Category: Music

5 Unlikely Music Legends With Great Advice for Entrepreneurs

Kelli Richards March 3, 2014

As an entrepreneur, it’s important to keep your ears open for helpful advice — especially when you’re new to the game.

We usually expect business wisdom to come from the likes of Mark Cuban, Elon Musk, and Warren Buffett — not Jimmy Buffett. But there are a few big names in entertainment who would surprise you with their entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen.

1. Jimmy Buffett

The man behind boozy classics such as “Margaritaville” and “Cheeseburger in Paradise” knows a little something about entrepreneurship.

Beyond his successful career in music, Buffett runs a record label, a merchandising company, the Margaritaville brand of chain stores, restaurants, blenders, tequila, and more.

He’s a successful entrepreneur because he hires talented people, can see the potential in important opportunities, and lives by solid values that go back to his roots.

Take it from Jimmy: “You’ve got to be able to take money out of the equation in order to enjoy life and make good decisions. Years ago, I went to Warren Buffett for advice about something, and that’s what he told me. He said, ‘Whether you make or don’t make this deal, is it going to affect your life? And if not, then do what you want to do, and be prepared for them to say no.’ I’ve used that quite a bit.”

2. Troy Carter

Troy Carter is the manager who helped build the careers of musical sensations including Lady Gaga and John Legend.

What you might not know is that he’s a tech investor in ventures like Spotify, Uber, and Dropbox, as well as the entrepreneur behind POPwater and several other companies.

Carter’s ability to stay present helps him make clear and logical decisions in the midst of chaos, keep the big picture in mind, and avoid getting flustered when things don’t go as planned.

Take it from Troy: “Money doesn’t make me tick. This definition of success doesn’t make me tick. Managing some of the biggest stars in the world doesn’t make me tick. Making my family proud makes me tick.”

3. Pharrell Williams

Pharrell Williams is a renowned hip-hop, R&B, and soul musician, but he also designs clothing and chairs, dabbles in sculpture and architecture, invests in tech startups, mentors kids, and is a philanthropist.

Williams is successful because he surrounds himself with people who recognize that they’re different, and he understands the importance of collaboration, learning from others, and taking constructive criticism.

Take it from Pharrell: “You are only as good as your team. When you envisage success, you should see all the people you work with, in addition to yourself…I used to hire 21-year-old monsters with a twinkle in their eye. I saw potential, but it was what I thought they could do, not what they could actually do…When you surround yourself with people with experience…A lot of them are gonna be older than you. When they vet people, they need to see more than twinkles; they need sparks.”

4. Dave Stewart

Dave Stewart is a musician best known for his work with the Eurythmics.

He now serves as an advisor to Visa and Nokia and is the CEO of the massively successful media company Weapons of Mass Entertainment. He’s also the co-founder of First Artist Ventures and the author of the entrepreneurial guidebook “Business Playground: Where Creativity and Commerce Collide.”

Stewart embraces and rewards creativity, understanding that it’s essential for a business to stand out in a crowded market. He also knows how to ask the right questions and when to seek different perspectives from trustworthy people.

Take it from Dave: “A creative culture is one in which people aren’t just rewarded for successes, but are allowed and actively encouraged to experiment and make mistakes.

“The perfect brainstorm removes the barriers to creativity by letting all ideas come out without the judgment and criticism that might otherwise kill them. It also involves having clear parameters, including a mix of people from different backgrounds, and setting high expectations for performance.”

5. Sammy Hagar

Also known as “The Red Rocker,” Sammy Hagar is a singer/songwriter and the musician best known as a member of Van Halen.

Hagar also owns a popular chain of nightclubs and restaurants called Cabo Wabo, a chain of airport restaurants, a restaurant with celeb chef Tyler Florence, and a tequila company.

While it might seem like a leap for a rocker to run a chain of restaurants, Hagar is successful because he follows his intuition, looks for new opportunities, finds the right people to run his businesses, and has fun.

