Posted on December 28, 2022

The Best New Year’s Songs To Countdown To 2023

By Barbara Drews

It's pretty much a given that on New Year's Eve, you will stay up until midnight, regardless of whether you're throwing a massive house party for everyone you've ever known or just spending a quiet evening at home with a few close friends and family. We've gathered the top 10 New Year's songs to countdown to 2023! So scroll down to listen to the ultimate New Year’s eve songs.

“1999” By Prince

Even two decades after Millennium Eve, Prince's party song still resonates strongly each year. Just be careful not to take Purple One's very fatalistic lyrics like "judgment day" and "dancing my life away" too seriously.

“New Year’s Resolution” By Camera Obscura

Want something Scottish and twee yet sick of Belle & Sebastian? You can start by listening to this 2013 song from "Desire Lines" by 4AD's Camera Obscura, who have made five excellent albums of indie pop with titles like "Let's Get Out of This Country" and "Underachievers Please Try Harder."

“Let’s Start the New Year Right” By Bing Crosby

In the 1942 movie Holiday Inn, which also starred Marjorie Reynolds and Bing Crosby's friend Fred Astaire, Mr. Holiday himself, Bing Crosby, sang this Irving Berlin song. The movie also included the Academy Award-winning song "White Christmas," the b-side of which was also available on vinyl at 78 RPM (RIP).

“New Year’s Resolution” By Otis Redding And Carla Thomas

Stax Records united two of its top talents to put together an album in an effort to emulate the success of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell (as well as Kim Weston and other artists). In six days, Thomas and Redding recorded 1967's minor soul hit "King & Queen" with the assistance of Isaac Hayes and Booker T & the MGs. A year before his terrible aircraft crash, Redding's career was greatly aided by the LP.

“Happy New Year” By Abba

This anthem for the new year was included on the famed Swedish hitmakers' 1980 album "Super Trouper," which marked the start of the decade. The Euro megastars sing, "It's the end of a decade / In another 10 years, who can say what we'll find," in a type of reflection on the end of the '70s.

“The Final Countdown” By Europe

There isn't much information about the Swedish rock band outside of Europe. Except for one thing: in 1986, they wrote this magnificent global hit that, upon closer study, appears to be about launching a rocket to Venus (!), but has been accepted forever as the thunderous official music to every celebration centered around a countdown.

“Auld Lang Syne (The New Year’s Anthem)” By Mariah Carey

In spite of the fact that it is definitely not a song for Robert Burns purists, she delivered the perfect Christmas song, which is close enough to the perfect New Year's Eve song. There are countless variations of "Auld Lang Syne," so it's not surprising that Mariah's 2010 house-inspired rendition caused some controversy. However, this has it all if you're in the mood for a heartfelt, sing-along song.

“Bringing In A Brand New Year” By Charles Brown

Before being discovered, Texas-born blues musician and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Tony "Charles" Brown worked as a mustard gas worker, high school chemistry instructor, and apprentice electrician in the 1940s. This is just one of the many holiday songs he has recorded over the course of his obscenely fruitful career as a solo artist and as a member of the Three Blazers, which includes over 100 singles on various labels.

“Funky New Year” By The Eagles

This tune, the b-side to the group's 1977 single "Please Come Home For Christmas," is a non-album gem from the L.A. white-funk lords. For their commercially successful 1979 album "The Long Run," the band spent two years recording both holiday songs.

“Gonna Make It Through This Year” By Great Lake Swimmers

Americana for those who despise Tony Dekker's Great Lake Swimmers can be characterized as Americana. The irony in that is that despite being from Ontario, Canada, the decade-old pastoral band is here showcasing the greatest features of our wonderful nation.

Final Thoughts

The holiday season just wouldn’t be the same without the above tunes! Make sure you check out our blog and Instagram for more music-related topics.

Posted on December 27, 2022

5 Ways Musicians Can Prepare For The New Year

By Shawn Spence

The Festive period is rapidly approaching, and musicians all around the world are laying the groundwork in accordance with it now. Want to enjoy this Holiday season to the fullest? Here are a few ideas for prepping:

Promote Fiercely

One of the busiest times of year for music purchases is the holiday season. People worldwide are searching for the ideal presents for their music-loving friends and family, from CDs and vinyl to posters and souvenirs.

You should use this opportunity to spread as much of what you have as you can. But it doesn't mean you should blare the same content across all platforms. There are many original methods to advertise around the holidays. Try, for instance, the following:

• Remind your followers that a vinyl copy of your most recent record would make the ideal gift topper.
• Post images of you lounging by the fire wearing your coziest apparel and include a link to your merch store.
• Offer limited-time discounts on your merch as your own unique present.

