How an Independent Artist Sold Out first headline showLearn how a completely independent artist sold out their first headline show. Basyl used nothing but smart strategy, community support, and zero ad spend. From DIY posters to a small paid Instagram boost, his blueprint proves you don’t need a big budget to make a big impact.
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Live Music Industry News: Fans ♥ Live, Shrinking Tours & MoreThis roundup of the latest live music industry news covers topics from a consumer survey on live shows, to UK grassroots dwindling, and more...
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New Music Critique: Heidi VincentContact: trulyheidivincentmusic@gmail.comWeb: heidivincent.comSeeking: Review, Film/TV, Label, PublishingStyle: Pop-Rock, CountryWhile Vincent lists pop-rock and country as her genres, don’t make the mistake of thinking that she’s an empty, chart-hungry country hopeful. There are no superficial lyrics about beer and trucks here. Rather, she has a sultry, mildly melancholy voice that proves beautifully expressive. “Vancouver singer-songwriter Heidi Vincent launched her music career in the early ‘90s when K97.5 FM picked up her first song, inspired by personal tragedy.” That fact that her music is so intimately inspired by her life absolutely comes across, resulting in sound that is wonderfully authentic.The post New Music Critique: Heidi Vincent first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Industry Profile: Noxgear's 39G Portable Speaker Brings the Joy of Music EverywhereListening to recorded music used to be a stationary experience. The audience was forced to remain wherever a record player or radio was located. That changed once portable players came to market, yet there were particular disadvantages with these devices. Boom boxes were heavy and cumbersome. The Sony Walkman and Discman Portable CD Player, while far lighter and easier to carry, required headphones or earbuds, which are often uncomfortable or impractical under certain circumstances.With Noxgear’s 39G personal speaker, these limitations disappear. The miniature device, which clips easily to clothing, offers hands-free music and phone calls on the go. The name reflects its weight; at just 39 grams, it’s lighter than a pack of gum. It pairs with any Bluetooth device, including TVs, laptops, tablets, and smart watches. Such portability makes it ideal for runners, bikers, hikers, or anyone constantly moving from room to room. Its waterproof IPX7 rating means it’ll survive inclement weather. Go ahead, take it in the shower and sing your heart out. It currently retails for $79.95 on the manufacturer’s website.Bringing to life this novel gadget is Noxgear’s cofounders, Simon Curran and Tom Walters. Both went to school for different fields of engineering, thus giving them the necessary knowledge to create such a product. The company started with the pair playing nighttime rounds of ultimate Frisbee. Recognizing they needed a way to see each other in the dark, they designed a wearable, light-up vest, the Tracer2 Visibility Vest, which they began selling. After that came the LightHound LED Harness for dogs, offering stylish outdoor safety for pups craving walks after sundown. The entrepreneurs realized their passion rested in building products for people with active outdoor lifestyles. They began in earnest searching for ways to continue their mission. “We looked at our market and current technology,” says Walters from the operation’s headquarters in Worthington, OH. “And it seemed like nobody enjoyed the experience of putting in earbuds. Also, it’s not safe to go running with them.” The duo set out to create the world’s lightest and best-sounding external speaker. Walters and Curran looked at then-current products similar to what they wanted to make. At the time, there wasn’t much available in the size range they felt was achievable. Some portable players weighed a pound or more and used built-in handles. The only clip-on speaker out there featured poor audio quality and usability. In the end, the pair looked beyond existing alternatives and simply focused on creating the best device they could muster. Building the 39G came with plenty of struggles, one of which was achieving decent bass. “That’s a challenge,” Walters insists, “because you need the air volume.” Another important factor was battery life. The current iteration offers up to 15 hours of playtime depending on usage factors, such as the type of audio. Interestingly, testing shows that podcasts are often the most draining. Even today, they’re constantly making improvements. Their newest is upgrading to the latest Bluetooth protocol. Although Noxgear’s focus centers on outdoor living, Walters professes himself a lover of music. He names Eric Church as one of his favorite artists. Also, he played guitar in a high school band and still noodles around on the instrument from time to time. Naturally, he hopes the 39G will find its way into the hearts of music makers. Others clearly see the potential, as it will be featured in the gift bag for the 2025 American Music Awards taking place on Memorial Day, Monday, May 26. At first, Walters thought the offer was a scam. “But I talked to the folks that operate the gift bags and they were amazing,” he notes. “I’m honored to have them include us.”One reason for which creators might want a 39G is testing. If the device becomes even more popular, they’ll need to know exactly how their final mixes come across on the tiny speaker. Plus, it’s hard to deny the convenience of taking a call while loading gear in and out of a club or listening to rehearsal tapes while handling chores that require situational awareness.Walters sees parallels between running a technology startup and selling oneself as an artist. “There’s a lot of overlap there,” he insists, stressing that both endeavors require savvy marketing. “What you’re trying to do is tell a story and bring someone into the world of the brand.” There’s also endless experimentation. Just as technology companies are constantly trying to figure out what products and advertising strategies resonate best, artists must tinker to figure out how to evoke the strongest responses from crowds, identify which tunes and set lists are most effective, and crack the riddle of seeming relatable while appearing larger than life. Noxgear’s CEO chalks the startup’s success to maintaining its core values of transparency and honesty. They’re principles anyone blazing a new path would do well to remember. “When you’re trying to do something difficult, there’s all kinds of uncertainty,” Walters points out, suggesting that feeling slighted and having negative reactions in the face of opposing thinking will stymie progress. “That’s my primary philosophy on business,” he finishes. “And that’s how we roll.”Visit noxgear.com.The post Industry Profile: Noxgear's 39G Portable Speaker Brings the Joy of Music Everywhere first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Music Business News Last Week: Tours, Superfans, Jobs & MoreThings were busy in music business news last week, with the industry asking big questions, fans stepping up to support artists, new superfan-focused tech, and more...
