Music and the Coronavirus

The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on the music industry. From halting album releases and cancelling tours to decimating gigs for musicians, sound techs and thousands of others who rely on income from concerts and public gatherings. Those who live and work in the music industry professionally, have been significantly affected.

Rock The Dream, like many others, is one of the small businesses that have had to decrease our staff’s hours dramatically and let some go, which has affected our ability to fulfill our mission to help these struggling musicians and bands, who have suffered a huge blow economically.

Would you join us in making a difference? We’re raising money to care for our staff and their families, and to ensure we can continue to help artists pursue their dreams in the music industry. Any donation will make an impact! Because we are a 501(c)3 nonprofit, all donations are tax deductible.

The link to RTD’s Small Business Relief GoFund Me is here:

shorturl.at/rDSTW

We thank you in advance for your generosity!

Easy Actions to Increase Spotify Traction

By Grayce Moran.

In a world where CD’s and iTunes libraries are a thing of the past, artists often struggle to make money from their music releases. Streaming is the newest and most popular way to listen to music, making mechanical royalties an important portion of an artist’s income.

Spotify is the largest and most well-known streaming subscription service, and an artist’s best chance at reaching an audience and making some money in the process. One way to gain traction on this platform is utilizing CD Baby.

The first step to success on Spotify is to get verified. Normally, this process would take a few days to complete; however, if you are registered through CD Baby, this is instantaneous. Make all of your artist information available to your audience – bio, concert calendar, press photos, etc.

Be sure to plan ahead. This is the most important factor to take away from this article. To effectively promote your music, you will need to plan at least 3-4 weeks ahead of your release date.

Sign your music up for distribution and Show.co (free for CD Baby clients). This will allow you to run Pre-save & Follow Campaigns, giving your current fans first access to your music. All you need is your single’s UPC, a good press photo and a catchy hook or reward.

Seven days before your release, submit your song to Spotify’s editorial team. Include your current pre-save and follow plans, your advertising budget, and any other campaigns you are using to promote your content. This will guarantee that your song is placed on your follower’s Release and Radar playlists.

Finally, invest in your music and make sure you have an advertising budget. Running ads is your best tool to reach a new audience. Don’t rush. Plan ahead. Put in the effort and you will see your Spotify numbers begin to rise.

Source: Robley, Chris. “How to Promote Your next Song on Spotify.” DIY Musician Blog, CD Baby, 2 Mar. 2020

Rock The Quad Charity Concert

The 6th Annual Rock The Quad Charity Concert will be held on Saturday, April 4th from 5:00pm to 10:00pm at Tempe Marketplace in Tempe, AZ. Enjoy this free concert, featuring Vynyl from Denver, CO and from Arizona, Rosahlee, Just Tommy, Maybe By Fall and Toxic Hearts. Net proceeds benefit Rock the Dream.

UPDATE MARCH 25, 2020: Due to the Covid-19 pandemic this concert has been cancelled.

Showcase for an A&R Rep – Are You Ready?

Many artists dream of the day when they will be signed to a record label, especially a major label. What do they need to make this happen? First, talent and hard work; connections never hurt; and a showcase before an A&R consultant.

If you’re at this level, then the Arizona Booking and A&R Showcase is a viable opportunity to push your career forward. In April 2020, we will be hosting this event featuring Loren Israel, A&R consultant to major labels, including Sony Music and Capitol Records, to name a few. As in any showcase, participating artists will perform, hopeful that they have the “stuff” that Loren is looking for. Also present for this showcase will be a booking agent who will review performances and book those artists they prefer for local PAID gigs.

Whether the answer is yes or no, Loren will be offering constructive advice on how to improve and raise talent to the level needed for a record label signing. He is also a multi-platinum producer for such bands as Plain White T’s, Jimmy Eat World and Neon Trees. In addition, he has represented Cold Play, Less Than Jake and most recently The Unlikely Candidates who are #1 on the Adult Alternative Chart. There is a $150 registration fee with all net proceeds donated to Rock the Dream.

If interested in registering for this Booking and A&R Showcase, email contact@rockthedream.org. There are 10 spots available.

UPDATE MARCH 20, 2020: Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Rock the Dream has postponed this event until further notice.

Artist Mentorship For Everyone!

If you are an artist and need help navigating through the music industry, help is here. The biggest need that most struggling bands and artists agree is — it takes a TEAM!

Rock The Dream has launched a Mentorship Program. Every artist who enrolls will receive one free month to experience the benefits of this lesson plan. This process will help prepare them with the professional tools, knowledge, networking connections and skills necessary to jump from local to regional, and then national touring level.

After the free month, the cost is $50 per month, which directly funds the nonprofit organizations. No contracts, so you can leave at any time.

If you are interested in participating in the Mentorship Program with one free month to see if this is right for you, email contact@rockthedream.org for more information or to enroll.