Apart from the Key Information articles, the links below are to external websites where the listed articles originally appeared.
(1. HOME)
2. KEY INFORMATION
- A guide to income streams for songwriters
- Music industry contracts – an overview
- What do I need to do to get signed?
- Why is it so tough to make a living as a musician?
- All about music publishing
3. ISA SONGWRITING COURSE
- A basic introduction to songwriting (lyric writers, songwriting collaborators, non-performing songwriters, songwriting methods, demos and tip sheets)
- Copyright or face the consequences
- Writing hits: what the pros do (words of wisdom from 30 songwriters)
- Don´t get ripped off by your best pal (songwriting credits)
- Problem solving for songwriters (why do publishers/artists reject my songs?)
- Advice about music publishers, song sharks, checking out contracts, normal royalty percentages, and income earning potential,
- Jingle bells (the business of writing jingles) – see also “Tips for writing and selling great jingles” (in the Disc Makers Resources section)
- Twenty questions about songwriting answered
- All about the International Songwriters Association
- What is available on the ISA website: sample information
4. MUSIC PUBLISHING
- About music publishing – understanding the management of songs (Jo Jo Gould)
- All about music publishing (compiled from various sources)
- A brief introduction to music publishing (by CD Baby)
- All about music publishing (ISA)
- Co-publishing (ISA)
- Explaining music publishing (Johnny Lappin, MPAI)*
- Explaining music publishing – series of videos
- How to find, land and work a music publishing deal
- More about music publishers (Guild of International Songwriters)
- Music publisher contact details (ISA list)
- Music Publishing in Ireland (MPAI)
- Publishing scams (ISA)
- Setting up your own music publishing company (ISA)
- Ten ways to get a publisher
- The Modern Guide to Music Publishing (Songtrust)
- What a music publisher wants
- What does a music publisher do?
5. THE ART OF SONGWRITING
- Analysing your songs and fixing them (publishers do not reject songs for no reason)
- Discovering your artistic voice
- Don’t limit your songwriting to 4/4 time
- Liquid Notes (harmony software)
- Lyrics are very important to streaming fans
- Six ways to motivate yourself to write more songs
- Spice up a song with sound effects
- Three elements of a compelling song arrangement
- Twenty songwriting tips*
6. THE BUSINESS OF SONGWRITING
- Business Expansion Scheme (Ireland)*
- Before self-releasing music: five questions to ask
- Co-writing songs: why it can be helpful
- Co-writing songs: take care of business first
- Could 2021 be a boom year for the music industry?
- Dealing professionally with business professionals
- Digital distribution options (Ari Herstand)
- Disc Makers Blog – short useful articles about the business side of music
- Fifteen things you must do to make it in the music industry
- Four tasks of every songwriter
- Five important things record labels look for*
- Getting your lucky break too early (avoid dodgy label deals)
- Going full-time as a musician: how do you know the time is right?
- Hiring a producer: the various costs
- Hit songs – how much does it cost to generate a hit?
- Hitting the jackpot with songwriting*
- How CDs and downloads died
- How music works (business info from David Byrne of Talking Heads)*
- How to ruin your music career in ten easy steps
- Music licensing (Audiosocket – commercial licensing service)
- Music licensing (Broadjam – commercial licensing service)
- Music licensing: what makes music “licensable”?
- Music licensing: how to get your songs into music libraries
- Music licensing: the co-publishing approach
- Music licensing – 9 questions to ask to ensure a great licensing partnership
- Music2Deal – social networking for the music community
- Music trends in 2018 (Disc Makers)
- Networking in the music industry – seven tips
- Patreon – a new release strategy for a new economy
- More information about Patreon
- Short video about Patreon (Ted Talk)
- Playlists – the evolution of third party playlisting
- Releasing a record independently –- technical issues*
- Retaining your sound recording “master rights” is smart business
- Song contests and competitions
- Song sharks*
- Song sharks: when someone asks you for money (ISA article)
- Songwriting collaborators (partnerships)
- Songwriting credits: being fair about who wrote what
- Songwriting credits: sharing the credit
- Songwriting Partnership Agreement (suggested model)
- Spotify: who compiles Spotify playlists?
