As the internet grows and the music industry landscape continues to morph, artists are finding newer ways to generate income without the help of a major label. According The New York Times, the folks at Spotify are helping some of them along the way.
In a piece the outlet published Thursday (Sept. 6), The Times reported that Spotify has been making licensing deals with independent artists. Their sources say the streaming giant has made deals with independent artists and their management firms instead of labels.
Although the deals don't resemble the seven-figure contracts offered by majors—The Times says the advance deals they looked into were worth "advance payments of tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars"— the licensing agreements give artists a larger portion of money earned from the streaming platform than an artist usually would from a record label, which The Times say usually take 52 percent of streaming revenue for songs.
In an additional advantage, Spotify's licensing deals are put in place without independent artists having to forfeit the rights to their songs. Because of that, and the fact that Spotify doesn't prohibit them from licensing their tracks with rival streaming platforms, artists can potentially earn more money than they would at a major without having to deal with the strings that typically come with major record deals.
Want more new music? We’ve got you covered. Las Vegas artist “Trendsetta” has recently been heating up lately dropping some huge records with a few independent west-coast artist, Rumored he has a new project set to release next month the rising independent artist recently leaked a new single “Real One” with Los Angeles based artist KY3 off his upcoming new album, this song is absolutely catchy and something we couldn’t pass on writing on!
South Carolina artist, P KELLZ, presents you new music for 2021 including new single, “NO HABLO INGLES” and more to come.
P Kellz is ceo and artist of lit life music group emerging from the carolinas. P kellz is an independent artist making a name for himself and has a new single titled, “No Hablo Ingles,” featuring his artist 1bop along with an album titled, Forever, released in 2020 .
Kellz made his debut EP in 2018, “Stop Playing Wit Me” and his 2nd album “undeniable“ released in 2019. P kellz is definitely an artist to look out for in the near future.
Of course everyone knows the name Roc-A-Fella Records and what they represent in the music industry. They have help to launch many artist such as Memphis Bleek, Beanie Sigel, Cam'Ron and many more. Below you will find the best artist formed by Roc-A-Fella Records throughout the years. The Wrap-Up Magazine would like your feedback on the artist chosen for the lineup as the Top 5 best artist presented by Roc-A-Fella Records.
Chicago native "Styngray" recently did a podcast interview with CB Streets Media to talk about how good it feels to be a independent rapper. Styngray touched on the different things independent artist have to go through to make it compared to artists who are signed with a major.
V-Lo The Maestro has had a lifelong passion for music. Like so many independent rappers, his dream was to be able to see his music video on BET television, a goal that he’d held on to ever since he was a child in his rural hometown of Washington, Louisiana.
With a population of roughly 943, Washington, Louisiana is a small town with one stoplight and no Walmart. Here, students are transported by yellow school buses to the nearest city for classes. Washington is the place where V-LO The Maestro, as an independent rap artist, began to think outside of the box and reach for opportunities beyond what he was limited to locally.
“I always knew if I made the music and produced a quality product, I’d find a market. The Internet has made it possible to take the sound out of the country, around the world, and bring it back home.”
V-LO has been able to build his music audience organically, through grassroots efforts and an active Social Media presence. He’s grown his Instagram to over 100,000+ followers and his collaboration, “Tipsy,” featuring Kevin Gates, the impassioned rapper from Baton Rouge, earned 25,000 Spotify downloads while the music video reached over 1 million views on V-LO The Maestro’s Facebook artist page. V-LO’s music has made its way into rotation by famed DJs, including DJ Flex. These milestones helped pave the way for what had been V-LO’s dream for quite some time.
Directed by Majacul, footage for “Can’t Phase Me” was filmed with permission at Nissan Stadium and features a string of exotic race cars—the Ferrari F430, Rolls Royce Ghost, Corvette, and BMW i8. The video tallied 200,000 views on Youtube. On April 4th 2019, the music video for “Can’t Phase Me,” by V-LO The Maestro made its BET television debut, an achievement that is also a monumental first for the residents of Washington, Louisiana.
