NHT Blog

Spotify Wrapped is out and all the artists and musicians are able to see the totals we have collected over the last 365 days. How many listeners, countries, playlists, and fans have we collected?

Do you hear that?  It’s the sound of people telling you what they want and/or need.  Some are expressing their pain points while others are merely stating their likes, their desires, what makes them happy.  I like the expression, “God gave you two ears and one mouth.  Which do you think He intended you to use more?”

Just over a week ago I put on a “Promoting Your Music Career” seminar (accompanying photo) at the 37th Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival. Something that I alluded to during that 90-minute session was showing people that you’re busy.

In the world of memes and GIFs and other imagery on today’s social media landscape, there is a post that I see frequently and have come to like.  It simply states that “It costs nothing to be nice to people.”  In fact, it almost reminds me of something I heard years and years ago and to this day have still held onto. 

As much as I really like the expression, “Be yourself because everyone else is taken,” that doesn’t mean you have to be one-dimensional.  Especially in the music world where, by its nature, the business is already tough enough, you have to be able to find and get work.  This, of course, has been further complicated over the last 18 months by the pandemic.

Here we are at the start of yet another new month and what’s new with you?  It’s the eleventh month of 2021 and if you look back over the first ten, what have you done differently?  Are there new initiatives that you put in place to advance your career in music or as a content creator?  If not, what are you waiting

Just be yourself because everyone else is taken. Isn't that how the expression goes? At a time when there's such a copycat reaction as soon as something starts trending, it's tough to remember that we're all unique and don't have to just be a bunch of sheep.

Navigating the labyrinth of product endorsements has long bewildered most artists, and with good reason. Regardless of whether or not they have a formal artist relations program, every company has their own unique policies, procedures, and outlook on endorsements, and no two relationships will be remotely the same.

Before the next episode of my weekly “Now Hear This Entertainment” (NHTE) podcast comes out in less than 48 hours, I want to bask just a little longer in the glow of having released the milestone 400th episode last week.  It’s a rare opportunity for me to give myself a small pat on the back.

Me: “Hi, my name is Bruce”
Support group: “Hi Bruce”
Me: “I have friends on Facebook that I don’t know who they are”
Support group: (sighs)

Admit it.  If you’re on Facebook – and who, other than my brother, isn’t – you too have checked people out, decided ‘sure, I guess’ and added them as a friend on Facebook.  Down the road at some point you’ve looked at that name and admitted, “I have no idea who that is.”