This is a great addition to the iLike mobile capabilities found on the iPhone. iLike already has over 50 million users through its ubiquitous presence on social networks like Facebook. This application is great news for companies like Live Nation who should really be capitalizing on apps like this.

Another thing that iLike does in relation to the iPhone is to create an iLike presence for artists on the iPhone. This is a nice way for artists to keep in touch with fans and provide ways for people to purchase music and auxiliary items.

Stay tuned,
Erik
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Now, it seems that labels are looking more for artists who are already matured with a fan base. The labels then come alongside the artist and offer to push them along. One big difference is money – labels don’t have much and therefore can’t bankroll albums and tours. And another difference is the digital media revolution that allows artists to accomplish tasks formerly reserved for the record labels (recording, gathering a fan base, etc.)

This is true of two rappers that have started to make it big through grassroots online networking and marketing. The first rapper, named Drake, currently has the #2 song on Mediabase’s Urban chart and the #3 hit on Hit-Rhythmic, all without the backing of a major label. The other rapper, Kid Cudi, has the #6 song on Hit-Rhythmic, “Day ‘N’ Nite” and is about to sign with Universal Motown. “Day ‘N’ Nite” has had over 44 million plays on MySpace. Once popular online, both rappers were fought over by the labels.

My further question to all of this is why these guys then decide to sign with the labels. They gathered a following online, which allowed them to begin touring and making guest appearances with big acts. What do the record labels come in with that attracts these guys? Obviously money, but what are they offering that these guys can’t do on their own? They certainly can’t promise loads of money from record sales. Perhaps they can offer help in touring and merchandise. But, then it seems that a Live Show production company like Live Nation would be better suited for this role.

Stay tuned,
Erik
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What does this mean to musicians? One big insight here is that this shows us the way that teenagers are communicating. Phone calls and messages are decreasing. It takes too long. A text message is fast. You can sneak them in during class, in the bathroom, on the bus. So, what is the communication format that best matches a text message?

Twitter

Communicate in the way that your fan base is used to. Follow artists & bands that are already using Twitter to see how it can be used for your band. 2,272 text messages a month.

Stay tuned,
Erik
erikrostad.com
Follow me on Twitter

The obvious implication is that Twitter is hot. If you are an artist and are not on Twitter, get on it now. And give people a reason to follow you. Offer exclusive news through Twitter. Or offer free tickets to the first 10 people that write you back.

Interact.

Keep it personable. Tell the mistakes you have made. Tell the successes. Tell your fears. And respond every now and then to people who return-twit to you.

Stay tuned,
Erik
erikrostad.com
Follow me on Twitter

“Phones are not going to be phones two or three years down the road. It’s becoming that device you thought about while watching the Jetsons – this personal communicator that is always connected, always on, always talking and gathering information. When that happens, then all of these experiences like discovery, acquisition, and playlisting happen almost automatically.”

I have been thinking about this a lot recently. I purchased the iPhone about a year ago. I remember going to EPCOT Center at Disney in Orlando as a kid and seeing the displays about how technology would change our lives in the future. I really think the iPhone is the culmination of a lot of those predictions at EPCOT.

Artists need to be aware of this changing technology. With technology rapidly changing, how will people hear your music? How will you monetize your music? Is it about the music or the experience?

Stay tuned,
Erik
erikrostad.com
Follow me on Twitter

The thing that I have been most impressed with is the accessibility to musicians. I have chosen to follow John Mayer. The man constantly sends Twitter updates (and his publicist says he is the one doing the updates, not some record company). Some are hilarious (ex. Larry King twits from his Atari Lynx). Others provide sort of an inside scoop (ex. just recorded on the new spinal top record). And others just make you feel that John Mayer is a friend of yours and is sharing his daily life with you.

The Twitter platform is a must for musicians or bands. It is probably the single most direct way to connect with all of your fans with relatively little work on your part. Twitter applications are available on the iPhone and Blackberries, so you can update your status on the go. If you don’t have a smart phone, you can also text message your updates in. Twitter can be connected to Facebook as well so that all Tweets are simultaneously broadcast to your Facebook status.

Twitter has also made news recently in some interesting ways. Dave Matthews used Twitter to release an exclusive, free download from his new album. And Ashton Kutcher has challenged CNN to see who can hit 1,000,000 Twitter followers first. CNN is leading right now with 930k compared to Ashton’s 872k. But think about that. One man has nearly as many Twitter followers as an entire company that broadcasts breaking news.

That is the power of Twitter.

Stay tuned,
Erik
erikrostad.com

This is yet another easy tool for musicians to use. In this age of content being king, a quick release of a well-done, yet inexpensive music video, is a hot commodity. Here are the rules set forth by $99 Music Videos:

1. It must be made for $99 (or less).
2. It must be shot in one day (24 hours).
3. It must be edited in one day (this doesn’t include rendering, digitizing, or exporting — just the creative part of editing).
4. It must be a collaboration between the band and the filmmaker.

Check out the website to see an example of a video created in the 2 day time span.

Stay tuned,
Erik
erikrostad.com

Another thing that sets Kanye’s blog apart is that he personally updates it. Many record labels take care of an artist’s myspace page or web content, even responding to all fan emails pretending to be the artist. But Kanye is known to be the one updating his blogs. He writes about personal issues going on and he also posts song recommendations and other artist information. In that case, he is actually becoming a respected arbiter of taste.

Due to the traffic generated from Kanye’s blog, he is able to attract lucrative advertising. This is just one other income stream that artists can consider as their physical album sales continue to decline.

Stay tuned,
Erik
erikrostad.com