Many musicians tend to go through an artistic evolution over the course of their career, and there can be any number of reasons why a band or artist might seek fresh moniker at some point to during their time in the industry. That said major rebranding, as Chris Robley here explains, can be a risky proposition.

Few failures have had a more direct impact on the indie music community than the recent demise of PledgeMusic, not only for those owed millions of dollars, but also for the many others who had come to rely on the platform for pre-sales and fundraising.  In recent days, a variety of sources has accused the PledgeMusic board of being at the root of the failure. Here David Lowery takes his own critical look.

The accessibility of social media has made it easy for artists to fall into to much of routine when communicating with their fans and get lost among the herd of other bands and artists out there trying to make their mark. Here we look at some creative ways that artists can engage their base that will help them stand out.

Celebrity endorsements have long been a powerful force in the music industry, helping to propel certain releases on to massive success. Now, thanks to Cameo, these gold stars of approval are easier (and cheaper) to get than ever before.

Pandora is teaming with DJ Khaled, Maren Morris, Thomas Rhett, Natti Natasha and Dalex among others for the third edition of its recurring “Sound On” series for the upcoming summer season.

Royalties are, in the many ways, the number one source of income for a lot of musicians, particularly once they start to make it big, which is why making sure you're registered in the proper place to actually see that income is so important.

Sofar Sounds has announced $25 million in new funding led by Battery Ventures and Union Square Ventures with participation from existing investors Octopus Ventures and Virgin Group. That brings total investments in Sofar to $31 million. Three months ago, former Spotify and The Echo Nest executive Jim Luccesse was name Sofar CEO. 

It's important to stay ahead of your competitors and Instagram and email are the two best platforms to make that happen. Pete Campbell breaks down the best strategy for Instagram promo, how to most effectively execute an email marketing campaign, and how to combine the two.

Love it or hate it, a record deal is a big deal, and while it may only be words on a page, those words can ultimately make or break your career. Here we break down the ins and outs of what's in a record deal, and what red flags you need to be on the lookout for.

Long term planning and careful preparation goes a long way toward achieving success in music. Erin Frankenheimer, Manager, Entertainment Relations at TuneCore looks at three guideposts to help artists navigate the music industry's choppy waters.

Jay-Z and Timbaland are being sued by soul singer Ernie Hines for copyright infringement over the use of his 1970 single “Help Me Put Out the Flame (In My Heart)” on two separate songs released 20 years ago, documents filed in U.S. District Court in New York reveal.

Selling merch is a great way for artists to pull in additional revenue while they're on the road, while simultaneously expanding their audience and growing their brand. But how do you know which items will sell? Here we help to take some of the guess work out of merch by breaking down some key data on what sells best in which genre.

WEDNESDAY 5.22.19

Music Business News From Around The Web

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Yesterday, top music industry analyst Mark Mulligan wrote that  Niche Is Music's New Mainstream. But how do you find your own unique niche and connect with what Mulligan calls "a passionate cluster of fans?"Tarryn Meyers says that it is by building a brand that is uniquely you, but can also successfully bridge genres.

While many artists view crowdfunding as their ticket to music industry success, recent events like the PledgeMusic train wreck may have them second guessing the concept. That said, crowdfunding can still be effective if you know what you're doing. Here, we look at the truth behind five commonly believed crowdfunding myths.

In this piece, the people at Disc Makers break down the multitude of ways in which artists can earn revenue from just a single song, via the fans and musicians seeking access to source tracks, samples, stems, and more.

Music WorX Accelerator 2019, the start-up funding program of the German Ministry of Culture and the Media and the Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, is accepting applications. Music WorX Accelerator helps music and music tech founders from all over Europe.

PledgeMusic owes independent artist Hattie Webb $6876. She's not alone. Hundreds of artists are owed thousands, even hundreds of thousands of dollars. But Hattie did something we're not aware of any other artist doing. When she learned that the crowdfunder was in financial trouble, she stormed their London office and demanded answers.

Apple, Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Pandora are being sued for selling and streaming unauthorized recordings of Harold Arlen, the composer of Over the Rainbow and other classic songs. The lawsuit accuses the companies of running “massive music piracy operation” involving more than 6,000 pirated recordings.

ByteDance, valued at $75 billion thanks in large part to the huge popularity of its TikTok app, is in talks with major labels and publishers to launch a music streaming service, according to multiple sources. The Chinese conglomerate could launch its Spotify competitor as soon as the end of this quarter.

TUESDAY 5.21.19

Music Business News From Around The Web

Updated continuously under the More News tab

While streaming is often maligned for the reduced amount of revenue it generates for artists, those musicians at the top of the pile are pulling down far more than you might have guessed. Here we look at streaming's five biggest money makers of 2019 thus far.

In an increasingly fragmented music landscape where algorithms and streaming emphasize songs over albums and artists, success - even on a global scale - is found in the niches, says top music industry analyst Mark Mulligan of MIDiA. "Fandom is fragmenting," says Mulligan, "but it may be the best thing that has ever happened to it."

Sony Music is promising its artists real time royalty tracking and monthly payments starting this fall. The major music group will  launch ‘Real Time Royalties’ and ‘Cash Out’ via its Artist Portal to “allow our artists and royalty participants to view and withdraw earnings faster than ever before.”

A growing chorus of musicians and other celebrities are speaking out in opposition to recent attempts in Alabama, Georgia and elsewhere ban abortions, with two artists also pledging a days proceeds from their merchandise sales to Planned Parenthood.

In the wake of the passage of Article 17, and the massive impact it will have on how we consume audio and video, Bob Barbiere explores how Dubset will implement the four As (Access, Attribution, Authorization, and Administration) to tackle copyright as we move forward in a post-Article 17 world.

For one of the first times since suspending all crowdfunding campaigns on February 3rd, PledgeMusic has issued a short official update. In recent weeks, most communications from the crowdfunder have come unofficially from co-founder and former CEO Benji Rogers.