- Setting up an independent record label*
- Start your own digital label*
- Swedish Pop Mafia: How the greatest engine of pop music in the world was created
- The $150,000 Music Degree – excellent free music guide by Rick Barker & Wade Sutton*
- Sync income from television
- Touring: counting the cost (Venues demanding a share of merchandise sales)
- Touring: counting the cost – the depressing finances
- Touring: the house concert alternative
- USB Drives – is it time to sell your music on USB drives?
- ‘When you’re in the music business, you’re in the technology business’
- Work for hire agreements (also known as singer/musician release forms)
- Writing a vision statement
7. DISC MAKERS RESOURCES (MUSIC INDUSTRY ARTICLES/BOOKLETS)
- Basics of Music Copyrights and Royalties (7-part series)
- (a) Introducing the basic concepts of music copyrights and royalties
- (b) Should I “officially” copyright my song?
- (c) How Do I Get Paid if I Own the Sound Recording?
- (d) How do I collect mechanical royalties for my songs?
- (e) How to collect Performance Royalties
- (f) Neighbouring Rights and How U.S. Artists Lose Out
- (g) How does sync licensing work?
- Disc Makers Blog: Career killing execution mistakes musicians make (Bobby Borg)
- Disc Makers Blog: Content marketing (promoting your music in creative ways)
- Disc Makers Blog: Discovering your artistic voice
- Disc Makers Blog: Five truths about today’s music industry (Bobby Borg)
- Disc Makers Blog: From demo to hit single (“Owner of a lonely heart”)
- Disc Makers Blog: Going full-time as a musician – how do you know the time is right?
- Disc Makers Blog: How to submit your songs to music blogs, record labels, radio, and press
- Disc Makers Blog: How to get your songs into music libraries
- Disc Makers Blog: Mixing music – choose moderate volume
- Disc Makers Blog: Nine things not do with your next song demo
- Disc Makers Blog: Six music promotion mistakes to avoid
- Disc Makers Blog: How to build a music career
- Disc Makers Blog: How to get your music noticed
- Disc Makers Blog: How to crowdfund your next project – 11 steps to success
- Disc Makers Blog: Patreon – a new release strategy for a new economy
- Disc Makers Blog: More information about Patreon
- Disc Makers Blog: How to find, land and work a music publishing deal
- Disc Makers Blog: Retaining your sound recording “master rights” is smart business
- Disc Makers Blog: Sell your story in your artist bio
- Disc Makers Blog: Tips for writing and selling great jingles
- Disc Makers Blog: Income from streaming: the only way to go (Part One)
- Disc Makers Blog: Income from streaming: the only way to go (Part Two)
- Disc Makers Blog: Mixing – advice for audio engineers
- Disc Makers Blog: Music trends in 2018
- Disc Makers Blog: Playing live – what the venue sound engineer wants to know
- Disc Makers Blog: Spotify playlists – five things to do before pitching your song
- Disc Makers Blog: income from streaming – how much should Spotify be paying you?
- Disc Makers Blog: Twelve dance production tips
- Disc Makers Blog – is it time to sell your music on USB drives?
- Disc Makers Blog: Why indie musicians make CDs
- Disc Makers Blog: Work for hire agreements (also known as musician/singer release forms)
- Disc Makers Blog: Writing a vision statement
- Disc Makers Booklet: Earning money as an Independent Artist
- Disc Makers Booklet: Getting Radio Airplay
- Disc Makers Booklet: Home studio handbook
- Disc Makers Booklet: How to make money with music Vol 1
- Disc Makers Booklet: How to make money with music Vol 2
- Disc Makers Booklet: Making a great master
- Disc Makers Booklet: Musicians guide to merchandise
- Disc Makers Booklet: Planning your album from beginning to end
- Disc Makers Booklet: Press kits for musicians – the definitive guide
- Disc Makers Booklet: Promoting a new album
- Disc Makers Booklet: Pro Tools for Musicians (detailed guide)
- Disc Makers Booklet: Selling more music with Facebook
- Disc Makers Booklet: Social Media- the musician’s guide
- Disc Makers Booklet: The Successful album release guide
- Disc Makers Booklet: The Modern Guide to Music Publishing (Songtrust)
- Disc Makers Booklet: The vocalist’s guide to recording, rehearsing and performing
- Disc Makers Booklet: The You-Tube guide for musicians
- Disc Makers Booklet: Guide to gigging
- Disc Makers Booklet: Writing a music marketing plan
- Disc Makers Booklet: Planning your album from start to finish
- Disc Makers Booklet: Recording live
- Disc Makers Booklet: Running a successful recording studio
8. PROMOTING YOUR MUSIC
- Create a perfect music page for your website
- Content marketing (promoting your music in creative ways)
- Demos – From demo to hit song: how the process works (Nashville)
- Demos – Get your demo heard (professional tips)
- Demos – Guidelines for presenting a demo recording*
- Demos – How good does a demo have to be?
