LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Kimberly Wyatt, who has gained international fame as a member of the Pussycat Dolls and is currently a celebrity judge for the UK’s hit show “Just Dance,” has announced the official launch of her Beautiful Movements online store. Hosted and managed through Dipdive (will.i.am’s company) and powered by Audiolife, the store will enable fans across the globe to purchase Kimberly’s originally designed Beautiful Movements apparel line and “Love The Planet” organic beauty products on-demand.

Motivated by her experiences both in and out of the limelight, Wyatt’s product line is the culmination of her true-artist self, and an ultimate expression of beliefs that she uses to relate to and communicate with her world-wide fan base. All apparel designs are derived from her own artwork while the “Love The Planet” organic beauty products have been hand-picked from her travels abroad.

“BeautifulMovements.com is an online community for growth through self-expression. The apparel and designs represent my journey for positive change,” remarked Wyatt. “Ultimately this line is about my fans…to inspire personal growth through the Beautiful Movements lifestyle.”

Currently, the Beautiful Movements online store offers an array of products including:

• 80’s inspired Raglan sweatshirts
• Racerback tanks
• Burnout T-shirts
• 90’s inspired “Body-Fader” T-shirts
• Organic Signature White Tee –portion of proceeds go to RAINN
• Organic Tea Tree & Lavender Cleanser by “Love The Planet”
• Organic Neroli & Bergamot Moisture Cream by “Love The Planet”

Added Wyatt: “This is one of the most exciting moments in my life. I finally have a way to communicate and offer something tangible directly to the supporters who have kept me going throughout the years! I am truly looking forward to this launch and to offering something unique and personal to the Beautiful Movements community.”

To purchase Beautiful Movements products, visit the store at BeautifulMovements.com.

For general information about Kimberly Wyatt please contact: Shelli Margheritis, Shelli@MSAagency.com, or call 323-957-6680.

For Kimberly Wyatt interviews regarding her customized online store, please contact: Rebekah Iliff, Rebekah@Audiolife.com, or call 310-770-8338.

For information about Dipdive please contact PR@Dipdive.com.

About Dipdive

Dipdive (www.Dipdive.com) is a lifestyle engine for music, arts, and action founded by will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas. The social network-inspired community provides a platform for notable artists, tastemakers, and industry leaders to communicate and inspire their fans and supporters worldwide through video blogs, forums, and exclusive products available only through the Dipdive online store.

About Audiolife

Audiolife (www.Audiolife.com) is the leading Direct-to-Fan eCommerce platform that empowers independent artists and record labels to cost-effectively make money by selling CDs, merchandise, digital downloads and ringtones with no upfront inventory costs. The first-of-its-kind eCommerce platform facilitates selling products “on-demand” directly to fans via portable storefronts on websites, blogs, and social networks. No other platform, specifically created for artists, provides a worldwide, one-stop-shop solution for custom promotion, manufacturing and distribution.

Category: Audiolife, Direct to Fan | 3 Comments »

Tags: Beautiful Movements, DipDive, Direct to Fan, Kimberly Wyatt, selling merch online

© Bertold Werkmann | Dreamstime.com

This is a list in the making.  Feel free to add to it in the comments field below the post.

Follow Terry McBride
CEO and Co-Founder of Nettwerk Music Group
Terry McBride is a two-time recipient of the Pollstar Industry Award for Personal Manager of the Year for his work with Sarah McLachlan (1997) and Avril Lavigne/Coldplay (2002), and recipient of the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award at the 2003 Juno Awards, recognizing an outstanding individual who has contributed to the growth and advancement of the Canadian music industry.

Follow Derek Sivers
Founder and former President of CD Baby
Winner of the 2003 World Technology Award, Derek Sivers founded CD Baby “by accident” in 1998 and turned it into the largest seller of independent music on the web, which he sold a decade later to Disc Makers.

