The music industry is dead, and the how come doesn’t matter. The question now is what next? How does an artist eat in an environment like this where record sales have dropped 20% since last year?

For rock bands, touring and merchandising will become more important than ever. Eventually they will be begging you to download their music for free, as long as you promise to pay 50 in damage for the live show and cop a T-shirt on your way out.

Rap acts though don’t tour too tough. However, compared to the rockers, emcees are better suited to survive this new industry fallout. Ever since Diddy declared that anyone who questions how a rapper makes money is a “player hater”, it’s been open season for even the most indie leaning emcee to appear in commercials and have his own sneaker. Muscicians in other genres have to walk a fine line of art and commerce so they don’t offend their fanbase. However, in hip hop, the number of endorsements you score is part of your marketing plan.

Now, some see this and think there is too much commercialism in hip-hop. Me? I don’t think there is enough.

From Sprite to Scion I see corporate sponsors as the new (or the first?) patrons of hip-hop. Back in the day, before recorded music and record labels, musical masters relied on patrons to front them while they made their art. In return for their investment, the wealthy patrons gained a higher social status by being linked to the incredible artists they fronted. Also, they would retain the artist to perform at their parties and write special dedications for themselves or family.

Now, doesn’t that sound like how Reebok paid for the pairing of 50 Cent and Jay-Z or how Boost Mobile did the same with Kanye, Ludacris, and The Game?

I’m not mad at any of those examples, because despite the money that’s flowing I think hip-hop does a good job of holding to two rules that makes sure the commerce doesn’t harm the art:

Rule # 1. Commercials are clearly commercials. Sprite has never tried to pass off one of their famous freestyle spots as an authentic, spontaneous, off-the-top endorsement by a rapper.

Rule # 2. Art is clearly art. When Busta told Pharrell to “Pass the Courvoisier”, I don’t think he was considering a deal with that liquor brand, even if one came after the fact. He name dropped because it sounded hot, and that’s it.

The only pass a rapper can get on rule #2 is if he owns the product he’s pushing. Self-promotion is straight hip-hop.

I’m impressed with emcees like 50 Cent who has been able to remain independent and relevant and dangerous with his left hand, yet snatch coin from corporate America with his right. As 50 himself admitted in a Vibe Magazine interview, when asked about declining music sales industry wide, he said he doesn’t care if less people buy the record, as long as they buy his clothing, vitamin water, videos game, and movies. 50 is in the business of selling a lifestlye, with music as the bait, a trick that Diddy and Jay-Z learned long ago.

That’s the future now of the music business, and I think hip-hop will prosper in it.

For more education on careers in the music industry, check out: http://www.music-career-guide.com

***

If you want it to be standing room only at the shows on your tour, then you need a tour press release to help get people talking. A tour press release will pave the way for you to get the press buzzing about your upcoming shows – and getting media attention for your gigs is the best way to people through the door. This press release was written with bands and labels in mind as the writers and print media, websites, and radio in mind as the recipients. Show Promoters and PR agents will want a slightly different tact with their tour press releases.

The Header: At the top center of your page should be a headline announcing your news – “Band X on Tour!” is fine, or something in your own words that expresses the point of the press release.

Use a large font and bold print. Don’t make the headline cryptic. Remember that the person reading your press release is probably reading lots of other press releases – they’ll appreciate you giving them a clear message about why they should keep reading.

Under the headline, in smaller font, include another sentence or two about your news. Think along the lines of “Band X will be on tour from this date – that date to promote their new album XYZ.” You can italicize this text, or bold it, or both. Along with your main headline, it is a good idea to set this information apart from the rest of the press release by putting in a text box.

Optional top of the page inclusions are:

The label or band logo in one of the top corners of the page.
Contact information for the person that will field calls from the press for more information.
The band/label web address and/or MySpace page.

Paragraph One: Use this paragraph to state again that the band will be on tour, and if there is a reason why, say, to promote a new album or new single, include that in this paragraph. You don’t have to go into great detail about the new album/single here – if you want to draw some attention specifically to that, send your album press releases as well. You can also include a sentence or two about the band to give the reader a point of reference – tell them why they may have heard of you – but keep it brief. If you need a more formal introduction, include your band bio separately.

Paragraph Two: This paragraph is not as much a paragraph as it is a list of your tour dates. Introduce them by saying something along the lines of, “You can catch Band X at:” and then listing your tour dates. Put each date on a separate line. It also helps to center this information on the page and set the text apart in some way, either by using a different font or italicizing the text. You want the details of the shows to jump off the tour press release. If you know what other bands are on the bill with you, include their names here as well. If there is anything special about any of the shows – for instance, if a show is an afternoon gig or if the show is 18+ only – include that information on your list as well.

Closing: To close your tour press release, include the contact information the person in charge of handling press queries about the shows. Make a suggestion of what you want the person to reading the press release to do with this information: “if you need more information, or if you want to interview the band or review the show, please contact so and so.” Hammer home the contact information again by either having another small text box along the bottom of the page, or by bolding the text (visually, along the bottom this works better if the box is small and long – stretching horizontally across the page, rather than a wider text box that is centered on the page).

Written by Heather McDonald

For more education on careers in the music industry, check out: http://www.music-career-guide.com

***