MUSIC NEWS: RIAA & MAJOR LABELS SUE MIXTAPE SITE SPINRILLA

Although battles between artists and streaming services are nothing new, a major battle in the war was announced yesterday (February 3) as Spinrilla is being sued by the RIAA representing many today’s top major labels.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, UMG, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Bros. Records, Atlantic Recording Corporation and LaFace Records are all suing Spinrilla and its founder, Jeffery Dylan Copeland, in Georgia federal court.

The case says it counts 21,000 copyright infringements from the music that Spinrilla has available on its site. It claims Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar and Beyoncé are among those that have been featured without receiving compensation for their work.

“Through the Spinrilla website and apps, users with an artist account can upload content that any other user can then download or stream on demand for free, an unlimited number times,” the RIAA’s lawyer James Lamberth writes in the complaint. “A substantial amount content uploaded to the Spinrilla website and apps consists popular sound recordings whose copyrights are owned by Plaintiffs.”

The RIAA issued its own statement on the matter as it is demanding actual or statutory damages and an injunction on the copyrighted material.

“Spinrilla specializes in ripping of music creators by offering thousands unlicensed sound recordings for free,” the company says. “Fans today have access to millions upon millions songs from innovative platforms and services that pay creators — this kind illicit activity has no place in today’s music marketplace.”

The case is reminiscent the RIAA suing Napster in 2000 with Dr. Dre and Metallica in tow. The revolutionary company was founded in 1999 by two teenagers who wanted a way to freely share music with friends. After garnering more than 20 million users within a year, Napster shut down in 2001 because the lawsuit.

Other tales in the recent streaming wars include Taylor Swift taking her music down from Spotify and threatening to do the same for Apple Music and Jay Z’s TIDAL being sued for $5 million by an independent artist for reportedly not giving proper compensation. TIDAL had more woes over the release Kanye West’s The Life Pablo when fans sued claiming that the company tricked them into getting a subscription by saying the project was an exclusive, but then releasing it to all streaming services later. ‘Ye has had his own strifes with streaming, saying the competition between TIDAL and Apple Music caused the rift between him and Jay that prevented a Watch the Throne 2 from ever happening.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: INSIDE THE GRIND W/ TONE P

Checkout This Inside The Grind Interview With Chicago Artist "Tone P".

1. What is your name? Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?

My artist name is Tone P, I was born in Chicago and grew up between there and Aurora, IL, writing music has always been therapy for me becoming an artist seemed natural.

2. How did you come up with your Stage name?

My real name is Anthony but I go also go by Tony the letter P is for passion. Ant P didn't click to me but Tone P did.

3. Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration?

From personal perspective and experiences.

4. Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?

The studio that I do the most work in is currently updated and is using logic.

5. Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?

Yea I'm currently working on a group project called Loyalty Is Rare and working on another project called Top Knotch Boys.

6. What should fans look forward to in 2017?

Look forward to a lot of new music, visuals and shows.

See If The Grind Is Real Via

Facebook.com/tonepmusik

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: WHAT IS SXSW MUSIC FESTIVAL

Few events in the business world manage to combine tech, start-up launches, a world-class film festival, and one of the world's largest concert series -- but that's exactly what South by Southwest (written simply SXSW) promises. An event that originally started in the late 1980's to host a local music festival in Austin, Texas, has today become a cornerstone of the music, film, and digital media industries. Running just over a week every March, SXSW has long been known as a launching point for the careers of independent musicians and filmmakers, but increasingly it has become the hotbed to launch hot digital products as well. Especially since the mobile app revolution.

The SXSW website has described the 5-day Interactive Festival as "an incubator of cutting-edge technologies and digital creativity", consisting of presentations and panels from leaders in emerging technology, as well as hosted networking events, and a lineup of special programs that will showcase new sites, video games, startup ideas, and more.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: WHAT IS "A3C" MUSIC FESTIVAL

Over the past 10 years, A3C Festival has grown from a local Atlanta showcase to a large-scale cultural experience. It’s quickly becoming the most distinguished hip-hop festival in the world, celebrating not only rap music, but also arts, education, film, fashion and other aspects of hip-hop’s multifaceted landscape. Standing for “All 3 Coasts”—East, West and Gulf—A3C joins together the many different faces of hip-hop and aims to connect like-minded individuals for a five-day, one-of-a-kind gathering. Usually the 1st week of October.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: HOW TO BOOK YOUR OWN TOUR

One of the biggest challenges musicians face is booking tours. Many bands don’t have a booking agent, so booking a tour can seem like a daunting task the first time out.

