Does Anyone On NT Work In The Music Business?

I was just wondering if anyone on NT works in the music business. I know most likely the people that do work for major labels in the business won't come out of the woodwork since they don't want to be bombarded with PM's. However I figured people can post in here as a Q & A to help people who do want to be in the business to learn more about how to go about breaking into the industry on the business side (Internships, jobs, networking etc.)

Everyone wants to work in the music business but not everyone knows what steps to take or have the correct guidance and I figure our experienced industry members could help out the younger cats who want to get into the music biz.

what is it that you want to do in the music business?

My girl currently interns for a major record label in NYC. By the way she explains it to me, the workplace seems like a crazy enviorment. You gotta be built for it.

VLADIMIR DINERO said:

what is it that you want to do in the music business?

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I already do work in the music business full time. I figured I would allow others that work in the music business to come out and give advice and answer questions from people who don't know how to break into the business or what it is like working in such a hectic business.

SmoothOP1432 said:

My girl currently interns for a major record label in NYC. By the way she explains it to me, the workplace seems like a crazy enviorment. You gotta be built for it.

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That is very true! It can be very hectic at times and its always moving. The music business never stops day and night but its always something new/different which makes it fun.

OP what exactly is your job and what do you do?

And do you work for a major or indie??

Also is the industry really as messed up as everyone says??

I do digital marketing on a major. No time to post a book right now, but I'll come back to this thread later tonight if anyone wants advice - although most of it is common sense.

i wish.

DoItAllPaul said:

i wish.

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ybyb20 said:

OP what exactly is your job and what do you do?
And do you work for a major or indie??
Also is the industry really as messed up as everyone says??

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I work for a major website handling PR/Marketing/Artist Development but do not want to say which site because I don't want to get bombarded with PM's. (If you want to really know the specifics feel free to PM me lol) No label work for me however we deal with major labels everyday. From my perspective the industry is not that messed up as much as everyone makes it out to be. Sure labels control artists but the way the business is going now artist's do not need labels seeing as the fact they don't need album sales to make money or get the exposure anymore.

JD161616 said:

I do digital marketing on a major. No time to post a book right now, but I'll come back to this thread later tonight if anyone wants advice - although most of it is common sense.

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I wanted to originally just do marketing until I teamed up with my friends in the business but how did you obtain your position? Did you intern first or did you know someone already working at the label and they helped you out? Thats the type of stuff I was looking for in the thread is to just help people that have dreams of working in the music business a little insight of how we obtained our positions and what it's like.

DoItAllPaul said:

i wish.

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Why not try and work in the industry then? Sure it's all about who you know to get your foot in the door but a handshake goes a long way (trust me). So why not go out and start networking/contacting people to see how you may have a chance to work in the business. Might not happen overnight but if you put in your time with the right people and meet more important people all the way your hard work will pay off.

lilmj23456 said:

That is very true! It can be very hectic at times and its always moving. The music business never stops day and night but its always something new/different which makes it fun.

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JD161616 said:

I do digital marketing on a major. No time to post a book right now, but I'll come back to this thread later tonight if anyone wants advice - although most of it is common sense.

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I'm part of a duo down here in Miami where we have a pretty good following, a couple of projects under our belt (including a solo I just project I just dropped yesterday), did 40+ shows last year opening for some pretty big folks with no management, publicist, etc etc(peep the link in the sig, if doesn't show then vagabondsmusicgroup.com). I got a couple of questions I don't see people ask too often.

1) For someone that does digital marketing, would an indie be able to holla at someone who works in your position on the side and hire for marketing? I know a lot of times folks have they own lil marketing/publishing hustle on the side, but I'm weary of going with just anyone cuz of the amount of $ usually involved. I ask cuz it's like anything major label related is damn near automatic at the same exact time on every site/blog out there, and I have to be on a lot of back-n-forth BS with some of the bigger sites to get a post and it's all posted one day here, one day there, and it's not as effective as having everyone post and bombard your music at the same time through their sites and social media networks.

2) If you send send unsolicited demos to labels, they get ignored, but do actual A&R's feel the same about cold contacts made to them (since a lot of them have LinkedIn profiles I'm sure they get hit up like crazy)? Or do they still prefer hearing about an act from someone they know to kinda break the ice easier? Once we build up what we feel is a big enough buzz and movement we wouldn't mind stepping to labels because we lack the resources they have, but I'd rather step correct the first time around and leave a good impression.

3) This one is just more curiosity if anyone works on the a&r/signing side of things, how do labels feel when first dealing with unsigned acts that already have they ish together? Meaning all non sampled material copyrighted, all songs under our own publishing companies, etc etc vs artists who come with none of that to the table? I talk to a lot of fellow artists in our lil scene down here and it boggles my mind who these dudes be making tight music that they put out and sell and spend $ promoting but don't have the business end of it together.