- Demos – The ten worst song demo mistakes
- Digital distribution options (Ari Herstand)
- Discmakers Blog – short useful articles about the promotion side of music
- Distributing your self-funded album: excellent analysis of your options (Ari Herstand)
- Distributing your self-funded album: Bandcamp
- Distributing your self-funded album to all digital outlets: CD Baby
- Distributing your self-funded album: other distribution options
- Distributing your self-funded album/single to all digital outlets: TuneCore
- Distribution: what to look for in a distributor
- Electronic press kits
- Email lists – how to build them up
- Email marketing – the best promotional tool
- How songs get playlisted: BBC Radio One
- How to build a music career
- How to get your music noticed
- How to give great interviews to the music press
- How to promote your CD
- Identifying your song when submitted as an mp3
- Looking for gigs (advice from an Irish venue manager)
- Make your music photographs tell your story
- Marketing your music – 100 tips
- Managing tours – keeping the show on the road
- Music workshops: How to choose, prep and “work” music industry workshops
- Music Xray – targeting music professionals
- Networking in the music industry – seven tips
- Open mic opportunities in the Dublin area (including singing clubs)
- Open mic opportunities in Dublin – a useful Facebook resource
- Playlists – the evolution of third party playlisting
- Promoting your music: top ten tips (incl. social media)
- Promoting your songs (ISA article)
- Promoting your songs – getting your leg in the door (ISA article)
- Promoting your songs on the Internet (ISA article)
- Promoting your music with radio stations*
- Promoting your release on the Irish market
- Radio stations (Ireland) – reference list
- Radio stations (Ireland) – official list (BAI)
- Record labels – make them come to you
- Releasing your first record: a single, an EP or an album?
- Sending your music to the press: tips
- Seven effective strategies to get your music noticed
- Social media: how to use them to create a fan base
- Social networking comes with a heavy energy tax
- Spotify playlists – five things to do before pitching your song
- SubmitHub: putting your music before Bloggers, Labels, Spotify Playlisters, YouTubers, Radio Stations, Influencers
- The $150,000 Music Degree – excellent free music guide by Rick Barker & Wade Sutton*
- Tip Sheets (subscription services listing publishers seeking new songs) – see “Miscellaneous Articles”
- Trying to get a record deal
- Virtual concerts – how to organise one
- What makes a retailer accept your CD?
- What every website press section should contain
- ‘When you’re in the music business, you’re in the technology business’
- Why indie musicians make CDs
- Why music videos don’t cost €500
- Why songwriters should pitch their own songs
- Writing a mission statement
9. MUSIC INDUSTRY ORGANISATIONS
- Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO)
- International Songwriters Association (ISA)
- Mechanical Copyright Protection Society Ireland (MCPSI)
- Music Publishers’ Association of Ireland (MPAI)
- First Music Contact (FMC)
- Recorded Artists and Performers (RAAP)
- Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA)
- Irish Songwriters Guild (ISG)
10. ROYALTIES & OTHER INCOME
- All about royalties (short version)
- All about royalties (longer version)
- Basics of Music Copyrights and Royalties (excellent DISC MAKERS series)
- (a) Introducing the basic concepts of music copyrights and royalties
- (b) Should I “officially” copyright my song?
- (c) How Do I Get Paid if I Own the Sound Recording?
