A Quick Quiz to Test Your Knowledge of Today's Music Industry

When I was first starting out as a young professional in Nashville, my mentor told me that there are three kinds of people in the music business:

1. People who make things happen: AKA movers and shakers
2. People who watch things happen: AKA watchers
3. People who wonder what happened after it happened:  AKA most people

My mentor was a mover and shaker in the music industry. He opened doors and made things happen.  I was very wet behind the ears when I was first starting my career, but I aspired to one day be like my mentor.  As a result, I listened to every word he said and studied his actions closely.  At the time, I was content to be a watcher.
 
When I started to practice what I was learning, my career took off full throttle.  I received promotions, I began to meet other movers and shakers, and Industry recruiters were constantly calling me with new job offers.  I was starting to make things happen!  I was on my way to becoming a mover and shaker.

Perhaps the biggest lesson I learned from my first mentor was to stay current.  That meant keeping up with music trends, monitoring the music industry charts, seeking out networking opportunities, and reading industry periodicals.  I also learned that it was important to keep up with what was happening in other industries and the world in general.

If you dream of a professional career in the music industry or you want to advance your existing career, you need to keep current and be aware of what’s happening day to day both inside and outside the industry.  Here’s a 5 question pop quiz to determine what type of person you are presently:

Q1)  Is the music industry growing or shrinking?

A1)  If you’re like most people, you probably think that the music industry is currently growing and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.  Unfortunately, this answer is simply way off the mark.

A2)  Watchers take a look at industry revenues year over year and believe that the industry is in rapid decline.  That about sums up the perspective of industry analysts and most record label executives today.  However, it’s only partially true.

A3)  Movers and shakers would answer both.  Both in the U.S. and worldwide, revenues of the major record labels have declined dramatically over the past decade.  In fact, 10 years ago the average person spent almost 3 times as much on recorded music products as they do today.  At the same time however,  music is available to the consumer like never before as more and more people turn to digital distribution to discover and purchase new music.

 Movers and shakers realize that the industry has now come full circle from the 50’s and 60’s.  The era of the single is back and the movers and shakers are preparing to play a whole new ballgame.

Q2)  What’s the biggest opportunity for songwriters, artists and musicians today?

A1)  Most people would answer reality television.  Shows like American Idol and The Voice are surfacing more and more vocal talent, giving more people a chance to make the big time and become pop singing sensations. These are the same people who lined up around the corner waiting to buy Paris Hilton’s debut CD.

A2)  Watchers know that Digital Distribution is where it’s at right now.  Artists who are adept at managing their own marketing are finding out that they can make a very lucrative living through digital downloading and live performances.  And, it’s only getting bigger.  Nevertheless, watchers only focus on the current trend and are not necessarily aware of what’s beyond the horizon.

A3)   Movers and shakers are already aware of what the next groundbreaking trend will be.  That trend is mobile media.  They’re starting to view the market much like their predecessors did back in the 50’s and 60's:  That was a time when the car radio was the only mobile device, radio airplay exposed fans to new music and compelled them to go out and purchase 45's of hit songs.

Today's movers are shakers and studying the mobile communications industry in order to develop distribution methods that will rectify the industry’s present declining revenue situation.

Q3)  Do you know the latest “shake” in the mobile media industry?

A1)  Most People have no clue when you ask them.  In fact, they’d probably answer it's the invention of the ringtone.

A2)  Watchers are amazed by the advancement of mobile devices and realize that the mobile media industry is still in its infancy.  Technology continues to outpace music distribution and record labels don’t know what to do about it. The record labels are just catching up with the iPod through iTunes. However, the latest smartphone products are continuing to revolutionize the market. The iPhone is the most recognizable smartphone product available to consumers. However, the industry recently experienced dramatic entrances into the market from lesser known companies like Nokia and BlackBerry.  

A3) Movers and Shakers know that the winners in this highly competitive industry will be the companies which most effectively mesh new mobile devices with social media and entertainment delivery.  They’re aware that Internet companies like Google and Facebook are entering the marketplace with mobile devices of their own. Bill Gates and Microsoft have also done the very same thing with the Windows phone. 

 The questions that music industry movers and shakers are now asking themselves are:

1. What mobile products will be the next big thing?
2. How will social media shape user experience with these products?
3. How will they package and sell these new bundled products to consumers?

Q4)  Who cleaned up at this year’s GRAMMYs?

