Go to Pirate Bay and search your band’s name.

• Zero search results = Basically you don’t exist.
• Torrent(s) with 50+ seeds = You’re definitely on the right track.
• Torrent(s) with 500+ seeds = Highway to limousines and vodka.

I’m sure by now I’ve already offended someone, but I assure you it’s an oh-so-effective indicator. On Pirate Bay, SE = seeds, LE = leechers, and both are sortable columns towards the right side of the PB interface. A seed a.k.a. seeder is someone who has the entire torrent. A leecher a.k.a. downloader is someone who has part of it. The more seeders there are, the more exponentially available the torrent becomes. [see BitTorrent Vocabulary.]

The number of seeds and the overall size of the swarm are the most defining metrics. Browse Music (or specific genres) and sort by the number of seeds to see what has the most. In the screenshot below I’ve done it, and as you can see it paints a pretty good picture of what’s hot right now.

Most Popular Music Torrents 2010-12-15 – link

Less than an hour ago when I took this screenshot the #1 music torrent, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West, had 6,993 seeds. Now, minutes later, it has 7,528 seeds. With that many seeders, the downloads are like lightning—approx. <2 minutes for the entire album. For perspective, compare Kanye to the #1 movie torrent, Inception (2010) which right now has over 20,000 seeds. I can’t remember ever seeing a torrent with that many seeds. P2P is anything but dead. The surprise to me here was that Mumford and Sons are the sole rockish act as hot as the mainstream mayhem.

The Chemical Brothers

• Weapons: XHTML, WordPress, jQuery/AJAX, YouTube, Flickr, Twitter, Last.fm.
• Genre: Big Beat
• Country: England
• Superpowers: Upper dropdown media, Chronicles/Chemmunity media, tons of content, nice mobile version.
• Weakpoints: Load time feels delayed. Gig map is overkill—to help it’d need to show all gigs at once.

The Knife

• Weapons: HTML5, WordPress, YMLP, SoundCloud, Beatport.
• Genre: Electro Pop
• Country: Sweden
• Superpowers: Blog posts, mailing list visibility, overall design simplicity.
• Weakpoints: You have to be a mind reader to find the RSS feed. [easy fix] No mobile theme.

The Pineapple Thief

• Weapons: HTML4, WordPress, jQuery (Pretty Photo), YouTube, Flash audio
• Genre: Progressive Rock
• Country: England
• Superpowers: Navigation. Design style. All the essentials are there.
• Weakpoints: Bio needs life. No mobile theme.

Death Cab For Cutie

• Weapons: HTML4, TinyMCE, JavaScript (Prototype), Flash objects.
• Genre: Indie Rock
• Country: USA
• Superpowers: Interesting individualized extra content from each band member.
• Weakpoints: Latest blog entry is from 2009. Users aren’t able to comment on blog entries without leaving the site. No (dedicated) mobile version.

Belle and Sebastian

• Weapons: XHTML, WordPress, jQuery (Flickr Gallery), Vimeo
• Genre: Indie Pop
• Country: Scotland
• Superpowers: Recordings/News/Q&A/Live Dates/Video pages and overall usability.
• Weakpoints: You can’t see that a show is sold out until you click on it—traumatizing for superfans. No mobile theme.

Tip: WordPress: Use a “mobile theme” plugin, such as WPTouch or MobilePress.

01Klaxons perform at Tripod in Dublin, Ireland on November 23.
darkmavis/Flickr – Facebook – rockzilla.eu

02Under The Flood guitarist Matt Nadolski records guitar tracks at Ocean Industries Studios in Charleston, SC in early November for an upcoming acoustic EP.
iTunes – Facebook – undertheflood.com
virtualmusictv/Flickr

03Subject To Failure performs at Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ on November 27.
Facebook – Bandmix
virtualmusictv/Flickr

04The 33rd Revolution performs at Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ on November 27.
Facebook
virtualmusictv/Flickr

05Nasty Cats perform at CSA Godzilla in Livorno, Italy on November 27.
Myspace
ale88/Flickr