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Category: Social Networking | 11 Comments »

Tags: cd baby, Dave Kusek, Derek Sivers, future of music, Gerd Leonhard, Ian Rogers, Mediacode, Music Industry, Nettwerk, Terry McBride, Topspin Media

Lior is the Founder of We Are Listening, an online international song contest and song critique platform headquartered in London. The company’s exclusive career-launching contest prizes have landed their winners on the stages of the world’s largest music festivals, placed their songs on internationally syndicated television shows, and secured the most desirable co-writing, publishing and recording opportunities in the business. Distinguished contest panelists include executives at EMI, Universal, and SonyBMG; songwriters credited by Faith Hill, Lenny Kravitz, and Chaka Khan; producers credited by Sting, Bjork, and Dido; and professors at the world-renowned Berklee College of Music.

Category: Authors | 1 Comment »

It isn’t news that the music industry is different than it was 20 years or 2 years ago for that matter.  It has been affected by both modern technology, as well as, our world economy.  In this article I will discuss what important elements you must have in order to become not only a professional musician, but a well paid one at that.

Exceptional Songwriting

The single most important thing your songs must contain are hooks, hooks, and more hooks.  A hook is simply a catchy melody combined with a lyric (often times the song title) that is the focal point of the song.  It is always that part that you get stuck in your head and just can’t quit singing in the shower.  Oftentimes, artists are inside their music for so long it is hard for them to tell if their song has a catchy enough melody to be considered a hook.  The best thing to do is to try it out on people, in front of your band mates is perfect.  Then, step away from the song and see if anyone gets the song stuck in their heads.  If it does, you have a hit. If it doesn’t, the chances are no one other than you will like it.  Toss the song and try again.

After your songwriting skills are where they need to be you must become tight as a band.  You need to practice until you don’t feel like practicing anymore.  Believe it or not, you can have a great song, with a great hook, and all of the talent in the world, but if you aren’t rhythmically tight as a band, your song will not come through to the listener.  And for the solo artist that plays guitar or keyboard, I cannot stress enough that you must be at complete ease when singing and playing at the same time.  Even if your listener knows nothing about music, he or she will be able to tell something is not right and therefore they will not enjoy your music.

Colbie Caillait was discovered on MySpace because of the large amounts of play that she received on her MySpace page and she received those plays because her songs were melodically stimulating and hooky.  In fact, once she signed with her label they only fixed a few things in post production on her self-produced CD.  Her songs were that good.
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Category: Marketing, Music | 2 Comments »

Tags: becoming a successful musician, live shows, Music Industry, songwriting

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Texas native and internet sensation Coffey Anderson, known throughout various music-loving circles for his unique approach to both singing style and direct-to-fan interaction, will launch his “Direct-to-Fan Live Sessions” series on Thursday, October 22, 2009 from 4pm – 7pm PDT. The series, hosted by the leading internet broadcasting platform Ustream, and powered by Audiolife, will give fans the opportunity to purchase real-time exclusive content available only during the live sessions.

As DIY technologies become readily available, and artists worldwide begin to produce and distribute their own content, the new music business is rife with opportunities for musicians to creatively pursue new revenue streams:

“There are probably a million artists just like me, and many that are more talented than me,” remarked Anderson. “The difference is that I’m not waiting around for someone to do the dirty work. For me, the best part of being an artist is figuring out how to creatively communicate your thoughts to people who can relate to what you are saying. Once you are taken out of the creative process, packaged and sold to the masses with which you have no relationship, then the ‘true artist’ cannot be seen. By using all of these amazing new technology platforms, assuming you have something fans can relate to, you can cost-effectively and easily create, produce, distribute…..over and over while it’s fresh.”

During the live sessions, Anderson will perform original songs and create specially designed merchandise that will be released “real-time” and available for a 24 hour period immediately following the session. At the end of the week-long series, the content produced during the Live Sessions will be available in a bundle at a one-time only promotional price.

“In my opinion, platforms like Ustream and Audiolife are paving the way for the new music business artist,” added Anderson. “The question now is: will artists make the shift and tap into their true creativity in order to exploit all of these free services. Everywhere we look there are opportunities. For artists such as myself, this is an exciting time….and I understand that in order to have a music career, now more than ever you must be willing to put in the work, continue to create quality content, and communicate with fans in new, innovative ways.”

