-pandemic world. Brand marketing was at an all-time high time with some spending north of an estimate of $1 million for activations and events. Here are a few brands that stood out.

Revolve


The fashion brand Revolve hosts The Revolve Festival, which sits outside the festival grounds in Palm Springs and is meant to complement the main Coachella lineup for the fashion fast brand. Known for its elaborate influencer trips, Revolve once again arrived with a larger influencer crowd and more musical performances than ever seen before. What started out as the Revolve House five years ago has morphed into the Revolve Festival including access that includes entertainment such as Jack Harlow, Ty Dolla $ign, and Willow, to name a few. Massive influencers from TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube were present, where they posted to Web the Revolve fashion they were wearing and what the house had to offer. Even with a few mishaps and shuttle issues, the event was epic, with an appearance by the Kardashian girls themselves.

Hosting brand activations are not only epic experiences for influencers but key brand success marketing gold, as organic posting in real-time from events like this pays off well.

In this case Revolve created the must-be-at event, with the largest celebrity artist of influencers, where hangtime is crucial for socializing and proof that you were at the exclusive event. Let's call it selfie heaven and a big win for Revolve with logo stations abound which flooded the internet all at once.

The GLD Shop


The GLD Shop is a hyper-growth jewelry company that has become a hip-hop icon. GLD is a number one online retailer of hip-hop jewelry worldwide and collaborations with athletes, celebrities, and artists have created a huge brand following. Coachella was no exception with a very cool way of branding for the event including frequent Instagram media posts of influencers fronting the product with Coachella logo branding backgrounds. The GLD Shop also hosted its own GLD Coachella house in a stunning Palm Springs neighborhood. Their Instagram strategy included multiple weekend events, professional sporting events, as well as Coachella. This balanced out the brand's online presence with a thoughtful perspective, staying true to its brand.

The brand offerings include tennis necklaces, timepieces, and more that were showcased at Coachella with multiple influencers. The GLD Shop provides an alternative option for jewelry at affordable prices. With Snoop Dog receiving a custom piece at Superbowl this year, and the hype around the brand itself, it's definitely a brand to watch. The GLD Shop embraced a different strategy with a super relevant, low-key approach to online marketing by partnering with LA teams and posting other events along with Coachella. This allowed celebrity fans of the brand to see awareness across the world by mixing posts with other large events.

American Express


American Express never disappoints. We have seen a marked increase in the presence of membership clubs hosting event pop-ups. American Express is leading the way, where they provide a whole new level of service for their members and Coachella was no exception. With the Amex Lounge Coachella 2022, they advertise taking a break from the action in a bar-like setting featuring limited edition artist merchandise, a bar, and much more. The lounge provided much-needed quiet relaxation and libations for elite cardholders. Not bad for all of those frequent flyer points collected!

Soho House


American Express wasn't the only membership club providing a memorable experience for members. The Soho House was a buzz as well. These membership events are trending and on the rise with Soho House establishing its spot in the marketplace. For members only, a $500 pass gains you access to the Soho Desert House 2022 for the weekend including unlimited drinks, entertainment, and parking, with a paired down fee of $185 for the same day perks for one day. The entertainment was incredible such as artists like Diplo, influencer DJs, and more. A really amazing escape for a hot desert moment.

Coachella 2022 provided a blank canvas for many brands to showcase their products, build relationships with influencers, and create awareness with brand activations. Events where music and fashion are on deck usually create an environment for marketing to the masses. These opportunities provide a setting for massive social media promotion.

Will your brand be part of Coachella 2023?

Acquiring Job Advance Your Career Career Changing Careers and Employment Education Internship

Can You Afford To Not Have A …

7-Point Checklist To Landing Your First Job In The Music Industry



When I began my music career in Atlanta and the girl group that I had a stake in decided to break up (like all girl groups do), I was left to find my own way in the music industry and failure was not an option.

According to Music Times online magazine article on music artists breaking into the industry, only 0.2 percent of artists become "mega" stars, 0.9 percent are mainstream artists, 1.4 percent are mid-sized artists, 6.8 percent are "developing," and the remaining 90.7 percent do not make the cut.

