Streamline with Mike Warner
By Mike Warner
Streamline with Mike WarnerSep 17, 2020
Check In on Your Music Industry Friends
You are not alone. Know your value. Check in.
TIDAL Editorial Playlist Pitch Tool
TIDAL just went and opened up the opportunity to pitch directly to TIDAL’s editorial team for playlist consideration - for a limited time. This pitch tool will only be available from November 29 until December 13, 2023 via TIDAL Artist Home.
What's Next for this Podcast?
Reeperbahn Festival: Meet the International Music Industry 🤝🎵
Fancy a trip to Germany to experience four days of music and networking? Reeperbahn is the place to be!
Reeperbahn Festival is the biggest club festival in Europe and the largest European platform for international pop culture and the music industry. Since 2006, for four days each September the Reeperbahn in Hamburg, Germany has become the centre of the international music world and a sustainable interface between artists, the public, industry representatives and society.
On Thursday 21 and Friday 22 September 2023, around 110 sessions with high profile speakers will dive deep into the current challenges and issues in the sectors Live Entertainment, Recorded Music, Publishing, Sync, Marketing, Sustainability, Technology, Politics.
The Reeperbahn Festival conference offers industry representatives a programme of sessions, networking events, matchmakings, showcases, meetings and award shows which will provide insights into the current challenges and topics of live music, publishing and recorded music, sync business and brands, technology, sustainability, and more.
A strong focus for this years Reeperbahn is on “what’s next?” With all the changes in the way we discover, deliver, create and work with music, it’s going to be on everyone’s lips. Topics relating to mental health, talent development and technology are also gaining a significant amount of interest.
Still not convinced? Here’s some more facts about Reeperbahn.
https://www.reeperbahnfestival.com/
Bandcamp Live Listening Parties & More
This one time, at Bandcamp!
But seriously, Bandcamp have come through with some cool features recently, in this episode I give you a quick breakdown.
If you don't like the sound of my voice you can also read about it on my blog, but you may find yourself reading it in my voice still.
https://workhardplaylisthard.com/bandcamp-live-listening-parties-e6c6918b38a0
You can find me on almost every social channel @AskMikeWarner
Keep creating!
TikTok Music App Launches and Groover x SoundCloud Integration
Back in your ears with two updates this episode. Covering the new TikTok Music app and the Groover x SoundCloud integration.
If you don't like the sound of my voice you can also read these stories on the blog, links are below.
TikTok Music App:
https://workhardplaylisthard.com/tik-tok-music-app-launches-bb3ef5188665
Groover + SoundCloud Integration:
https://workhardplaylisthard.com/groover-soundcloud-integration-99d7f53b0a3
You can find me on almost every social channel @AskMikeWarner
Have a great day.
Spotify for Artists Historical Data, Artist Picks Stay Up for 180 Days and SoundCloud DM’s Open
Spotify Algotorial Playlists
TIDAL Live and Amazon Music Notifications for Fans
New Podcast. Two topics this week. Let's get into it. @AskMikeWarner
My Biggest Regret From 20+ Years In Music
Chatting with Moliner and Arbor Avenue
In this episode I share a recent conversation recorded for The Moliner Podcast. If you like we you hear please check out their Podcast on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/66hdWsCAyru8YF2X6oZamn.
Follow Moliner’s journey:
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@m.moliner
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/c.chowell/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CChowell_
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/mmoliner
Listen to my music here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2F7xJmFCNxt6qUmfyvl4uU?si=401ba0f1c1554da7
Listen to Arbor Avenue here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3DV...
Follow Arbor Avenue here:
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@arboravenue?l...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arboravenueband
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arboravenue...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/arboravenueband
YouTube: https://youtu.be/O4PnLiSA6K8
Find everything Mak here: https://linkpop.com/mikewarner
Live Music Streaming Tools Workshop - Recorded in Austin at the DIY Music Conference
It felt incredible to get back on stage at the DIY Musician Conference in Austin. Trust me, this was worth the three year wait! There were so many takeaways from this years conference!
🎵 The amount of new artists was huge. Love seeing so many new artists and those starting fresh with new projects.
🎵 Many artists feel overwhelmed by all of the data and tools now available to them.
🎵 Time management is a huge challenge for many artists today.
🎵 Artists now talk about finding and building their team whereas in previous years many felt a team would find them.
🎵 Surveying the room there was a number of music streaming platforms artists were not aware of, despite the fact their music is on them.