Take it from Sammy: “Before I made it as a rocker, I had a lot of executives tell me what to do to make it, and I never listened to them. I did it my way…I like owning and operating a business. It’s as creative as stepping on stage or making a record. I’ve never started a business thinking, ‘Oh, I’m gonna make money off of this.’ All my ideas have come from sheer enthusiasm.”

While you probably shouldn’t take all your business advice from music legends, there are some common lessons that transcend industries:

Surround yourself with great people.
Explore potential opportunities that challenge you.
Don’t make money the first priority.
Always trust your gut.

Sometimes, the best advice comes from unexpected sources. Another lesson you can learn from these individuals is that you don’t necessarily have to start in business to build great companies. It’s just a matter of listening to your inner entrepreneur and seizing opportunities that excite you.

Which unlikely individuals have given you the best advice on entrepreneurship? What was their advice?

Until next time,

Kelli Richards, President, CEO of the All Access Group, LLC

PS: Subscribe to my FREE All Access Group Newsletter https://bit.ly/AAGNewletter

PSS: Listen to an entire library of intimate discussions with industry visionarieshttps://bit.ly/AllAccessPodcastSeries (Priceless)

4 Unique Gatherings for Thought Leaders in 2014

Kelli Richards December 30, 2013

We live in a rapidly changing world, and it’s not about to slow down in 2014. Here are four exciting events in the coming year that will keep you on the bleeding edge of innovation.

International CES “It’s a lab. A social hub. A marketplace. And a few things they’ve yet to create words for.”

If you thrive on what’s happening at the frontier of consumer technologies, the International CES is where you want to be. Held in Las Vegas every year, it has served as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for more than 40 years—the global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace. Far more than a tradeshow, CES showcases more than 3,200 exhibitors, including manufacturers, developers and suppliers of consumer technology hardware, content, technology delivery systems and more; a conference program with more than 300 sessions; and more than 152,000 attendees from more than 150 countries. In 2014, will you be one of them?

SXSW Music & Interactive Anyone who gives a damn about music has to make it to SXSW Music at least once in their lives. Now in its 28th year, South By Southwest Music is the largest music festival and leading music industry event in the world, with more than 2,200 official performers and bands playing in more than 100 venues in Austin, TX. By day, attendees explore the future of the music industry through panels, talks, the Trade Show, and Music Gear Expo. By night, enjoy an amazing selection of musical performances from over 2,200 regional, national and international acts.

If you’re more of a technophile, check out SXSW Interactive, an incubator of cutting-edge technologies and digital creativity, featuring five days of presentations and panels from the brightest minds in emerging technology, scores of exciting networking events hosted by industry leaders and an unbeatable lineup of special programs showcasing the best new websites, video games and startup ideas the community has to offer. From hands-on training to big-picture analysis of the future, SXSW Interactive has become the place to preview the technology of tomorrow today.

SXSW’s Latest Addition, V2V If you march to the beat of an entrepreneurial drum, SXSW has a spanking new offering just for you. V2V is the newest addition to the SXSW family of events, an extension and re-imagining of the legendary SXSW experience with an emphasis on the creative spark that drives entrepreneurial innovation. This 4-day event brings the startup and venture capital communities together with the creative industries that have helped to make SXSW so special. V2V serves innovators and entrepreneurs from across all the industries at the core of the SXSW Family of events – technology, music, film, fashion, health, education, sustainability, and more – as they learn the skills, make the connections, and find the inspiration to take their ideas and talents to the next level.

IGNITION: Future of Digital If you’re an executive in the world of technology, media, entertainment, investing, finance, or the Internet, you want to be at the annual IGNITION event to explore the emerging business models of digital media.

A major land grab is occurring for the digital consumer, and it’s rapidly disrupting longstanding business models. Mobile and social are reconstituting our media experiences. “Media” no longer encompasses just content, but also commerce, payments, mobility, and platforms. Big data, user content, and cord-cutting, always-on: these are key elements defining the emerging web economy.

At IGNITION you can expect a thrilling discussion of the innovation that matters, who will win, and what you can do to keep ahead.

