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The following guest post comes from Radar Music Videos, who argue that the long-playing album (or LP) is effectively dead
for artists in 2013. The shorter EP sibling, on the other hand, makes much more sense and is very much alive.
(http://72.52.81.232/openx/www/deliv
oaparams=2__bannerid=26__zoneid=1
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iTunes Executive
90
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Disgusting and
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(http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/bondEP.jpg)
The 13 Most
75
Each time your song is played on the radio, downloaded or streamed online, or played in public, you are due extra
money from PRS for Music (if you wrote, or co-wrote the song), but you have to be a member of PRS for Music and have
registered the song with them in order to claim this money.
(Ally, EmuBands)
- Collate your assets (press shots, pack shots, mixes etc)
- Commission remix
- Identify key angles and generate press and marketing ideas. Draft your press release!
What is special about your music? And why should a busy journalist listen to it? Thats the most important message you
need to communicate through your press releases.
Its also essential to send it to relevant targeted journalists in order to get good PR results. Spend time to research blogs
and websites that have covered similar artists to yourself recently.
(Ben, BAM!)
- Identify marketing and PR professionals that you wish to work with. Make contact and negotiate price.
Its still worth sending your EP to longleads who dont necessarily do EP reviews because its good to get it out to them
for features/ single reviews/ mentions. Remember to choose your target publications depending on your artist and their
sound
(Leah, Warp Records).
Insidious, Pervasive
Lies of the Modern
Music Industry
(http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/p
This Is How
108
Distribution
Companies Are
Stealing Artists
YouTube Revenue
(http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/p
Always research your PR targets. Not just for the genre of music they write about, but also the sorts of features they
contribute to their publication You want to be speaking to the right audience with the right message.
(Patrick, Kobalt Label Services)
- Upload EP, artwork and metadata to your digital distribution company. The earlier you do this the better, as it gives their
marketing and promotions team more time to plan and execute a strategy for promoting your EP through the digital stores and
streaming services. The later you leave it the less chance you have of securing features, and if for whatever reason you have
to push your content to digital stores immediately many digital distributors can do this in just a few hours if necessary.
(EmuBands have prepared a guide to preparing your release for distribution Click here (http://www.emubands.com/blog/a-
guide-to-digital-music-distribution/) to view this)
Utilising social media is a great way to promote your release, for example sharing the release and any playlist it may
appear on via Facebook and Twitter
(Ally, EmuBands)
- Digital store promotions set up. Your digital distributor can advise you on what exposure you can expect. There are a lot of
opportunities here, ranging from being featured on the iTunes store homepage to featured Spotify advertising.
There are many things you can offer journalists to help secure coverage. Its not just about the music on your EP. Do you
have anything that they can give away? Free downloads, T-shirts or gig tickets maybe? Good video footage, tour diaries,
live dates, press shots, should be sent to press too anything to show them you are a relevant hard working band, not
just a flash in the pan!
(Ben, BAM!)
RELEASE WEEK
- Digital store promotion live
- Paid advertising live
- TV rotation
- Radio sessions and interviews.
- Celebrate EP coming out!! Release show!
POST LAUNCH
- Follow up press campaign to generate further press coverage. Dont expect results instantly. It can be a slow game
especially if this is your first release and no-one has heard of you before. Its a discovery and fan building game at first, sales
come later. (Patrick, Kobalt Label Services)
-
Album and tour news to be associated throughout if appropriate.
This rough guide has been compiled with the help of Leah Ellis, Warp Records (http://warp.net/); Ally Gray, EmuBands
(http://www.emubands.com/); Patrick Ross, Kobalt Label Services (http://www.kobaltmusic.com/page-home.php); Ben
Allen, BAM! (http://benallenmedia.com/); and Mark Walker, Radar Music Videos (http://www.radarmusicvideos.com/home).
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Comments (33)
Zac Shaw Sunday, September 8, 2013
Musicians need more no-bullshit info like this. Bravo.
Only part its missing is the crowdfunding campaign to create the budget from fan patronage instead of signing your
rights over for exploitation unless of course youre into that sort of thing.