A1)  Most People would say Adele.  She won a total of 6 awards and captured the hearts of the viewing audience with her live performance.

A2)  Watchers took note of the show’s television ratings and answer the show itself.  With 39 million U.S. viewers, this year’s show was the second most watched in history.  And, except for Nicki Minaj’s nauseating and entirely inappropriate act to close the show, the audience as a whole witnessed several very entertaining performances.

A3)  Movers and shakers can’t deny that Adele was the star of the 2012 GRAMMYs.  However, most savvy industry insiders are likely to answer that the show’s sponsors and advertisers were the biggest winners. Brands continue to rely on music and celebrities to both underscore the thematic connections they want to create with consumers and, in a targeted way, to appeal directly to the right customer for their product. Chipotle, Bing and Chevy's ad for the Cruze were among the winners that used celebrities and music to connect with viewers this year.

 Movers and shakers know that big ratings equate to higher sales for advertisers.  This in turn means a financial windfall for the music industry in the months to come as more and more brands turn to recognized artists and popular songs to promote their products.  

Q5)  What is the biggest threat facing the music industry today?

A1)  Most people believe that new talent is lacking in the music industry given what the mainstream media distributes to consumers through traditional channels (CD’s, radio, big venue concerts, etc.).  

A2)  Watchers refute claims that talent is the problem, pointing to the dramatic rise of independent artists who profitably manage their own distribution over the Internet as proof.  Watchers know that digital distribution is reshaping the landscape and threatens the industry’s traditional business model.  That said, they don’t know how to return the industry to profitability. 

A3)   Movers and shakers are beginning to cope with digital distribution as the new industry norm and recognize that many talented artists are now independently marketing their music. Apple’s iTunes, and dozens of other reputable companies are piling into mobile music looking to capitalize on the opportunity.  However, they’re all scrambling to stop the industry’s biggest financial threat: Music Piracy.

 Pirates have decimated the industry. Juniper analyst Daniel Ashdown recently told mocoNews that iTunes currently accounts for nearly 60 percent of mobile music market revenues. Meanwhile, in digital music overall, iTunes accounts for just 66.2 percent of all downloaded music according to December 2011 figures from NPD Group.  P2P file sharing is getting more prevalent on mobile devices, as are apps that encourage this. For example, a BitTorrent client—creatively named “BitTorrent Client/aBTC” provides consumers with no-cost music downloads. 

The companies behind these app makes money when the customer purchases the app.  However, artists, song writers and the record labels that have long employed them don’t see a dime of this money.  Movers and shakers are taking drastic steps to halt the illegal download of music in order to salvage revenues.

After answering these five questions, what did you learn about yourself?


If you’re like most people entering the music industry you had better latch on to a strong mentor and begin to develop a game plan for your career!  Becoming a professional member of AMP is a good starting point.  AMP members benefit from professional networking events where you’ll meet a number of music industry movers and shakers and have the opportunity to ask questions about navigating your career in the music industry.


If you’re a watcher, it may be time for you to get in the game yourself.  Again AMP membership is a natural starting point.  AMP provides direct access to unparalleled training materials, the latest industry news, and career management resources all for the cost of your low annual dues.


And, If you’re already a mover and shaker, you’re probably a current AMP professional member.  If not, you should really consider taking advantage of our limited-time free trial membership offer which affords you all the benefits of our paid membership.


As for the industry’s pesky and persistent Pirates, what do you think needs to happen to protect the industry and prevent pervasive Piracy?  Leave us a comment and let us know your personal perspective on the problem!

MTV ARE THEY LISTENING ? ARTISTS TAKE HEED!

 CHANGE IS COMING 

  I'm excited! We've been talking about it, and now we are beginning to see it. This is only the beginning of the new and exciting things starting to show up in the music industry. The forecast is Sunny! 

   Staying apprised, and on top of "the new shake" is vitally important. Your career depends on it. So stay tuned, we want to help you with that.

Follow us so we can get the latest shake to you.

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NEW YORK (Reuters) - MTV on Thursday unveiled plans to launch a new website, Artists.MTV, to connect fans with their favorite performers on personalized pages that put the artists' brands, not MTV's, front and center.

Artists.MTV, which is expected to go live this summer, will allow stars and unknowns alike to take control of their page, promote themselves and generate income by selling products and services directly to fans.

