MAKING AND MARKETING MUSIC S econd Edition MAKING AND MARKETING MUSIC The Musician’s Guide To Financing, Distributing, and Promoting Albums J ODI S UMMERS ALLWORTH PRESS NEW YORK © 2004 Jodi Summers All rights reserved. Copyright under Berne Copyright Convention, Universal Copyright Convention, and Pan-American Copyright Con- vention. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher. 07 06 05 04 03 5 4 3 2 1 Published by Allworth Press An imprint of Allworth Communications 10 East 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010 www.allworth.com LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA Summers, Jodi. Making and marketing music: the musician’s guide to financing, distributing, and promoting albums/ Jodi Summers.—2nd ed. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN 1-58115-387-2 (pbk.) 1. Sound recording industry—United States. 2. Sound recordings—United States— Marketing. 3. Popular music—Writing and publishing. I. Title. ML3790.S84 2004 780'.68’8—dc22 2004017390 Cover design by Derek Bacchus Page composition/typography by Sharp Des!gns, Lansing, MI ISBN: 1-58115-387-2 Printed in Canada Dedicated to everybody who has ever believed in me. Contents 1 Choosing to Make an Album ................................................................... 1 2 Getting Started: Who and What You Need to Know ...................... 17 3 Raising Money ......................................................................................... 43 4 Getting the Album Deal .......................................................................... 61 5 Going the Indie Route ............................................................................ 77 6 Making a Record ..................................................................................... 97 7 Recording in the Comfort of Your Home.......................................... 119 8 Timing Is Everything: Planning the Release Date ....................... 137 9 Getting Heard ......................................................................................... 157 10 Marketing and Promotion................................................................... 183 11 Online ....................................................................................................... 207 12 The Future of the Internet ................................................................. 231 Index......................................................................................................... 249 vii Many Thanks to . Jeff Abercrombie, bassist for Fuel Steve Addabbo, producer, Shelter Island Sound Elijah Blue Allman, visionary and frontman for Deadsy Michael Badami, DreamWorks Music Publishing John Bates, silicon surfer at Radionet.com Fletcher Beasley, soundtrack producer Frank Black, solo artist Carl Bell, guitarist and songwriter for Fuel Bryan Biniak, director of business development for Harmonix Music Systems David Bowie, singer/songwriter and visionary artist Scott Blum, founder of Buymusic.com Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Records Edgar Bronfman, Jr., CEO of the Warner Music Group, among other things Biff Butler, vocalist for Apartment 26 Kathy Callahan, senior director of western regional sales at BMG Music Jerry Cantrell, guitarist for Alice in Chains Mariah Carey, solo songwriter/singer Laura Cohen, singer, songwriter, and former manager of publicity for Virgin Records ix MAKING AND MARKETING MUSIC Geoff Cottrill, group director of music for Coca-Cola North America Jon Crosby, the artist behind VAST Chuck D, founding member of the multiplatinum rap band Public Enemy Joe Daniels, drummer for Local H Rob DeLeo, bassist for Stone Temple Pilots Brad Delson, guitarist for Linkin Park Craig Devilliers, editor and inspiration Matt Devine, vocalist and guitarist for Kill Hannah Glenn Dicker, cofounder of Yep Roc Records Cheryl Dickerson, senior director of writer/publisher relations, BMI Ani DiFranco, independent recording artist Thomas Dolby, musician and president of Headspace Michael Dorf, president of the Knitting Factory Gilbert Grant Dorland, for becoming an example Chris Douridas, A&R executive for DreamWorks George Drakoulias, staff producer and A&R executive for American Recordings Sully Erna, vocalist for Godsmack Nancy Ferguson, cofounder of the progressive film company Atomika Lonn Friend, former vice president of A&R West Coast for Arista Records Robert Fripp, composer and recording artist Mary Gauthier, composer and recording artist Marc Geiger, chairman and CEO of ARTISTdirect and the Ultimate Band List Stone Gossard, guitarist for Pearl Jam Sammy Hagar, solo singer, songwriter, and guitarist, and periodic Van Halen frontman Tom Hamilton, bass player for Aerosmith Kirk Hammett, guitarist for