In recent years, New Orleans had become the state’s pipeline for rap talent, introducing Cajun flavor to rap music lovers through the likes of a bevy of artists, including Master P and son Romeo, Silk the Shocker, Mystikal, Birdman, and Lil Wayne (Weezy). They are among the most influential rappers in the industry, and their signature sound has become coveted by audiences worldwide.
According to Nielsen Music reports, Hip-Hop/R&B is now the most dominant genre in the United States. Music streaming has now become the preferred medium, with rap artist Drake shattering music streaming records with an astounding 8.2 billion plays. One added benefit of digital distribution is that it also opens up opportunities for focused, independent music artists. A rap artist like V-LO The Maestro from Washington, Louisiana, a rural area nowhere close to New Orleans, could create and promote music from his hometown that reaches audiences in major cities, as well as in other countries.
“Not everyone is going to believe in your dreams,” says V-LO. “Some might even come out and tell you your ideas are crazy because they don’t believe what you are trying to do is even possible. But whatever your talent, do it well. Do it with passion. Own it. And be bold enough to represent. I’m from a small town, but I didn’t let that stop me. I am so grateful that BET television has given me this opportunity.”
"Own Your Own Destiny" Independent Business Workshop & Showcase
Saturday December 19 2020
at Private Location
Registration Starts at 4pm
$15 Admission Fee
For information 775-773-8133
Own Your Own Destiny Independent Business Workshop & Showcase is event designed to educate consumers on the music business such as copyright publishing, digital platforms, ISRC codes, business credit, financial freedom and more.
This event is hosted by Industry legend Wildman Teddy T. He has recruited some of his industry friends, DJs, producers, A\R Reps, music executives and more.
The event features a DJ listening session with some of the hottest DJs in the market giving artist feedback along with a panel discussion about the business of music and an artist showcase. This event will teach the music business for upcoming artist and give them the opportunity to showcase there talent.
Here are some tips on how to make money as an artist:
Making money as an artist can be a challenge. You need to find ways to make a name for yourself and stand out from the competition. In this blog post, we will explore some tips from the pros on how to make money as an artist. We will discuss how to use Spotify, Instagram, and other platforms to make a name for yourself and sell your music. Let’s get started!
Portland artist Notebook of Contempt aka Kaleb Swindle drops off his high energy single titled “Vision Blurred” with independent label Burn Money Music and producer MDST.
Kaleb puts all his flaws on the table for listeners to examine in his new single while also letting us know some of the demons he’s been trying to exercise. With his Pacific Northwest roots showing through on “Vision Blurred” Kaleb flexes his vocal range over the strumming guitar melody. With a grunge rock influence on his latest single, Notebook of Contempt shows his artistic diversity by blending genres together and bringing a high energy vocal performance to his new music. Teaming up with independent label Burn Money Music, we’re expecting nothing but greatness from this 19-year old artist, Notebook of Contempt.
New York-based artist Shah Leezy drops off his brand new album "Beans, Rice, & Lamb" following up this year's Strictly 4 My Habibi's project and marking his second full-length release of 2020. Shah Leezy wastes no time getting straight to bars on his latest release. On "Speak My Peace," Shah steps up to the plate like a leadoff batter knocking this one out of the park. More of that soulful, feel-good production and nothing but raw bars coming from Leezy throughout his 6-track project. Other standout tracks include "Halal Kush," featuring swinging drum patterns and a dreamlike sample, Shah Leezy takes time to break down his roots, religion, and the almighty kush that keeps him sane. With most of the country on lockdown down to COVID-19, now is the perfect time to discover a new artist you love and Shah Leezy is definitely that guy. Quickly building up his discography to an impressive stash, Leezy shows being prolific and proficient is no problem for him. Holding it down for all the Habibi's, Shah Leezy remains true to his Muslim roots while making music anyone can relate to and hits a sweet spot for lovers of that classic East Coast Rap sound. Tap in with Shah Leezy on Twitter and press play on his new release "Beans, Rice, & Lamb" available now on Apple Music, Spotify, and more! Also as a bonus hit the link below to purchase exclusive Shah Leezy and support this rising independent artist!