07Sharon Van Etten performs at Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro, NC on November 22, during her tour with Junip.
Stereogum – YouTube – sharonvanetten.com
evitalephotography/Flickr – evitalephotography.com

08We Are Scientists perform at Academy in Dublin, Ireland on November 29.
darkmavis/Flickr – Facebook – rockzilla.eu

09We Are Scientists perform at Academy in Dublin, Ireland on November 29.
darkmavis/Flickr – Facebook – rockzilla.eu

10The 33rd Revolution drummer Erik Schibel performs at Dingbatz Clifton, NJ on November 27.
Facebook
virtualmusictv/Flickr

11Junip performs at Cat’s Cradle in Chapel Hill, NC on November 22.
iTunes – junip.net
benjamindunn/Flickr

12Bram Johnson performs at Arlene’s Grocery in New York, NY on November 18.
iTunes – Facebook – brambrambram.com
virtualmusictv/Flickr

13Sleigh Bells singer Alexis Krauss on November 15.
Facebook – Indaba – Review – Video
mmarsupilami/Flickr

14Object 7 performs at Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ on November 27.
virtualmusictv/Flickr

15Paramore singer Hayley Williams performs at The O2 Arena in Dublin, Ireland on November 6.
iTunes – Hulu – paramore.net
darkmavis/Flickr – Facebook – rockzilla.eu

16My Chemical Romance performs for BBC Radio 1 at Maida Vale Studios in London, UK on November 11.
iTunes – mychemicalromance.com
rodrico/Flickr

17The Dead Tricks singer James Donovan performs with SLeuX at Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ on November 27.
Facebook – Myspace
virtualmusictv/Flickr

18Atari Teenage Riot performs at Vk* in Brussells, Belgium on November 27.
YouTube – atari-teenage-riot.com
frf_kmeron/Flickr – musicfromthepit.com

19Under The Flood guitarist Brandon Sidebottom records guitar tracks at Ocean Industries Studios in Charleston, SC in early November for an upcoming acoustic EP.
iTunes – Facebook – undertheflood.com
virtualmusictv/Flickr

20Franz Ferdinand brings a crowd to San Miguel Unique’s at Union Naval in Barcelona, Spain on November 4.
Facebook – franzferdinand.co.uk
imonfort/Flickr

21Franz Ferdinand performs at San Miguel Unique’s at Union Naval in Barcelona, Spain on November 4.
Facebook – franzferdinand.co.uk
imonfort/Flickr

22Tegan and Sara perform in Milwaukee, WI on November 3.
iTunes – teganandsara.com
davidkimphotography/Flickr

23SLeuX guitarist Chris Dinardo performs at Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ on November 27.
Interview – Facebook – YouTube – ReverbNation
virtualmusictv/Flickr

24Jamaica performs at Botanique in Brussels, Belgium on November 26
Facebook – jamaicanoproblem.fm
frf_kmeron/Flickr

25Jamaica performs at Botanique in Brussels, Belgium on November 26
Facebook – jamaicanoproblem.fm
frf_kmeron/Flickr

For those about to rock we salute you! For music photograhers, please join our Flickr group VM:::Live Music:::Art. To view more photo sets like this click here. If you have photos that you think would fit in one of our future live music sets, then please add them to the group and/or contact me directly.

U.S. Cost of Living Comparison: an infographic comparing estimated livings costs in 100 cities based on military BAH rates and categorized by region; West, Midwest, Northeast, and South. The ten most expensive cities or metro areas are New York, San Francisco, Long Island, Boston, New Haven, Northern New Jersey, Los Angeles, San Diego, Washington DC, and Baltimore. Many of the most expensive cities (shown in dark purple) are located in California or the Northeast. (Image: virtualmusictv/Flickr)

While not exactly proportional, it’s reasonably assumed that entertainment spending goes up with housing spending. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that for the average American in 2009, 5.5% of total spending was on entertainment and 34.4% was on housing—both down slightly from 2008. The funny thing though is that online retailers don’t (or can’t) change their price based on location like a merch booth can. An mp3 from iTunes costs the same from no matter where you buy it, right? The same goes for almost everything else you buy online—with the exception of shipping rates. Any bands out there already doing price variation or pay what you want on the road? Any stories from the most expensive or cheapest places you’ve ever toured?