Reply (/permalink/2013/08/21/pep?replytocom=11997#respond)
Caroline from Radar Music Vide Sunday, September 8, 2013
Good point, thanks!
A crowdfunding campaign also useful for presales or arguably presales is the reason why to do crowdfunding
campaigns.
Reply (/permalink/2013/08/21/pep?replytocom=11998#respond)
Visitor Sunday, September 8, 2013
Best post in ages.
Bravo!
Reply (/permalink/2013/08/21/pep?replytocom=11999#respond)
Caroline from Radar Music Vide Sunday, September 8, 2013
Hey thank you!
Reply (/permalink/2013/08/21/pep?replytocom=12000#respond)
Faza (TCM) Sunday, September 8, 2013
Okay, I guess I have no choice but to engage in my standard schtick: what we have here is a post that begins with a
bunch of unsubstantiated assertions and then proceeds to build what is essentially a fantasy release schedule on top of
those.
Fantasy release schedules are fun, Ill be the first to admit, but after seeing masses of similar heres what you gotta
do posts over the years and very little evidence of the success of such strategies I suggest we backtrack a bit and
actually examine the assertions a wee bit more closely:
1.EPs are more affordable for whom? Artists? Not likely. A lot of the costs associated with production studio setup,
sourcing artwork and the like and promotion will be fixed. This means that on a per-song basis EPs are a more
expensive option, especially if you release them more often. They may also not be more affordable to fans, since its
likely that the bundled options will be more expensive, per-song, than the album equivalent, for similar reasons.
2. EPs are an easy taste, but one thats also not very filling. They occupy a rather tricky middle ground between singles
(where the buyer is only interested in one particular song) and albums (where the buyer wants a healthy dose of the
artists music) and Im not convinced that theres actually a market niche there. (More on the singles issue in a bit.)
3. EPs can be released more frequently and thats part of what makes them more expensive than albums, especially if
you want to go through all the steps outlined in the post for each of them, see 1.
4. EPs can generate more revenue per-track or they might just as well generate less. Data, please.
5. EPs can keep fans more up to date but they also offer less new material, which can get tricky when planning a live
set. Besides, this assumes a tighter release schedule, which leads to problems pointed out in 1 and 3.
6. EPs are more flexible true, which is why in the past they were mostly used as special-purpose releases, as opposed
to the main product line.
The real reason the album is, supposedly, dead is track-unbundling, meaning that essentially all songs on an album are
singles (eliminating the need to purchase an album for those songs that werent singles). That said, I know of no major
artist that doesnt still release albums as their main thing, so perhaps this whole death of the album line is a bit
overstated, yes?
Coming back to point 2 for a moment, I believe there are now two kinds of music buyer/fan. The first just wants single
tracks to slot into their playlist and put on shuffle. For them, it doesnt particularly matter what bundled format you
choose, coz they wont be buying the bundle anyway. The other kind likes to listen to complete works and for them, an
EP is likely to be unsatisfying its over just as they were getting warmed up.
In any case, since theres more material on an LP, you stand a better chance of having something on there that will
appeal either to a single-song hunter or will serve as an entry point for the bundle buyer.
Reply (/permalink/2013/08/21/pep?replytocom=12001#respond)
Caroline from Radar Music Vide Sunday, September 8, 2013
Hi,
Well the reason we did this article is 1/ we noticed a lot of our smaller label & independent artist clients are
putting out EPs and not putting out LPs. 2/ I attended a great panel at The Great Escape recently on this theme.
Panellists were managers and journalists, all of them agreeing the merits of EP vs LP.
It is a fantasy release schedule in the sense that any plan is a fantasty.
All your other points are interesting, it depends on your recording cost base, which for most artists coming
through are low, ditto artwork.
And that IS true, it costs as much to promote a 4 track bundle as it does to promote a 12 track bundle. BUT
singles and bundles are opportunities to generate and congregate press, attention, engagement. And better to do
that 3 times a year than once a year?
I think EP-better-than-LP proposition is much more applicable to artists coming up, rather than main market,
major label artists whose audience probably arent so comfortable with EP formats anyway.
