How to make Facebook work for you, not against you.
Exposure. That’s something every ambitious artist and songwriter strives to achieve.
Exposure is essential. It’s all about getting noticed and spreading the word about your creative output. However, there’s a fine line between exposure and being exposed. Whereas exposure is good, being exposed is bad, and can turn out to be very bad indeed. In case you hadn’t noticed, there are some pretty seedy people lurking out there in cyberspace.
Ensuring your personal security and guarding your privacy while promoting yourself is important for every singer and songwriter, but it should be of particular concern to parents who are guiding the careers of their minor children.
Ask yourself this question: When did I last review my security and privacy settings on my Facebook page? If the answer is “Not for some time” (or worse still, “Never”) here are a few quick and easy ways to be sure that your security is all that it should be.
1. Find your security settings
To get started, go to your Facebook page and look for the little ‘downward-pointing’ arrow icon at the top right of your page. Click on that, and then click on “Settings” at the bottom of the drop down menu. This brings up a page headed General Account Settings. Look at the menu on the left of page. (Note: you’ll be returning to this menu for all the steps you need to follow.)
Click on ‘Security and Login.’ Here you can see where you are logged in to Facebook. Be sure that only your own devices are logged in. There are several ways to check and increase your Facebook security on this page.
2. Change your password
Under ‘Security and Login’ click on ‘Change Password’ and click ‘Edit.’ Click ‘Save changes’ when you have completed the change. It is a good idea to change your password frequently, at least every three months, and pick a password that is not the same as one you are using elsewhere.
Avoid using anything too obvious (such as part of your email address or the name of a pet that others might know). And always change your password immediately if you think your password has been stolen or accessed by someone else. Continue reading “7 Facebook security tweaks to keep artists, songwriters safe”
If you are a recording artist or songwriter and you believe that your precious copyrighted intellectual property – e.g. your songs – are being utilized illegally online, you might want to know about a company called 
If you are an Amazon Prime member, stand by for a rate hike. Membership increases to $119.00 annually for new subscribers; existing subscribers will be notified of the increase when their membership is due for renewal after June 16. Amazon does not anticipate a drop in membership as a result of the increase. Purchases by non-Prime members actually decreased year-over-year while Prime purchases increased. Amazon is investing more in digital video and music available only to Prime members with 2018 spending estimated at $5 billion. See more at Variety 
MusicBiz 2018 is only days away and 2,000+ attendees are expected to be here in Nashville for what organizers call ‘the four most important days on the music industry calendar.’ Scheduled for May 14 – 17, 2018, the seminar will cover topics such as Career Development Workshops, Entertainment Technology & Law, Indie Artist and Songwriter Forum, Music Business Educators Meetup, Music and Money, and more. Presenters will include some of the most respected and successful people in the music industry. If you’re interested in attending (I’ll be there!) you’d better hurry! Find out more or register to attend 
…and hot on the heels of MusicBiz 2018, It will be time for the National Association of Music Merchants’ Summer NAMM in Nashville. On Saturday June 30 at Music City Center, Summer NAMM will host the inaugural 
The vinyl sector of the music business continues to spin upwards. In 2017, vinyl album sales rose 9 percent to 14.3 million units in the USA. This was the twelfth straight year that album sales increased and the 2017 increase was the greatest since Nielsen Music began tracking album sales data. Understandably, growing interest in vinyl has resulted in increased sales of turntables. But demand has also meant more business for record pressing plants, including Jack White’s Third Man Records vinyl pressing facility in Detroit. Many more current artists are now releasing vinyl versions of new albums. More details plus a list of the top selling vinyl albums in 2017, courtesy of Billboard, 
For nearly a decade, Darius Rucker has spearheaded an event focused on amazing music, memorable collaborations and heartfelt stories resulting in over $1 million-and-counting raised for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Rucker continues that tradition this summer with his 9th Annual “Darius and Friends” benefit concert.
The vinyl album, with only 2,500 copies pressed, is available only at participating record stores and includes Church’s covers of eight songs by Soundgarden, Billy Joel, Little Feat, Bob Seger and more.
Thomas Rhett’s autobiographical anthem “
