to own the rights to her music

 Taylor Swift rereleased her Red album recently in an affort to own the rights to her music.

Taylor Swift 

Back in November of 2020 Taylor talked about a sale of her masters to a third party. This transaction occurred without her knowledge or permission. Taylor started rerecording those albums and Red is the second one.  

Red is raking in the streams.

A post on morningbrew.com was the source for this post.

streaming plus vinyl

There has been a slip in sales of music CD's. Music stores are getting rid of CD space and making room for vinyl sales product. Vinyl has strummed a nostalgic chord.

As the chart above shows, the decline in sales has been on a steep slide. CD's are still viable with consumers going for certain genres like country and soundtracks. It does boil down to less CD sales.

Vinyl has made a comeback. Vinyl sales started to climb in 2006. Vinyl sales hit a 25-year high in 2017. Vinyl is seen as the medium of the den and the living room.

 

Streaming has increased among consumers. The car and the kitchen are the most popular streaming locations. 

CD's are still needed, especially for touring acts. It's so much easier to sell CD's at the merch table.

This Rolling Stone article is the source for this post.

quantity rules, for now

With 3.9 million "creators" on Spotify, and 40,000 tracks uploaded to that platform daily, is it any wonder why we get the notion that there is too much music? Major record labels are signing artists at a rapid pace. Large labels keep signing new artists to keep market share going them and not to the smaller labels. Smaller labels will sign more and more new artists. Does this mean the major labels will sign more artists? Probably. In 5 years new music will most likely spike. Will this  be too much music? One could argue that there is too much music now.

There is a post on musicbusinessworldwide.com that states 18.8 billion dollars was generated in 2018 by the global record industry.

Of the three majors, Universal Music was the biggest winner over the course of the year, pocketing 31% – or $5.82bn of the total $18.8 billion earned by the recorded music industry, seeing its market share increase by 0.6 points to 30.3%.

Major record labels enjoy a combined 69.2% market share. On the other hand, the market share for artists releasing music by the Artist Direct method grew 35% to earn 643 million dollars in 2018.

Artist Direct and independents accounted for 30.8% of market share in 2018. 

More artists will be signed by major labels because of market share.

In 2018 streaming became the majority of record label revenue. Revenue came in at 9.6 billion dollars, up 30%. Streaming is the avenue of growth. The overall engine for growth is streaming. This shift alone is giving artists new ways to market themselves. New, custom-built models are needed to aid artists in development. 

The major record labels will continue signing new artists. New music galore. Why? The major labels do not want to concede market share. 

Quantity not quality. 

This is an old notion that has stood the test of time. I can remember the Mercury Nashville artist roster in 1991. Small. The quality was superb. Some other labels had larger rosters and the quality seemed layered. Their major artists got more attention. That's predictable I know, but some of the second layer artists that had excellent material, were ignored to a degree. This meant several options within a record label's structure as far as single releases, promotion, and marketing.

This "layered" way of doing things is alive and well in the large-rostered record labels. It will continue for about another 5 years. A new model, using more platforms, will be initiated to promote more artists. New platforms will be created. Some will be real good and others not so much. But there you are.

Keep listening. Enjoy.

 

 

 

dylan's nashville skyline

Bob Dylan's 9th studio album Nashville Skyline has turned 50 years old.

No one was anticipating a traditional country music album from Dylan.

"These are the types of songs that I always felt like writing when I've been alone to do so." 

The album was a different vocal style for Dylan. He created a new vocal persona to match his style of music. 

Nashville Skyline was recorded in 4 days

Here is the link to the Rolling Stone story about the album.

Nashville Skyline was a vocal change for Bob Dylan. https://t.co/nsuuN90SUo via @RollingStone The album turns 50. It opened up country rock. #savingcountrymusic #BobDylan #musichistory

— Mike Bertelsen (@mikebertelsen) April 12, 2019

matt carpenter music

Matt Carpenter of the Saint Louis Cardinals uses the Turnpike Troubadours song Long Hot Summer Day as his walk up tune as he goes to the plate.

Carpenter

The Turnpike Troubadours play this song and it is one of the favorites of fans everywhere. It was featured in The World Series in 2013 when the Cardinals went. The song being played by Carpenter has help grow The Troubadours fan base in the Midwest.

Long Hot Summer Day was put on the album Diamonds and Gasoline. It was their second album and was released in 2010.

Turnpike Troubadours

Here is the complete story from Saving Country Music

Let's hope that new music with roots gets discovered all the time.