Shannon Connolly, VP of Digital Music Strategy for MTV Music Group told Reuters the goal of Artists.MTV is to help artists "get heard, get promoted and get paid - most importantly."

The website, which was at the South by Southwest (SXSW) music, film and interactive conference inAustin, Texas, is being created with Topspin, a direct-to-fan software platform. It allows artists to sell music, t-shirts, or other merchandise on the site, as well as book a gig. Artist pages will feature virtual tip jars allowing fans to "tip" the performers.

"Creating ways for artists to afford to keep doing what they do is a huge challenge in the music business today," said Connolly. "Technology has really interrupted a lot of the traditional methods through which artists sold product and built their careers."

MTV also plans Full Frontal, a TV program highlighting selected artists across MTV's networks who are picked based on data from Artists.MTV and an industry panel including musicians and record executives.

"There's nothing more powerful than television," said Connolly. "Internet famous is not the same as television famous - still."

MTV and sister networks VH1 and CMT will each promote a different artist monthly. That artist will have videos played and could appear on the networks, as well as hear their music featured on TV shows like "Jersey Shore" and "Mob Wives."

Artists also will compete for other opportunities such as streaming a concert live on MTV.com or commissioning an original song for a TV commercial.

"It's a new door," said Connolly. "In the past, the way an artist worked with MTV was through record labels and managers - that was the one door. When we launch this, we're essentially creating a new door and any artist can come through this."

An accompanying app will include a feature called "My Artists," allowing fans to "follow" their favorites artists' pages and receive push notifications of any updates.

Van Toffler, president of Viacom's Music Group said, "There is infinite choice out there, but with this, we want to provide a meaningful road map for consumers to weed through the chaos and discover the musical gems that should break through."

Artists and fans can sign up at www.artists.mtv.com to receive updates and participate in a private beta launch beginning in May.

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Protect the music industry

Keep Georgia's Music Industry Strong and Growing! Tell your state legislators to amend HB 1027 to include music in the film and TV production tax credit This week, the Georgia General Assembly is considering HB 1027, a bill that would amend the state tax credit for film and television production in the State of Georgia. Clarifying language must be added to the bill to ensure that our Georgia music industry is included in the state tax credit. Under the 2008 Georgia Entertainment Industry Investment Act, certain costs associated with film and television productions qualify for a tax credit, providing a strong incentive for companies to bring new business to the state. A provision of the law needs to be amended to clarify that expenses for sound recordings and musical compositions are qualified expenses under the tax credit. Adding this language will not expand the tax credit, but only make clear a concept that is already in the law. Music is a part of every film and television show and should be treated like any other production expense, such as wardrobe, craft services or rental cars. Adding this clarification to the law will help Georgia better market music for film and television productions. It will make Georgia more competitive with other states. It will open the door for more music companies to open offices in Georgia to benefit from the tax credit. And it will help grow businesses, jobs and revenue in Georgia. Georgia's music industry already supports nearly 20,000 jobs and has a total impact on the state's economy of $3.8 billion. Contact your State Senator and Representative TODAY and ask them to support the Music Clarification Amendment to HB 1027 so that expenses for sound recordings and musical compositions are included in the Georgia film and television tax credit.

It's wasn't easy ask Garth Brooks

  In my early days in Nashville I had an opportunity to meet some unknowns, like Garth. It was tough times for everyone. I remember how he talked about packing it up and going home. He stuck with it and you should too!

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The Brooks household was fertile ground for creativity and spontaneity backed by a steady sense of reality. Colleen, known as “the happy child” while she was growing up, fostered a confident, free-spiritedness in her children. “Mom wasn’t above telling little white lies to make her children feel good,” Garth has laughed. “Once when I messed up in football, she told me that the guy sitting next to her in the bleachers was yelling for the coach to send me back in. Later I found out she invented the story just to make me feel better.” Troyal was the realist in the family, mindful of the importance of dotting every “i” and crossing every “t” in life. The combination of those character traits developed on Yukon Avenue proved invaluable to Garth’s professional life. He became a risk-taker, willing to put everything on the line to make a better recording, a more exciting performance. Yet he paid careful attention to his career, his business dealings and his employees.

In high school Garth was more interested in sports than music, playing football, baseball, track and field for the Yukon Millers. But by the time he started college at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, he was beginning to pick and sing, jamming with friends in Iba Hall, the athletic dorm where he lived. Although he was attending college on a partial athletic scholarship (javelin), and majoring in advertising, Garth was becoming more and more interested in music as a career.