- (d) How do I collect mechanical royalties for my songs?
- (e) How to collect Performance Royalties
- (f) Neighbouring Rights and How U.S. Artists Lose Out
- (g) How does sync licensing work?
- Collecting performing rights income for dance and electronic music
- Explaining songwriting income streams
- How musicians and songwriters are compensated when their music is played, sold, webcast or streamed – striking infographics [Future of Music Coalition]
- Income from streaming (Spotify – positive comments)
- Income from streaming (Spotify – neutral comments)
- Income from streaming (Spotify – negative comments)
- Income from streaming (Spotify – streaming is the future)
- Income from streaming – ideally, how much should Spotify be paying you?
- Income from streaming (is streaming the enemy of the independent musician?)
- Income from streaming (streaming income streaming rates from Spotify, Deezer, etc.)
- Income from streaming (2018 update)
- Income from streaming: are subscription music services a sustainable business model?
- Streaming: who compiles Spotify playlists?
- Income from streaming: the only way to go (Part One) [DiscMakers Blog 2016]
- Income from streaming: the only way to go (Part Two) [DiscMakers Blog 2016]
- Streaming 2015: UK market share and pay rates
- Making a living from music: why it’s so tough
- Making a living from music: record sales – where the money goes
- Making money in the streaming era: advice for songwriters (Digital Music News)
- How to make a living from music playing your own music live (by Rohan Healy)
- Making a reasonable living from music: some success stories
- Maximising your royalty earnings through your performing rights organisation (Rohan Healy)
- Massive income from perennial Christmas hits
- Online royalties poor
- Royalty Rates Paid By Irish Radio Stations For Use Of Recorded Music
- Royalty rates in major music territories (excluding USA)
- Sheet music royalties*
- Sync income from television
- Tax exemption scheme for artists*
11. COPYRIGHT
- Basics of Music Copyrights and Royalties (excellent DISC MAKERS series)
- (a) Introducing the basic concepts of music copyrights and royalties
- (b) Should I “officially” copyright my song?
- (c) How Do I Get Paid if I Own the Sound Recording?
- (d) How do I collect mechanical royalties for my songs?
- (e) How to collect Performance Royalties
- (f) Neighbouring Rights and How U.S. Artists Lose Out
- (g) How does sync licensing work?
- Copyright or face the consequences (ISA article)
- Copyright Law (UK)
- Copyright law suits
- Copyright notices
- How to copyright a song (U.S. Copyright Office)
- Protecting copyright
- Registering copyright
- Copyright – traditional songs and melodies
- Original master recordings – who owns the rights?
- Music sampling and copyright law*
- Common questions about copyright
- Commercial music users and copyright
- Copyright infringement: “Blurred Lines” vs. “Got to give it up”
- Copyright – Agreement between Co-authors (collaborators)
- Songwriting Partnership Agreement (suggested model)
12. MISCELLANEOUS ARTICLES
- Albums: is the album format redundant?
- Band agreements*
- Bandit tips service
- Convert music files to a different format (e.g. wav to mp3) – free software
- Could 2021 be a boom year for the music industry?
- Cue Sheet tips service (soundtrack requirements for movies/tv programmes)
- Digital/Internet age: is the new digital model better than the old record company model? (Steve Albini’s 2015 views) (a) Talk on You-Tube (b) Transcript of his lecture
- Digital Music News – music piracy 2016
- Digital Music News – streaming income rates from Spotify, Deezer, etc.
- Discmakers Blog – short useful articles about the technical side of music production and live performance
- Essential reading – key music industry and pop music book
- Excellent advice on musical instruments, live performance equipment and recording gear (https://hearthemusicplay.com/)
- Finding a manager*
- When is the right time to find a manager?
- Five steps to improve your singing for gigs
- From demo to hit single: the story of “Owner of a lonely heart”
- Getting serious about rehearsals*
- Going full time as a musician: how do you know the time is right?
