indiePulse

Selling merch on the road with atVenu

atVenu's co-founder, Ben Brannen, talks about his merch sales management app on Steve Rennie's show. 

Insights: Entertainment Lawyer Whitney Broussard on technology in today's music industry

Soundcloud mobile app

Soundcloud released a new mobile app for iphone that has been entirely rebuilt. I had a couple minutes to check it out and it looks fantastic and seems to deliver on a new, upgraded user experience. The focus is now on listening - so the company decided to do away with the recording button. Most of my soundcloud experience is actually not on mobile but that might change with this update. Be sure to download the new app and follow me on soundcloud while your at it - search for indiePulse.

Concert Window

I read recently about Concert Window raising a new round of funding. Congrats to the team in NYC and best of luck growing the service. I think services like this are a great idea. It's still early, so I don't know if there is a clear winner. The idea of letting artists perform directly for fans across many geographic locations in real time is awesome - allowing artists to make connections with people in a new and interetsing way. When artists figure out how to do it in a way that is consistent with their brand, it can especially powerful. It's a little awkward when songs finish and there's no applause but I'd like to hear about your experiences on this services.. Played any good shows on here? Seen any good shows on Concert Window?

Introducing Concert Window from Concert Window on Vimeo.

Insights: Daniel Ek on Charlie Rose

Daniel Ek discusses the future of Spotify with Charlie Rose

 

Insights: The Jade Tree Records story

Some people thought Jade Tree stopped releasing records. Some think Jade Tree is making a comeback. Neither is true. - Darren Walters [Jade Tree Records]

I just finished reading the piece that Jade Tree's Darren Walters wrote on Billboard about running the label over the past 15 years. It's a good read and at least the second or third thing I've come across over the past week that reminds us that music is a work of love. If you're getting into it for the money, you've got the wrong idea. I write this blog and listen to a shit ton of music because I love it. I don't make a dime from any of it and it feels like a huge waste of time a lot of the time. But, in the end, I love music and I love posting things to the internet in support of the artists and dreamers that make it real. I have a bunch of Jade Tree records in my collection and frankly, I thought they stopped releasing records a while back too. I'm glad they haven't stopped. I'm glad they are where they want to be. Thanks Darren, for everything you have done for the fans and the music community over the past 15+ years. Can't wait to hear what's next.

jadetree.com

Music collaboration tools

I read recently about WholeWorldBand raising a €5 million Series A round. WWB is a music collaboration platform that allows users to make music with professionals. It seems to me that collaboration tools are the latest wave of music services and I think it makes a lot of sense. It's a challenge for artists to collaborate on making music when they are not in the same room. I'm not sure that a best solution to this challenge has emerged but this is an interesting take. Do you use music collaboration software or apps? I'd like to hear about your experiences.