It’s difficult to break into the industry as a business executive also, and if you do not have a strategic roadmap and an incredible amount of determination including resilience, you may find it a tough industry to become established in.

To break into the music industry, you will need to utilize the right tools. Let me give you examples of what you're going to need to do to get in and why.

1. Optimize Your LinkedIn Page


LinkedIn on sticky note

LinkedIn statistics have proven that utilizing the LinkedIn platform for leveraging job opportunities and building your professional profile has helped millions of new job seekers.

  • Highlight any music-related job experience and expand on the skills that you learned.
  • Once you have those skills in place, highlight this on your LinkedIn page to leverage for broader use, such as messaging music executives from your LinkedIn page.
  • Before you graduate, use your .edu email address to reach out to every music executive on LinkedIn that you can and request a career interview. Once you secure the interview, try to ask them to accept your request to connect on LinkedIn.

2. Develop Your Business-Of-One By Creating A Brand


Most music teams start from humble beginnings gigging as entrepreneurs to see if their music will resonate with fans and so should you.

  • Start a blog, website, IG page, or photography company that specializes in music artist images.
  • Contact artist management teams (you can find this email usually on the YouTube page of the artist in the about section or on Instagram they normally post their management email) to request a press pass. When an artist is coming into your town at your nearby venue, requesting a press pass is often a way to connect with local fans. All teams set aside press passes for exposure of the event with local news as well as for bloggers, etc.
  • In your email to the management teams, you could attach examples of previous concert images to grab their attention. To get started, you could attend a paid ticket show and take images to kick off your blog. Honing your skills and learning to take really great images will always be valuable for content.
  • Attach the images to the management email requesting access. Use your phone or camera to go to concerts under press status and take tons of content for the artist team. Build up your portfolio and reach out to 15 teams a month.

3. Get Into A Recording Studio


The struggle is real. Understanding the mechanics of music will resonate with fans, and learning by experiencing the insane obstacles is key.

  • To understand the music challenges for artists, it’s important to embrace the business from a professional level.
  • This is a requirement. Save your side hustle work money, Christmas money, etc. and rent out a studio, hire an engineer, find a singer, and record a cover or an original song.
  • Get used to the environment, understand the rules, engage with the teams—including janitorial staff and interns—and respect the studio. It’s a privilege to be there.

4. The Proximity Clause


If possible move to a city that has the headquarters for music labels and third-party music distributors, etc. As of this date, that would be Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, Miami, or Atlanta.

5. Put The Work In


Work Work Work Singing GIFfrom Work Work Work GIFs

Volunteer in any position at festivals, venues, stadiums.

  • Volunteer to work for free to allow use of logo on LinkedIn page to show experience for the day of event help.
  • Cleanup crews, security, janitorial services, food sales, etc. Nothing is off-limits. There is no room for ego at this point. Get a major music venue logo on your LinkedIn page as soon as possible.

6. Marketing And Street Teams


Reach out to artist teams on tour by messaging their teams.

  • Instagram, Twitter messaging, or email may work best to contact touring bands and let them know you want to distribute flyers in your town to promote the show.
  • Print the flyers yourself, post them up around town, and send a picture to the management team if needed. Assign your title as “ Street Team for Music Artist XXXXXXXX.”

7. Take Certification Courses & Attend Conferences


​There are a number of things that can be done over the summer to enhance your LinkedIn profile.

  • None more valuable than certifications. For example Google AdWords, Asana, LinkedIn Digital Marketing, Advanced Excel, etc.
  • Attend music conferences, online seminars, music legal classes, and industry executive presentations on music.

The efforts to secure these experiences will serve you well in the music industry and provide copy for your LinkedIn page to get the conversation started. Legend has it that it takes 9 years in the music industry to end up in the Capitol Records Tower. With these starter tips, nothing is impossible. Leveraging your LinkedIn page, working at venues, studio time, connecting with music executives and attending conferences, and gaining certifications will increase your chances of breaking into the music industry.

Acquiring Job Advance Your Career Career Changing Careers and Employment Education Internship

7-Point Checklist To Landing Your First Job …