Do I need to be affiliated with a Performance Rights Organization (PRO)?

Many up and coming artist’s are unaware of what a PRO is. PRO companies such as ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC are important companies that every artist should be aware of. So what are these acronyms? These are the acronyms that allow you to get paid when people use your music. They do this by collecting performance royalties on your behalf.

Let me break it down in detail for you. As stated by Chris Robley, any time your music is placed on television, radio, commercials, or played in venues you are to receive a “performance royalty.” These royalties are paid through companies such as ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. Every artist should register with one of these PRO’s to ensure that they are getting their performance royalties.

Not only do you need a PRO, but you also need a publishing company as well to receive your mechanical royalties. I will discuss the publishing side of obtaining monies for placements in future posts. The most important part is obtaining a PRO first so that you are not missing your money.  

As stated in an article on TuneCore; they believe that having a PRO is very important and highly recommended. They call them the “watchdogs of the airways.” TuneCore advises the artist to work with the PRO as well as with TuneCore to help obtain all of the royalties that are due to the artist. You do not have to worry about them taking advantage of you because they work directly with the PRO companies to ensure that you are receiving both your performing and mechanical royalties.

To summarize it, every artist should research each PRO Company and determine which one suits them better. Each PRO pays differently and has different benefits that cater to their artists. My artists work with BMI and ASCAP. I have found that BMI pays 200% whereas ASCAP pays 100%.  I recommend that every up and coming artist conduct their own research on each company and decide which one caters to you and your abilities. 

Negotiating Techniques: What every artist should know

            I had the pleasure of speaking with Wendell Johnson. He was the road manager for the Young Money rapper, Lil Twist. He was also a big part of the YMCMB movement with artists such as Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Drake, and many more. He has been with them for the last five years and continues to work with other artists to help them into the music industry. In his spare time, he is currently working on starting his own company called My own world tour. This is an apparel and accessory company that allows you to express who you are and how you live in what you wear.

In speaking with Mr. Johnson he explained some of his negotiation techniques. I asked Mr. Johnson if uses any dirty tricks or if he has had any dirty tricks used on him during negotiation of a deal. Mr. Johnson stated that this is part of the music industry game. You have to sometimes use tricks to get what you want. An example that he gave was when making a deal for an up and coming artist, he has to make the artist bigger than what he or she is. This is the only way the label will look at the artist. He stated that the music speaks for itself but if the artist does not have the numbers you have to give the label something else to look at. This is a trick of the industry that many artist today use.

When using objective criteria to make a negotiation what sources do you use? Mr. Johnson stated that he normally uses his previous artists or calls other labels and managers to see what offers are being made for that particular negotiation. This helps give him a range of what he should ask for. Mr. Johnson stated that he never starts with a low number for anything. He will start with the highest number possible based off of what he knows the other person can afford. He then works his way down from that number. This way he does not “low ball” himself. Mr. Johnson stated that he researches everything. He always likes to know a little more than what he thinks the other party may know.

When asked if it is hard to separate a person’s interest from his or her position; Mr. Johnson stated that it is hard for anyone to focus on the interest instead of the position of a person. He stated that a true negotiator could do this immediately. He is still working on this at that time. Sometimes he focuses on the person and forgets to remove the person from the actual negotiation and only focus on the problem at hand. He stated that the best way to do this is to write out the problem or the interest of each party from the beginning and then cross them off as the agreements are met. This helps everyone to stay on track and not deviate from the main issue.

I asked if Mr. Johnson had any tips for up and coming negotiators. Mr. Johnson said to always know who and what you are negotiating about before going into the negotiation. Know what questions you need answers to and always have a set starting amount and work your way down. He also stated to stand your ground if it is something that you believe in and do not let anyone bully you out of doing what is best for you and your business. The last pointer that he gave was to not let fear rule your decisions.

The Artist Manager

Do I need a manager? If so, what should I look for? This is a question that is heard from many up and coming artists, actors, models, and any other person that wants to be in a certain entertainment industry. Everyone does not need a manager. However, if you are not “business smart” you will fall fast and end up in a situation that you could have avoided.  So what is the primary role of the artist manager?

Research conducted by Tunecore (2012) found that 53.71% of the voters felt that business development for the artist was the most important part of the artist manager’s job. Howard (2011) found that the artist manager used to focus mainly on getting the record deals and being the middleman between the artist and the label. In today’s time, the artist manager has to and is focusing more on the business development of the artist. Business development consists of branding, revenue, and building partnerships (Howard, 2011). Without the correct branding the artist will not generate revenue. Without revenue, the artist cannot thrive. Business development has to be the focus behind any artist and their manager.