Cody Jinks, Band of Heathens Join Turnpike Troubadours in Matt Carpenter Walk Up Rotation https://t.co/FHMe4lvPoa

— Saving Country Music (@KyleCoroneos) April 11, 2019

honky tonk time machine

Congratulations to George Strait. His album Honky Tonk Time Machine is number 1 on the Billboard Album Chart. His 27th album to do so.

The single is Every Little Honk Tonk Bar is showing promise on the country airwaves. 

Saving Country Music has an excellent story on George's latest effort.

Let's enjoy this.

 

George Strait Is Back On Top with “Honky Tonk Time Machine," and In More Ways Than Onehttps://t.co/K4wwTxT0eL

— Saving Country Music (@KyleCoroneos) April 9, 2019

10 types of content

I came across an article from The Social MS. It's about the 10 types of content for your blog or posts to social media platforms.

Good content helps with search engines. Use content in your email newsletters. Content can help build a relationship with your audience.

10 types of content:

• • Interviews
  • Webinars
  • List Posts
  • How-To-Guides
  • Product Guides
  • Infographics
  • Resource Collections
  • Podcasts and Videos
  • Guest Posts
  • Report
  
  
  
  
  
  

margo: singing to middle america and beyond

I found an article from the Washington Post about Margo Price. She started singing to middle America as a youngster, influenced by Tom Petty. Petty's music was a favorite of hers. She got into country music to get here foot in the door and ventured away for a time to voice her views on social issues. Country radio doesn't usually go for artists who share their views about the social scene. That didn't stop her.

Spotify's Margo Price billboard in Nashville

Price has found fans all over the United States. She has played at several outlaw country festivals where her following has grown. She has several folks in her corner. Willie Nelson, Loretta Lynn, and Kris Kristofferson, to name just three.

Price's tune All-American Made tells the story of people struggling through everyday life. It strikes a chord of hope and improvement with me. It told me not to give up. Keep going. Do what you do with care and determination. That's what Margo does.

She is nominated for best new artist at the Grammys tonight. I have this feeling she'll get it.

toby keith's song

Clint Eastwood said to Toby Keith, "I just get up every morning and go out. And I don’t let the old man in.”

Eastwood

 Toby Keith knew he had to write a song with that line it in. Eastwood and Keith were playing golf at a celebrity golf event at Pebble Beach when Eastwood told Keith this great line. Keith was admiring how Eastwood, at almost 88, stayed active and asked how he does it.

Source for this post from Saving Country Music

william michael morgan

This artist is with Warner Bros. He has been an advocate of traditional country music. He has explored country's roots. William Michael Morgan's new efforts are with the traditionalist in mind.

Morgan

William Michael Morgan has spoke. His opinion tells us he cares and has concern for country music. 

Morgan has said he would like to record with Margo Price.

Source for this article from Saving Country Music: About the State of Country Music

dwight yoakam 2019 tour

Dwight Yoakam is going on tour in 2019.

Here are some of the dates:

• January 17 - Dubuque, Iowa at the Five Flags Center
• January 18 - Sioux City, Iowa at the Orpheum Theater
• February 21 - Springfield, Illinois - Sangamon Auditorium
• February 23 - Wheeling, West Virginia - Capitol Theater
• Charleston, West Virginia - The Clay Center
• Council Bluffs, Iowa - Harrah's 

Here's a complete list of the concert dates and venues: Dwight 2019 Tour

If you don’t see a date close to you, don't fret, he’ll likely have more dates to come.

2019 should be a good year for Dwight. Remember when Johnny Cash called Dwight the best voice in country music ever? I don't either, but when I read that, it was cool. Thanks Johnny!

 

influencing pop or being influenced?

Gary Allan is chiming in about the prop influence of country.

Gary Allan on Country Music's Mainstream: “We Used to Influence Pop. Now We’re Being Influenced by Pop.” https://t.co/56IgWsOylJ

— Saving Country Music (@KyleCoroneos) December 17, 2018

This is not the first time Gary has been outspoken on this topic. In 2016 Allan had a restart in his career.

saving country music

I ran across a good article about Chris Stapleton, who recently received the Country Music Association awards for Song of the Year, Single of the Year, and Male Vocalist of the Year.

Basically, the article centers on Stapleton. 

Chris Stapleton

The article mentions that Stapleton is an artist with substance and is appreciated by his peers.

I told a couple of my colleagues that Chris might have saved a format. Chris is a breath of fresh air. I do like his song Broken Halos, which took the Single and Song of the Year on November 14th. My hope is that Chris continues writing material that is soulful and meaningful. 

My role in country music radio is to play Broken Halos with other songs. Playing new music with good, solid tunes already in rotation is where the creative winds start to blow.