These are just a few suggestions to help you get inspired. Make it your own by considering what you want to see from your favorite artist.

Holiday-Themed Content

Will you be releasing a whole holiday album? Perhaps a single?  Whatever you want to do, think about doing something special for it. This might signify anything, but take into account some of the following examples:

• Every week leading up to the holiday of your choice, Livestream a new holiday cover.
• Make unique holiday merch.
• Try running a social media contest with a theme where the winners receive first access to your upcoming holiday single.
• Make a merch giveaway.
• Collab with other artists on holiday themes.

Release A Holiday Cover Song

It could seem nearly impossible to write an original hit that will knock people's socks off given how much festive music is already available. For your benefit, there are several songs in the public domain that you can freely cover without worrying about legal consequences. 

Additionally, the holidays are all about blaring your holiday-themed illicit musical pleasures. Putting out holiday music of your own is a fantastic way to participate at this time of year.

Create A Holiday Playlist

Create your own holiday playlists to help ignite the holiday spirit! Remember that the greatest holiday music is suitable for dinner parties, cooking, relaxing holiday feelings, and joyful jams. Once you've put up the ideal playlist, post the link on Facebook groups, Twitter, Instagram Stories, or really wherever else you feel your audience will be most engaged.

You could even create a joint playlist with another artist to take it up a level and distribute it to further increase your audience...

• Spotify and Apple Music are two outstanding streaming platforms that include the functionality of collaborative playlists.
• Feel free to pick whatever one your soul catches because they both have the same principle and are quite simple to use.

Go Local

This holiday season, your community could have socially segregated activities depending on your state. There are various ways you may be involved in your community events, whether a location needs a live performance or just a piece of nice holiday music.

Reach out to neighborhood bars and check out Facebook groups for your community to learn more about what's going on and how you can become involved.

In Conclusion,

Even if there is a huge amount of music on the market, there are other things you can do to maintain the momentum. Conduct research. Be original in your approaches, and the holiday season will undoubtedly be successful.

MPT Agency generates traffic to well-known artists, allowing them to focus on their work every day. Be sure to visit our blog and follow us on Instagram for more details on music marketing and to learn about additional services that can help you advance your musical career.

Posted on December 20, 2022

The Best Christmas Songs Of All Time!

By Shawn Spence

Christmas songs are a thing, and as December 25 draws steadily closer, they become a thing that is more and more impossible to avoid. Whether you love them, despise them or just accept them as an unavoidable part of life, the best Christmas songs are just listed below!

And while a lot of forgettable novelty nonsense has been produced over the years, most Christmas songs are actually rather good. There are several Christmas records that have survived from the 1940s through the 1970s when they were at their artistic peak. However, later, even more, cynical eras of pop generated a lot of gold.

“All I Want For Christmas Is You” By Mariah Carey

When it was first published in 1995, the song fizzled out quickly but gained cultural cachet in the 2000s. Its popularity gradually increased each year until it ultimately topped the US charts in 2019 and the UK charts in 2020. Killjoys at bars have taken to whining about its pervasiveness, but it's their loss because everything about this song is as ageless as it is perfect, from the twinkly opening to Mariah's vocals.

“Last Christmas” By Wham!

Sleighbells and synthesizers are used in the lament of a failing romance, "Last Christmas," which also has some pretty memorable knitwear in the music video. But what truly distinguishes "Last Christmas" is George Michael's heartfelt performance, which has his sincere heartbroken terror and dreamy, seductive whispers. Never before had "Merry Christmas" sounded so seductive.

“Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” By Darlene Love

Is this the warmest Christmas song ever? Most likely, the perfect pleading vocal of Darlene Love, Phil Spector's fabulously glitzy production, and Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry's enchanting music could melt even the biggest Scrooge. It's the ideal holiday tune, hands down.

“Stay Another Day” By East 17

The all-time Christmas anthem from East 17 wasn't even meant to be a holiday tune. The result is a masterful exercise in holiday gloom and the group's stunningly somber four-part harmonies appear to absorb that raw emotion. Even the obligatory Christmas song sleigh bells seem to do the same.

“White Christmas” By Bing Crosby

Even more potent than actual recollections is the force of holiday nostalgia. Therefore, even if our genuine past is filled with heartbreaking failures, we can all look back with Bing on this Irving Berlin-penned 1940s song to a white Christmas exactly like the ones we used to know.