All links mentioned can be found here - https://www.linkpop.com/mikewarner
Adam Meckler and Mike Warner talk Song Pitching, Emails, In-store Music and more
I've got another special long-form conversation to share with you. This comes courtesy of Adam Meckler and the GigBoss Podcast. Thanks to Adam for giving me permission to upload this episode and share it with all of you. If you like what you hear please consider subscribing to the GigBoss Podcast!
In this episode Adam Meckler talks with Mike about strategy for pitching songs via Spotify for Artists, why emails are better than socials when building fan-artist relationships, how to get your music in retail stores, and a bunch more
Gig Boss is a podcast with the goal of helping musicians learn how to navigate the new music economy. Hear directly from artists on how they built their careers, and from Industry pros on how to navigate streaming, social media, sync licensing, booking gigs, routing tours and more.
Links to Adam, GigBoss and Mike:
https://linkpop.com/mikewarner
Things we talked about:
Chartmetric: https://chartmetric.com/
Spotify for Artists: https://artists.spotify.com/
Soundiiz: https://soundiiz.com/
Mike Warner Chats with Forbs West on the Media Industry Guru Podcast
I'm doing something different for this episode. Thanks to my good friend Forbs West for giving me permission to share this with all of you. Recently I was a guest on his Media Industry Guru Podcast and we had an awesome chat. I wanted to share this with you and if you enjoy the conversation please check out the Media Industry Guru podcast with Forbs West, subscribe and show him some love.
Also! My debut course as a LinkedIn Learning instructor is now live. If you want to learn about music release strategies and earn a certificate you can display on your resume and LinkedIn profile please check it out here - https://linkedin-learning.pxf.io/MWCourse1
My Audiobook is now available everywhere!
Get the Audiobook from Audible - click here
Get the Audiobook from Apple Books - click here
Streaming music has proven it is here to stay. Artists and their teams now find themselves with many new challenges in the digital landscape.
With more options than ever for music distribution, standing out in a crowd, deciding where to focus your energy and finding ways to reach your audience become critical choices you and your team will have to make.
Now updated to include the latest in digital music, this second edition of Work Hard Playlist Hard covers everything from growth hacks for TikTok and Twitch plus many more.
With a focus on playlists and beyond, Work Hard Playlist Hard breaks down the streaming platforms and provides tools that can help artists find and grow their audience.
Work Hard Playlist Hard (Second Edition) includes contributions from artists and music-industry experts and is written and narrated by Mike Warner.
Get the Audiobook from Audible - click here
Get the Audiobook from Apple Books - click here
Looking for the paperback instead? Click here to purchase from Amazon, Walmart or hundreds of book stores around the world.
Do NOT Buy Streams - Payola vs Playola
Do not buy streams! Repeat after me. Do not buy streams!
This is something I will not stop talking about. I don't want to see artists risk their music being taken down, their distributor or label breaking up with them, or even worse, giving up on music all together. It is not a fast track to success, it will actually harm you long term.
There's so much more I could say but I needed to get this off my chest. Please, do not buy streams! Thanks for hearing me out and please spread the word, protect your fellow artists and friends.
Video description: A white male in his 30's wearing a t-shirt that says "practice safe sandwiching". Standing at a desk with a boom mic near his face and vinyl records plus a fake fiddle leaf fig plant with toy koalas in the background. Please note. I am making every effort to ensure my content is accessible to as many people as possible. That is why I include closed captions and a video description. If there's something I can do to make my content even more accessible please let me know. Thank you. Make some noise in the comments if there's something I missed, and if you know another artist that could benefit, please tag or share this with them!
If you have the Spotify app on your phone, computer or TV you can watch the video version of this podcast. For anyone else that would like to see the video version you can find it on my YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/askmikewarner
Want to book a one-on-one consultation? Book me at https://joinbonsai.co/mikewarner
Pre-Saves and Pre-Adds - Do they still matter?
Are Pre-Saves still worth it? What about Pre-Adds? How do I set up a pre-add without paying for it?
I’ve had so many questions and seen lots of debates about pre-saves and pre-adds. In this video I weigh in on the debate and share some examples of how to collect pre-saves in Spotify in the day leading up to an album release, I also cover instant gratification tracks in Apple Music and iTunes.