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Independent Musician News: Fake Streams, Sync, Singles, MoreLast week, our tips, advice and independent musician news covered how to become a better live singer, the true costs of artificial streams, a guide to getting music synced, and more..
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DIY Spotlight: Juanita and JuanJuanita and Juan is the name of a thrilling new project featuring the talents of punk rock luminaries Alice Bag (The Bags) and Kid Congo (Pink Monkey Birds/Cramps/Gun Club). The two respected musicians have a combined resume that is remarkable, but how did this duo come to be?“We were invited to write a song for the Peacock series The Resort,” says Bag. “The idea was that we would write a song for them and then pretend to perform it poolside at a Mexican resort.” “It was really fun, and the characters we played seem to have further things to say beyond ‘Arenas De Amor,’” adds Congo. “Our lounge duo seemed more unruly than a traditional lounge act, although we were trying to play it straight! We could not disguise our rebellious nature, so we brought the fictional characters into our real lives.”Bag says that this project has allowed her to explore different configurations of sound, and experiment a little.“We even have a couple of songs that are cumbias,” she says. “Also, the fact that we don’t use a full band but perform with our own pre-recorded tracks has really allowed me to go crazy with instrumentation.”“I like to say it’s LOUD Lounge because I like it to be a party,” adds Congo. “A party at a Mexican beach. Electric guitars fuzzy and raucous, and keyboards melodic and demanding. With drum machine, Latin beats mostly, and Alice is a fantastic soulful and punk singer. I’m channeling a Barry White kind of talk-singing. We sing in Spanish and English language—I suppose Spanglish.”The new album, Jungle Cruise, was recorded at Waterworks Studios in Tucson, AZ with Jim Waters, on Larry Hardy’s In The Red Records. “Fortunately for us, he was willing to take a chance on this kookie endeavor,” says Bag.It’s all a fine example of the DIY ethic that the pair have long adhered to: “If you’re bold enough and creative enough, no one will guess that you don’t know what you’re doing,” says Bag.“No rules in music,” adds Congo. “Simple recording. Say what you mean. Defy expectations.”Look out for Juanita and Juan on tour, and get Jungle Cruise. Bag has a Spanish language translation of her book, Violence Girl, coming out in the summer, and Congo will be doing some shows with his Pink Monkey Birds.  Visit alicebag.com, officialkidcongopowers.com.The post DIY Spotlight: Juanita and Juan first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

From Warner’s Crumbl copyright lawsuit to the EU’s Downtown deal probe… it’s MBW’s Weekly Round-UpThe biggest stories from the past week – all in one place…
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Guide to Meta Ads to Market Music on Facebook and InstagramWant to turn listeners into loyal fans? This step-by-step Guide to Meta Ads to Market Music on Facebook and Instagram includes how to grow an audience, boost streams, and make every dollar count.
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Top Tours Chart powered by BandsintownHypebot now publishes an exclusive Top Tours Chart of the most popular tours and tour announcements powered by Bandsintown. The Top Tours Chart is based on data from 95 million registered music fans and across its growing tour date distribution network that includes Spotify, Google, Apple, Shazam and more.
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Book Store: "Just 100 Questions" By Greg McVeighWriter McVeigh had the solid idea of asking a ton of people in the music industry one solitary question. He then compiled 100 of these into Just 100 Questions, and a fascinating collection of tips and anecdotes was born. Managers, engineers, mixers, producers, and of course musicians have their say, and we’re left inspired by Colin Hay (Men at Work)’s tale of audience growth, and the fact that MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer was highly motivated to create right up until he tragically left us last year. (Paperback) $38The post Book Store: "Just 100 Questions" By Greg McVeigh first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

HYBE teams up with Spanish-language TV giant Telemundo on ‘first-of-its-kind’ competition and reality show to form a Regional Mexican groupMembers of the winning group will win $100,000 and a recording contract with HYBE Latin America
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UK Grassroots Tours shrink and Ticket revenues fallThe Music Venue Trust has released its 2024 annual report which saw UK grassroot venue tours shrink. Ticket revenue fell 13.5%.
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Can Superfan platforms solve the musician income crisis?Can superfan platforms solve the creator and musician income crisis? As the industry embraces superfans, a look at the potential and limitations of superfans platforms to help creators earn a living.
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New AllMusic Feature - Trending ArtistsAnnouncing a new feature on AllMusic where we're highlighting musicians and bands that are making waves on streaming services and also trending on international music charts. Expect to find unexpected pop, hip-hop, metal, K-pop, jazz artists, and maybe music in new styles not even invented yet.