Hope to see you there!

Until next time,

Kelli Richards, President, CEO of the All Access Group, LLC

PS: Subscribe to my FREE All Access Group Newsletter https://bit.ly/AAGNewletter

PSS: Listen to an entire library of intimate discussions with industry visionaries https://bit.ly/AllAccessPodcastSeries

1. International CES – The Global Stage for Innovation

Jan 7-10, 2014 Las Vegas, NV

2. SXSW Music, Film & Interactive

March 4-10 Austin Convention Center Austin, TX

3. SXSW’s Latest Addition, V2V

July 13 – 16, 2014 The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV

4. IGNITION: Future of Digital #IGNITION2014

November, 2014 New York City

Learn more: https://www.businessinsider.com/event/ignition-2013

4 Must-Have Gifts for the Music Fanatic in Your Life

Kelli Richards December 23, 2013

You’ve eventually got to get creative when it comes to buying gifts for your music lover. They’ve got plenty of collector’s edition guitars, decorative tambourines to hang on the wall and tour merchandise from their favorite bands. You need to start surprising your audio engineer, music student or musician. Give them something amazing and unexpected, and they’ll start to think you’re the best in the world when it comes to choosing presents that really rock. Here are 4 awesome ideas to get you started that are sure to please any music fan.

The Mojave Leather Picker’s Wallet

Photo by matsuyuki via Flickr

Every guitar player carries around a guitar pick. They just never know when they’ll be invited to jam with local musicians, friends, or even famous people they meet while doing audio engineering jobs. A pick is as necessary to a player as cash, credit cards and a driver’s license. Most players keep their picks in their jeans pockets or tucked in their existing wallet with their insurance cards. These aren’t the most convenient places to keep something as tiny as a guitar pick, and they can easily be lost. The Mojave Leather Picker’s Wallet solves this problem by providing a pick pocket directly in the wallet. The pocket holds the pick securely and makes it easily accessible whenever it’s needed. This is a true gift of thoughtfulness and convenience for a music lover. $31.00

Recording the Beatles, by Brian Kehew and Kevin Ryan

Photo by Affendaddy via Flickr

This multimedia book set is any Beatles lover’s dream. This is especially true if the Beatles lover in question is also a music engineer. This highly detailed book goes into exactly how the Beatles recorded everything at Abbey Road.Recording the Beatles is full of technical details you won’t find anywhere else. The technicality of the book makes it intriguing to someone attending an audio engineering school like Pinnacle College. With extras included like a slipcover with the appearance of an old EMI tape box, a poster of the Abbey Road mixer controls, a copy of the handwritten lyrics for “A Day In the Life,” this will be the present of the century for any music lover. $120.00

iRig Pro

Photo by nipotan via Flickr

Lots of today’s audio engineers like to record things on the fly with their iPhones or iPads. However, the sound quality often leaves something to be desired. The iRig Pro remedies this problem. It lets musicians connect any electronic instrument or microphone directly to an iPhone or iPad (4). It has a preamp that matches the output of whatever is plugged into it and also has phantom power for the most advanced instruments and microphones. It is the accessory for allowing crystal clear iPhone and iPad recordings, and your music lover will use it all the time. $150.00

TronicalTune

Many audio engineers and mixers are also musicians on the side. They like to record as well as play. The Tronical Robot Tuner will make playing a lot easier, and you’ll be their own personal Guitar Hero for getting this for them. The TronicalTune is high technology that attaches to the headstock and tuning knobs of any guitar. It then accomplishes the amazing feat of tuning the guitar automatically. It will even re-tune to alternate tuning settings instantly just by pressing a button. It makes playing on stage with a band much simpler and more fun. $330.00

This blog was contributed by Joseph Treece

Joseph is a reporter for an independent music network. He loves everything from shoegaze to top 40 pop to Japanese surf punk.

