THE HIT LEAGUE December 2009 iStandard Member i.D.
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Wednesday, December 9, 2009
How to Get Your Beats Placed With Major Labels
Breaking into the production game is as tough as breaking into the artist game. New producers often have trouble attracting the attention of A&Rs and established artists who, many times, prefer to work with producers that have a track record of previous hits or that they already have a personal or working relationship with.
In dance music, there are opportunities for new producers to get remix specialty work or to put their work out independently. In terms of getting hip hop or R&B production work though, you can try writing A&R departments and asking to submit material but without a track record you’re probably not going to get much response. Contacting publishing companies may yield you slightly better results since they are in the business of looking for new songwriting and producing talent but in today’s increasingly-conservative music biz environment, even they are only looking to do deals with writers with some previous success.
Getting to the point where you will become one of those “go-to” producers will take talent, time, hard work and luck. There’s really no short cut way to get there unless you get really lucky. Producers like the Neptunes and Timbaland paid years of dues, being staff producers under more well-known mentors (Teddy Riley and Jodeci’s Devanté Swing in their respective cases) before they got their shine and that doesn’t even take into account the years of grinding they did before they got to that level.
The best way to start building your producer profile is to try and work on local artists, either unsigned or signed to indie labels in your local areas. Working with artists on this level is easier because you likely have more direct access to them through your local music/artist community (which if you are not a part of it you need to work on becoming.). Also, because these artists are usually working with more limited budgets or don’t have the contacts or leverage to use more-established producers, they are often more willing to work with new or unproven production talent. This might not earn you a lot of money but it will allow you to do a couple of things: get some valuable in-studio experience and build a discography of work people can check out to evaluate your skills.
If there are not existing artists in your area that suit the production you are doing consider finding some talent of your own to develop into artists or becoming the artist yourself. Obviously not all producers are cut out for the artistic side of the game but doing this may give you a double benefit: building your production discography and chops but also developing an artist that could be shopped for a deal or released independently by you.
There are also other ways to more directly get to work with established artists though:
You may also want to consider approaching well-known production companies and signing on as a staff producer. These companies are normally run by well-known producers or managers who specialize in managing producers. The advantage of this is, if they are feeling your work and want to sign you, you will get a lot of studio work with established acts as these companies are already plugged into the labels and have relationships there that get them a lot of work. The potential negatives are that you may do a lot of work for which you won’t get credit or the terms under which they may want to sign you may not be that lucrative financially. It can be frustrating to know you did a hit track that’s all over the radio and the charts but you aren’t seeing any points off of it. If you find yourself at the point where you can sign this kind of a deal with, have an experienced music attorney review the offer and negotiate the best possible terms for you in the contract.
Other ways of trying to get production gigs with major artists involve a lot of networking even if you start building a track record with local artists. Do some research and contact artist managers of artists you would like to work directly. It’s a long shot but it may get you some attention.
Employ guerilla tactics: this is more drastic and only for the very self-confident with a serious salesman streak in them but if you want to get directly at the artists to get them to hear your production work, bum rush them or their managers at music industry conferences or at shows if you live in a major city where tours come through. Always have a boombox or Discman with you and be ready to plays your tracks. Bear in mind though that if your stuff is not blazing, you will be only playing yourself going this route and you also risk harassment charges if you don’t know how to handle yourself in a cool way!
Many times you may not be able to get face-to-face meetings. Mailing your beats leaves you vulnerable to unscrupulous artists and labels taking beats they like and either recreating them or even just taking your CD and throwing it into pro-tools and building their song off your work. There really is no sure-fire way to protect yourself from this happening. Not that this will make you feel better, but I can tell you rumors that a well-known producer had a beat he submitted for one artist jacked and used for another artist on the same label and even he couldn’t do anything about it.
