Advice for Bands: A Social Media Guide

Dear bands:

Try your best to take advantage of all of the helpful facets that social media networks provide. Ensure that all that you do funnels your traffic back to your official website or to a site that contains content that you completely control (not MySpace, but rather, a yourband.com sort of thing).

Without them, you could get big. But with them, your odds get better.

Chart via Hypebot.

(Ian Anderson)

Video: Why Radio & Music Industry Sucks Nowadays

This is a great compilation of interviews from artists voicing their opinions on modern radio and the music industry - and how it sucks. Via Hypebot.

(Ian Anderson)

Patrick Amory of Matador Records Interviewed by Hypebot

Matador Records General Manager Patrick Amory was interviewed by Hypebot on his thoughts concerning the Matablog and its influence on digital sales and traffic.

"As previously posted on Hypebot, Matador Records’ Matablog doubled its traffic in under 12 months leading to an increase in online sales. The Matablog stands as one of the best examples of an independent label utilising the web to build value for its artists and its fans. Nick Crocker spoke with Matador Records General Manager Patrick Amory to find out more.

How do you select the content for the Matablog?

Patrick_amory[2] Patrick Amory: All employees, recording artists and selected friends can request a login and 99% of their content will be published. We encourage people to post both about Matador-related content (release dates, MP3 launches, radio appearances, tour dates) and anything else in which they are interested."

Continue reading HERE.

(Ian Anderson)

Online Radio Listenership Up 36% in 2008

According to AccuStream iMedia Reseach via Hypebot, online music radio listening hours increased 37.6% to 6.67 billion total hours in 2008. This is great news for the likes of KEXP, WOXY and the Current who have been garnering national listenerships through their website and podcasts.

I, for one, listened to approximately 40% more online radio in 2008 than 2007, so it looks like they did their research.

Top 4 on WOXY right now:
*MP3: Peter, Bjorn and John - "Nothing To Worry About"
*MP3: Heartless Bastards - "Hold Your Head High"
*MP3: The Decemberists - "The Rake's Song"
*MP3: N.A.S.A. - "Gifted"