“Fairytale of New York” By The Pogues And Kirsty MacColl

When was the last time you gave Kirsty MacColl and The Pogues' epic Big Apple-set narrative a thorough listening? If you try it with your eyes closed and aren't a frightened mess by the time the music fades out, your heart is two sizes too small. Despite the profanity, "Fairytale" is a wonderful four-minute story of hope, despair, and sorrow that concludes with love.

“Christmas Wrapping” By The Waitresses

This is undoubtedly the Christmas song for you if you enjoy new wave bands like Blondie and Talking Heads. "I think I’ll miss this one this year,"  the singer Patty Donahue says cynically before an unexpected romance blooms in the show's closing moments and soothes her jaded cockles.

“Do They Know It’s Christmas?” By Band Aid

With participation from Phil Collins, Sting, Macca, and Bono, Bob Geldof and Midge Ure's response to the Ethiopian famine in 1984 was a PR machine of historic proportions. The biggest UK chart success of the decade was "Do They Know It's Christmas," which held the number-one position for five weeks. If you disregard everything else, it's actually just a terrific pop song!

“Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” By Brenda Lee

Despite not celebrating Christmas because he was Jewish, Johnny Marks composed some of the finest Christmas songs ever throughout the 1940s and 1950s. Among them are "Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer," "I Heard The Bells of Christmas Day," and this, an unassuming easy-listening rock 'n' roll song performed by 13-year-old Brenda Lee.

“Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” By John Lennon & Yoko Ono

John Lennon and Yoko Ono's iconic holiday peace-on-earth song has exceeded its intended anti-Vietnam War intent to become a Christmas classic. It is euphoric and piercing, as optimistic as it is sad.

And a soon-to-be Christmas classic…

“Rum Chata” By Resse P

An “ugly sweater-themed” music video has all the classics you want to laugh about during the holidays; a grinch, sneaking shot glasses under the table, and a family roll-call. This is going to be an instant classic this year and stands to hit big with the season soon to dawn.

To Conclude…

Christmas songs are the best way to get into the festive spirit. So when you hear that Santa Claus is coming to town and it starts to seem a lot like Christmas, just press play on the above songs and have a good time!

Make sure you check our blog for more music-related topics. We regularly post key artist content so don’t forget to follow us on Instagram for more music marketing-related updates.

Posted on December 7, 2022

CMA Rules In Favor Of Record Labels & Streaming Services

By Barbara Drews

UK Watchdog Shuts Down Allegations Once & For All!

Amid claims that big record labels and music streaming services such as Spotify hold excessive power in the industry, UK Watchdog, the British consumer investigative journalism program, launched an in-depth investigation into the music streaming market to determine whether the claims were true. But it turns out that the system, in large part, is surprisingly fair both to listeners and musicians. 

Before initiating their research, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) had announced that their main focus will be:

“To assess whether any lack of competition between music companies could affect the musicians, singers, and songwriters whose interests are intertwined with those of music lovers.”

Chief Executive of CMA, Andrea Coscelli said that

“As we examine this complex market, our thinking and conclusions will be guided by the evidence we receive. If the CMA finds problems, it will consider what action may be necessary.”

Looking into the streaming industry from a creator-to-consumer perspective, CMA promised to see:

"Whether innovation is being stifled and if firms hold excessive power.”  

Well, now that the results are in, many artists will be disappointed to find out that there is no power exploitation and the influence of record labels and music streaming services on the market cannot be regulated. The UK's competition watchdog claims that no real harm can be directly correlated, despite the appeal of some industry professionals.

In the final issued report, CMA explained,

"We have found that it is unlikely that the outcomes that concern many stakeholders are primarily driven by competition. Consequently, it is unlikely that a competition intervention would improve outcomes overall, and release more money in the system to pay creators more."

Despite The Apparent Challenges, The Final Verdict Is As Follows:

• Streaming services have benefited music fans who have free access to songs and are paying less for Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon.
• Industry giants (Universal, Warner, and Song) that control most of the market share aren’t “likely to be making significant excess profits that could be shared with creators.”
• Despite the increase of Royalty rates in deals, many musicians still struggle to make an income from streaming services.

According to CMA interim chief executive, Sarah Cardell,

“Streaming has transformed how music fans access vast catalogs of music, providing a valuable platform for artists to reach new listeners quickly, and at a price for consumers that has declined in real terms over the years.”

“We heard from many artists and songwriters across the UK about how they struggle to make a decent living from these services. These are understandable concerns, but our findings show that these are not the result of ineffective competition. Intervention by the CMA would not release more money into the system that would help artists or songwriters.”

To read more stories like this go to  MPT Blog. You can also follow MusicPromoToday for more news about the music industry.

