Age of the Benefactor: The 21st Century Fan Club
Topspin, Fanbridge, Kickstarter, PledgeMusic, StageIt, and many other platforms are all built to help artists identify, and be supported by, their biggest fans. In this emerging age of the benefactor, what has worked so far? How easy (or difficult) is it for bands to find their true fans? Should the artist really be so enmeshed in the marketing of their art? We speak to key members of each platform, as well as some of the artists who have thrived in this new era.
Presenters
SCOTT PERRY's consulting and marketing firm Sperry Media helps tech companies, TV networks, film studios, record labels, and beverage brands find their target audiences. Perry’s newmusictipsheet.com emails bring healthy debate over emerging technologies and best practices every Monday morning.
Jennie began her career in the mid 1990’s working for Elektra Entertainment, Spivak-Sobol Entertainment, Disney's Hollywood Records and more. In the early 2000's, she jumped ship to YAHOO! Music as Director of Marketing and Promotion which eventually led her to move to Nashville to work for Warner Bros. Records New Media Department and Clear Channel’s Senior Director of Content and Marketing. In January of 2008, Jennie launched Girlilla Marketing. In early 2009, Girlilla Marketing was acquired by Beverly Hills based ROAR, LLC. and is now home to a diverse roster of clients such as Zac Brown Band, Jack Daniels, Nickelback, Premiere Global Incorporated, Sugarland, Green Apple Restaurant Group and more. Jennie is personally active in organizations such as NARAS, Country Radio Broadcasters, St. Jude and more. She loves reading, writing and most important, has a huge soft spot for four legged friends who need homes.
Plastic Moon, the new full-length album from up-and-coming musician Madi Diaz, is out now on Small Horse Records (via Thirty Tigers). Released to acclaim, the record recently debuted at #20 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart, while Diaz is currently #15 Billboard’s Next Big Sound chart. Moreover the music continues to receive widespread critical praise—Marie Claire proclaims, “Madi Diaz is about to make it big,” while Rolling Stone calls the album’s first single, “Let’s Go,” “…an indie folk gem…”
Bleu, a graduate of Berklee College Of Music, is a songwriter/producer, singer and performer currently living in Los Angeles, California. He started out his career as an artist, making his debut with Columbia Records in 2001 and touring internationally with acts such as John Mayer, Train, Switchfoot, and Hanson. Early successes included a featured track on the platinum selling Spider-man soundtrack as well as being included in NPR's Top Ten Records of the Year. In 2004 Bleu began to focus more on his songwriting and producing for other artists which has lead to a string of cuts with artists like Demi Lovato, Meat Loaf, Hanson and includes gold and platinum records with artists such as the Jonas Brothers, Selena Gomez, Boys Like Girls, and more. He continues to tour and release records, and was recently named Kickstarter's "Best Music Project 2010" for his acclaimed fan fundraising campaign for his latest release - FOUR which has been critically admired by the LA Weekly, Sunday Times UK, The Huffington Post and American Songwriter.