Harlem's own Jxhar drops off the smooth and soulful new single "Can't Forget U" featuring NO1-NOAH. Produced by Louis IX, of the up and coming music collective Runaway Roses, the soundscape for "Can't Forget U" gives Jxhar and NO1-NOAH a perfect amount of space for them to finesse and float on. With a euphoric and dreamlike feel, Jxhar's vocal melodies are soothing and hypnotic with NO1-NOAH adding just enough smooth talk to take this song over the top. Jxhar has been making a name for himself on the East Coast and beyond, founding Runaway Roses, designing his clothing line, and of course dropping fire music as an up and coming independent artist. With a keen ear for beats, all the production on Jxhar's music truly stands out as someone who knows exactly how he wants to come across and sound. Drawing inspiration from the greats including Andre 3000, Kanye West, and Kid Cudi - Jxhar brings an old soul to his music while still staying relevant in 2020. Teaming up with the buzzing artist NO1-NOAH who has recently featured all over Summer Walker's latest EP "Life On Earth," Jxhar definitely holds his own and shows some true star power on "Can't Forget U."
Press play on "Can't Forget U" by Jxhar featuring NO1-NOAH available now on all digital streaming platforms. Also, be sure to follow Jxhar on Instagram and Twitter to keep up with his new release.
KD Young Cocky is back with his first single "No Smoke" Produced by D. Brooks Exclusive from his upcoming project "Don't Take it Personal" dropping soon. KD Young Cocky (born Darrius Luckett) December 23, 1990 in Englewood on the Southside of Chicago, Illinois. where the city streets he resided in encompassed crime and drugs caused him at the young age of 13 to define his passion for music. Later becoming an experienced and talented music artist/songwriter, he allowed his day to day surroundings and his love for music to intertwine and form an outlet that has now evolved into something that displays pure adoration musically. KD Young Cocky is known to be that music artist and songwriter that can deliver music with a sound so creative, eccentric, and versatile, that many say you can feel the passion given within when listening. He writes and creates for himself and others, which has allowed him to also land placement opportunities for major record labels such as Interscope Records, and Def Jam Recordings. KD Young Cocky has been featured alongside what many would call “reputable”music artists like YFN Lucci, Lil Durk, G-Herbo, Dreezy, Calboy, King Louie and many more. He has written songs such as “She Just Wanna” by Lil Durk featuring Ty Dolla $ign. He has also managed to work closely with Platinum producer D. Brooks Exclusive on a number of hits and projects throughout the years.
"The Wrap-Up Magazine" is a website that was "Built From The Ground Up." This website started from the bottom and trying to make its way to the top. Over here, we work hard to reach new fans and members of our communities.
This website was started by the Lima, Ohio producer Gansta Marcus to help gain more notice and attention to his music and artist. The website has done more for him than what others have to offer. With an independent or self-governing state of mind, to artist has expanded to reaching various crowd like none other in his city.
We changed the date Sat January 16 2021
#MlkWeekend2021
Own Your Own Destiny Independent Business Workshop & Showcase is event designed to educate consumers on the music business such as copyright publishing, digital platforms, ISRC codes, business credit, financial freedom and more.
With a new year, we bring you new music from 22 of the hottest artists from all around the world. These talented artists are making a name for themselves with new hit singles, mixtapes, EP’s, and albums. Presented below by Trillest Ent. with support from DJ Paul of Three 6 Mafia, in alphabetical order, is a list of upcoming artists that are quickly rising to the top.
“A lot of the new tools that have been created in the fintech space have really been focused on the services that have enabled independent small businesses to grow on their own,” Rabkin said. “Artists and creators are no different, the problem is no one’s created tools that cater to them. If you look at Intuit you have Mint, but for an artist with unpredictable income and difficult to track revenue streams [it’s different]. You can plug in your bank account, but Intuit and mint doesn’t plug into iTunes or YouTube or Spotify.”
