IOTM Blog
Posted: Mar 5, 2024
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post written by James Hill, a veteran of the music industry. He has worked at Warner Reprise Records and then Interscope/ Geffen Records and now helps indie artists with branding and manufacturing through his company Unified Manufacturing, a CD/DVD, custom vinyl records and merch company in LA.
"So, you’ve finally decided to release an album. Wuhoo! But listen up – getting your album out there isn’t just about tossing it into the world. It’s more like planning a grand wedding for 1000 people – you need a solid plan. In this guide, we’re going through fifteen essential tips—covering everything from using digital tools to finding the right partners—to make your album release stress-free (or at least less stressful than usual). Let’s get started!" View Full Article
Posted: Aug 23, 2022
Category: Managers
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**Guest post written by Yona Marie, originally featured in her blog.
"Have you reached the point where you need someone else to manage many of your business aspects in order to you to be able to focus more on the creative side of things? Are you unsure of the process for getting a manager that fits your style, location, budget, and interests? You are not at all alone...Not everyone that can manage should manage you. Also, more importantly, not everyone that is looking for management is ready for it."
View Full ArticlePosted: Sep 8, 2020
Category: Technology
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**Guest post written by Adam Mezzatesta of Bands For Hire.
"Whatever your current situation, at some point in the future you might find the day to day running of your band will start to take its toll. Whether you’re an independent musician, touring band or function band, life can get busy, so it’s a good idea to get things in order right now...Check out these awesome free tools and get one step closer to organizational heaven."
View Full ArticlePosted: May 26, 2020
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post by Fang from Lords of the Trident, the most METAL band on earth!
"Episode 17 of Words of Fang. As a band, when do you need to "throw your weight around", and when do you need to, well, just stay quiet? Fang tells you the secrets of the trade!"
View Full ArticlePosted: Jun 24, 2019
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post written by Nick Cesarz, drummer, producer, and blogger from Milwaukee, WI. Nick is the editor and owner of DrummingReview.com, a website dedicated to helping drummers choose gear, learn how to play, and guide them through the music industry.
"It's a phone call conversation I wouldn't wish on any of my enemies: getting dropped from a record label. Being let go from a record company is a sad tale that many acts endure throughout their careers. Today I'll explain what it's like and how you can reduce your chances of having this unfortunate conversation."
View Full ArticlePosted: Jun 10, 2019
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post written by Sophie D’Orléans, singer and keyboard player for The Sophistocrats (Canadian Smooth Jazz band).
"After spending 3 years and 4000km away from home, I wanted to move back to my hometown. I left my mountainous college town knowing that all my musical connections would be very far, yet it was what I needed to do for my personal growth. Trying to keep a ‘band’ together at a distance has been challenging in ways I didn’t suspect, while other difficulties I had predicted never happened."
Posted: Nov 13, 2017
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post written by Joe Hoten of Bands For Hire.
"When your band breaks up, it's like losing your family, your job and your favourite hobby all in one fell swoop...This is of course a feeling best avoided at all costs, so here is a list of ten reasons explaining why it happened, and how you can hopefully prevent it from happening again."
View Full ArticlePosted: Apr 10, 2017
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post written by Debbie Stanley, a professional organizer, South By Southwest 2017 speaker, and owner of the consulting practice Thoughts In Order. This post is an excerpt from her book The Organized Musician.
"Being organized isn’t just about having a tidy closet, being on time, or keeping up with email. The consequences of disorganization can be severe for indie musicians, including damage to or even destruction of your relationships, and, by extension, your career...Of all the habits that either build or erode relationship equity, a surprising number are related to organization. Let’s look at some habits that are likely to undermine your relationships..."
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