Future’s Post

OPPORTUNITY FOR MUSICIANS 🎶🎼🎸 Two new Sound NSW grants are now open for applications! Create NSW are launching $3 million in funding to support artists and industry professionals hit the road and make great new music. The Touring and Travel Grants are quick response grants that will support artists and artist managers to be globally competitive, develop industry networks and connect with new audiences locally and internationally. This grant offers up to $2,500 per person for domestic activity and $7,500 per person for international – with a two-week turn around! The Recording and Promotion Grants will support artists to record and release new original work including singles, EPs and albums. NSW artists can apply for grants of: ✔️ Up to $25,000 for short-form releases, such as a single or EP ✔️ Up to $50,000 for long-form releases, such as an album ✔️ Up to $25,000 matched funding for artists signed to a major label. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gsCHwExY

🎵 New Blog Post Alert! 🎵 In a thought-provoking new post, we delve into the recent comments by music exec Robin Millar, who calls for a ban on the production of vinyl and CDs, citing environmental concerns. Join the conversation and explore the implications for artists and the music industry. Read the full post here: https://ift.tt/X72K1T5

Like most great things in life, to create great music you need to have freedom. Former member of Mumford & Sons, Winston Marshall, shares how censorship is killing the music industry. After leaving the band because of controversy around his political views, Winston has been a prominent advocate of defending free speech in the music and other industries. Click here to watch the full talk: https://lnkd.in/dJYhMTTS

I always had to work alongside being a recording artist as making music pay enough for it to become a full time career is hugely challenging. Only a small percentage of musicians and producers go on to “make it” and if you have no financial resilience or safety net, you have no choice but to work alongside trying to launch your music career. I managed a record shop alongside recording and DJing and had a sympathetic employer who was himself a musician (he was in the Darts if that rings a bell for anyone). Working class people struggle to get through the door across all of the arts, not just in music. It’s a societal-wide problem. It does not help that so few of the gatekeepers are from working class backgrounds. It’s the same in charities. 1 in 6 charity CEOs went to private school. Less than 6% of children in the UK are privately educated. So 94% of charity CEOs should come from state schools. Go figure. If you want to read more about elitism in the UK there is a great report from the Sutton Trust and the Social Mobility Commission here albeit 5 years old https://lnkd.in/em6q3TTg

This #WorldRadioDay, let's confront the stark reality of the persistent, decades-long oversight that has artists from GRAMMY-winning global icons to local emerging artists left uncompensated for U.S. radio airplay. It's a mistreatment that often takes people by surprise, and it's easy to understand why. It's in sharp contrast to both global norms and practices within other platforms in the United States. Across every other democracy, terrestrial radio compensates artists for their work. Similarly, the U.S. recognizes the value artists bring to streaming, satellite, and cable. Yet #BigRadio has benefited from hundreds of billions in advertising revenue generated over a century from the loophole that exempts them from paying artists for their music. This is all at the expense of those who created the music that drew in the listeners. Artists should be fairly compensated each and every time their recorded work is used. It's the right thing to do. It’s time that broadcasters share a fair portion of their earnings. The American Music Fairness Act is a pivotal opportunity to correct the longstanding oversight. Let's join together to ensure a fairer future. It's not just about music; it's about justice, equity, and the future of our industry. #MusicFairness #FairCompensation #IRespectMusic

Titles I, II, and IV-A, and ESSER have made a significant impact in meeting needs for music programs https://lnkd.in/eRetvYFB Write your elected officials and urge them to ensure these programs are fully funded in the next fiscal year https://lnkd.in/eJw3_JdD #MusicEdFunding

I want to paint a realistic picture of the music industry where there is not a land of plenty. I often discuss the challenges faced by aspiring musicians who require funding to achieve the status of immortalized stars in musical history. First and foremost, it's crucial to address the fact that most artists struggle to generate a sustainable income. Let's not forget that, in most cases, an artist owns the rights to their songs. To earn a decent living, an artist typically needs to accumulate over 120,000 streams. This challenge can be overcome by being featured on the right playlists, which can generate a substantial number of streams. However, the biggest issue is that this approach requires immense effort, and success is far from guaranteed. Therefore, many artists find it discouraging to invest so much energy without the assurance of eventual success. Here I also want you to pay attention to the rapidity with which these singers have to release their tracks. There is no time to think or to work hard on self-developing and dealing with their music and speciality. New youthful stars, in some cases even young people, rise every day, offering a few impeccably cleaned tracks that cost them (or their parents) a huge number of dollars. They need to begin bringing in cash rapidly to profit from the speculation at first made. And these are just some of the challenges artists face; there are many more.

Harmonizing the Chords of Justice: Empowering Musicians to Safeguard Their Music in the Modern Era. I am delighted to present my latest article, which has been recently published on Hypebot. https://lnkd.in/e-8RXE47

Agreed 100% and it's just a wonderful bonding experience all around. It costs you a few minutes to take a quick listen and give your honest appreciation. It takes hardly ANY effort to promote someone you believe in-- and why wouldn't you anyway? That's why, when I take just 5 minutes to listen to an artist's work (or see, if it's visual) I always have something emotional to say about it, because it evokes emotion in me. 5 minutes could produce a lasting bond-- lifelong friendship, and camaraderie like you've never had before. You could be experiencing this on the regular-- so why not start now? Of course, follow Mike for giving the start 👉 Mike Warner.

**Critics: The Missed Marks on Music's Timeless Classics** Time after time, when researching music critics through the ages, I've noticed a pattern: they've often been remarkably negative about albums that would later be celebrated as classics and enormous successes. A prime example is Neil Young. Rolling Stone magazine, once considered the "Bible of American music" in the 1970s, heavily criticized both "Harvest" and "After the Gold Rush." Despite their negativity, the public ignored the harsh reviews, making these albums hit records and proving that the critics had it wrong. Critics can make or break music careers. People rely on what they read in music journals to decide whether to attend a show or buy an album. After Rolling Stone's founder was exposed for being subtly racist in his assertion that Black musicians lacked the intelligence to be included in his book, one can only imagine how many great Black artists he may have undermined with the influence he wielded. Tina Turner, arguably one of the most iconic Black artists, was the first to grace the cover of Rolling Stone. But her appearance was only after she had "sold out," distancing herself from her Black roots. The Rolling Stones' "Exile on Main Street," now considered a classic that defined their career, was similarly panned by critics who failed to understand the band's shift to a more American sound to dominate the U.S. market and leave their pop image behind. These are just a few examples of how critics, often frustrated rock stars themselves, have wielded their influence in a way that hindered great artists. Today, their power has been largely usurped by platforms like Spotify and other streaming services, shifting the landscape of music criticism.