Bami’s “I Don’t Know How to Be Alone” & Melancholy Bops
What do you get when you mix Ariana Grande, Genshin Impact, Thom Yorke, BB King, and Nirvana? Right, well: a mess. Or, maybe – indie pop? Four-man South Korean band, Bami (바미), has released their most recent single, “I Don’t Know How to Be Alone”, a bass-line groovy, vocally wispy, and lyrically melancholy song about […]
Is Music PR Really Worth It?
I’ve been doing music PR professionally for… eh, maybe five years. The exact number of years / experience I can claim depends on a) what you consider “professional PR”, and b) whether you think time is an objective facet of reality or just a made-up concept we use to describe our subjective perception of the […]
Ryn Nicole on “Anxiety,” Berner Hooks, and Havana
Ryn Nicole is one of those immensely talented artists who would have fit right in with Hemingway in the Twenties, Duke Ellington in the Forties, or Cuban salsa legend Celia Cruz in the Fifties. Ryn gives new meaning to the word “eclectic.” She grew up listening to country artists like Rascal Flatts and Shania Twain, […]
Laura Musgrave on “One Family” and Confessional Lyrics
When I first heard Alanis Morissette’s “Thank U”, I had to pull the car to the side of the road. The song was so joyous and confessional that it required my full attention. And that’s the type of music that British singer-songwriter Laura Musgrave makes. Her 2019 single “How To Let Go” is a haunting […]
Kleo on Love, Meditation, and a “Beautiful Life”
Danish artist Kleo is one of the most intriguing personalities in the pop world. She grew up listening to brilliant-yet-troubled singers like Jeff Buckley and Kurt Cobain, but her life today is much sunnier than that. Kleo’s positive worldview is shaped by her love of Transcendental Meditation and Vedic astrology. And those uplifting vibes are […]
Jessica Winter on “Choreograph” and Dancing in a Downpour
Some well-known reviewers are hailing Jessica Winter’s “Choreograph” as the best song and video of the year. I’d certainly put it in my Top 5 for 2022. The song is based on a universal truth: real love can’t be choreographed. And the video for the song is perhaps the best rain-soaked, umbrella-twirling performance since Gene […]
“Soak” by Blue Lupin is a Beautiful Lo-fi Love Letter
There seems to be a lot of songs about creative people. Songs about singers, artists and actors are a popular subject. Hey, I’ve done it more than once. Bands and singers love to honour their heroes in song. But the actual act of creativity seems a much rarer subject. Until I heard “Soak” by Blue […]
How to Use Substack for Musicians
My name is Matt, and I’m a musician and composer based in the Pacific Northwest, USA. For most of my musical life, I’ve been a singer/songwriter, playing and singing in indie/folk bands. But for as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to write instrumental music — to sit in quiet contemplation and create music […]
How Spotify’s “Fans Also Like” Section Works
With the largest market share (around one-third of music streamers globally), Spotify’s popularity is constantly on the rise. Thanks to 31% of premium subscribers and 433 million users worldwide, it leaves its closest competitors far behind: Apple Music is only at 15%, while Amazon Music is at 13%, according to Forbes. There’s no doubt Spotify […]
What Is the Spotify Popularity Index?
The information provided by Spotify has become a necessary tool for every artist, as it can help us market our music and create ad campaigns to attract more fans outside our already-existing audience. Data like new followers, total streams, and monthly listeners are essential, but there’s another tool not as well known, especially since it’s […]