Here are some key things to keep in mind to help you book a tour without a booking agent.

Don't Be Overwhelmed

The first thing to remember is that you are only one person. If you're trying to book a one month tour, break it off into pieces and do little sections at a time. Booking a long tour takes months of emailing and waiting, and emailing and waiting. You couldn't do it in one sitting even if you tried.

Write a Good Pitch

The average venue doesn't need to hear from an actual booking agent, manager, or someone representing you. They just want to open their inbox and not be overwhelmed with your 2-page life story. Learn how to write a to-the-point, concise email that pitches your talent and worth to that venue.

Use Who You Know

Have friends in a specific city? Ask them where they go to listen to live music. Ask them where their friends go. Half the battle of booking shows is knowing the venues that are right for you. Why spend hours online if you've got a shortcut.

Use the Back Door

Sometimes you get into a venue because you know the owner or the booker. But there are other ways. Back doors. Connect with friends who are in bands and can have you co-bill with them. Know a promoter? Ask them to put you on a show. Reach out to the manager of an artist touring through town and ask if you can open the show for them. Use the back door. Back doors count. They also open future front doors.

...this is not a one-off. You are trying to develop a relationship with a venue so that you can keep coming back.

BE a Booking Agent

This doesn't mean you begrudgingly take on the job. It means you actually need to embody the role of a booking agent. Be professional. Be clear. List dates. List links of your music. Be Specific: know that a song or video that might appeal to a club is not necessarily the same video that will appeal to an arts center. Also remember: this is not a one-off. You are trying to develop a relationship with a venue so that you can keep coming back. That is what a booking agent does.

Be Consistent, Not Creepy

Good booking agents are consistent but not creepy. Don't email the venue every 3 days to check on the status of your potential show. Give your pitch the space it needs. Follow up after a few weeks. When you follow up, include a line that fishes for a response, such as, ''If those original dates (13/14) don't work, another good date would be the 28th as I make my way back up north.''

Check the Calendar First!

DO NOT email a venue about a date that is already booked on their calendar. Do your research. Visit their calendar, see which dates are still open, determine if any of those work. Then reach out to the venue about one of those.

Sell Yourself

As a ''booking agent'' your job is to sell the product - YOU. When you read your pitch, do people wanna ''buy'' you? Are you appealing? You don't need to embellish or lie. Just package yourself well.

Sell an Idea

Sometimes you're not just selling you. You are selling an idea. Maybe you're actually selling a Women's themed event b/c it's Women's History Month. Maybe you're selling a Veterans Day event with performers who are all veterans. Maybe you're putting together a piano-themed showcase or a tribute show. Sometimes the idea is much bigger than you. Venues like that stuff.

Sell your data

Is your website getting a lot of traffic from the city you’re trying to book a show in? Mention that when pitching the venue. Also, be sure to take a look at your mailing list to see how many subscribers are from that city. That is tangible / actionable data that can be used to promote your show, and venue bookers will look kindly on it.

Be Thorough

Sounds like a no brainer. But if it takes you 1 week to get back to the venue, they're going to give that Hold to someone else. If it takes you forever to communicate your ideas to the show contact and get your act together, your show quickly becomes less important. Just be on top of it. The average music venue has 15-25 shows a month. If you don't care, they won’t.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: 10 SAFE WAYS TO INCREASE YOUR FANBASE

Here are 10 fail-safe ways to increase / engage with your fanbase. Many of these tips help you take full advantage of the crowds of people who already know and like you!

1. Get serious about your newsletter.

Use Fanbridge.com, ReverbNation.com, or Mail Chimp to send your newsletter at least once per month. Track the effectiveness of your emails by monitoring open and click rates.