How to Start a Rabbl: Tell Your Favorite Bands Where to Play, and When

Kelli Richards December 9, 2013

With the advent of various personal music-creating and editing programs (from Audacity, to Garage Band, to Logic Pro) it has become increasingly easy, and more popular for individuals to dive into the independent music industry. Success stories of amateur musicians, making it big from small, at-home “studios,” are rolling in daily.

Girl Talk and Pretty Lights are two recent examples of established artists who “sample” their own music through independent editing, but the method extends all the way back to Dr. Dre. Today, the growing number of “independent artists” and the increase in popularity of underground music is creating fiscal problems for hopeful musicians. Due to widespread legal and illegal music downloads, many musicians have opted to release mix tapes and albums free of charge, using these releases as a sort of promotion for live tours.

The trend of releasing free music in the hopes of generating ticket sales raises new concerns for aspiring artists with small but growing fan bases, such as: Where should I perform? How much should tickets cost? Who will come? Will I make money? In essence, these questions boil down to just one: is performing fiscally worth it?

Enter Rabbl, a new service for hopeful musicians that seeks to “Help Bands Play to the Crowd, Long Before the Show.” Rabbl describes its services in 6 steps: create, vote, reach your goal, find a venue, book the show, and perform. These steps allow artists to choose a town or city and set ticket prices, with a specific goal of selling enough tickets to cover expenses. Fans cast their yes-or-no vote by reserving rights to a ticket. If enough fans “purchase” a ticket, everyone is charged; if not, the show is cancelled. If the gig secures enough attendees, the band moves on to locating a venue, booking the show, and performing. Rabbl holds the money obtained from ticket sales until the performance of the show is verified- by fans, again, on Rabbl- at which point the band acquires the ticket sales revenue.

Rabbl combines a “crowdsourcing” survey machine with the services of Ticket Master, resulting in a promotional database and management tool for aspiring musicians. By equipping emerging musicians with a promotional platform integrated with business analytics – and enabling fans to cast their votes – Rabbl has provided the perfect way to accelerate the growth of “up and coming” independent artists.

Keep your eyes peeled for their success stories – we just might start seeing more of them.

Until next time,

Kelli Richards, President, CEO of the All Access Group, LLC

PS: Subscribe to my FREE All Access Group Newsletter https://bit.ly/AAGNewletter

PSS: Listen to an entire library of intimate discussions with industry visionaries https://bit.ly/AllAccessPodcastSeries

The Short Lifespan Of Twitter’s Ill-Fated Music App

Kelli Richards November 25, 2013

Music has been the lifeblood of many social media services, but it appears that Twitter will not be one of them. Social media music sites have prospered, with CNET reporting that Spotify recently topped $500 million in revenue. At the same time, however, Twitter has decided to fold its hand in the music business and get out of a hashtag-based sound promotion service. What proved to be the sour note in this social media foray?

In The Beginning

Launched in April of 2013, the Twitter #music platform hoped to connect users to music through hashtag searches. With this app in hand, Twitter allowed users to track Tweets from artists as well as search for popular tracks with hashtag searches of label, record, song, or lyrics. Stating that half of all Twitter users follow at least one musician, Twitter launched the mobile app with the hopes of gaining ground on their social media music competitors like SoundCloud. The app allowed musicians to promote new riffs and tracks with a simple update, while users could directly Tweet songs to followers. Twitter never owned any music itself, drawing its tunes from iTunes, Spotify, or Rdio, but allowed free promotion and distribution.

The High Note

Twitter’s music app enjoyed a brief spell of popularity when some celebrities picked up on the promotion. The New York Times reported that Ryan Seacrest hyped up the app as a means of finding new followers and contacts, going so far as to have a dance party with the streaming music function. Twitter #music peaked at number six on Apple’s downloaded app list, but quickly fell down into the mid-thousands. Competitors like Vine, which allow users to play short videos (including music) within a Tweet, enjoyed steady popularity between the 10th and 20th spot of the Apple app rating.