Posted on December 5, 2022

Atlantic Records Denies Using Bots For Any Of Its Artists

By Yvonne Martin

Atlantic Records’ recent bot scandal has opened a new window of speculation about record labels and their artists.

Are The Engagement And Streaming Numbers Real? 

Many in the music industry are being accused of adopting cunning techniques like album stuffing, playlist stuffing, streaming farms, and streaming data inflation, to name a few. Large recording companies and even major artists are being blamed for manipulating stream counts, number of views, chart positioning, and so on. They do this to increase market share, earn royalty payments, and for many other illicit reasons.

Since the good old days, labels have been known for paying radio stations and DJs to constantly play their artists’ songs on the radio, making them popular. This type of undercover agreement and secret payment is called payola. Today, the same concept is being applied to streaming services, except this time they are buying fake streams.

Apparently, labels use streaming farms to help artificially increase streams, creating “Hits” and therefore earning more money. How do they work? The tech “mimics fans listening to the same song hundreds of times at a specific period of time.”

In addition to getting a song to reach the top of the charts, streaming farms can also make labels more money from royalties. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer all over again. As big recording companies and popular stars get even more popular, independent labels and artists receive a bigger blow.

The latest of the labels being accused of such behavior is Atlantic Records. The American recording company has had a difficult past couple of days after the news of bot usage broke on the internet. It is being blamed for increasing the number of views on many of its artists’ videos, particularly rapper and singer-songwriter Don Toliver’s “Do It Right.” 

What Did Atlantic Records Reply?

The company replied to the accusations by saying, "Atlantic Records has never used bots for any of our artists." A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, 100 gecs, Charlie Puth, Coldplay, Kodak Black, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Weezer, and among others are signed with Atlantic Records. The social media community is pointing fingers at a long list of artists, although it’s unclear whether they are involved in the alleged claims. 

Along with Toliver, Lil Uzi Vert, and Roddy Ricch, are also being speculated. Toliver’s rep released a statement saying, “While we conduct our own investigation into the allegations, we urge Atlantic Records to do the same—to protect the integrity of not only their roster of artists but their reporting metrics.”

The fact is, it’s really difficult to run a fair system. Bots have become part of the normal way of conduct and to make them disappear altogether is close to impossible. The only way to go is to trust that record labels, managers, and artists will rely on authentic and real engagement rather than bots.

Connect with MusicPromoToday and find out all the insider information about the music industry. Check the MPT Agency Blog for more interesting news.

Posted on November 29, 2022

How Did Mariah Carey Create Everlasting Magic?

By Barbara Drews

One very crucial step must be completed before you can hang your stockings, decorate your tree, make every Christmas cookie recipe you can find, and fill up your wish list for Santa. This step is to turn on the Christmas music and play it loudly. Without a doubt, there are a ton of timeless songs you must hear every December (or November 1 if you're one of "them"), but how would the holidays be the same without Mariah Carey and her timeless hit "All I Want for Christmas Is You"? 

How Mariah Carey’s Hit Became The Holiday Gift That Keeps On Giving?

A leader in this regard. "All I Want For Christmas Is You" has all the elements that have helped Mariah Carey's singles succeed for so long, including excellent orchestration and captivating lyrics.

Carey's song offers a more evolved spin on a Christmas tune, in contrast to "Rudolph" and "Frosty," which also turned out to be a highlight. Carey addressed a completely new — and very wide — crowd with a topic that everyone could relate to by forsaking child-centric Christmas symbols like Santa and Rudolph in favor of her usual musical subject, love, and romance.

We did it 😭❤️🐑🎄🦋 https://t.co/Cp80uhYdI9

— Mariah Carey (@MariahCarey) December 16, 2019

5 Facts About Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You”

Since its debut in 1994, the popular song whose lyrics are associated with holiday happiness has warmed everyone's hearts. 

Yes, despite seeming like a modern killer hit, it is actually that old. As it happens, there is a significant amount of history and interesting trivia associated with songs that have been undisputed hits for as long as "All I Want for Christmas Is You."

There Are Many Versions Of Maria Carey's Song

Of course, there is the original song that we all know and adore, but Mariah has now released a number of variations on the seasonal smash. She recorded an "extra festive" version of the song when she released her second Christmas album. Of course, there is also the duet she sang with Justin Bieber. They're all excellent. But the original is incomparable.

It’s The First And Only Holiday Single To Be Certifed “Diamond” 

The song has achieved a diamond record, which means that more than 10 million copies have been sold. Holiday gatherings and shopping centers are undoubtedly to thank.

