Blog

  • Monday, June 8, 2015
  • Sunday, June 7, 2015
  • Tuesday, May 26, 2015

    There was a time in the music business, and we are going back a bit, when the ultimate goal for musicians, artists, or unsigned bands was to obtain a record deal or recording contract. Back then, we were talking major record label, there were little or few Independent Record labels to speak of. This was the standard focus and quest. It was my band’s quest at the time and we were lucky enough to get signed by Warner Bros. and they did a decent job on the marketing end. But if you are an independent artist today, a lot of you know that this obsession of getting a record deal may not be as prevalent as it was many years ago, and it probably should not be.

    Most independent musicians today understand that the glamour of getting signed to a major record label or even a strong independent label may not be all it is cracked up to be. First of all, with the state of the music industry and record labels today, it is even harder to obtain a decent record deal then it was years ago and...

  • Tuesday, May 26, 2015

    LOS ANGELES — When you're not inclined to give your product away for free, make your customers believe they're getting something for nothing.

    That's the thinking behind some of the offerings music fans may see this year as the recording industry scrambles to offset losses from plunging CD sales and find new sources of revenue when many consumers simply download music for free.

    Among the business models music fans are likely to see more of: music subscriptions bundled with the price of Internet access, and services like Nokia Corp.'s upcoming Comes With Music, which would give users of select mobile phones a year's worth of unlimited access to music, for no extra charge.

    Music companies also are expected to license songs for more ad-supported Web sites like imeem, which lets visitors watch videos or listen to full-length tracks posted by other music fans for free.

    Major recording labels, long-criticized for being too slow in adapting to changes brought by...

  • Monday, May 25, 2015

    A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording (i.e. "production") of an artist's music. A producer has many roles that may include, but are not limited to, gathering ideas for the project, selecting songs and/or musicians, coaching the artist and musicians in the studio, controlling the recording sessions, and supervising the entire process through mixing and mastering. Producers also often take on a wider entrepreneurial role, with responsibility for the budget, schedules, and negotiations.

    Today, the recording industry has two kinds of producers: executive producer and music producer; they have different roles. While an executive producer oversees a project's finances, a music producer oversees the creation of the music.

    A music producer can, in some cases, be compared to a film director, with noted practitioner Phil Ek himself describing his role as "the person who creatively guides or directs...

  • Saturday, May 23, 2015
  • Thursday, May 7, 2015
  • Wednesday, April 29, 2015

    Beanie Sigel, former artist signed to Rocafella Records, conducted an interview that was unseen by many up until recently. In the interview, Beanie said the same thing DMX, Left Eye, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill and many other artist have been saying for years, “Artist don’t make money.”

    He says artists only make a few CENTS per album they sale. On top of that, they have to pay for their own music videos, lawyers, accountants and more. That leaves the artist with as much money as some people who work 9-5 jobs.

    Interviewer: We was talking earlier about the things people don’t know about the music industry…money…people think it’s this and it’s not that.

    Beanie: Artist don’t get no money off of records sales. Unless you own your company. It’s a pie that gets divided between your record label, the distributor, the producer, writer, artist. That’s a big pie that gets broken up in that hundred percent of what your doing. You think your rap is hot, you get a beat from...

  • Saturday, March 28, 2015

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Relations Contact:
    Juanita Stephens-JS Media Relations – HYPERLINK "mailto:jsmediarel@aol.com"jsmediarel@aol.com

    CSP MUSIC GROUP AND HY-VEE SUPERMARKETS TO ENGAGE YOUTH VOLUNTEERS
    TO SUPPORT HUNGER RELIEF PROGRAM IN WATERLOO
    A food drive benefitting the Northeast Iowa Food Bank will help Iowans in need

    CSP Music Group (www.cspmusicgroup.com), a team of accomplished music producers, composers and writers whose “The Next Pop Icon” talent search will be presented in Waterloo on April 30th, has joined with HYPERLINK "https://www.hy-vee.com" Hy-Vee supermarket chains to assist the HYPERLINK "https://www.northeastiowafoodbank.org" Northeast Iowa Food Bank (NEIFB) in their mission to combat...

  • Saturday, March 28, 2015

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Media Contact: Juanita Stephens
    JS Media Relations
    jsmediarel@aol.com

    SUPERSTAR FORECASTER, CSP MUSIC GROUP, TO PRESENT

    ‘THE NEXT POP ICON’ TALENT SEARCH APRIL 30 IN WATERLOO

    One Lucky Winner Will Receive a Grand Prize Music Production Package
    Valued at $100,000

    CSP Music Group, a team of accomplished music producers, composers and writers, will present “The Next Pop Icon,” a talent search on Saturday, April 30, 2011, in an effort to showcase Iowa’s bourgeoning performers. Twenty finalists will be selected to perform in front of a panel of top music industry professionals. One stand-out star will win a Grand Prize music production package valued at $100,000.

    Staged at the Elizabeth A.H. Green Auditorium (214 High Street, Waterloo, IA 50703), the event begins at 7 p.m.; doors open at 6 p.m. Registration fees are $10 until March 22; $25 from March 23 – 29; and $35...