If you have the Spotify app on your phone, computer or TV you can watch the video version of this podcast. For anyone else I would like to see the video version you can find it on my YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/askmikewarner
Pandora for Artists and Labels: Workshop + Q&A with Andee Connors, Jamie Freedman and Michelle Solomon
This episode is a recording of the live stream I hosted with three members from the Pandora team. We discuss and walkthrough Pandora's Artist Marketing Platform and some of the new tools that have been added recently. Follow me on YouTube to see when the next live recording will take place. YouTube.com/askmikewarner
Speakers listed in alphabetical order:
Andee Connors
Senior Manager, Catalog & Creator Services
Head Of Metal & Punk Programming
Jamie Freedman
Catalog & Creator Services - Operations Manager
Head of Classical Programming
Michelle Solomon
Catalog & Creator Services - Senior Operations Manager
Head of Jazz, Oldies & Showtunes Programming
SUBMIT YOUR MUSIC: https://amp.pandora.com/submit
AMP PLAYBOOK: https://www.ampplaybook.com/
SIGN UP FOR STORIES: https://www.ampplaybook.com/pandora-stories-signup
AMP INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/amp_pandora/
AMP TWITTER: https://twitter.com/pandoraAMP
AMP FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/pandoraAMP
ANDEE’S EMAIL: andee@pandora.com
_________________
ANDEE’S BANDS:
https://myheartaninvertedflame.bandcamp.com
https://commoneiderkingeider.bandcamp.com
ANDEE'S RADIO SHOWS:
BATTLEFLUTES & SIDEWAYS SKULLS - https://battleflutesandsidewaysskulls.com
CASTLE WEATHER - https://www.repeater-radio.com
_________________
MICHELLE aka DJ MEXICAN SPITFIRE: https://www.facebook.com/djmexicanspitfire
_________________
JAMIE'S CHOIR: http://www.conspiracyofvenus.com/
Amazon Music Editorial Playlist Pitching - Artists Can Pitch Songs in the Amazon Music for Artists App
Artists have long been asking for a way to pitch music for editorial playlists and programming consideration on Amazon Music, similar to how they pitch on platforms such as Spotify for artists.
The wait is over! Artists can now pitch their music directly within the Amazon Music for Artists App. Songs can be pitched in advance or up to 14 days after they are released. This update went live in the App Store on October 27, 2021. Make sure you download the latest update and happy pitching!
One instant benefit is that all followers of the artist will receive a notification on the device the day the song is released. Additionally there are hints that this may provide benefits beyond the opportunity to be considered for playlists. For example, adding additional tags to your music could help it to go into rotation across radio within Amazon Music, resulting in more listeners (and the right listeners).
Don't forget to subscribe for more news!
My first Video Podcast
This is a video podcast on Spotify. Check it out in the Spotify App. It will be audio only on other platforms.
A-Z of DSP Tools & Tips Workshop (Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Amazon Music, Boomplay & more)
This workshop is for artists and their teams that want to make sure they are capturing every opportunity. Platforms covered include Amazon Music, Anghami, Apple Music, Boomplay, Deezer, JioSaavn, Pandora, Qobuz, Spotify, Twitch, Twitter and YouTube Music.
This is an audio only version of the workshop. You can view the video in full at https://workhardplaylisthard.com/p/workshop or by going to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-XD9oSCn30
This workshop covers specific tools provided from the major music streaming platforms including:
- Amazon Music for Artists App
- Amazon Music x Twitch Integration
- Amazon Music Artist Merch
- Anghami for Artists
- Anghami Editorial Pitching
- Apple Music for Artists
- Apple Music Milestones
- Apple Music Artist Playlists
- Apple Music Twitter Preview Cards
- Boomplay for Artists
- Deezer Backstage (Deezer for Creators)
- Deezer Highlights
- JioSaavn for Artists (JioSaavn ArtistOne | JioSaavn for Creators)
- JioSaavn Shorties
- JioSaavn Artist Playlists (Artist Hits | Made By)
- Pandora AMP (Artist Marketing Platform | prev. Next Big Sound)
- Pandora Featured Track
- Pandora Catalog Track Reporting
- Pandora Artist Audio Messages
- Pandora Stories (for Creators, Brands and Curators)
- Pandora Skip Rates, Completion Rates and Listener Data
- Qobuz Artist Bio (TiVo | AllMusic)
- Spotify for Artists
- Spotify Codes
- Spotify URI (how to find a Spotify URI instead of URL)
- Spotify Promo Cards (Milestones | Podcasts | New Releases | Playlist Adds)
- YouTube Music
- YouTube New Analytics for Artists
- YouTube Official Artist Channel (OAC)
- YouTube Community Posts
- YouTube Shorts (BTS)
We also highlight creative marketing ideas from Emperors Night, Charlie Lane, BTS and a number of other very smart artists! We also cover Twitter Tips, the new tipping feature.