Want to get in on this action and try Sound Around free for three months? Well, you’re in the right place because we have a couple promo codes to dish out to bands. To be eligible to win one: Use your band’s twitter (or disqus) account to sign in below, leave a comment, and check “share on twitter.” You can check out band apps already built by Sound Around in the App Store.

I didn’t attend SXSW in person, but I sure discovered some great new bands by putting together this photo set. I was especially impressed by what I’ve seen so far of Sleigh Bells, Red Bacteria Vacuum, and The Very Best. What were your favorite SXSW events this year, and what are your favorite photos from this set? View more photo sets at virtualmusic.tv/photojournal/

Paramore outperforms both on and off the stage.

Why do I like Paramore? They are kick-ass live performers. But I’ve never seen them in person. Hulu delivered them to me last year when I saw them perform Ignorance on Conan O’Brien. I knew of them before via Andrew Kendall’s photos, but seeing them on Conan is what engaged me to find out more. I searched “paramore live” on YouTube. I was impressed with their energetic live show and fan-driven website, which I wrote about highlighting their fan community and presence in the social web. Paramore fans go the distance because Paramore does the same for them.

Live music trumps studio recordings.

The best music is live music. Right now I think live video footage is the next best thing—whether it’s live-as-in-streaming or recorded live events. I don’t have a cable television. But if I’m looking for home entertainment I go straight to Hulu. As far as TV goes, if it’s not on Hulu, then I don’t watch it. In today’s music industry putting out video content is a must, especially live video content. In fact I think that’s where über-commercial Vevo has it wrong—lacking rawness and intimacy. I’d rather watch bands on Hulu. The concert videos already on Paramore’s channel come from their live album The Final Riot! In my opinion, Paramore’s best videos are the live ones, and on top of the stellar performances the videos have stellar production. But even bands without access to top production can still produce video content by being creative, sourcing their fans to record or produce live videos, and distributing them with free tools like YouTube and Ustream.

Paramore tells a story.

In addition to music videos, Paramore’s Hulu channel contains a 30-min documentary on the making of their latest album Brand New Eyes. They attract fans not only because of their music, but also because they have a story to tell that their fans can relate too. Their story is about growing up—as a band, but also as people, and their fans can relate to that. The album’s theme is seeing people through brand new eyes—you have to accept the past to move on. Paramore has an intimate connection with the Internet Generation. The new channel enriches their existing fan community and exposes them to a wider audience—brand new eyes—on Hulu.

Timeline: Bands on Hulu.

In November 2009 Hulu partnered with EMI and launched a Norah Jones channel. The next month Hulu partnered with Warner Music Group launching the Muse channel in December, the Jason Mraz channel in January, and the Paramore channel yesterday. Hulu’s music content is hi-fidelity and free. Now what more can you ask for besides, well, more Hulu artist channels and frequent content, right?

Carey is pioneering a new business model for music. She’s cutting deals with the kind of partners musicians have traditionally shunned, pushing herself into new areas such as publishing, tourism and food and drink. … “A lot of big powerful music-industry executives made a giant mistake,” she says. “They gave the music business away on the internet. If they had just sat back and said, ‘Maybe let’s figure this internet thing out, it could be something cool,’ we could have found a way to distribute music online on our own terms, not somebody else’s. … Musicians have long promoted non-music products. The Rolling Stones marketed Windows 95 with Start Me Up. Michael Jackson did endless Pepsi promos. And rappers such as P Diddy and Jay-Z have moved on from name-checking other people’s fashion and luxury-goods brands in their songs to create their own brands, usually in partnership with their record labels, and promote them instead. But Carey is breaking new ground in three areas. Mariah Carey: The gloves are off | Times Online