Lessons Learned

Why did Twitter #music prove to be a bust rather than a boom? Several factors contributed to the downfall. First and foremost, social media users preferred to stay with their established music platforms, and social music sites like Spotify never flinched from the release of #music. Users with slower Internet services can load Twitter easily, since the site has a bare minimum of graphics to slow down the latency, but it takes a stronger Internet service to launch the streaming music function. Some people need satellite Internet to stream videos if their local provider cannot keep up. By comparison, DSL and cable Internet may not reach peak efficiency needed to load Flash programs.

Twitter’s Next Venture

Though Twitter took a blow to the chin, the company is sure to bounce back. Mashable reports that Twitter founder Ev Williams has begun to spend “98%” of his time in development of a new site called Medium, a publishing platform with about 30 employees. Whether this new venture does better than #music remains to be seen, but since Alexa pegs Twitter as the 9th most popular site on the Internet, the social music app’s failure to launch will not keep the company down.

Until next time,

Tim Douglas, Blogger for All Access Group
Tim is a music producer and father of 3 young boys. He runs a studio out of his home (which he also calls his sanctuary).

Google and YouTube: Making Beautiful Music Together (for You to Buy)

Kelli Richards November 4, 2013

Google has its eye on the music industry, and as we all know, Google usually gets what it wants. This time, Google wants to conquer the music industry completely, using YouTube as its foot soldier.YouTube is already owned by Googleand attracts more viewers in that all-important 18-34 age demographic than MTV, as ArtisanTalent.com points out. It’s the perfect vehicle for a music industry takeover, and Google is already setting the pieces in place to make its move. Here are Google’s plans for becoming a major music industry player through the power of YouTube.

The YouTube Music Awards

This is a major part of Google’s strategy to achieve music industry domination. This is a brand new awards show that will debut November 3, 2013 and is expected to rival the 30-year success of the MTV Video Music Awards (VMA) on its first outing according to Mashable,. Once MTV’s VMA is conquered, Google will amp up its promotional efforts to achieve bigger ratings for the YouTube Music Awards in future years than industry award show staples like the Grammys.

Attracting the Interest of Advertisers as Well as Music Industry Executives

The YouTube Music Awards is expected to attract the attention of advertisers and music industry executives alike. It’s been heavily promoted for months, and it is backed by Google’s endless ocean of money. Add to that the fact that YouTube is already creating legitimate music stars of its own who don’t have record company contracts, and it’s easy to see Google’s strategy for changing the music industry’s hierarchy to put itself at the top as a leading producer, as Business Week explains.

Advertisers are already expressing interest in being a part of the YouTube Music Awards. It’s the perfect opportunity for them to put themselves in front of young adults with disposable income. Kia has already signed on as the show’s title sponsor and Google is courting other big-name advertisers to the show. No word has come out as to what Google will be charging advertisers who sign on for the YouTube Music Awards, but according to Div8.net, it’s expected to be up to 25 percent higher than regular advertising rates for a web-broadcast program.

Taking a Leadership Position in Music Production

Google has been putting a lot of time, effort, and money into making the YouTube Music Awards a show to remember. It will be a 90-minute live show with plenty of star power. Lady Gaga, Eminem, and other big name acts have already signed on to perform. The fact that these big music stars are willing to perform and their labels have given their permission for it are both indicators that the awards show is expected to be a big deal. Industry executives are going to watch how Google handles the show to know what kind of competition the company may give them going forward.

The show will be live streaming from YouTube. Cable companies like Direct TV offer HD DVR receivers to customers that allow YouTube to be shown on TV screens for more comfortable viewing. Because it will be launching Google as a respected music producer, it promises to be must-see viewing.

Google has seen the potential to discover and promote new music artists just like Netflix grabbed a piece of the television industry by creating and airing original programming. Now that solid plans are in place and a big kick-off event is scheduled, there’s no stopping Google’s forward momentum in this area. The YouTube Music Awards is Google’s way of telling competitors it’s serious.

William Martin

William Martin knows a thing or two about video marketing.

Chances are, you’ve seen the work he’s done for his clients on YouTube ads.