If you found value in this please share and consider checking out the Work Hard Playlist Hard book and course. You can find both at WorkHardPlaylistHard.com.
Self Publishing my Second Book - Handling Customer Support and Feedback Directly
My second book is now available. I made the decision to set myself up as a publisher and distribute it directly through Amazon's Expanded Distribution offering. In this episode I share why it's so important to handle customer support and feedback directly. Find out more about the book at WorkHardPlaylistHard.com
Purchase the book Work Hard Playlist Hard (Second Edition) here!
Reach me on socials @askmikewarner
Self Publishing my Second Book - Out Now Despite Some Challenges
My second book is now available. I made the decision to set myself up as a publisher and distribute it directly to multiple stores include Amazon, Apple and Barnes & Noble. In this episode I explain some challenges I faced in making the book available through other stores after self releasing through Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing. Find out more about the book at WorkHardPlaylistHard.com
Purchase the book Work Hard Playlist Hard (Second Edition) here!
Reach me on socials @askmikewarner
Self Publishing my Second Book - Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing KDP
My second book is coming and I made the decision to set myself up as a publisher and distribute it directly to multiple stores include Amazon, Apple and Barnes & Noble. In this episode I breakdown the process of self releasing through Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing. Find out more about the book at WorkHardPlaylistHard.com
Pre order the Kindle version of Work Hard Playlist Hard (Second Edition) here!
Reach me on socials @askmikewarner
Self Publishing my Second Book - Purchasing ISBN's from Bowker and Direct Distribution to Amazon, Apple Books + Barnes & Noble
My second book is coming and I made the decision to set myself up as a publisher and distribute it directly to multiple stores include Amazon, Apple Books + Barnes & Noble. In this new season of the podcast I will be walking through the steps I followed and sharing everything I've learned along the way. This first episode I explain why I purchased my own ISBN’s and set myself up as a publisher through Bowker.
Find out more about the book at WorkHardPlaylistHard.com
Reach me on socials @askmikewarner
Music Licensing Explained by Michael Elsner
Michael Elsner helps independent musicians create a lucrative income without signing their life away to a record label or publisher, by getting their music on TV Shows, Films and Commercials. He does this using a 4 step process he's developed over the last 16 years that has allowed him over 2400 sync placements of his own music. In this episode he says some quick tips to help artists get comfortable and get more familiar with the world of music licensing.
You can download Michael's e-book at https://www.mastermusiclicensing.com/ebook-offer
One Million Streams on Release Day! ISRC FTW
In this episode I discuss the importance of including an ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) when including a previously released song in a new release. The example I share is the new single 'Big Blue Sky' which is a collaboration between Date Night (my group) and Chris Robley. On this release we included a second song 'True North' which was previously released. On release day there was over had 1 million streams in Spotify for Artists because of the existing streams that 'True North' had already were merged.
This shows the power of an ISRC and why artists should consider releasing EP's, Compilations and Albums to include previously released songs and give them another chance to be heard.
Nick Ditri (The Disco Fries) - "Stretching Out Your Content" #ArtistTips2021
In this season of the podcast we invite music industry friends to share their tips for artists going into 2021. This episode features Nick Ditri from The Disco Fries.
Follow The Disco Fries on Twitter, Instagram & TikTok @TheDiscoFries
Learn everything Mike knows on the #WorkHardPlaylistHard website @ WorkHardPlaylistHard.com
Dr. Ulf Oesterle - "Focusing on Engagement" #ArtistTips2021
In this season of the podcast I invite music industry friends to share their tips for artists going into 2021. This episode features Dr. Ulf Oesterle .
Follow Dr. Ulf Oesterle on Twitter, Instagram & TikTok.
Learn everything Mike knows on the #WorkHardPlaylistHard website @ WorkHardPlaylistHard.com
Andrea Young - "Everyone Should Be On Every DSP" #ArtistTips2021
In this season of the podcast I invite music industry friends to share their tips for artists going into 2021. This episode features Andrea Young.
Follow Andrea Young on Twitter and Instagram.
Learn everything Mike knows on the #WorkHardPlaylistHard website @ WorkHardPlaylistHard.com
Join me on Clubhouse @MikeWarner
Clubhouse is an audio only app that is taking over (almost) globally and has some truly exciting potential. Hope to see you on there soon!
Follow me @MikeWarner and let's chat!
Kelli-Leigh - "Believe In Yourself and Be Prepared" #ArtistTips2021
In this season of the podcast I invite music industry friends to share their tips for artists going into 2021. This episode features Kelli-Leigh .