The internet has leveled the playing field. It has proven that content is king, and that those who work hard at delivering content can build a following. Artists have channels with live streaming video content and direct connection with their fans through mobile applications. The same opportunities exist for everyone, and they’re almost all free. You may think that endorsements and partnerships are only for megastars—but I don’t. I believe that indie musicians with smaller niche fan bases can make the same types of product endorsement deals and partnerships with brands or services that the megastars can. The trick is finding the right brands and companies to match up with. But if you have—for example—a Ustream or YouTube channel that’s getting hundreds of views on a daily basis then I don’t think it would be hard to pitch to a company that relates to your audience. Ideally your audience would be a target market for the endorsed product or service. Think big but also think local.

flickr.com/photos/eyesofrc/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

There is no single exact solution for indie artists, but the best solutions revolve around leveraging social media and video streaming to maximize fan engagement. Visual content is a must. Video content is supreme. YouTube serves well over 1 billion views per day. Live videos are easy to stream with ustream.tv, stickam.com, or justin.tv and a decent webcam. For recording non-live videos I recommend HD pocket cameras like the Zi6 or Zi8, or smartphones that enable mobile uploads like the iPhone. Video is becoming more interactive by the second and mobility is always important. Each musician has their own unique style and identifying that will help you see opportunities. Keep an open mind and be willing to adapt.

It seems that we truly are at the dawn of a new era. Opportunities abound at every corner. Music is more alive than ever, consumers listen to more music in more ways than ever thought possible, artists interact and build connections with fans in new and unique ways, music and other entertainment content can be delivered via multiple platforms for a fraction of the cost of traditional methods, and artists can form business relationships with many different partners—including consumer brands. (Music Branding Gets All Grown Up | Talent Zoo)

A lot of businesses still don’t get the internet, but a lot of them do—these are the ones that you can work with. Realize that a band’s physical merchandise is a product line, and there’s nothing stopping bands from partnering with companies to sell their own non-music products. Smart companies would likely jump at the chance to sponsor bands that have built active communities around the internet and are accessible via mobile phones. They see the meaning in social media—for business.

The types of products that will work for indie musician endorsements will vary greatly and be determined by each musician’s personal style or brand. A middle-man service that helps musicians match up with consumer brands and vice-versa might be viable—don’t you think? It would probably be pretty easy for Google, Facebook, or MySpace to implement such a service. However I’m a fan of DIY and I usually like to cut out middle-men. I think the best approach would be to directly contact companies that you’d like to partner with. Don’t be afraid to fail. You can’t get anywhere without trying things. Remember to focus on the dopeness—see Part 1: Music Dopeness and Bands as Brands.

“Know what your problem is, Shapiro? It’s that you just have this really shitty way of looking at things, ya know? I don’t have that problem. I just look at the dopeness. But you, it’s like you just look at the wackness, ya know?” (The Wackness)

So you consider music as your profession? Then whether you like it or not, your band is your brand. You may think you are defined by your style and sound, but nowadays your are ultimately defined by your fans and their perception of you. When you look in the social-media mirror your public face should be a reflection of your private face [see discussion]. If you cannot handle being true to your fans by putting yourself out there genuinely then your fans will see right through you. And if you’re not providing some form of free content, then you will be invisible. Music fans have lots of choices.

Now more than ever the essential component of your business is you. Use the tools that are available to go where your fans are—social media—and deliver true customer service (the most important aspect in business) by responding to all comments and messages from your fan base. In doing these actions you’ll be building all the promotional material that you’ll need, and you’ll be forming a community around your brand. Remember to focus on the dopeness that most of your costs as a musician have evaporated and you have your fans at your fingertips. Your true fans will support your shows and purchase from you as a thank you. Gary Vaynerchuk describes the thank you economy:

[homepage thumbnail photo: Flickr/DistortedSmile]

Part 2: Musicians, Brands, Endorsements, and Partnerships