Archive for the ‘Artists’ Category
New Feature is like a GPS for your Music Career; are you getting closer to success or are you moving further away?
We’re very excited that today we have launched a new feature. The feature itself is just a small change to how Music Xray has always worked but it changes the game for musicians and songwriters everywhere because it provides you feedback as you execute your submission strategy.
It’s like a GPS system to tell you if you’re getting closer or further away from getting a deal for your music or your band.
It also creates a new, very effective way to use Music Xray to advance your music career.
When musicians submit tracks to industry professionals for their consideration, the professionals are asked to rate them. Many of them do. They give the songs one to five stars on each of the following criteria: composition, production, performance, arrangement, and hit potential.
As of today, Music Xray shows you your track’s average ratings once your track has been rated at least five times. Why is that important?
By showing you the average of several ratings, we’re not singling out any one of the professionals who rated. Their individual ratings are private. Therefore, they’re sincere. The knowledge you get from seeing these average ratings, previously cost months or even years to acquire.
You should learn the ratings of all your songs so that you know which ones gain traction for you and which ones may be holding you back.
Additionally, your songs that are receiving high ratings will continue to get pushed to the top of the statistics section, which is seen by dozens of industry professionals each day and it’s where they can hear top rated songs that have not been submitted directly to them but that are getting positive ratings from other industry professionals.
This eco-system that provides you feedback while you execute your submission strategy means the best way to use Music Xray is as follows:
1. Submit all your songs to at least 5 industry professionals (here’s a list of a few who ALWAYS rate the songs they receive.
2. Step one may result in your song getting a deal; in which case, misson accomplished. If not, once you have your 5 ratings for each song, you may regard it as a prediction of your eventual success.
3. Continue submitting the tracks that are receiving high ratings. Cease investing in your weaker songs and/or get professional song critiques and/or career coaching. After tweaking your music and/or your submissions strategy, go back to step one.
A focus group and a $4 credit for every new artist account
Invite the musicians you know before someone else does!
You probably already know about Music Xray’s referral program where we pay you when people you refer to Music Xray conduct transactions.
Music Xray is growing quickly. Refer the musicians you know before someone else does.
Sign-up to receive this music industry opportunity email each week
Make sure you’re making money
Musicians should have at least one person on their team responsible for turning their efforts into a business.
It’s not just about securing deals and fans. It’s about making sure those actions create an ongoing revenue stream.
Being creative, writing music, recording, & playing gigs requires a lot of time and effort. To really boost your career, find a good manager (start here), a good coach (start here), or a good producer who can help you begin to see yourself as a business.
Sign-up to receive a music industry opportunity email like this one each week
Join us to see a gig by The Commuters in NYC this coming Thursday evening! Come say hello and Music Xray will buy you a beer!
The Commuters have been tearing it up all over town. Their completely awesome video has been added to MTV-U and they are getting increased radio play across the country.
Come see why frontman Zeeshan Zaidi put aside his Harvard MBA and his Harvard law degree to try his hand at the much less risky and more stable lifestyle of a rock star!
They go on at 9PM for a short set so don’t be late! Be sure to check out that video. Learn the chorus and we’ll sing along together on Thursday!!
Come join Music Xray CEO Mike McCready this Thursday in NYC to hear The Commuters. He'll buy you a beer!
This Thursday evening at Lilt Lounge (9 PM) 93 2nd Ave., East Village New York, NY 10003
Music Xray band, The Commuters might hail from New York, but their kinetic, personally revealing anthems capture an alt-rock essence that aspires toward worldwide appeal.
Their commercial debut (As I Make My Way – EP) was released at the end of August, and is comprised of 4 songs — “As I Make My Way,” “Bombs Away,” “Fallen From Grace,” and “You’ll Stay Right Here” — all from their upcoming album, Rescue, due out in early 2012.
Their video for “As I Make My Way” was added to mtvU’s rotation in early October and they have received extensive airplay at college radio stations throughout the US.
Does the profession of A&R have a future? Read the position paper or watch the video
It isn’t news that the past decade has brought tumultuous change to the music industry. Advances have primarily impacted the way music is accessed, distributed and paid for. But, few companies in our sector have harnessed technology to its full extent to optimize their business processes.
While most music companies have incorporated data mining and social trending statistics into their discovery processes, the fundamental way the industry sources new songs and talent has remained unchanged. Isn’t it time we re-think how we conduct A&R?
We think of A&R as the process by which we find and help create great musical products. In reality, A&R’s primary business function is to reduce risk by identifying or creating highly compelling product and managing promotion efforts to reduce the likelihood of failure in the marketplace. So, in terms of risk reduction, traditional A&R was only adequate when the business climate afforded companies the luxury of having occasional successes compensate for far more frequent flops. In today’s new music business, narrower margins, smaller budgets and fragmented audiences require a more efficient approach than primary reliance on golden ears and talented gut instincts. Additional and supplemental tools are needed to create success more often than failure, or at the very least, improve success rates to a more manageable level.