Follow Kelli-Leigh on Twitter and Instagram @kellileighuk
Learn everything Mike knows on the #WorkHardPlaylistHard website @ WorkHardPlaylistHard.com
Troy Carter Jr - "Make a Plan and Grind it Out" #ArtistTips2021
In this season of the podcast I invite music industry friends to share their tips for artists going into 2021. This first episode features Troy Carter Jr .
Follow Troy on Twitter @troycarterjr and on Instagram @troycarterjrr
Learn everything Mike knows on the #WorkHardPlaylistHard website @ WorkHardPlaylistHard.com
Spotify Canvas
If you’ve pressed play on a track from a major artist on Spotify, you’ve probably noticed that a lot of them have short video clips that play instead of the usual static cover art.
That’s Canvas. It’s basically an 8 second loop of any video you want. It's kind of like a mini music video. And until now, you basically had to be [Drake] to have access to it.
So, how do you make yours? It’s pretty simple. Log in to Spotify for Artists, go to Music, pick a song and click ADD CANVAS. Then just click the big plus sign and upload your video file.
Make sure your video is 9x16 and 720 px and... it should be up in around an hour! If you don’t see this option yet in your Spotify for Artists, just be patient - They’re still rolling it out.
Oh, and if you don’t know how to make a video that fits those specs, you can always find someone who does on SoundBetter, which is Spotify’s own work-for-hire site to hire other creatives.
That’s it! I can’t wait to see all the cool videos you guys come up with. Definitely tag me so I can see them or if you have any questions @askmikewarner, and follow the academy at @workhardplaylisthard for other quick tips like this!
Preview Start Times for TikTok, Apple Music and iTunes
In this episode I discuss preview start times when uploading your music through a distributor and why it is so important to select the correct start time for your audio previews.
Follow @askmikewarner on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Visit WorkHardPlaylistHard.com for live workshops, blog posts and more!
Spotify’s New Music and Podcast Format
Music in this episode is courtesy of Lo-Fi artist Clef Hart!
What do you think of this new format? Let me know and get in touch via social media @askmikewarner
This podcast episode was created using Anchor, which is being updated to support the new music within podcasts format in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland. This means anyone will be able to create these shows, not just Spotify’s own podcast studios and partner production companies!
Instagram App Icon Hack
Instagram are allowing users to change the app icon. This easter egg is part of their birthday celebration. In this episode I go through the steps to change your Instagram app icon but for those that didn't quite catch what I said here they are below.
In the Instagram App
-tap the person icon in bottom right corner.
-tap the three lines (or hamburger icon) in the top right corner
-tap on settings
-press and hold anywhere in that menu and drag your finger down
-keep your finger pressed and four emojis will show
From this screen you can now select your Instagram icon, as pictured in the artwork for this episode.
If you find this helpful please share it with a friend and follow me on Instagram @askmikewarner
Spotify Promo Cards
Spotify's latest tool for Artists and Podcasters is Promo Cards. These graphics are quickly formatted and ready for social media sharing. With color customization and three different aspect ratios to choose from. You can create a promo card for an Artist, Album, Song, Podcast or Podcast Episode.
An example can be seen in the artwork for this podcast episode and you can create your own at https://promocards.byspotify.com
More information on this will be added to the blog at WorkHardPlaylistHard.com
Twitch Soundtrack BETA
This tool will remove any risks associated with playing music during livestreams for creators but also has a host benefits for the artists.
When viewers discover a track they love, they can save it or add to a playlist on their music service of choice.
Initial playlists include hip hip, edm, lofi, metal and with more playlists and stations coming soon. These are curated in-house by the Twitch music team.
Artists who distribute their music through SoundCloud or DistroKid can opt-in to Twitch Soundtrack beta as a store in their dashboards. Artists with a label or partner should reach out directly.
Artists that have added their music to Twitch Soundtrack can also link their Twitch channel which allows fans of their music to follow their Twitch channel and be notified whenever the artist goes live.
Links to the official announcement on the Twitch blog can be found here
Twitch Soundtrack BETA - Join the Waitlist
www.twitch.tv/broadcast/soundtrack
Twitch Soundtrack BETA - Announcement
blog.twitch.tv/en/2020/09/30/introducing-soundtrack-by-twitch-rights-cleared-music-for-all-twitch-creators
Follow me on Twitch
www.twitch.tv/mikewarner
Virtual Events on Spotify
Anchor Voice Messages - Chadwick Eisman
Anchor.fm/streamline