Mariah Carey Cowrote The Entire Thing In About 15 Minutes

She collaborated on the successful holiday tune with veteran songwriter Walter Afanasieff, who claims that the song's success is a result of how quickly they created it.

In a conversation with Billboard, Afanasieff discussed the process of writing songs:

It was always the same sort of system with us. We would write the nucleus of the song, the melody primary music, and then some of the words were there as we finished writing it.

There Isn’t Any Actual Band Playing In The Song

Everything was planned on Afanasieff's computer. Mariah and her backup singers were the only actual participants.

The Song Inspired An Animated Movie Starring Mariah Carey Herself

“All I Want for Christmas Is You,” an animated direct-to-video release from 2017, is the perfect choice if you're seeking another holiday film to enjoy this year while curled up in a blanket with some hot cocoa in your hand. Mariah plays a young girl with a sweet Christmas wish for a puppy in the film.

You can listen to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” here!

How To Release Big-Time Tracks Just Like Mariah Carey?

If you want to learn more about how to create hit tunes just like Mariah Carey, check out our blog and Instagram for more ideas on how to improve your marketing strategies and level up.

Posted on November 21, 2022

Thanksgiving 2022: What Are Our Clients Thankful For This Year?

By John Reynolds

Despite our desire for warmer weather, this time of harvest and plenty reminds us that, we have a lot to be thankful for. With Thanksgiving around the corner, we are immensely thankful for our talented clientele. 

Our amazing roster is full of extraordinary people, each with their own creative talent! Let us see what our top clients are thankful for this year!

Kelly Monrow

I’m grateful for my friends and family who support me in my music journey and life. I am grateful to have a team like MPT Agency around me that I can trust and that I know has my best interest at heart and truly believes in me. It’s this kind of energy on a team that breeds success.

Follow Kelly Monroe on Spotify | Instagram | Website

J Aktive

I'm thankful that I was able to reach 1 million streams on the launch of my new album "BAD LUV", thanks to MPT Agency. As cliche as that may sound, that's all I really cared about this year. 

I'm also thankful to actually be written up in numerous articles so when you google my name I can feel like an official artist. Outside of that, I'm just happy to be surrounded by friends and family members who appreciate me for who I am.

Follow J Aktive on Spotify | Instagram | Website

Dean the Dream

I am thankful for my health, and I'm also thankful for MusicPromoToday which helped me grow my career. It's a hard road when you're an independent artist, but I'm thankful to MPT Agency for really helping me become the artist I want to be. Here's to the future and to another solid campaign!

Follow Dean the Dream on Spotify | Instagram | Youtube

TEF XL

Wow, it's been a busy year full of new growth! We have celebrated 4 single releases and learned a tremendous amount about brand building through ads, press, and social media.  We are now on our journey into merch, brand sponsorship, and music sync. 

I chose MusicPromoToday as a partner after a lot of heavy research ... and it paid off. With them, I have built a team that has become more than partners, they are friends. We celebrate music milestones, but so much more than that. Salute to all of the "amazing humans" I can now call friends that also happen to be talented "AF" at what they do. 

Here's to another amazing year of growth and leveling up!

Follow TEF XL on Spotify | Instagram | Youtube

Emily

This year I’m incredibly grateful to still be able to do what I love and make music that resonates with people. I was so lucky to meet MusicPromoToday right at a time when I was giving up on getting my music heard and they made it all possible with their incredible team. I'm grateful for them for sure :)

Follow Emily on Spotify | Instagram

Steven Charles

This season I’m most thankful for the support of my family & friends and for the hard work of the MPT Agency. They have been integral to the growth of my fan base and the exposure of my music to newer & bigger audiences. I’m super thankful to have had them in my corner this year working tirelessly to help build my brand. Looking forward to working together in the future. Thanks, MPT!

Follow Steven Charles on Spotify | Instagram | Youtube

Final Thoughts

There you have it, folks, thanking your friends, family, fans, and the team is the bottom line of this thanksgiving. Artists create the beautiful work we consume every day, but it takes people to inspire and promote it. To all the unsung heroes in music, this thanksgiving we thank you. 

With the help of MPT Agency, well-known artists from all over the world are able to focus on their work each day as we drive traffic to their accounts. Make sure you check out our blog frequently and follow us on Instagram for more updates on music marketing to learn about further services that help advance your musical career.

Posted on November 17, 2022

AI Music Generators: Threat To The Music Industry

By Barbara Drews

AI music generators that can instantly produce brand-new music songs are beginning to threaten the livelihoods of musicians. As a result, lobbyist groups appear to be competing for a dominant role in the content generation sector, which has them quite worried.