My next two shows are on Sat 1/26 with Twista at Villa 221 here in Miami and Feb 2/2 at Cuban Pete's in Long Beach for DunkXchange. Any NT artists/producers/industry folk that wanna build, shoot me a PM n we'll link!

lilmj23456 said:

I wanted to originally just do marketing until I teamed up with my friends in the business but how did you obtain your position? Did you intern first or did you know someone already working at the label and they helped you out? Thats the type of stuff I was looking for in the thread is to just help people that have dreams of working in the music business a little insight of how we obtained our positions and what it's like.

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Combination of experience and networking.

First off, growing up with immediate access to NYC helps, especially since most majors are in NYC and/or LA.

Second, I interned at MTV (and other marketing companies), run/have contributed to music sites for 5+ years and did digital work for a major TV network for 4+ years in NYC.

Third: I've been networking and placing myself in the midst of the music scene here in NYC for those past 4 years I've been here. Given my background, people have offered me opportunities but I held off for the right one. It's a small culture where everyone knows everyone...and if you're not here to immerse yourself on a nightly basis, then I can only imagine it would be tough to break in. I'm assuming it's the same exact way in LA.

The bottom line is I've been patiently setting myself up for an industry job for years through networking and experience.

How did you guys get into the business?

I thought about it but I might just stick to making music as a hobby.

I'll chime in this thread with some words as well. I'll put it as simple as this, it's all about who you know if you want your foot in the door. 99.9% of the time that job you're applying for online has already been filled by an internal referral or promotion and it's posted because they have to.

It's not for everyone. It's not glamorous, it's about as basic of an office setting as you can get, just dealing with music. No artists just hanging out on a daily basis, no wild parties. So if you have a certain perception of what working at a record label is, get it out of your head now. I've been yelled at for not answering an e-mail at 2:30am because I was asleep when I "should have been" awake. **** like that happens. It's essentially a 24 hour job depending on what department you work in. It's a high stress job and if you don't have the nerve and the balls for it, I suggest pursuing other career paths. It's a dog eat dog environment, if you try to just coast by with doing the bare minimum, then there's the door. Granted it's not all miserable grinding work on an album that's already past schedule and late for literally everything and has to make it to iTunes by tomorrow or else, but there's nothing you can do about it because the artist won't submit the final two songs for clearance......but for the most part that's exactly what it is.

I'll answer this question since I worked in this realm 

2) If you send send unsolicited demos to labels, they get ignored, but do actual A&R's feel the same about cold contacts made to them (since a lot of them have LinkedIn profiles I'm sure they get hit up like crazy)? Or do they still prefer hearing about an act from someone they know to kinda break the ice easier? Once we build up what we feel is a big enough buzz and movement we wouldn't mind stepping to labels because we lack the resources they have, but I'd rather step correct the first time around and leave a good impression.

A: Every single unsolicited package I got with a demo, DVD, press kit, whatever it may be....it immediately goes to the trash can. I don't have time for that ****.  Cold contacts get the same response. Hell I've had people even go as far as to send me FaceBook messages. Instant delete, I don't even bother reading once I see "Hi I'm a new artist out of...." done. Deleted. It's too intrusive and I'm too busy. 

Here's the best way to go about getting your music in the right hands and actually maybe even listened to. Network. Build relationships with people at the labels. Whether it be at showcases, shows, wherever someone from the label is having representation. I don't mean going up to them soliciting your music right off the bat, because that is just as annoying as the unsolicited ****, but ease into it, make conversation. Just anyone at the label, even if it's someone who you may think is pointless (ex. an assistant or one of the many regular joes clocking in the 9-5 work). They are the people the A&R's round up (more specifically, the women employees for the more Pop/Dance/R&B type music) and hold brief meetings on what they listen to, who's hot in their mind right now etc, so they can feel out the climate at the moment and where their ear should be turned to....that's their platform to say "I met this group last weekend and they sound great yada yada yada"....and have the opportunity to send them a link to your work. On slow days, a lot of times they like it when they see someone come into their office giving them something to check out....it takes out the legwork on their end and on the person's perspective, let's the A&R know they are serious about working in the industry.

It also depends on the A&R. I'm not going to say names because that will give away where I worked and who I know, but some are either older and stuck in their ways with their own system of things, and others are more with the times and are willing to hear out the younger, up and coming generation for fresh sounds. Whether it be by browsing Soundcloud or word of mouth from what I said a few sentences back. But keep in mind, the fate of your music doesn't rest with the A&R, it goes beyond him/her. He/She could love your stuff, but when presenting it to the label, everyone else may not feel the same way and then it just gets tossed to the side with the rest of the pile. In today's world, it's all about finding something that's already done most of the work because they want something they can shoot out immediately rather than build up. There's no artist development these days. YouTube views, mixtape downloads, buzz already on blogs/magazines.....makes it easy for them to swoop in and work a single that you've already had out there for months. 