- Going into the studio (12-step approach)
- Making the most of studio time (Rohan Healy)
- Hip Hop – Lyrics and videos which disrespect women: when will the #MeToo movement start affecting misogynistic hip hop artists? (genius.com video)
- Hiring a producer: the various costs
- Home recording versus paying a recording studio
- How music got free: how mass copyright theft became the norm (a review of the Stephen Witt book exploring piracy within the music industry)
- How to attract a personal manager*
- How to create a set list
- How to get signed to a label
- How to build a music career
- It´s about the song, not the singer
- Limit your takes and make better recordings
- Loudmouths at concerts
- Making a living playing music – straight talking advice from a seasoned musician
- Making a living playing music – some modest success stories
- Making money creatively: how an indie musician can make $19,000 in ten hours using Twitter (much quoted Amanda Palmer article)
- Make money with your music in films
- Mixing – advice for audio engineers
- Mixing music – choose moderate volume
- Music file formats (a beginner’s guide)
- Music merchandising
- Music sampling and the law*
- Open mic opportunities in the Dublin area (including singing clubs)
- Open mic opportunities in Dublin – a useful Facebook resource
- Performing: organise great live song intros
- Performing: what to do when the song ends
- Performing: improving live performance & dealing with stage nerves (Rohan Healy)
- Performing: Looking for gigs (advice from an Irish venue manager)
- Playing live – what the venue sound engineer wants to know
- Recording vocals in the studio*
- Record contract basics*
- Record label contracts explained
- Record label contracts explained (Marshall Brain)
- Record labels still essential
- Rescuing the music business – follow the music, not the money
- Scoring – composing for movies
- Success without a record label
- SongLink tips service
- Talent is not enough
- Talent spotting: are metrics and data enough?
- Taxi tips service
- The Ten A&R Commandments
- Tip Sheets (subscription services listing publishers seeking new songs) – see separate articles within this section entitled Bandit; Cue Sheet; SongLink; Taxi
- Twelve dance production tips
- 360 degree deals*
- 360 degree deals – explaining how they work
- What to expect from a producer
- Why it is so hard for recording artists to make money (a tiny slice of the pie)
- Why it is so hard for recording artists to make money (the money trail)
- Why recording artists make nothing from their first album
- Why recording artists make so little from their first album (Steve Albini article)
- Writing a mission statement
13. CHART INFORMATION
- Official UK Singles Chart (see this week’s Top 100 singles)
- Weekly UK Chart Commentary (James Masterton)
- All time bestselling albums (worldwide)
- All time bestselling albums (alternative USA-focused list)
- Most played Christmas Songs [Top 10 Xmas songs (USA 2012 and 2011), Top 25 Xmas songs in last 5 years (USA), Top 10 Xmas Songs (UK 2010), Every UK Xmas Number 1]
- UK Charts: Artists with the most No. 1 hits
- UK Charts: Sales of Singles Soar
- UK Charts: Sixty Years of British Number Ones (detailed listing of All the British Number One hits from 1950 to the present day, with information about every hit)
- UK Charts: The Million Sellers (the UK’s biggest ever selling singles)
- UK Charts: Songs that spent the longest time at Number One
- UK Charts: The Official Top 20 biggest selling groups of all time (singles)
- UK Charts: The Official Top 10 biggest selling female singles artists of all time
- UK Charts: The Official Top 10 Biggest Selling Male Singles Artists Of All Time
- UK Charts: The Official Top 40 biggest selling studio albums of all time
- UK Charts: The Official Top 40 biggest selling singles of 2012
- UK Charts: A list of the first thousand albums to make the No.1 position
- UK Charts: The Top 100 singles of 2014
- UK Charts: The Top 40 singles of 2015
- UK Charts: The Top 40 singles of 2016
- UK Charts: The Top 40 singles of 2018
- UK Charts: The Top 40 singles of 2019
- UK Charts: Every single that has made the No. 1 spot
- UK Charts: Every album that has made the No. 1 spot
- UK Charts: Every artist who scored the No. 1 single and the No. 1 album in the same week
- UK record business 2012: Bumper year globally for UK acts; dance music back in vogue
- Music VF (database of 120,000+ US and UK music hits since 1900; browse by artist/year/decade/song title)
14. USEFUL FORMS
15. LINKS
16. SITE INDEX (TOTAL CONTENTS)
*An asterisk signifies that the original article is no longer available on the source website.