DougM wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 6:03 pm
So, if no forwards or deals, what are the best options for getting our music out there to those who may enjoy it with or without expecting any monetary payback? Anyone ready to start their own record label?
For context, I've gotten some forwards (even one this week), but no deals to date. I've done a fair amount of writing and recording, or just recording in the case of cover tunes, to target the listings -- I find that can help in overcoming blank slate syndrome, and some of the songs I've gotten the most mileage out of in other areas were initially written to target listings. Some of those targets have been for sync, while others have been for producers/publishers/A&R looking for songs for other artists. The latter is actually more where I'm at, but a tough nut to crack. I had a number of single song deals out in Nashville back in the early 2000s, but not a single one got a cut, and the songs all reverted to me after a couple of years. I've also gotten a number of indie cuts on my own, and even had a few local hits (e.g. top 5 for radio and video play in Mongolia back in the early 2000s, and the most played song of the year on a country radio program in one town in Norway), but none that made any significant money (though they did at least pay a little).
So, what to do with the TAXI rejects? Well, for me, the answer is to get them out there whatever way makes sense for you and the specific song/recording.
If you're out there performing live, be it at open mics, paid gigs, or whatever, performing the songs is one obvious possibility. When I do 3-4 hour cover gigs, I usually slip in about 20% originals. Of course, how well that works for you will depend heavily on the caliber of your songs -- they can't stand out in a bad way from whatever you're playing of more well-known songs. BTW, this can put some money in your pocket from your PRO, too -- most of my ASCAP royalties are from my live performances (via the ASCAP OnStage program), not from broadcast and streaming (though I do get money from those, too). If you are playing live, even just at open mics, you can always video your performances and get them out there on your YouTube channel. I've got a playlist of live performances of original songs at
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... IUC9iOxR_U, and most of those were videoed at open mics or songwriter showcases.
It's easy enough these days to put your recordings out on the various streaming and download sites, too. (You have effectively started your own record label if you do this.) My latest single, a cover of ColdPlay's "Fix You", was initially recorded, and rejected, for a listing looking for "SINGER/SONGWRITER-Style COVER VERSIONS of MODERN POP/ALT SONGS". My submission received positive feedback, but was returned due to mix balance, and it also suggested adding some synths to what had been a piano/vocal production (which ALL the references were, as well, thus my going that direction). So, after the return, I added some synth pads and made mix improvements, then put the resulting recording out to the various music services (I use Soundrop for cover songs these days since CD Baby stopped dealing with cover song licensing a few years back). In fact, my most streamed song on Spotify (I'm at
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0EMB65G ... Y4iEYMPkhQ) started as a TAXI reject. They were looking for reimagined covers of "Time is on My Side" for something or other, so I made one. It got returned. A few years later, a music licensing agent found it and approached me about pitching it for an opportunity. He did, but it didn't get picked. Overall, I've got upwards of 100 songs out there, mostly originals, but also some covers. Most of the covers started out targeting a TAXI pitch. While probably not even half of my original songs that are out there did, there are also a fair number that I did initially write for TAXI listings, including 4 of the 12 songs on my most recent album.
Of course, just putting the songs out there for streaming doesn't necessarily mean anyone will listen -- I've only got 34 followers on Spotify and, currently, 52 monthly listeners, which translates to a bit over 100 streams. While I do plug new releases on my social media (mostly Facebook, but also Instagram), I can't say I notice much coming from there. Interestingly, I tend to see the rises in my Spotify followers come after doing original songs on the live front. And, yes, I do mention the recordings of the songs I play being out there.
I know some people like SoundCloud, but I've never really experienced anything but spam on that platform, so I don't put much on there, nor do I publicize my being there.
If you're putting your music out there in some way, you can always share it on social media. I mean we make music for people to hear, right? Whether or not it ends up making us any money. Some portion of your friends/followers will actually check your music out ... sometimes. If they really like it, they might even share it with others.
As for TAXI returns, there's always feedback with those. That can be input to improve the results before putting revised recordings (and revised songs, if applicable) out into the world. We may be creating music because we've got something to say, but that doesn't mean we can't get tips to help others receive it better from our rejections. When I get a TAXI forward, I typically wait a few months, and, if there's no communication from it, I'll put my recording out there in whatever way might make sense for the song in question.
There are also other places to try and get sync, and, other placements. I've used SongTradr for this (my profile there is
https://www.songtradr.com/rick.paul). While I haven't gotten any sync placements from them, I have gotten a few in-store music placements that paid a little (and from songs/recordings that were returned by TAXI). But there are various other services out there that also provide sync opportunities, and I'm aware of some songwriter friends who've gotten some minor placements that way.
Back in Myspace days, I put a quote on my profile that said, "a song is a terrible thing to waste." It was a play on a 60's (I think) era commercial that said, "a mind is a terrible thing to waste." I meant it two ways. First, if you're going to bother writing a song, it's worth putting in the effort to make that song as good as you can make it. (I don't subscribe to the idea of throwaway songs, like you need to write 100 songs to get one good one.) But second, once you've written a song, it does nobody any good to let it sit on the shelf; it's time to get it out into the world in whatever ways you can. What that means will partly depend on what you do, what avenues are available to you, and the nature of the song and what uses it might lend itself to. But it's also partly a matter of how much work you're willing to do, and how creative you might get, in finding fits.