By 1983 Garth was playing gigs around Stillwater and picking up some extra money as a bouncer in local clubs. After graduating from OSU in December of 1984, he opted to make the move to Nashville. Colleen Brooks was not thrilled about his decision. “Mom had seen the bad side of the business, when management wasn’t professional,” Garth recalled. “She pretty much saw the ditches of music. So she prepared me for all that, which was great. I didn’t come in here with a sun-shiny face thinking everything was going to be rosy.”

The first trip to Nashville was anything but rosy, and Garth returned to Oklahoma within 23 hours. He continued playing the Oklahoma club circuit, married his college girlfriend, Sandy Mahl, in 1986, and returned to Music City the following year with renewed determination. Right away he began meeting and working with songwriters around town. One of them introduced him to ASCAP’s Bob Doyle, a respected song man known as a friend to writers. Bob was so impressed with the Oklahoman that he quit his job and took on management duties. And when talent agent Joe Harris heard Garth sing, he broke company policy and started booking the still-unsigned artist together with the band he’d put together, appropriately named Stillwater. Garth took the business seriously, playing any gig Joe Harris could book, and giving his all whether it was a crowd of 30 or 300.

It was by chance that Capitol Records’ A&R man Lynn Shults heard Garth sing “If Tomorrow Never Comes” at a writer showcase at Nashville’s Bluebird Café. Although Capitol had once turned down Garth, Shults offered him a record deal on the spot. The label set up a meeting with producer Allen Reynolds (Don Williams, Crystal Gayle), and the two began the process of making an album.

Released on April 12, 1989, Garth Brooks contained four hit singles including "Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)," "If Tomorrow Never Comes," "Not Counting You" and Garth's signature song, "The Dance." This debut recording went on to become the biggest-selling country album of the 1980s.

Garth’s live show got an early buzz on the tour circuit. On August 10, 1989, Garth and Stillwater played a show at Tulsa City Limits. John Wooley, music critic at the Tulsa World, wrote: “After seeing what he can do in concert, I’ll go out on a limb and predict that Brooks, showman and talent that he is, is going to be country music’s next big thing.”

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Be a part of AMP FOR FREE / contest

BE A PART OF THE TEAM

   On a daily basis I am asked, how can I help your mission? There are so many things that have to be done in order to keep this ship afloat. We are a ministry, and it takes concentrated effort from many people in many areas to make it happen. We are looking for people who believe in our mission, not just warm bodies. And if you're trying to break into the music industry, I encourage you to develop the same mind set. Remember we're all in the same boat, and we have to paddle together.

  I have been doing the music thing nearly thirty years, and believe me, I know what a struggle it can be at times, both from a financial standpoint, as well as discouragement from rejection. We want to help you in as many ways as possible; just remember this, there are no free tickets. We want to give you a hand up! Not a hand out.  We all had to go through the same challenges you did to get where we're at today. It takes passion, a lot of hard work, and relentless perseverance. Not to mention thick skin!

So lets get it started! If you want to be a part of the team let's try this. Let's make it interesting and have a contest with no entry fees. Wow, that's a new one!

  CONTEST ONE

   Every Friday we will have a blog called, question of the week. We will answer the selected question of the week, and the contributor will be entered into the contest. At the end of each month the blog that receives the most hits will be the winner, and the contributor will receive a one year free membership to AMP -  THE ASSOCIATION OF MUSIC PROFESSIONALS. A value of over 200 dollars.

CONTEST TWO

   Write a blog: Once a month a guest blogger will be chosen and the contributor will win a one year free membership to AMP. -- THE  ASSOCIATION OF MUSIC PROFESSIONALS. A value of over 200 dollars.

CONTEST THREE

At the end of each month our team will select the best comment  on a blog and the winner will receive a one year free membership to AMP -- THE ASSOCIATION OF MUSIC PROFESSIONALS. A value of over 200 dollars. You must submit your entree to the address below with the name of the blog you commented too.

Requirements. You must be a follower of the blog, and on our e-mail list. All entrees must be submitted to gshuman@myamp.org You must be at least 18 years of age with proof. No profanity please! 

Lets have some fun and support each other. Remember to click on an ad on the page to support the ministry.                                 

   Thanks J. Grady,    GOOD LUCK!!

The AMP TEAM  will be considering all entries for the possibility of employment as we begin to grow.