Until you get to the point where you’re a well-known producer, you’re going to have to submit beats if you want to get work and there’s a chance your work could be jacked. If a beat you submit ends up getting used without your permission, you may want to consider hiring an attorney and taking legal action but this can be a costly and drawn-out procedure which may not be worth your money and time if the infringing record isn’t a major seller or you don’t have proper documentation and proof that you are the original author of the music in question. The "poor man's copyright" is a myth. You better register your songs/beats properly with the Copyright Office to fully protect your work.
In dance music, there are opportunities for new producers to get remix specialty work or to put their work out independently. In terms of getting hip hop or R&B production work though, you can try writing A&R departments and asking to submit material but without a track record you’re probably not going to get much response. Contacting publishing companies may yield you slightly better results since they are in the business of looking for new songwriting and producing talent but in today’s increasingly-conservative music biz environment, even they are only looking to do deals with writers with some previous success.
Getting to the point where you will become one of those “go-to” producers will take talent, time, hard work and luck. There’s really no short cut way to get there unless you get really lucky. Producers like the Neptunes and Timbaland paid years of dues, being staff producers under more well-known mentors (Teddy Riley and Jodeci’s Devanté Swing in their respective cases) before they got their shine and that doesn’t even take into account the years of grinding they did before they got to that level.
The best way to start building your producer profile is to try and work on local artists, either unsigned or signed to indie labels in your local areas. Working with artists on this level is easier because you likely have more direct access to them through your local music/artist community (which if you are not a part of it you need to work on becoming.). Also, because these artists are usually working with more limited budgets or don’t have the contacts or leverage to use more-established producers, they are often more willing to work with new or unproven production talent. This might not earn you a lot of money but it will allow you to do a couple of things: get some valuable in-studio experience and build a discography of work people can check out to evaluate your skills.
If there are not existing artists in your area that suit the production you are doing consider finding some talent of your own to develop into artists or becoming the artist yourself. Obviously not all producers are cut out for the artistic side of the game but doing this may give you a double benefit: building your production discography and chops but also developing an artist that could be shopped for a deal or released independently by you.
There are also other ways to more directly get to work with established artists though:
You may also want to consider approaching well-known production companies and signing on as a staff producer. These companies are normally run by well-known producers or managers who specialize in managing producers. The advantage of this is, if they are feeling your work and want to sign you, you will get a lot of studio work with established acts as these companies are already plugged into the labels and have relationships there that get them a lot of work. The potential negatives are that you may do a lot of work for which you won’t get credit or the terms under which they may want to sign you may not be that lucrative financially. It can be frustrating to know you did a hit track that’s all over the radio and the charts but you aren’t seeing any points off of it. If you find yourself at the point where you can sign this kind of a deal with, have an experienced music attorney review the offer and negotiate the best possible terms for you in the contract.
Other ways of trying to get production gigs with major artists involve a lot of networking even if you start building a track record with local artists. Do some research and contact artist managers of artists you would like to work directly. It’s a long shot but it may get you some attention.
Employ guerilla tactics: this is more drastic and only for the very self-confident with a serious salesman streak in them but if you want to get directly at the artists to get them to hear your production work, bum rush them or their managers at music industry conferences or at shows if you live in a major city where tours come through. Always have a boombox or Discman with you and be ready to plays your tracks. Bear in mind though that if your stuff is not blazing, you will be only playing yourself going this route and you also risk harassment charges if you don’t know how to handle yourself in a cool way!
Many times you may not be able to get face-to-face meetings. Mailing your beats leaves you vulnerable to unscrupulous artists and labels taking beats they like and either recreating them or even just taking your CD and throwing it into pro-tools and building their song off your work. There really is no sure-fire way to protect yourself from this happening. Not that this will make you feel better, but I can tell you rumors that a well-known producer had a beat he submitted for one artist jacked and used for another artist on the same label and even he couldn’t do anything about it.