So what do you look for in a good artist manager? I always tell up and comings to look for someone that is honest, trustworthy, has a good rapport with people, and has knowledge of and credible resources for the industry that you are trying to get into. Howard (2012) found that the artist manager has to focus on getting fans and then getting those fans to generate more fans of the artist. This puts majority of promotion on the fans. Take Beyoncé for example. She took business into her own hands, did the research, and built a team that wanted the best for her. Her recent release of her album “Beyoncé” generated the largest buzz in social media without any type of promotion. She posted a collage of her songs and videos on Instagram and Facebook and let her fans do the rest. Within three days, she sold 80,000 copies of the album. 80,000 times $15.99 a piece, you do the math!!

Beyoncé did what every good manager should do.  She studied the development of her business and has made her business work for her. Howard (2012) also found that a good manager has ideas and goals that are aligned with the artists’ ideas and goals. If you are looking for a manager, find one that has the same goals as you do. You have to be on the same page or you will be setting yourself up for failure.  Also, do not just depend on your manager to do everything. Do some research for yourself. Take a business class, go to a training, attend seminars, and better yourself for where you want to be so that you are knowledgeable about your business. After all, no one knows you and what you want to do better than YOU!

Indie Artist: Should you pay to play?

Every up and coming artist wants to get their song on the radio or perform in front of thousands. The question that comes up is rather or not the artist to pay the venue or the radio station to have their music played or performed. There are some pros and cons to this method.

Letang (2013) defines the pay to play method as payola. It is when someone pays a radio station to play their record on the radio or a DJ to spin their record in a club. It is illegal unless the payee informs the audience that they were paid to play the record. It is a constant topic among up and coming artists and their managers. So, do you pay to play?

Dardis (2013) has found that it has become harder for the independent artist to receive radio play. This is because many radio stations play what is on the billboards and not what is up and coming. Artists are now investing in payola to get their music heard. It has gotten so bad that clubs are now using the artist as a source of revenue (Dardis, 2013). The artist is paying the club to have his/her music played. The only benefit for the artist is that hundreds or thousands of people have the chance to hear your song once throughout the night. There is a slim chance that they will remember it or that you will get big off of that one night.

Letang (2013) feels that you shouldn’t. I happen to agree with him to a certain extent. His reasoning is that the venue is asking you to pay to play because they are not making enough money off of their audience to begin with. In the end, you are just paying to keep them open and you are not making a profit from it nor are you earning enough followers for it to be worth your money. It would be more beneficial for the artist to perform at open mic nights, showcases, and shows that you put on.

The reality is that sometimes you have to pay to play. After all, if your music is bringing a crowd then why should you get paid? Like with any other business opportunity, artists should weigh the costs and benefits before deciding to pay to play. If it’s worth it, then go for it. If not, then market yourself, sell your own tickets, and make your own show!

Let me know what you think! Would you pay to play or not?

Affix Music

Affix Music is a music licensing company based in Atlanta, Georgia. They specialize in placements of independent urban music in television, film, and advertising. Their program is music synch and licensing for unsigned, independent artists. Affix’s definition of urban music is that it is music that can be Rap/Hip Hop, Electronic, Techno, etc. It is music that represents today’s sound and pays respect to the history of that sound. They streamline the process of obtaining music, clearing it, and getting it in the right hands.

Affix is currently using a catalog that artists and other music industry professionals have direct access to. They recently went with a streaming system that removes the commercials and allows music to be streamed instantly. This allows for quicker feedback and a quicker listening session. Affix uses their licensing program to help the “unknown” artist get their music in front of the major labels and music supervisors. Affix does this by allowing a streamlined method that reduces the stress of legal issues, schedule A’s, and other important music business complexities.

Affix has and is still affecting the music industry because they are the voice for the independent artist. They provide the opportunities that most cannot get on their own. They have made a name for themselves and they are living up to that name. Affix is continuing to grow and evolve to fit the ever-changing processes of the music industry. Without this company, many unsigned, independent, urban artists would still be trying to get their music heard on television or advertising.

In speaking with Simon Horrocks, owner, Affix has plans of creating a one-stop shop for artists and music professionals all around. Their catalog is continuing to grow and their list of placements is too. Affix has the potential of being the biggest music synch and licensing agency in Atlanta!

http://www.affixmusic.com