Hearts Bluff Music attended the Billboard CMS for the second year in a row. The event ran June 4-5 and was held at Nashville’s very cool (literally and figuratively) Cannery Ballroom. There was so much information flowing through the room that it was difficult to grasp it all, but we have some highlights here…
- The Luke Bryan Panel
Follow The Money: Who is investing in country music and where
The gist is that a variety of wealthy companies are looking to invest, and right now the entertainment industry is offering some enticing options. They might invest in a talent agency, a nightclub, or a publishing company, but regardless they are looking for something that will provide a decent return on their investment.
What I found most interesting is that each of the panel members addressed their love for music. They wanted to support artists they liked and songs they were passionate about. The deal is that they’ll provide the capitol and resources so that creative people can go about doing what they do best, being creative. While it makes sense that a return needs to be made, it means something special to be involved in music.
Artist Development Case Study with Luke Bryan
A lot of the questions for Luke and his team had to do with how he became so successful. My notes essentially laid out Luke Bryan’s top 10 tips for becoming a country music star. Here they are…
1 – Move to Nashville.
2 – Your first single should really break the top 15 on the country charts.
3 – Make it big in your own hometown because “if you can’t make it where you’re from, you’ll be hard to break.”
4 – Enjoy being on stage/enjoy being spontaneous on stage
5 – Don’t harp on the negative
6 – Set small goals and keep racking up accomplishments
7 – Don’t chase the money
8 – Know your fans (Luke’s like to party).
9 – Enjoy the work. Success won’t just fall in your lap.
10 – Your fans care so you’ll need to appreciate them
Corporate American: What Brands Like About Country Music
The fans are loyal, the fans are loyal, and the fans are loyal.
Touring: The Agents
What’s going well in the world of touring: Agents and promoters commend the Megaticket for getting fans out to a variety of shows. They also praise venues that have learned to use social media as a promotional tour.
What can promoters do better: The panel encouraged promoters to stay ahead of the market and look for new ways to draw a crowd because “the old models are out.”
Country Music From An Ariel View: A Conversation with Rob Light
Rob is the Managing Director of CAA and has built up years of wisdom that gives him the credential to further the discussion of touring in the country music industry. He had a few recommendations that surprised me. His first recommendation was that country music should become more of an international brand. He pointed out that most artists don’t want to leave the US when they have some momentum going, but they’re missing a huge untapped market. He also recommended to artists that they “do the right thing.” What he meant was the artist need to keep their ticket prices reasonable, take a break from the road, play smaller shows, basically just do what is right for your career, not just what will make you the most money.
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The highlights may seem simple, but it’s always refreshing to hear the advice and suggestions given by people who know about it first hand, the industry professionals. Please feel free to leave comments and add an opinions of your own…