It will be interesting to see whether iTunes/Neilson will create another EP chart
Thanks for your comment,
Reply (/permalink/2013/08/21/pep?replytocom=12002#respond)
GGG Sunday, September 8, 2013
The main argument for EPs is even if someone wants to give a new act more time to sink in, its usually not for
ten tracks/45 mins. EPs are great for giving that taste and leaving them wanting more. And as long as you dont
wait a year to put out another, youll have more music out.
As for costs of recording, etc, you can still do it all at once, just release the songs split up. And in 2013, there are
numerous ways to do so without incurring a substantial amount more cost.
Reply (/permalink/2013/08/21/pep?replytocom=12003#respond)
David Sunday, September 8, 2013
Ive noticed a tendency (not that I can quantify it) for artists to release an EP (4 or 5 tracks) then later to include the
same tracks on a full-length album. (I think Laura Mvula is a case in point she had a 4-track EP in 2012, 3 tracks from
which went onto her album in 2013, and all 4 onto the deluxe version.)
Now this is fine for the artist, as they may sell the same tracks twice, but it can be annoying for the consumer if they
were not expecting it. I think at least that if artists intend to do this they should make it clear in advance.
There is also a danger that if you release your best material on an EP, and then include it on an album, the album itself
is a letdown. I can think of at least one case of this (not Laura Mvula).
Reply (/permalink/2013/08/21/pep?replytocom=12004#respond)
Greek X-music industry insider Sunday, September 8, 2013
There is no need for such detailed things to sell music focus on the quality of the music you are releasing, and on
the timing of the release A good song, ep, lp etc. will find its way to the world/market.
Also please keep in mind that at the end of the day if the product is not good, it doesnt matter how much money
Digital listening is one thingFFWDFFWD, but if someone with a turntable goes to the trouble of droppin the needle,
I believe the time spent with that vinyl should be as long as possible and the band should utilize as much of the real
estate on the disc as possible.
cheers!
Reply (/permalink/2013/08/21/pep?replytocom=12011#respond)
Matt Urmy Sunday, September 8, 2013
Disagree. Fans will support the artists they love, despite format. Discovery is a separate issue, and you have to include
singles, and videos in that discussion. If you know your fans, and you make art that they crave, they will buy it whether
its 5 songs, or 10 songs.
If you want to argue about business models, or smarter go-to-market strategy thats finebut title the article: EPs are
better for business.At the end of the day, great music that is well promoted is what sells.
Love this site by the wayquite entertaining.
Reply (/permalink/2013/08/21/pep?replytocom=12012#respond)
Minneapolis Musician Sunday, September 8, 2013
Most Important, before you do any of this:
First: be able to reliably fill a 500-capacity room every 6 weeks in your hometown. And in any nearby town that is at
least 3-hours drive away.
If you cannot do this, you do not have the popularity to be releasing yet another recording in the ocean of recordings
that are out there.
Reply (/permalink/2013/08/21/pep?replytocom=12013#respond)
FOH Perspective Sunday, September 8, 2013
Ive been booking bands into clubs and festivals and doing sound professionally for over a decade, and I was a working
musician for over a decade before that so my perspective.
I prefer seeing bands do EPs to LPs. Assume I book a band into my room 4 times a year. Ive noticed that on average, a
band will sell to10% of a new room. A cd release show will move 30- 50% perhaps, unless a cd is given with each
ticket sold. Each subsequent time the band plays that same room, however, the percentage drops unless the band has
new merchandise unavailable the previous show.
EPs keeps fresh product on the table. It can be bundled with other EPs to form sets .. so
Jan / EP12013 comes out
EP1=$7
April / EP22013 comes out
EP2 = $7
EP1 = $5
Purchased separately = $12
Purchased together = $10
July / EP32013 comes out
EP3=$7,
EP2=$5,
EP1=$4.
Purchased separately = $16
Purchased together = $13.50
Oct / EP42013 comes out
EP4=$7
EP3=$5
EP2=$4
EP1=$3
SEPARATELY = $19
TOGETHER = $15
Maximizing merchandising options leads to increased sales metrics.
Doing EPs keeps bands in studio perfecting studio craft and song craft. Keeping bands in studio provides for more
sustainable revenue for studios, instead of the more typical on-off every 18 months that too often occurs.