October dates for the “Direct-to-Fan” Live Sessions are Thursday, October 22, 2009 and Thursday, October 29, 2009. All sessions will take place from 4pm – 7pm PDT. For more information visit: Ustream.com/coffeyanderson.

About Audiolife

Audiolife (www.Audiolife.com) is the leading Direct-to-Fan eCommerce platform that empowers independent artists and record labels to cost-effectively make money by selling CDs, merchandise, digital downloads and ringtones with no upfront inventory costs. The first-of-its-kind eCommerce platform facilitates selling products “on-demand” directly to fans via portable storefronts on websites, blogs, and social networks. No other platform, specifically created for artists, provides a worldwide, one-stop-shop solution for custom promotion, manufacturing and distribution.

About Ustream

Ustream (www.Ustream.tv) is the live interactive video broadcast platform that enables anyone with a camera and an Internet connection to quickly and easily broadcast to a global audience of unlimited size. In less than two minutes, anyone can become a broadcaster by creating their own channel on Ustream or by broadcasting through their own site, empowering them to engage with their audience and further build their brand.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6080288&lang=en

Category: Audiolife, Direct to Fan, Music | No Comments »

Tags: Coffey Anderson, Direct to Fan, live sessions, Ustream, video marketing

It’s “Music Monday” and Audiolife is attending the CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival in New York City.  So with that, we thought we’d share Spin.com’s list of the “25 Must-Hear Artists from the CMJ Festival.”  The following is the list of the artists, but click here to actually hear the songs and read about the artists. The bold names are the ones I personally liked.

1. Bodega Girls
2. PAC DIV
3. RubbleBucket
4. The Stalkers
5. Young Prisms
6. Best Coast
7. Still Life Still
8. The xx
9. Bear in Heaven
10. Family of the Year
11. Fanfarlo
12. You, You’re Awesome
13. Skyzoo
14. Die! Die! Die!
15. Suckers
16. Darlings
17. Neon Indian
18. Lovvers
19. No Eye Contact
20. Hammer No More the Fingers
21. Unicycle Loves You
22. Arms
23. Miracles of Modern Science
24. Let’s Wrestle
25. MyNameIsJohnMichael

Category: Events, Music | No Comments »

Tags: Audiolife, CMJ 2009, CMJ artists

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Audiolife, considered an industry leader in Direct-to-Fan eCommerce, has announced that Founder & CEO Brandon Hance will join other industry notables during the American Association of Independent Music’s (A2IM) “Tech Day” event. The event, which will take place on October 19, 2009 during the CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival in New York City, will feature presentations by a variety of independent music companies on such topics as Direct-to-Fan marketing and e-mail marketing, followed by a cocktail party sponsored by Audiolife.

Hosted by A2IM’s New Media Committee, “Tech Day” will feature presentations followed by Q&A sessions with the following companies: appliedSB, Audiolife, FanMail Marketing, InSound, and Topspin Media. These companies are all key players of the Direct-to-Fan revolution in the music industry.

“We’re honored to be a participating in the Tech Day panel with the top echelon of new music business leaders,” remarked Hance. “It’s an exciting time in the industry, and this event will provide an open forum to discuss how this will change the industry and best practices in order to succeed.”

Added A2IM President, Rich Bengloff: “Direct To Consumer platform providers like Audiolife provide independent music labels the support many need to maximize income and to build stronger fan relationships in the new music industry economy which requires labels and artists to seek numerous revenue streams. As the music industry landscape changes, companies like Audiolife are essential to the game plan and we applaud Brandon Hance and his entire team for their support as we continue to work together to seek an improved marketplace for the independent music label community.”

Immediately following “Tech Day,” Audiolife company executives will co-host a networking cocktail party, where event-goers will be able to get a first-hand glimpse of Direct-to-Fan eCommerce products, mingle with panel participants, and learn more about the future of the music industry.

About Audiolife

Audiolife (www.Audiolife.com) is the leading Direct-to-Fan eCommerce platform that empowers independent artists and record labels to cost-effectively make money by selling CDs, merchandise, digital downloads and ringtones with no upfront inventory costs. The first-of-its-kind eCommerce platform facilitates selling products “on-demand” directly to fans via portable storefronts on websites, blogs, and social networks. No other platform, specifically created for artists, provides a worldwide, one-stop-shop solution for custom promotion, manufacturing and distribution.

