Top Earning Artists for 2007

The numbers are in for the top earning artists for 2007. It looks as if veteran and reunion bands did very well in general. The Police, for example, tipped the scales at 142.2 Million in "ticket and music sales". Not bad for a band that has been disbanded since 1986 ( It must be noted that all three have kept creative solo careers going, even if only one of them, Sting, has keep high in the public eye during that time).

These numbers are impressive, but missing are figures on both merchandising (and requisite profits), and actual expenditures. How much was the band paid, for example? I seem to remember a figure of around 200 million paid to the band to do the tour, If that's the case and if total receipts were 142.2 million, than the "Biggest grossing tour of 2007" still would still net a loss. I've done some investigation, and an still trying to verify the numbers paid to the band. Other tour expenditures will be even harder to pin down, and may not even be made publicly available. I will post an update with any hard findings that appear in the course of my research.

Good luck in your own endeavours,

JG

Andy McKee and Youtube Promotion Done Well

Hello, and I hope your new year is going well. Regular visitors will notice the pace has slowed down since the "winter break" started. rest assured, it will be over soon and I'll start posting more often.

The video below was something I tripped on while searching for guitar entries on Youtube.com

This video, is by Guitarist/composer/(percussionist?) Andy McKee, and his record company Candyrat Records.

Not only is the music incredible, but the record company is doing the smart thing: get the product out there, in a "free" format, and let it sell itself. In this way they are building a community around the artist's work (see the comments section), and have all their contact information (and other web sites) in the "About the video" section (so people can find a way to buy the music, and find their other artists as well).

Brilliant, IMHO.

You can check out Andy's work below, and see related videos too.

Good luck with your own music, and it's promotion.

JG

Happy New Year!

2007 saw a lot of changes in music, technology, and the business of music. A lot of flux, some confusion, and difficulty, were found as the traditional systems seemed to be breaking down. The record deal is no longer considered the "holy grail", according to the MTV story in my previous post. If that's true and if artists can't expect record labels and managers, the people who traditionally have the knowledge and experience to "make it happen" for them, then what are the creators and performers of music supposed to do? These seem, at first, to be dark times for those who want to make music a career.

And so the first blog post of the year will be about something we can all probably use

right now: hope.

Here's the story

It's about a young composer, only 16, who's recently had his work played by the Yale University Concert Band. One of the better quotes talks about the qualities this young composer has exhibited in his, still very young, career:

"He has the right combination of talent, passion and entrepreneurial spirit," Duffy said. "This is a pretty significant accomplishment for a beginning composer."

In truth, it's also too rare in so called "older, more experienced" composers and musicians as well.

So if you can't rely on the traditional powers that be, to make you a success, who can you rely on?

This young composer, and many, many others are have already answered that question for you: in the 21st century, more than ever, you have to make it happen for yourself. Others can advise, help, and even "evangelize" your music, but ultimately it's up to you to make it happen.

So, what are you doing about your career in 2008?

Stay tuned here throughout the year for more news, ideas, information, and with luck, some inspiration as well.

The very best to you in the coming year,

JG