Here is a 3 song set I came up with:

1. John Anderson - Wild and Blue
2. Chris Stapleton - Broken Halos
3. Glen Campbell - Gentle On My Mind

Here's another:

1. The Bellamy Brothers - Lovers Live Longer
2. Chris Stapleton - Broken Halos
3. George Jones - He Stopped Loving Her Today

I hope this will give you ideas. 

   

is excellent music a ridiculous notion?

Great albums were once routine, especially in the 1970's.

The album, long a mainstay of rock canon, is still with us. But, for how long? Seriously. Does anyone know. Does anyone care? The canon was once defined by albums. Are we at the end of an age?

Debbie Harry

With downloading and live streaming, the industry has changed. Has the product suffered as a result? Well, some artists have been moved out of the way. But really, which artists will stand another test of time? That remains to be seen. Don't be discouraged. We only enjoy and contribute what we experience. Perhaps there will be enough that experience great music to keep some of that music to the forefront. 

I hope albums still will be canon. That'd be something for us to measure, to take hold of. We'll see.

This post from theguardian was the inspiration for this post.

def leppard: mega group

Fans and the media loved Def Leppard. Their songs just wouldn't let go.
Their album Hysteria made sure there was no escape from Def Leppard.
The arrangement of many of these songs made them classics by gripping the rock populace.

This band has created a collection of songs that keep going.
Link to the source post: Def Leppard on udiscovermusic

u.s. album sales - best selling musicians

To study the best-selling musicians of all time by album sales, it’s helpful to first take a look at the music business. That's not what it used to be.

The musical landscape is vastly different from the heydays of the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s, when vinyl and CD sales peaked.

The Beatles

 

For the past 60 years, the RIAA has honored music’s best through its Gold & Platinum Awards Program.

These acts have remained popular across multiple generations.

Beginning of the slideshow

 

George Strait

be dependable: be yourself

If you spend your life trying to be someone else, then who can we depend on to be you? - Faydra D. Fields https://t.co/4HfrVpSueW See more axioms free at https://t.co/oIwr4MeTUW #maxaxioms pic.twitter.com/KM67bYG7pn

— Faydra Deon (@faydra_deon) January 19, 2018

our creativity is part of our self-story

We want to manufacture something that won't go to waste. We want to be a guardian of creation.

We can work for high quality. If you are a writer, for example, you can not be sure that you will be creative tomorrow. It's always up to others to judge our creativity.

Promote Creativity

We need to make more time for ourselves so we have more time to gaze at the heavens. This will allow us to be more creative tomorrow. Creativity is all about tomorrow. Meditation is creative idleness. We can take a walk and think about things. This will give us a fair balance in our lives. 

The great dream of life should be to boost the moral and economic dignity of human beings. I come from a family of farmers. I hold fond memories of those years. We sowed and we reaped. Through that time, I took many items for granted. I know now I should not have done that. As I reflect on my growing years, I realize how fortunate I was. I'm thankful for much.

I learned to foster dignity and contribute to the community. This came from work. Work elevates the dignity of culture and society. We have a universal wish to be treated with honesty, respect, and consideration. We need to feel respect for every single person. 

We Have Come to the World to Know

As creators, we want to convince people of our thoughts. Others want to convince me too. We need to strive for hope. We need to replace fear with hope. If we want to challenge the status quo, we have to be polite. We have to be five percent better tomorrow than we were today. This is progress.

Marcus Aurelius once stated that we should think as it were our last day on earth, but we should plan as if we will be here forever.

Aurelius

blogging

If you're new to blogging, there's much to keep up with.

There are many reasons to blog. Blogging and business go hand-in-hand, now that Social Media is prominent on the Internet. Business blogging gets more leads and garners more links.

Which Social Media platforms to use depends on the topic you blog about and the business your in.  Find and join groups and publish your posts regularly. This gets you more engagement.You must be active on Social Media. Contribute. Comment.

Go searching for Social Media platforms.

Social Media is your outlet to the world. Don't neglect it.

Start learning. There are plenty of references to help you (like this blog). This process is time-consuming and will test your research, writing, and patience. But hang in there.

Get started on the learning process by reading this post: 25 Blogging Tips For Newbies

Running a blog and adding content is rewarding and gratifying. You'll find this out.

be visible to engage

Engagement via Social Media requires patience and commitment. The combination of social media, social business, and sales networking can help drive visibility and engagement.

Create and curate content that appeals to your audience. Promote your content.

Custom, created content is where you'll get good mileage for your brand. Make content personal to add value. Give your audience and followers a reason to tune in. The reason to tune in is you.

Need help with content? I can help.