About A2IM

A2IM (www.A2IM.org) is a New York City-based not-for-profit trade organization serving the independent music community as a unified voice representing a sector that comprises over 30% of the music industry’s market share in the United States (and 38% of SoundScan digital sales). The organization represents the Independents’ interests in the marketplace, in the media, on Capitol Hill, and as part of the global music community. Currently, the organization counts over 225 music label members and 100 associate members.

Category: Audiolife | No Comments »

Tags: A2iM, Audiolife, CMJ 2009, Direct to Fan marketing

Live music is what holds this business together. Not only is it one of the only consistent revenue sources remaining these days, it’s also the single best opportunity an artist has to connect with listeners and fans. Social media is a great tool, recorded music is important, merchandise can be fun, but performance and face to face contact are irreplaceable.

The most important question that artists should ask themselves is this: how do you plan to use those performances to connect with your audience and convert them into fans?

1. Stage presence

The performance itself is the biggest piece of the puzzle. If you have an engaging stage presence, perform your songs skillfully and dynamically, and put on a good show your audience will be much more likely to want to know more about you by the time you step off stage. Hopefully you are already putting in the time and energy to ensure that you’re performance is the best it can be.

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Category: Direct to Fan, Marketing | No Comments »

Tags: building fan base, concert merch, connecting with fans, stage presence

In a world where almost everyone knows how to use simple design programs on their computer, it is very important that your album cover art doesn’t end up screaming,  “My drummer’s fourteen year old little brother did this for free!”  We all know that aspiring professional musicians are not known for having a lot of money to throw around, but it is essential to have quality cover art and promotional material design. Whether you are a solo artist or a band, your image says so much about who you are and what your music is about.  In this blog I will discuss three main things: 1) album art design that represents your genre and musical message; 2) high quality art equals high quality music; and 3)  what your image says to your fans and to labels.

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Category: Music | 1 Comment »

Tags: album art, band image, designing your album, promotion materials

photo by arellis49

In marketing and sales for companies and brands, you need something to set yourself apart from the competition. In the music business, this is no different.

When you are a local band playing a show on a Friday night at a dive bar, and you have 10 dive bars in town all hosting rock shows, you need something that is going to make the kids come out to your show vs. the others. In the marketing world we call this your USP, or Unique Selling Position.

In your promotion, what is the benefit to the fan? How does buying your album or seeing your show make the fan feel? What is different from the millions of bands on Myspace all making the same banners, fliers, event listings and wall posts? What sets your Facebook invite apart from the countless others they receive.

Now is the time to begin brainstorming. Get out all your ideas, everything. No holds barred. Get out the whiteboard, chalkboard, notebook paper, some beers, wine or sodas and start kicking around smart ideas as to why your band, music or show is worth your audience’s time and money.

Here is some food for thought:

• Guest appearances – leverage off someone else’s popularity and fan base
• Drink specials – As unfortunate as it is, everyone loves cheap beer
• The line-up – Start creating a group of band’s that are equally as hardworking and create a synergy together
• Free product – are you giving away a free MP3, CD, shirt, etc – everyone loves free crap (hat tip – look for stickers and buttons, low cost items that are a keep sake to fans and promote your band long after the show)
• Limited editions – if you are selling a special product, say live show or DVD, why not limit it to increase demand and create nostalgia.
• Meet and greet – Even if you’re the new band in town, someone will want to meet you, snag a photo and have a beer with you at the venue. Besides, what do you really do between load in and show time?
• Personal items – with sites like Audiolife, you have the option to personalize one off items and ship them directly to fans. What can you do to create value t your fans by personalizing merch?

This is by no means a complete list, just some ways to brainstorm. Now let’s turn the tide to you. What are you doing to separate yourself from the rest of the noise your fans are facing? Let us know in the comments.

This post was written by Greg Rollett, author of Gen-Y Rock stars, a site dedicated to online music marketing. Greg is also a teacher in Label 2.0, a new interactive based marketing training school for musicians.

Category: Marketing | No Comments »

Tags: online music marketing