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Music-generating app Mubert AI which can convert limited text inputs into a plausible-sounding composition:

"We've made it easier than ever for content creators of all kinds to license custom, high-quality, royalty-free music. From streamers to filmmakers to app builders."

Naturally, computer-generated music has been around for a while, using different types of AI to produce outcomes that may sound both manmade and alien.

However, this new breed of music generators, pioneered by Mubert AI and Google's Audio LM, feels like a whole other animal. They are more like creative replacements for musicians themselves than they are like creative integrations for the music-making process, negating the need to pay for expensive royalties or labor-intensive labor completely.

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is concerned that AI-driven music generators may endanger both the financial security and legal rights of human musicians. The RIAA released a statement approving the usage of AI music generators in response to a request for feedback from the Office of the US Trade Representative.

Online services that use Artificial Intelligent to "extract, or rather, copy, the vocals, instrumentals, or some portion of the instrumentals (a music stem) from a sound recording" to "generate, master or remix a recording to be very similar to or almost as good as reference tracks by select, well-known sound recording artists" are infringing on its members' "rights by making unauthorized copies of our member's works," the RIAA stated in a new statement to the Office of the US Trade Representative.

The RIAA included a variety of services, from those that master songs in the manner of well-known musicians to those that isolate voices from backing recordings. The remark may indicate that AI music generators are the trade organization's next target because it has a lengthy history of litigating copyright infringement and combating music piracy, as Vice notes.

There isn't much legal precedence, therefore it's unclear if these AI-generated tunes genuinely violate the rights of musicians. It's an intriguing look into the near future that raises many concerns, such as whether these technologies are just democratizing access to potent art production tools or whether they are actually stealing from the original artists who served as their inspiration.

The production of synthetic content makes it simpler for many artists to keep up in this content-driven environment. But it's always worth considering what, if anything, is lost when we transition to a new, AI-driven world.

To find out what services can enhance your musical career, make sure you check our blog regularly and follow us on Instagram for more music marketing-related updates.

Posted on November 3, 2022

TikTok Sets Off To Become Record Labels’ Biggest New Competitor

By John Reynolds

Record labels have taken a new form and it looks a lot like TikTok. The short-form video-sharing company has plans to increase its share in the marketplace by distributing music for independent emerging artists. Is TikTok The Biggest Competitor?

Music label companies and TikTok have had a pretty rough start and although they’re on good terms amid the multiple revenue-sharing deals, it seems the feud is set to rise again, as the platform wants to expand its dominance in the industry.

The giant labels are aware of TikTok’s power to create chart-topping hits and they wouldn’t miss an opportunity like that to invest their money, especially when they can give potential up-and-coming artists a chance to shine.

But with over one billion users and over 200 million downloads in the US alone, TikTok is slowly paving the way for its expansion, and with the launch of SoundOn, it’s only normal that the traditional record labels feel threatened.

It wasn’t long ago that ByteDance (TikTok's parent company) started up the all-in-one platform for music creators and independent artists, where musicians can hold 100% ownership of their songs and receive 100% of the royalties. All these flexible contractual clauses have made it easier for them to promote their music and reach global audiences. 

Now, it appears that ByteDance is also on the hunt for A&R scouts. Rising to the task of offering all the services of the traditional music business; finding, signing, and marketing artists, TikTok with the support of ByteDance has become a full-circle label company.

According to Murray Stassen (MBW), ByteDance is hiring new A&R managers in LA, NY, Miami, and Toronto. The job description requires candidates to “focus on the US music landscape, to sign and develop artists within the independent music community.”

ByteDance is targeting independent artists by marketing itself as the “#1 partner for artist development, promotion, and monetization.” In addition, TikTok has over 100 new music-related job openings in all parts of the world, including Europe (Germany, France, UK), South America (Brazil), South Africa, and Asia (India). 

Major music and entertainment businesses like The Orchard (Sony Music Publishing subsidiary) will have no choice but to compete with TikTok’s parent company. The tension is already building up between TikTok and Sony Music, as the latter recently pulled its catalog from the music streaming platform Resso (Owned by ByteDance).

Further new restrictions are being set, as substantial businesses are now asking the fast-rising platform to change its licensing deals on a revenue-share basis. If this gets applied, music industry giants, along with the artists, will get paid every time their music is played in a monetized video on TikTok.

Stay connected with MusicPromoToday to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and developments. Visit the MPT Agency Blog to find out more about what’s going on in the music industry and what’s to come.

