More Awesome Music Blogs!

Here are a few more blogs about music and the music industry that I find interesting:

Future of Music - Future of Music is a blog written by Dave Kusek, Vice President at the Berklee College of Music, developer of the MIDI, and one of the inventors of electronic drums, his blog discusses just what you would expect, the future of the music industry. He touches on topics such as the future of digital downloads, record deals, and electronics and music. His blog is definitely worth a look!

Losanjealous – Losanjealous is all about cool things to do in Los Angeles, most of them have to do with art and music. Do you live in L.A.? Are you bored? Well, Losanjeaous.com can find you something to do every night of the week! It’s also good to check for concert dates, music news, and there are lots of contests for you to enter and win free concert tickets!


La Blogotheque – Blogotheque.net is a wonderful French blog (which you can translate with the help of Google) that talks about what’s going on with the music industry and various artists, much like Pitchfork, except that it includes wonderful videos, impromptu concerts, you may call them, that show the artists at their creative best. Although I already mentioned this blog in my very first post, this blog is worth a second mention.

Buzzband.la – buzzband.la is where to go for all of your concert and touring news, you can even see what late night talk shows your favorite artists are scheduled to appear on.

I apologize if most of these seem partial to L.A., if you are not from L.A. I hope that you will still enjoy the other two blogs mentioned in this post.

Blog Profile!

Today I am going to take a look at another similar (and good!) music blog, discuss it and talk about the similarities and differences to my own.

Freelance music journalist and college radio DJ, Kat Bee, writes the blog, Sketchy Town, which is about Los Angeles, classic and independent pop/rock/electronica/etc. music (especially bands like Animal Collective and My Bloody Valentine), and what’s going on in the Music Industry today.

From Sketchytown.com-

SKETCHYTOWN blends the best of today’s emerging digital age with a bit of old-school, new-wave style thinking; blog meets electronic underworld meets music journalism meets girltastic webdesign.

Taking all these ingredients together, SKETCHYTOWN serves up a pretty sweet dish—we strive to bring up-and-coming bands to the forefront of the Los Angeles music scene and bands definitive of this ever-changing generation. SKETCHYTOWN also features up-and- coming, albums, music videos, and a slew of other awesome music-related things to check out—as well as people and places well-known and well-loved.

SKETCHYTOWN is Los Angeles’ answer to all the east-coast centric haughty music publications, highlighting some of the best gems in independent music while retaining a uniquely Southern Californian focus. Sometimes, it borders on the random, the ribald, the ridiculous—but hey, it would not be sketchy then, would it?

According to the blog, Kat has had some experience in the industry, writing for various Internet and print publications and DJ-ing at a radio station, and it definitely shows in her writing, she knows her stuff and has researched the topics pretty well. Posts are updated often, about every 3-5 days, however there are not too many comments on the posts, but I could be wrong about the popularity since I cannot figure out how to check a blog’s technorati rank!

There were two posts that struck me in particular because they illustrated exactly the type of topics I want cover in this blog, the ever-changing music industry and how the artist and consumer are adjusting to it. One post discusses how the economy has affected the concert industry, particularly festivals, and how annual festivals like Coachella are planning on doing a sort of lay-away plan for payments instead of paying it all at once (Disnelyland is trying a similar payment plan for the annual pass). You can read more about concert layaway plans here.

The other post discussed the recent demise of the local independent radio station indie 103.1, many music blogs posted about indie’s abrupt and controversial end, but Sketchytown’s was full of links for additional articles on the subject and discussed the disappearance of indie radio everywhere, including XM radio.

The style and layout of SketchyTown (as well as many of its topics) are very similar to what I am interested in, and aim to do with this blog. Sketchytown talks a little more about concert dates and album reviews than I will in this blog, but it captures the currently shifting music industry and its market in a way I too want to exhibit in my blog.

Some of the posts are long and contain a lot of references, others are short little musings, you will see no different here. And while Sketchy Town and its writer are more qualified and educated in this industry than I am, I will try to provide in my blog just as relevant and exciting information/news as it does. While SketchyTown’s audience is a little more focused to the L.A. region and the concert scene there, mine will try to draw in people in any state with news about music and the industry in a more general sense, however this may change as I go along. Those things aside, both of our blogs are still directed towards indie/alternative music lovers and young people with a taste for nostalgia and a craving for something a little less polished then Pitchfork. I hope that you will enjoy both.

When Indie and Major Collide...

Pop duo, The Bird and The Bee, recently did a cover version of Rihanna's "Please Don't Stop the Music", and I have to admit it's probably the most awesome pop cover song I've ever heard. If you like this check out The Bird and The Bee's new album Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future, coming out January 27.

Hello!

I can honestly say that I LOVE music, and although I don’t have as much job experience in the music industry as I would like to have, my blog is still going to focus on music and technology and how the industry itself is changing. I have always enjoyed music, but since I have started college I have become more and more interested in artists, labels, concerts, and music news. I even have my own show at my school radio station. I like all kinds of artists and genres, but have to admit that I am thus more of a fan of “indie” music and am more inclined to support independent labels in the indie vs. major label debate. I am also really interested to explore in this blog how the music business has changed, especially with the different computer and Internet technologies artists are using to get exposure; like podcasts, viral videos (in the style of La Blogotheque), and free (and legal) song and album downloads (in the style of Radiohead and Girl Talk).

My point of view will be one from a person who is interested and excited to see how new technology has affected the industry, someone who actually does download music legally (and illegally), and does not see the internet and p2p downloading as something that is killing the music industry, but forcing it to change and adapt to today’s music standards. There is a reason why record sales for many major labels are down. I would like to explore why and find a more sufficient reason than just "illegal downloading". For example, Radiohead’s last album, In Rainbows, was available to download for free off of the band’s website, and they still were one of the most successful (and profitable) touring acts of last summer. However it can be argued that Radiohead would not have been as successful a band without the help of the major label, EMI, they were on in the early nineties. These are the kinds of questions I will explore in my blog in addition to different kinds of music news that affect the industry/consumer and interesting tidbits that catch my eye.

I will also offer my opinion and give recommendations for new music and trends, looking at both sides of the spectrum, including both major and indie label artists, vinyl and mp3 formats, and broadcast and Internet radio. What I do not want to do is sound too biased or above anyone else’s opinion, the aim of this blog is not to force my opinions down anyone else’s throat or make them think I am not open to any opposing arguments or suggestions, but open up a topic for discussion, give you something to think about, and maybe expose you to something you have never heard before.

Technology and the Internet have forced everyone to change how they think about, experience, and even listen to music. Everyone is adapting in his or her own way, and I want to explore how we are doing that. It is my goal for this blog to do that, but I would like it to not only inform you but also be enjoyable and fun to read at the same time.