GRAMMYs
News

10 Design Tips To Create A Great Music Website

Facebook Twitter Email
Music Think Tank brings you 10 fail-safe ways to liven up your digital presence for success
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Oct 17, 2017 - 4:27 pm

So it's time to design your music website. You want it to look great, hook potential fans and business partners, and show your music in the best light. Where do you start? Luckily, The Bandzoogle Blog has 10 tips to help you create a successful web design.

The first tips have to do with the look and feel of your website. You'll want professional photos taken, as this is the first thing most visitors will see. From there, lock in a clean layout with a cohesive color scheme and easy-to-read font that's consistent throughout your whole site. And don't forget to make sure the site is mobile friendly.

Next up, focus on navigation. Keep it simple by having only the necessary navigation items in your menu, and make sure each menu item has a purpose. Label everything clearly and succinctly. Think utility. Also add a clear call to action button prominently on your website's homepage directing visitors to take action, whether to subscribe to a newsletter or purchase your music.

Then you'll want to think about content. Since your website will likely draw a variety of audiences, make sure there is content for fans, potential fans and industry professionals alike. You'll also want to make sure the content throughout your site tells your story and lets visitors in on who you are as an artist.

Finally, integrate music. Most likely all visitors to your site are going to want to hear your sound. Don't make them search. Place music players prominently on nearly all of your website's pages, including your homepage. Like the look and feel of the rest of your site, use a player button that's attractive and matches the rest of your design.

"Now that you have an idea of the content you should be using, and how to create it, make sure your design choices also reflect who you are as a musician," writes Melanie Kealey. "A clean layout, beautiful imagery, plus colors that work well together will wrap up your text and photos into a neat but professional website package."

Read More: 11 Music Apps Every Artist Needs

Apple Music on phone
News

Copyright Royalty Board Increases Streaming Rates, But By How Much?

Facebook Twitter Email
The Copyright Royalty Board has announced a portion of their cost of living rate increases for next year
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Nov 29, 2017 - 4:23 pm

In news of interest to artists and other copyright holders, the Copyright Royalty Board has begun announcing new rate determinations to take effect in 2018. The first batch includes slight increases to account for cost of living.

Master recording copyright holders will now receive a rate of $0.0018 for ad-supported, non-subscription music streaming services, up from $0.0017. Performances on paid subscription services will now be worth $0.0023, a slight uptick from $0.0022. In addition, non-commercial webcasters will pay an increased amount of $0.0018 performance.

These rate increases are the first rate determinations announced by the Board. Additional determinations will be announced shortly, which will impact the entire music industry. Royalty rates expected to be impacted include mechanical licenses paid by labels and digital services to publishers and songwriters and the amount of compensation copyright owners receive from SiriusXM and Music Choice.

Apple Music Exclusive: Watch Classic GRAMMY Performances

Holiday sheet music
News

How Holiday Music Affects Your Mental Health

Facebook Twitter Email
Love it or hate it, there's no doubt holiday music has an impact on our mental health
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Nov 27, 2017 - 12:17 pm

There are generally two kinds of people in this world: Those who love holiday music and those who can't stand it. Regardless of which side of the fence you stand, it turns out science has an explanation.

Scientists tell NBC News it all comes down to your childhood association with holiday music.

"Our response to Christmas songs depends on the association," said Dr. Rhonda Freeman, a clinical neuropsychologist. "Many of us associate this music with childhood and a happy time of presents and traditions and all the specialness that happens around that time of year."

However, on the other side, those who had a difficult childhood or who associate the season with loss find that holiday music brings on more painful associations.

The reason these childhood holiday music impressions have so much power over us even as adults is thatthe prefrontal cortex area of the brain, the rational thinking part of the brain, is still developing in children. As a result, a child's brain is more emotional, and those emotional associations around music stick well past adolescence. 

Because we listen to the same body of holiday music year after year since the time we are small, and tunes like "Silent Night" or "Carol Of The Bells" are designed to elicit an emotional response, it makes complete sense it's hard to get these songs out of our heads and hearts.

So love them or hate them, know you're not alone in your holiday music feels.

U.K. Charity Brings Live Holiday Music To Senior Centers

Kickstarter

Photo: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg/Getty Images

News

Kickstarter Launches Drip Funding Program For Artists

Facebook Twitter Email
Crowd-funding platform launches new ongoing financial support program designed specifically to sustain artists' careers
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Nov 17, 2017 - 11:29 am

As an independent artist, sometimes one of the most stressful parts of the business is waiting for the money to trickle in. Kickstarter thinks it can help by providing a steady Drip of financing for artists using their new platform.

Acquired by the popular crowd-funding platform in 2015, Drip initially began as a project from record label Ghostly International, which envisioned a subscription support system for musicians. On Nov. 15, Kickstarter announced they were relaunching the program for creators of all types, including musicians, writer, artists, filmmakers, and more.

Drip allows creators to set up a hub that gives fans the ability to support artists across their entire body of work, instead of fundraising for one-off projects. Artists on the platform can then offer potential subscribers incentives such as early access to new work or behind-the-scenes details on the creative process as rewards for their ongoing support.

Building on more than $3 billion in pledges to support upward of 100,000 creative projects from 13 million people in the eight years since their launch, Kickstarter hopes Drip will provide artists a new and sustainable way to keep creating their art on their terms.

UnitedMasters' $70 Mil Play To Manage Music Data Better

Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow

Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow

Photo: Steve Mack/FilmMagic

News

GRAMMY Music Education Coalition Brings Music To Public Schools

Facebook Twitter Email
The special initiative works to deliver music resources to students in underserved communities nationwide
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Nov 7, 2017 - 11:43 am

The GRAMMY Music Education Coalition has officially launched, and it will work to bring musical opportunities to students nationwide, especially in underserved communities, starting with Nashville, Tenn., Philadelphia and New York City.

A group of more than 30 organizations, including National Association for Music Education, the NAMM Foundation, VH1 Save the Music Foundation, and Lang Lang International Music Foundation, the Coalition will provide strategic funding and services to its targeted school populations.

"The big dream was what if every young person had the opportunity to be involved with music through the public school system," Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow told Billboard. "What if we were able to pool our energy, efforts and resources with others in the music industry who are also doing fine work in music education to attack this big dream? The partnerships we are creating with school districts, teachers, parents, and youth are designed to drive systemic change across geographies and communities nationwide."

One of the organization's first initiatives is a partnership with Disney*Pixar's new film, Coco, which sees a 12-year-old guitarist chase his dreams of being a great musician. Walt Disney Studios, GMEC and Berklee College of Music's Berklee Pulse will collaborate to provide educational materials. In addition, Disney*Pixar will donate 300 Cordoba guitars with Guitar Center providing an additional 300 guitars to be delivered to partner schools before the end of the year.

This first initiative is just the beginning of what the GMEC hopes is a long-term effort to bring the far-reaching benefits of having a music education to students nationwide.

"The benefits of music education extend far beyond the classroom," says GMEC Executive Director Dr. Lee Whitmore. "By increasing the number of students actively making music, we're fostering the development of essential cognitive and social skills that better prepare them for success as well as beginning a lifelong appreciation of music."

Berklee Online Adds Master's Programs For Music Production, Business