PS: Subscribe to my FREE All Access Group Newsletterhttps://bit.ly/AAGNewletter

PSS: Listen to an entire library of intimate discussions with industry visionaries https://bit.ly/AllAccessPodcastSeries (Priceless)

iTunes Radio: Have They Hit It Out of The Park?

Kelli Richards October 7, 2013

Customizable, user integrated, radio stations have become the norm on music playing services, from Pandora to Spotify to fm.Radio; so it was just a matter of time before Apple’s iTunes developed and released a radio application of its own. And in classic Apple style, the iTunes Radio (accessible directly through iTunes, after downloading the new software) hits it out of the park.

Similar to its competitors, iTunes Radio, allows the user to create personal radio stations based on a specific artist, song, or genre. But where iTunes Radio differs from other learn-on-the-fly radio stations is the option to listen to 250, DJ created and genre organized stations. Featured stations range from The Beatles Radio, to the Voice, to “Miley Cyrus Bangerz,” Diplo tracks, and of course iTunes Top 100. In this way iTunes Radio reminded me of Sirius Satellite and other satellite car stations, offering unique, specific music.

But in exploring iTunes Radio, I picked several categories to study in comparing it with its competitors; the categories being: price, and music recommendations. In terms of price you can listen to iTunes Radio for free if you’re okay with listening to advertisements. However if you own an iTunes Match account, $25 a year, which allows you to store all your music in the iCloud and access it on any device, you can listen to iTunes Radio ad-free. Such a deal. Pay for music accessibility and the absence of ads is offered through Spotify as well; Spotify offers free use, with ads, uninterrupted music on a laptop or desktop for $4.99 a month, or uninterrupted music anywhere on all devices for $9.99 a month.

Pandora also offers a free service with advertisements, or an upgrade with similar deals to iTunes Radio and Spotify for either $36 a year, or $3.99 a month. Another great feature of iTunes Radio that can’t really be matched by its competitors is the ability to purchase a song you have recently discovered, again through iTunes Radio, and have it available in your music library. And you own this song, its not just saved in a queue!

Now on to what I think is obviously the most important aspect of iTunes Radio: the music. In this field, at least at the moment, I don’t quite see iTunes Radio competing with Pandora, in that Pandora offers more than 500 genre-based stations, and more than a million songs from more than 100,000 artists. (iTunes claims they have the most, but haven’t put a number on the “most”). It may be this extensive music catalog that Pandora has acquired that makes its music recommendations not only more accurate but more fun.

I can’t tell you how many new songs and artists I have discovered listening to Pandora radio, and in the few hours that I experimented with iTunes Radio I didn’t come across one “new” artist that I hadn’t heard of. This may just be a result of Pandora being in business longer and perfecting the art of recommending music, but to me they clearly had the advantage in this area. In addition, Pandora’s option to learn more about the playing artist and song lyrics is just a nice touch, aiding in your ability to “discover” new musicians.

That being said, iTunes Radio claims the more you use it, the better the recommendations. (Would you expect them to say anything different?). But for now it reminds me of iTunes “Genius recommendations on steroids.” But they have room to grow and most likely will.

Until next time,

Kelli Richards, CEO of The All Access Group, LLC

An Interview with Paul Myers, Canadian Author, Musician & Journalist

Kelli Richards September 26, 2013

My recent Blog Talk Radio guest was Paul Myers. Paul is a Canadian author, journalist, musician, and songwriter, and the brother of comedic actor, Mike Myers. After a brief stint as songwriter and frontman for indie rock band, The Gravelberrys -which enjoyed a moment of fame with their alternative hit “Wonder Where You Are Tonight”- Paul began devoting most of his time to music journalism.

Paul’s first book was the authorized biography of the Bare Naked Ladies, called “Public Stunts, Private Stories,” which was published back in 2001. He wrote his second biography in 2007, “It Ain’t Easy: Long John Baldry and the Birth of the British Blues.” He later wrote the script for John Orchards film of the same name, which lead to Myers’ nomination for a 2008 Gemini award for best writing in a documentary program or series.