Posted on October 28, 2022

2023 Ultimate Trends That Will Redefine The Music Industry

By Barbara Drews

The past couple of years have been hectic and all aspects of life have undergone a renaissance. The music industry is no different. There are many trends that will redefine the music industry in 2023! But first, let us take a look at how the industry has changed over the last few years.

The business has taken a new form with all the new:

• Emerging technologies
• Streaming platforms
• Artificial intelligence

Not only has the classic process model been reshaped, but people’s approaches toward music and songs have changed as well. 

Thus, with almost 20 billion global music sales in the past year, numbers and statistics show that music has become more international than ever!

There are no more limitations on:

• Genre
• Language
• Culture

It does not matter who is singing and in what tongue, people are ready to accept the song as long as it aligns with their momentary interests. 

What would have been impossible to achieve years ago seems to be possible in today’s music industry and the biggest proof is the rise of K-Pop and Reggaeton.

Let us go over existing trends that will continue to boom in 2023!

The #1 Trend That Will Redefine The Music Industry: TikTok

TikTok Will Rule Over The Digital World!

With more than a billion active users, TikTok’s rise in the cyber world is undeniable. The social media platform is constantly expanding and growing strong with its viral videos and songs. With its light, fun, and short content, TikTok has:

• Produced many new musicians
• Helped a lot of up-and-coming artists stand out in a pile of masses

Offering opportunities for a multitude of creators, TikTok has ranked as one of the top impactful music promotion platforms of 2022!

It does not seem to be slowing down anytime soon. The artist-generating medium will continue to grow in 2023. In fact, what we have witnessed in the last few years is only a demo of what is to come! More short-form content will be in demand in the future.

Multilingual Songs = Guaranteed Hits

Multilingual Songs Will Surely Redefine The Music Industry

Are multilingual songs the future of the music industry?

For years now, many international artists had to release songs in English to be able to hit the top global charts. But those days are over and the language the musicians sing in has become increasingly irrelevant.

With K-pop artists like BTS and Blackpink breaking records and selling their albums all over the world, more and more professionals have come to terms with the fact that the rules have changed and it is the era of foreign language music. 

Musicians do not have to sing in English to become successful, especially in this golden age where streaming platforms have taken over the music industry. Spanish, Korean, bilingual, and multilingual songs will increase in popularity and earn labels their biggest numbers!

Sync Licensing And Publishing Are Trends That Will Redefine The Music Industry

The music business prospers more when it is associated with other mediums. It has always been the case, you hear a song from your favorite movie and you start loving it more because of its positive relationship with a specific scene or a character.

The best platforms to get your music noticed are:

• Television
• Video streaming services
• Electronic games
• Advertisements
• Films
• Cinema

The best way to connect your art to these platforms is to make licensable music, therefore publishing and linking your music to various forms of media will guarantee increased exposure.

Multi-Genre And Hybrid Tracks

These Two Are Trends That Will Undoubtedly Redefine The Music Industry!

Nobody listens to only one type of music these days. If you check most people’s playlists, the tracks are a mix of multiple styles.

And that is rather normal behavior since good music transcends:

• Space
• Time
• Genre

The genres of newly released songs are overlapping, allowing producers and musicians to create music without being constrained by a particular musical style. There are many debates that argue that genre will not matter anymore...

Mood-driven playlists are becoming more popular than simply listening to one specific genre. During a study session, for example, listeners will more likely choose a style that will help them concentrate, like EDM. When exercising, on the other hand, you need a more energetic song to get yourself pumped, and so on...

Final Thoughts

So, What Does The Future Hold Concerning Trends That Will Redefine The Music Industry?

In conclusion, the atypical model is constantly changing and evolving. In the future, the music industry will shift more toward diversified content. This is good news for new emerging musicians and independent artists who will have better opportunities to get their songs heard.

If you are also an aspiring artist and want to expand your music career, connect with MusicPromoToday to stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends and developments. Invest in your professional growth and visit the MPT Agency Blog to find out more about the secrets of the industry and how you can move forward in your musical journey.

Posted on October 5, 2022

How to Build An Engaged Community In The Music Industry

By Barbara Drews

Community in the music industry is a multi-dimensional strategy. Community development in the music industry is like the politics of music jobs. It requires the artist to become a wholesome, approachable, sociable character and most importantly inspires confidence in their music.  

To build a well-balanced and coherent music community, you need a variety of different qualities that will ultimately attract other members of the music industry. Like the producer, who might offer you a new recording community, booking agents who will get you your gigs, and labels, who albeit taking a chunk out of song royalties will be able to give you a very wide platform to optimize your reach. 