Metallica Taylor Hanson, keyboards and vocals for Hanson Emily Hay, composer and flutist Pat Hayes, guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for the Lamont Cranston Band x MANY THANKS TO . Jim Heath, frontman and songwriter for the Reverend Horton Heat Liz Heller, senior vice president for new media at Capitol Records Ken Hertz, entertainment industry attorney Ted Hooban, director of Digital Media for CDNOW Billy Howerdel, guitarist for A Perfect Circle Chrissie Hynde, vocalist for the Pretenders Mark Janowski, drummer for Sister Hazel David Javelosa, keyboardist and audio designer Jewel, solo singer/songwriter John Keefe, producer at First Generation Recording Studio Maynard James Keenan, singer/songwriter for A Perfect Circle and Tool David Kessel, president of IUMA/Offline Records Abbey Konowitch, executive vice president at MCA Records Charles Koppelman, chairman of CAK Universal Credit Corp. and former chairman of EMI Capitol Music Group Joey Kramer, drummer for Aerosmith Mike Krupit, vice president of technology at CDNOW Michael Laskow, founder of Taxi A&R Service Michael Leventhal, attorney at The Law Offices of Michael Leventhal Nick Lowe, British pop star Scott Lucas, singer/guitarist for Local H Melissa Macfadyen, audience Frank McDonough, president of Moir/Marie Entertainment Travis Meeks, visionary behind Days of the New Ted Mico, Internet consultant and developer for Virgin Records Kevin Miller, drummer for Fuel Russ Miller, studio drummer Mark Mothersbaugh, mastermind behind the Rugrats music and cofounder of DEVO Oded Noy, Java developer and technical director for Path, LLC Jim Olsen, cofounder of Signature Sounds Ozzy Osbourne, the godfather of heavy metal Hugh Panero, president and CEO of XM Satellite Radio Donald Passman, attorney with Gang, Tyre, Ramer & Brown xi MAKING AND MARKETING MUSIC Ellis Paul, New England songwriter and performing artist Joe Pernice, songwriter for the Pernice Brothers Steve Perry, founder of the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies Joey Peters, drummer and percussionist for Grant Lee Buffalo Joe Pezzillo, founder of Eclectic Radio’s GoGaGa station Chuck Plotkin, producer Keith Richards, songwriter, guitarist, vocals for the Rolling Stones Jason Ringenberg, founder of the country/hard rock band Jason and the Scorchers and solo artist Michael Robertson, founder, MP3.com and Lindows.com Alicia Rose, vice president, head buyer, general manager, slave driver, and queen of NAIL Larry Rosen, chairman and CEO of N2K and Music Boulevard Brett Scallions, vocals and guitars for Fuel Pierre Schroeder, composer and French pop star James Schureck, director of new media for Jeff McClusky & Associates Andy Secher, editor of Hit Parader magazine Chad Sexton, drummer for 311 Jacoby Shaddix, vocalist for Papa Roach Fred Siebert, president of MTV Networks Online Steve Simon, executive vice president, music division, for Clear Channel Entertainment Mike Sistad, manager of A&R for Arista Records, Nashville Roger Stein, president of Iguana Records Chris Stephenson, senior vice president of marketing for House of Blues Alex Stone, classical guitarist and composer Steve Summers, vocalist for Sprung Monkey Jim Survis, guitar tech for Aerosmith’s Joe Perry Chuck Taylor, radio editor for Billboard Steven Tyler, vocalist for Aerosmith Lars Ulrich, drummer for Metallica David R. Valenti, president/sales for Kanakaris Communica- tions and NetBooks Alex Van Halen, drummer for Van Halen xii MANY THANKS TO . Edward Van Halen, guitarist for Van Halen Butch Vig, producer and drummer for Garbage Tom Viscount, lead singer and the primary writer for Viscount Andy Voelkel, bassist and composer John J. Volanski, author of Sound Recording Advice Jake Walker, cofounder of Disclive Perry Watts-Russell, A&R West Coast for Capitol Records Steve Weisberg, composer, conductor, and arranger Brad Whitford, guitarist for Aerosmith Dar Williams, folksinger Robert Williams, director of sales and marketing for Demeter Amplification Todd Williams, marketing director for IUMA Dan Wilson, songwriter and vocalist for Semisonic Tony Winders, president of InterActive Agency Ken Wirt, Diamond Multimedia Rob Zombie, hard rock artist xiii CHAPTER ONE Choosing to Make an Album I don’t think I create anything. I’m a receiver. Songs are zooming through this room right now, and if I had a guitar I’d sit around and play for a bit; I’d catch one. The idea of creation, I leave that to God. —Keith Richards, The Rolling Stones All musicians have an album in them. As kids, they all sat there practicing their instruments for hours on end, making music. The goal wasn’t necessarily to play stadiums or release platinum albums; the goal was to make music. “When I started playing guitar, I didn’t