Might have rambled or been repetitive at times, but it's late so forgive me. I might go back and edit later, but for now I'll leave it.

Thats a great post ^^^ All artists should definitely check out your advice and listen to it.

I interned in the business for 2 years (never being paid) before finally getting a full time position and getting paid. I started out managing small local artists and just shaking hands with the right people and being on top of my business game. The statement of "getting into the business is 99.99% who you know" is definitely true. I wouldn't have the position that I have currently in this industry without my friend/managing partner getting a job with the company and after a few months he got me into the company. Sure I was basically a slave for those 2 years not getting paid and doing some crazy leg work to prove my worth but all my work paid off and I now work for a major rap website full time and have my dream job.

In my experience sending music randomly to A&R's or others working in the industry can work because a major artist I have know for a few years had a manager of his way back before he blew send out emails and music to A&R's and said to check out his artists music and it was all history from there. However what MTBRM said is also very true 85% of the time people in the industry won't take the time to read emails/messages from random artists and the music and artists that they work with comes from meeting them in person and networking. And Im not saying walking up to them with a blank cd and and a crappy cover and not saying anything else but instead just talk music with them. These people work in music and their lives revolve around the music scene so we love to just have conversations about music (new artists, producers, hot songs, the way the scene is changing, etc.)

That's all I have for now since Im at the office now but if anyone has anymore questions or wants to learn/know more feel free to ask and I will come back in to the thread later.

Great stuff...hopefully we can keep this thread going. What y'all say about networking is why I'm really getting into going out of town and building plugs in different cities. Miami's scene is funny. Starting off with the fact that the majors all have their latin divisions down here, you can't really be on that rap tip tryna score meetings with A&R's and the like. The general population doesn't know or champion acts doing they thing in the "local scene", and it's held up mostly by the artists/bloggers/djs/producers themselves

Ghostdirty I feel your pain. We handle all our own booking, publicity, etc etc. We've gotten posted on pretty big sites like KN (that's my boy), Baller Status, Hot New Hip Hop, DJ Booth, etc etc, but we ain't never had no luck with ANY of the sites within the Complex network hahaha, can't do nothing but keep making your own moves though, that'll come with it.

[quote name="GHOSTDIRTY" [/quote]

Although you are not working for a major label or artist you are still considered to be in the music business somewhat by managing your artist. That is exactly how I started off and after 2 long years of grinding and networking with the right people I got my break in the industry.

@er305

Going out of town to build music contacts is good but what I have learned over the last year or 2 based on situations I have been in with artists is that building that hometown base is where you need to start. You get your hometown streets backing you then you have a solid core fan base and then you start branching it out to other places.


Also if artists are looking for a good networking opportunity I suggest you all stack some money and take a trip out to SXSW because that is where artists are discovered and for a whole week you have nothing but A&R's walking the streets of Austin, Texas scoping out new artists.

As a producer, I've met a few big names from an artist, producer and exec level, such as Russell Simmons, Joe Budden, S1 and Rhymefest and they've all said the same thing about stepping out of your environment (if you're not in NYC or LA) to get noticed, which I've been doing to get the chance to meet the likes of them and others. It really is who you know but in order to know them, you got to network and be in the right place to meet them. I'm flying out to NYC next week on my own funds to meet a former Bad Boy A&R and other industry ppl that he'll have with him to network and play some records for them, so I'll keep ya'll updated on how that goes.

Good thread

iceman2142 said:

As a producer, I've met a few big names from an artist, producer and exec level, such as Russell Simmons, Joe Budden, S1 and Rhymefest and they've all said the same thing about stepping out of your environment (if you're not in NYC or LA) to get noticed, which I've been doing to get the chance to meet the likes of them and others. It really is who you know but in order to know them, you got to network and be in the right place to meet them. I'm flying out to NYC next week on my own funds to meet a former Bad Boy A&R and other industry ppl that he'll have with him to network and play some records for them, so I'll keep ya'll updated on how that goes.

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Definitely. We have a good following here, but I wanted to start having the same in other towns. I have a few solid plugs in ATL (which a LOT of people have been telling me I should just consider moving there for music) and NYC, and hopefully I'll build on some connections when I'm out in LA in two weeks.

One thing I have learned is that it's not all about the music.

If you have the right music though, it can make all the difference.

Presentation is everything. As an artist you don't have a second chance to make a first impression.

GHOSTDIRTY said:

Even with an Atmosphere co-sign... it's still the same situation. Had no effect on placements whatsoever. this was today by the way

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co-sign means nothing. I am sure that majors have checked your boy out. I just youtube'd him clicked on his most watched video and he does not have what it takes to make it any further. Straight up.