The DIY marketing checklist for building a community in the music industry

1. Your vision and mission should be accessible and clear

Being Insta-famous does not come overnight, nor does it take a bot army. In fact, the most simple thing to start with is identifying your goals as an artist, and your medium to long-term objectives as a brand. Do you want to get into fashion eventually? Do you want to be the founder of your own NGO?  Getting a music industry job for the love of music is half the battle, it needs to be coupled with an overarching theme or cause that the music/brand fights for. This vision is the cornerstone of your entire community.

2. Target a specific market, don’t just post content randomly

The music industry is a deep jungle of trends, tracks, and templates. To jump in and hope for the best will only result in wasted time and energy that could have taken you down the right path. Identify and target your market so your content gets to the people who will actually enjoy it and connect to it. Start with analyzing your music as if you were a producer cataloging music, and find which sides will resonate with your fans, and which potential fans it can resonate with.

3. Inspire yourself from the competition

Without understanding your competition you will be swept away by the business of music. Social media gives you a complete map of someone's career, as well as their fans, their sponsors, and the methods they used to propagate the message. Emulate the ones that matter, disregard the ones that look fake, and omit completely the ones that don’t resonate with your image or sound. All other ideas after this study, are guaranteed to be unique, authentic, and originally yours! 

4. The music industry requires a marathon, not a sprint

Give yourself measurable and realistic objectives, a week per week month per month, quarter to quarter. You will not be able to do everything at once, realistic goal setting means it is something you can complete yourself or with your team, and that takes into account the scaling of your community. The first 1000 will be harder than the next. Always monitor and manage your progress and adjust it when things are not working out. Give each attempt a logical time to grow but don't wait too long for the weeds to grow. 

5. Always work on your brand

Your brand is a totality of all the sides of your music your social media banners need to be consistent to keep the community on a straight track toward your vision. Your first impressions do matter, but if your mission is clear, and the community is on board then work on what matters, and pluck out the sides that are limiting your growth. This doesn't mean changing your colors every week, it means letting your first choice be a powerful win and working on it until it begins to dwindle. 

6. Post great content for the community IN the music

Content is the name of the game when it comes to community communication. Your content is a space that allows them to talk about what you're doing. Make each one unique, make it relevant, make it engaging, and ask from them what you expect from anyone listening to your music, attention! High-quality graphics and video or nothing.  Study the posting schedule and algorithm so you don’t miss an opportunity or prepare something for nothing. 

7. Overselling is just as bad as underperforming

Your fans are not cattle. You are not there to feed them a fantasy for them to buy your album. You’re there to create an emotional bond using your art. Anything less and you're just not an artist. A healthy amount of giving and taking be it via fan 2 fan engagement or giveaways creates a relationship founded on trust. 

8. Create a keyword and hashtag strategy

This might seem confusing for many musicians, but there are lots of free tools that help you define your community via hashtags on social media and keywords in your articles. After all, beyond the live show, you are working on different kinds of platforms that each have their own rules and algorithms. A proper excel sheet with hashtags you want to focus on will go a long way in organizing your strategic output on your channels, as well as save you time when posting content.

9. You catch more bees with honey

Enthusiasm and community building go hand in hand. Unless there is an announcement from gloomy, controversial news, the enthusiasm you bring to the table is going to be how your community is glued together.  If you're anti-social and drenched in pessimism, your message is going to get lost and your community will not be able to hold the vision together. So stay positive, stay engaged, and stay humble.

10. Build a killer team, volunteer or not, community in music is key

Nothing can be done alone. Even if you are the most prolific artist out there, your time is best spent in the studio, and finding the group of people, volunteer or not, that will help you on your journey is a necessity. You can hire professionals, but often a little bit of collaboration can go a long way. 

11. Save when possible, spend money on professionals

Every dollar you can invest into a legitimate professional service for promo and marketing will give you 10x the amount of reach than doing it yourself. It is better to save your money and deploy 1 powerful campaign than to spend aimless amounts on momentary advertising. 

With MPT Agency you can build a meaningful funnel and continually release products for your community in the music industry

At MPT Agency, we understand that having multiple avenues to release your music is important for your overall volume of possible interactions. Spotify may provide the same type of streaming as others, but your fans can listen to your music anywhere, so you need to be ready. Our team of techies, DJs, and creative ninjas have 15 years in the industry Your community will be driven from one to the other so they can interact with different sides of your project.

Our blog about creating enhanced music videos for your community outreach has key information about content creation. Never neglect this element and follow the best way to do it. We regularly post novel content for both established and independent artists on our social media. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram for more music marketing-related updates.