Another problem Stem is trying to tackle is ensuring that collaborators that may not be able to monetize their content. Some artists — like first-timers — may be releasing content but have to treat it purely as promotional or marketing. Instead of just focusing on making money of touring, Rabkin said Stem will hopefully offer those artists some way of driving revenue right from the get-go.
The data that Stem brings in from all these disparate platforms may also, itself, be valuable. Artists can get information on their listeners and start to zero in on some of their preferences. That might help them tailor their tours or other parts of their marketing. But adding information around revenue streams on top of that adds another layer of data that can signal a much stronger level of engagement than some of the other signals they might have.
There will likely be plenty of competition in the space. Kobalt, for example, raised $75 million at a $775 million valuation last month. And each of these services — like iTunes or Spotify — may end up simplifying their artist tools down enough that it may not require such complicated background gymnastics to figure out how to get the right people paid. But Rabkin hopes that by building a seamless enough experience Stem will be able to attract a wide artist base that includes Frank Ocean, Childish Gambino, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Anna Wise, Chromatics, and Poolside.
Troy Remedy Shows Elegance With Soulful Single “Next To You”
For Troy Remedy, to live is to endure. Life makes for an uphill climb. One must claw and scrape to gain even a morsel of advantage. When in need of solace, Troy Remedy turns to music. “Music has always been an element to some of the things that have happened around me,” said Troy Remedy. “When you’re in a bad spot, in a bind, mentally stuck or trying to find your way through the maze. music has always been there.”
Troy’s fresh lyrical delivery and organic production hearkens back to the days of old but with a bold new twist. His songs burrow down into the heart, revealing concealed pain and sorrow. “My professors taught me the method,” said Troy. “I took the lessons that they taught me and I had to show my own version of it. And in my own style. I take great pride in the production side of things.”
SXSW is every independent artists chance to meet their fans right where they stand: in front of adoring crowds screaming their names alongside others!!!
Not only is it the best opportunity to perform in front of large crowds there are so many tastemakers in the city that you can connect with...
"The Wrap-Up Magazine" is a "music marketing service" based in Lima, Ohio. Recently they announced the promotion of unsigned artist from all over the globe. The website was released in 2012 as the website built by fans for the fans.
It's not enough to just release an album these days. You will need some kind of promotion behind your music to reach new crowds. The Wrap-Up Magazine provides artists, managers, and business entrepreneurs a platform to get from step one and getting noticed.
The Wrap-Up Magazine is a blog for creative entrepreneurs who have a message to spread and care more about impact than money. With the music industry in the grip of disruption, marketing becomes more important than ever.
Our mission is to help Independent record companies, artists and artist management. We allow the artist to submit there music links from sites like soundcloud, youtube, and more to be placed on the site. The Wrap-Up Magazine also gives the artist a public presentation with a picture and bio with there music. So before you go to other websites, check out our sevices on releasing your musicical videos through us.
Seattle artist Macntaj has been steadily dropping some of the best music videos in Hip Hop whether you know it or not. Located in Seattle, WA - Mactnaj first broke onto the music scene with his work with Blocstar and since then he's been blazing quite the trail of his own in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Linking up with the Tik Tok sensation Keshawn (300K Followers), Macntaj and company broke into an abandoned mall to shoot the off the wall visuals from "Freefall." Shot and edited by Justin Frick & Gage Sohler, "Freefall" opens up with cinematic, movie-like shots that feel like a scene from DAVE and quickly turns into a crazy house. Stunning visuals aside, Mactnaj really raps - eating the track up with his rapid-fire double-time flow and hilarious tongue in cheek wordplay. Keshawn steps on the track add just the right amount of drip with his high-energy content and delivery. With enough music videos to keep you glued to his YouTube channel all day, Macntaj's latest release "Freefall" is on another level production-wise and highly impressive for an independent artist funding his own career.