What do you think NT? be honest.

very very dope topic/thread.

I'll add my input. I'll try to be as brief as possible being that I'm at work in the office.

I have seen firsthand and researched both spectrums of the music industry by being an indy artist myself.  From an artist standpoint I've been that guy starting out spamming my links, dm'ing on twitter ; etc.  Back then all I wanted to do was to be on the top blogs and then be "on".  Most of what people don't realize is that most of the artist on these "top blogs" aren't always on because they are thaaaat good.  This industry is comprised entirely of "who you know and when you know them"  Once I took a backseat to really study and perfect my craft and really network the right way, that is when I began to get the post on karencivil,onsmash,smoking section etc and even a section in XXL mag.  Now even when I was getting some of those post for my music it made me realize that it's not always about the music.  As an artist I have seen dudes pay money for write ups and or have homies that happen to be editors for some of the top blogs.  That's just how it is.  Positioning and Timing is so key.

To flip that on the other spectrum.  Even trying to be a tastemaker, A & R, or some of the industry jobs that were mentioned in this thread I hear the same story most of the time.  I spend a lot of time traveling from VA to NYC and every chance I get in NYC I just listen to stories.  Like a sponge.  The main thing I always hear is " man once I met so and so, or once I linked with so and so, it got my foot in the door."  That is so key in markets like LA, NYC, CHICAGO and even ATL.  That's why they are saying to be in places where the opportunity is there such as a SXSW.  Yes, everybody is there for the same reason but what makes your product, or skill that you bring to the table standout? You never know who you might impress.  Also plug the brains of people doing what you are trying to do.  Seeing their journey will give you a newfound respect for the music industry as a whole.

I could go on about this topic forever because not as just a music artist, as a fan I like to understand this industry as much as possible.  The advice/guidance in this thread is legit.  Keep it going!

Music is so subjective its hard to standout.  Goodluck to those that choose to take that path.  It won't be easy but work hard and stay positive. 

philthethrill21 said:

very very dope topic/thread.

I'll add my input. I'll try to be as brief as possible being that I'm at work in the office.

I have seen firsthand and researched both spectrums of the music industry by being an indy artist myself.  From an artist standpoint I've been that guy starting out spamming my links, dm'ing on twitter ; etc.  Back then all I wanted to do was to be on the top blogs and then be "on".  Most of what people don't realize is that most of the artist on these "top blogs" aren't always on because they are thaaaat good.  This industry is comprised entirely of "who you know and when you know them"  Once I took a backseat to really study and perfect my craft and really network the right way, that is when I began to get the post on karencivil,onsmash,smoking section etc and even a section in XXL mag.  Now even when I was getting some of those post for my music it made me realize that it's not always about the music.  As an artist I have seen dudes pay money for write ups and or have homies that happen to be editors for some of the top blogs.  That's just how it is.  Positioning and Timing is so key.

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This is sad but true. However look at it this way, everything is a business and when you have small time rappers with some money willing to pay you to get on your site are you going to say no?(This does not reflect the site I help run because we are not a blog/magazine) My thoughts are that you do say no to the artist and keep quality content on your site almost like a quality control to keep visitors coming back for the good music and content and not the quantity of content. But when 10 different rappers are coming at you with $500 to be posted on your site can you really turn that down? its just another side income you can get from your site.

lilmj23456 said:

philthethrill21 said:

very very dope topic/thread.

I'll add my input. I'll try to be as brief as possible being that I'm at work in the office.

I have seen firsthand and researched both spectrums of the music industry by being an indy artist myself.  From an artist standpoint I've been that guy starting out spamming my links, dm'ing on twitter ; etc.  Back then all I wanted to do was to be on the top blogs and then be "on".  Most of what people don't realize is that most of the artist on these "top blogs" aren't always on because they are thaaaat good.  This industry is comprised entirely of "who you know and when you know them"  Once I took a backseat to really study and perfect my craft and really network the right way, that is when I began to get the post on karencivil,onsmash,smoking section etc and even a section in XXL mag.  Now even when I was getting some of those post for my music it made me realize that it's not always about the music.  As an artist I have seen dudes pay money for write ups and or have homies that happen to be editors for some of the top blogs.  That's just how it is.  Positioning and Timing is so key.

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This is sad but true. However look at it this way, everything is a business and when you have small time rappers with some money willing to pay you to get on your site are you going to say no?(This does not reflect the site I help run because we are not a blog/magazine) My thoughts are that you do say no to the artist and keep quality content on your site almost like a quality control to keep visitors coming back for the good music and content and not the quantity of content. But when 10 different rappers are coming at you with $500 to be posted on your site can you really turn that down? its just another side income you can get from your site.

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i.e. worldstar