You can hear our full interview on my website at https://allaccessgroup.com under the Resources Tab/BlogTalkRadio

Until next time,

Kelli Richards, CEO of The All Access Group, LLC

Discover Your Next Favorite Artist With Set.fm

Kelli Richards September 16, 2013

In this age of digitalization, everything we once did, read, learned, heard, saw, a mere decade ago, has been coded, miniaturized (handheld accessible) or blown up to the big screen, putting a whole meaning to the Disney “it’s a small world after all,” jam.

In this ‘small’ world we can find receipts or reservations, read books, watch movies, and yes listen to music, without putting one device down. And as new ideas, inventions, applications surface one has to begin to wonder where the next advancement will come from? How revolutionary will it be? Who will think of it?

But the reality of the situation is that when most new inventions are described, they don’t seem that revolutionary, that incredible, rather pretty basic, intuitive notions. Everyone can admit the iPod and iTunes were groundbreaking inventions, being able to store and access your whole music library in one place. Being able to share this music? Seems like a pretty simple idea. So now that there is a seemingly never-ending advancement in the finding, sharing, and producing of music from iTunes to Spotify to Pandora to last.Fm, it seems difficult to imagine the next big step in the music industry.

Well, once again, that revolutionary idea may not be so crazy, so out of left field, instead it’s probably right in front of your face resulting in the proverbial: “why didn’t I think of that?” And it appears that set.fm has come up with an idea to share, almost immediately, live music performances. Now when I first read this, I didn’t quite see the scope of the idea, nor its implications.

The scope and implications of this advent both revolve around the new popular musical sounds of the generation and the festivals and live concerts that they foster. Bass, synthetic, and hi-hat heavy sounds have taken over the music industry in the form of “Trap” and “House Music.” But where is the connection between Trap music and set.fm‘s attempt to bring live shows to your home?

Well what sets House and Trap music apart from other genre’s is the live show artists put on. No longer does a musician stand idle in the middle of the stage eloquently annunciating, or pace back and forth across stage slamming guitars against the floor and kicking over amplifiers. Instead, concerts have turned into light shows- manipulating lights and laser to coordinate with bass heavy music, attempting to form a bridge between the visuals and acoustics.

Imagine basic star gazing, sitting in an open field with a telescope, admiring stars light years away; versus sitting in a massive planetarium, watching the light years fly by your face, feeling the heat emitted from the stars, and the massive empty space in front and behind you. Suc concerts have in turn fostered countless large music festivals all over the world- from England to Spain, Australia to Germany, and Los Angeles to New York. The set.fm will give you access to all these venues from the comfort of your home, minus the grossly expensive weekend pass…. I wish I thought of that.

Until next time,

Kelli Richards, CEO of The All Access Group, LLC

Tim Quirk, Head of Global Content Programming for Google Play

Kelli Richards September 12, 2013

Tim Quirk is the Head of global Content Programming. Tim spent more than 10 years as the singer and lyricist for the punk-pop band Too Much Joy before easing his way into music journalism, contributing regularly to publications such as Raygun and The San Francisco Chronicle. His critical essays have been published by the Oxford University Press and the academic journal Popular Music.

Tim helped build the joint digital music venture Rhapsody in 2001, serving for many years as the VP of Music Programming as establishing himself as a pioneer in the digital music industry. In 2010 he left Rhapsody to help launch Google Play, where he is currently breathing musical life into the technology giant as the Head of Global Content Programming for Google Play. He leads the team responsible for music, books, apps, and video merchandising.

I recently welcomed Tim on my BlogTalkRadio show, All Access Radio. Visit my website to hear the entire interview https://allaccessgroup.comunder the Resources Tab/ Blog Talk Radio.

Until next time,

Kelli Richards, CEO of The All Access Group, LLC

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Category: Music

5 Unlikely Music Legends With Great Advice for Entrepreneurs

4 Unique Gatherings for Thought Leaders in 2014