None of this will work for every band, or under every situation and exceptions abound in every case but my
perspective from where I sit is that EPs are more valuable than LPs nowadays.
Reply (/permalink/2013/08/21/pep?replytocom=12014#respond)
Michael Sunday, September 8, 2013
This is essentially my reason for pushing for EPs: it gives people another reason to check out the same band in
an overloaded market.
Attention spans are very thin, these days. My impression is that more often is better than longer.
M
A-lyric.com
Reply (/permalink/2013/08/21/pep?replytocom=12015#respond)
Jerry Sunday, September 8, 2013
Since the market is overloaded isnt the last thing we should be doing is suggest that everyone quadruple
their release schedule?
Reply (/permalink/2013/08/21/pep?replytocom=12016#respond)
GGG Sunday, September 8, 2013
People will still not hear or listen to 99.9% of music released so doesnt really matter.
Reply (/permalink/2013/08/21/pep?replytocom=12017#respond)
dave Sunday, September 8, 2013
Sorry but every decade there seems to be a EP to replace LP initiative I remember as a kid buying CBS Nu-Disc 10
EPs.. these were supposed to replace both the single and the LP!
I think that in the digital world EP/LP/Single is irrelevant for many bands However, lets just keep EPs and LPs as two
separate entities that can live in peace and harmony w/one another. Pretentious prog rock bands may also want to
issue an EP as well! Just like a soul artist might want to issue an LP that is a cohesive artistic statement and snapshot of
time.
Reply (/permalink/2013/08/21/pep?replytocom=12018#respond)
tippysdemise Sunday, September 8, 2013
Check the discography of any band you like (as huge as you like) where statistics are shown (streaming services etc.)
and notice the fraction of plays and general attention that EPs receive relative to LPs in the discography.
Reply (/permalink/2013/08/21/pep?replytocom=12019#respond)
GGG Sunday, September 8, 2013
EPs are historically promoted far less than LPs, though. For the acts I am a fan of that have EPs, Id say almost
across the board EPs were/are either early releases, self-released or on tiny labels just to get music out in the
world, a supplement to an album that casual fans would ignore, basically just a filler if they knew itd be a while
before more music, or something geared toward diehard fans, whether it was the afore mentioned idea or some
b-sides/rarities, whatever.
If youre going to go the EP as release route, you obviously have to structure it much differently than it
traditionally has been.
Reply (/permalink/2013/08/21/pep?replytocom=12020#respond)
Chris Sunday, September 8, 2013
EPs are far better for an artists career than an LP WHY?For a start 2013 is all about engagement constant
engagement. Traditionally youd write an album, release it then tour it a process that would be a 2- 4 year cycle.
Think about that. Your fans only get one set of music every 2 4 years.As an artist writing 2 3 tracks every few
months is far easier than writing 12 16 in one go. It also means you can keep feeding your fans desire for new
content. Your fans expect soemthing for you every few weeks and will appreciate the constant attention.Albums are
dissapearing from the publics psyche. A number one album in the UK now can be as few as 10,000 sales!Also from a
purchase point of view Its difficult to make people spend 7.99 on 12 tracks. If someone loves one track at 79p its
far easier to get them to think of doubling or trebbling their spend to a couple of pound to buy your EP. And think about
that youve just doubled your revenue!Streaming and YouTube especially are all about the single so do that add on a
couple of tracks and make people buy 4 to 5 EPS a year its the same as an album but youve got a constant flow of
content out and revenue in.
Reply (/permalink/2013/08/21/pep?replytocom=12021#respond)
Wampus Sunday, September 8, 2013
Yeah, and EPs are certainly shallower, less ambitious, and less well-developed than LPs, which makes them perfect in a
market for disposable goods.
Reply (/permalink/2013/08/21/pep?replytocom=12022#respond)
DudeNoDude Sunday, September 8, 2013
@Dirk and @anonOf course its digital only. UK has 99.8% of singles as digital the peoiple who make physical product
are hipster indie bands (7 vinyl) and X Factor winners (CD singles) NOBODY else bothers with physical singles
anymore in the UK
Reply (/permalink/2013/08/21/pep?replytocom=12029#respond)
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