Click to see the video
Sign-up to receive a music industry opportunity email like this one each week
Tracy Lawrence records and FOX Sports features a song discovered on Music Xray! Congratulations Justin Honaman!
With over 3500 songs and acts selected for opportunities in the past 6 months, there are a lot of big ones to talk about including major label signings, major motion picture placements and even a few we’ve been told we can’t mention. But today we want to send a special congratulations to Justin Honaman.
Atlanta-based Honaman submitted his song “Saturday In The South” to Alex Torrez of Torrez Music Group in Nashville. Alex invited him to Music City to work on some rewrites and last year the song was used by CBS Sports as a lead in to SEC football games.
This year, the song has been re-recorded by mega-star Tracy Lawrence and picked up by FOX Sports. Here’s an excerpt from the official press release:
“Thirteen million football fans will soon hear a new theme from multi-platinum recording artist Tracy Lawrence as FOX Sports South and SportSouth launch their biggest college football kickoff campaign in the networks’ history, showcasing the song “Saturday In The South.”
Lawrence’s “Saturday In The South” debuts Thursday, September 1, and will be the music centerpiece for the FOX Sports and SportSouth college football campaigns. The networks will broadcast over 70 games from the SEC, ACC, Conference USA, Big 12 and Pac-12 and the weekly college football shows SEC Gridiron LIVE and The NEW College Football Show during the season.”
See the FOX Sports promo video by clicking here.
Be sure to check out some of the other success stories here.
Are you new to Music Xray? Click here to get the musician’s guide to Music Xray or click here to see a video explanation.
What Happens When Industry Professionals Don’t Respond?
When professionals don’t respond to their submissions (rare but it happens), Music Xray issues a refund and suspends the account of the industry professional.
We don’t like to do it and first, we do what we can to insure your music is heard. But, inactive professional accounts are not permitted on Music Xray.
And do we ever give the music professionals a second chance? Yes, but we are even more strict with them the second time around to ensure that your music is heard since that is our guarantee to you.
Music Xray matches your songs to industry opportunities for free. THEN, we give you direct access to the decision-makers behind each opportunity. THEN we GUARANTEE they listen and respond. No, seriously!
Did you read that headline? Do a double-take. It’s for real!
Accounts are free.
Actually, we give you $4 just for opening one.
Plus, we enable you to conduct a free focus group on one of your songs with up to 25 participants.
Plus, all the other great stuff on Music Xray, like getting directly in touch with the music industry decision-makers, getting deals and YOU KEEP ALL YOUR RIGHTS.
Yeah, it’s pretty awesome!
Get an email each week with new opportunities by signing up for free here.
Be sure to check out some of the success stories here, like the one from Solardaze, who has signed his third contract via Music Xray.
Are you new to Music Xray? Click here to get the musician’s guide to Music Xray or click here to see a video explanation.
The Music Xray Team
Music Xray has been getting more widely known as we’ve just been on the cover of The Nashville Music Guide.
Given that I’m the co-founder & CEO as well as the public face, I get identified with the company. That’s my job but the differentiating value in Music Xray is an incredible team who are both good at their jobs and passionate about the work we do.
Music Xray is far from a one man show and is not just “my” company. The company is privately held by a cadre of the senior team, co-founder shareholders, professional investors and friends & family. Without their early faith in what we’re trying to achieve, Music Xray would not be possible.
Every day, CTO Jeff Durand and his team work to keep the site purring along while building out new features and keeping it all scalable. Bert Hartmann, our COO manages a very professional team of software testers and customer service & support staff. They are real assets at Music Xray.
-Mike
This Month: Invite 100 Musicians to Join Music Xray and Receive $1000
1. Receive ongoing affiliate fees for every musician you invite who opens a free account on Music Xray. Invite 100 or more musicians who open free accounts and receive an additional $1000. Click here to find out how to do it.
2. Are you new to Music Xray? Click here to get the musician’s guide to Music Xray.
3. Over 3500 songs and acts selected for opportunities since February! Understand one of the reasons Music Xray works by clicking here.
- Frozen Sunshine
- Nient'altro Che Noi
- Periodic Like Desire
- A Childlike Joy
- Standing Still In The Rain
- The Aching Of A Restless Heart
- The Sun Sets Over Rusted Warehouses
- Somnambulist
- Fearing Nothing But The Unknown In A World Of Mysterious Wonder
- Don't You Think That All This Constant Drudgery Is Harmful To The Health And The Spirit, The Soul, I
- Looking for a hit song for Anastacia
- Universal looking to sign new Bands & Groups.
- Independent Film "Coyote" Seeking Music
- Torrez Music Group | songs to pitch to Keith Urban
- Music Supervisor needs music
- Citi To Citi Urban Showcase
- Justified on FX seeking songs
- Get your songs critiqued by seasoned multi-platinum mixing engineer, production & publishing consultant
- We are taking song submissions for one of the world's leading pop divas Beyonce Knowles
- WHOA Media Group/Label