2. Mine your inbox and outbox for names and addresses to add.

Ask all of your friends if it’s OK to add them to your list, otherwise your account may be labeled as spam.

3. Bring a clipboard to each and every live appearance.

Invite people onto your mailing list with a raffle or giveaway from stage, and collect e-mail addresses. During your performance, hold the CD up on stage and then give it away: you’ve just inserted a full commercial into your set without feeling “salesy” and you’ve excited one of your fans by giving them a gift.

4. Include a special offer on your website’s home page with a free exclusive MP3 or video.

Use one of Noisetrade’s free download widgets, or the Reverbnation Fan Collector.

TIP: Make sure this download is not available anywhere. Not streaming on your Facebook page. Only on your website.

And of course it can also be available for purchase on your CD, but make sure that no one can get it anywhere else online. This will motivate people to sign up to your mailing list!

5. Follow 25 new people a week on Twitter. Engage with them!

6. Send out e-mails to your most engaged fans on Facebook and ask if you can have their e-mail addresses for your newsletter. This is a bit arduous but the results will pay off.

7. Do the same with Twitter.

8. Start a blog and start sharing photos and stories and thoughts. Take full advantage of Instagram!

9. Start a podcast or a vodcast and interview other artists with big followings. Ask them to share your podcast with their fans and followers. It doesn’t have to be a big production. It can be a small, informal video at YouTube.

10. Ask your fans to review your music at CD Baby, iTunes, and Amazon.

The number of things you can do to promote your music online is practically infinite. But these 10 tips will get you well on your way to a successful internet marketing strategy.

INTERVIEW: INSIDE THE GRIND W/ WES KARDIGAN

Checkout This Inside The Grind Interview With Chicago Artist & Producer "Wes Kardigan"

1. What is your name? Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?

My name is Wes Kardigan. I grew up on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois. What really made want to become an artist was when I first saw Common's video, "Take It EZ", and the line where he said, " Off 87th----The South Side of Chicago". Right then and there, I was sold lolbs. #TheBeginning

2. How did you come up with your Stage name?

One day, I was just writing and it popped up out of nowhere, WES KARDIGAN. Then I started thinking about how I could make my "brand" standout even more. Currently, other than Kanye, there really isn't another act out with WES as part of their stage name. Since he spells his with a "T", I decided to drop the T for mines and keep it as such to help further create my own lane apart from him. Plus, from an acronym standpoint, it represents me being Witty, Entertaining & Skillful and (WES). Although I do love cardigan sweaters, my last name has nothing to do with clothing. I figured I would replace the "C" with a "K" to help make it sound and look more unique/appealing to the public eye. #TheMeaningOfMyMoniker

3. Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration?

As far as songwriting inspiration: Common, Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, Redman, Pharoahe Monch, Eminem, Lupe Fiasco, Nas, Andre 3000 & J. Cole off top. And with me being a producer as well I vibe out to: J-Dilla, Just Blaze, Ryan Leslie, Rich Harrison, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Pete Rock, Premier & No I.D. Every last one of the aforementioned keeps me going in some way, shape or form. #Salute

4. Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?

The owners of the studios that I work out of continue to always upgrade so that part I never have to worry about. I'm currently promoting my single, "HUSTLE", which I produced. It can be purchased on iTunes, GooglePlay, Tidal & all other major digital music outlets. #SupportRealHipHop

5. Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?

Be on the lookout for my single, "HUSTLE", which available now on iTunes, GooglePlay, Tidal etc., etc., to be possibly made into an independent movie in the future. #PushForward

6. What should fans look forward to in 2016?

In 2016, besides working on the visual for 'HUSTLE", fans should look forward to seeing this humble hungry hip-hop artist continue to stay busy and build his brand in the form of numerous blog interviews, various sponsorships (including AND1), online/print magazine write-ups (for the 2nd straight year, I will be in the FRESHMAN CLASS ISSUE of the XXL) & more dope music and performances. Catch me live on the "Never Say Never" Tour headlined by OTF/DefJam recording artist, Hypno Carlito from now through the end of June. #ItsAllAboutProgression

See If The Grind Is Real Via

www.WesKardigan.com