Until you get to the point where you’re a well-known producer, you’re going to have to submit beats if you want to get work and there’s a chance your work could be jacked. If a beat you submit ends up getting used without your permission, you may want to consider hiring an attorney and taking legal action but this can be a costly and drawn-out procedure which may not be worth your money and time if the infringing record isn’t a major seller or you don’t have proper documentation and proof that you are the original author of the music in question. The "poor man's copyright" is a myth. You better register your songs/beats properly with the Copyright Office to fully protect your work.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Monday, November 30, 2009
UPCOMING RELASES FOR DECEMBER
upcoming releases for 12/01/09
Bravery Island/Def Jam
Iraheta, Allison 19/Jive/JLG
Juvenile Atlantic
Kelly, R. Jive/JLG
Monica J/RMG
___________________________________________________________________________
12/08/09
Brown, Chris Jive/JLG
Buffet, Jimmy Mailboat
Clipse Columbia
Glee Cast Vol.2 Columbia Soundtrack
Gucci Mane Asylum
Snoop Dogg Priority/EMI
Thirty Seconds To Mars Virgin
Timbaland Blackground/Interscope
We The Kings S-Curve
__________________________________________________________________________
12/15/09
Keys, Alicia J/RMG
Thicke, Robin Interscope
___________________________________________________________________________
12/21/09
Blige, Mary J. Geffen 0
Dave Matthews Band (Live 3 CD/1 DVD)RCA/RMG
Eminem (Deluxe)Shady/Aftermath/Interscope
Lil WayneCash Money/Universal Motown
Usher LaFace/JLG
Young MoneyCash Money/Universal Motown
Bravery Island/Def Jam
Iraheta, Allison 19/Jive/JLG
Juvenile Atlantic
Kelly, R. Jive/JLG
Monica J/RMG
___________________________________________________________________________
12/08/09
Brown, Chris Jive/JLG
Buffet, Jimmy Mailboat
Clipse Columbia
Glee Cast Vol.2 Columbia Soundtrack
Gucci Mane Asylum
Snoop Dogg Priority/EMI
Thirty Seconds To Mars Virgin
Timbaland Blackground/Interscope
We The Kings S-Curve
__________________________________________________________________________
12/15/09
Keys, Alicia J/RMG
Thicke, Robin Interscope
___________________________________________________________________________
12/21/09
Blige, Mary J. Geffen 0
Dave Matthews Band (Live 3 CD/1 DVD)RCA/RMG
Eminem (Deluxe)Shady/Aftermath/Interscope
Lil WayneCash Money/Universal Motown
Usher LaFace/JLG
Young MoneyCash Money/Universal Motown
Monday, November 23, 2009
Producer Points
Producer points are the percentage of royalties a producer gets for working on an album. The easiest way to look at points is to consider one point to be equal to one percent. Points can be awarded in a few different ways:
Points on the entire album (for instance, the producer gets 3 points on the whole record, meaning they get 3% of the royalties).
Points on particular songs on the album (so, if the the producer gets 2 points on 5 songs on an album that has 12 songs, they get 5/12 of 2% of the royalties for the album).
Sometimes, points are paid based on the dealer pricer for the album, and sometimes they are paid on the retail price.
Keep in mind that points are not awarded to all producers, and that the number of album points actually given can vary greatly, from one point to up to five points or more, depending on the producer. Sometimes, deals are structured so that the points a producer receives increases as the album meets certain sales thresholds. You should always get any deal regarding points in writing before you begin the recording process.
Points on the entire album (for instance, the producer gets 3 points on the whole record, meaning they get 3% of the royalties).
Points on particular songs on the album (so, if the the producer gets 2 points on 5 songs on an album that has 12 songs, they get 5/12 of 2% of the royalties for the album).
Sometimes, points are paid based on the dealer pricer for the album, and sometimes they are paid on the retail price.
Keep in mind that points are not awarded to all producers, and that the number of album points actually given can vary greatly, from one point to up to five points or more, depending on the producer. Sometimes, deals are structured so that the points a producer receives increases as the album meets certain sales thresholds. You should always get any deal regarding points in writing before you begin the recording process.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
TOP 20 ALBUM SALES 11/16
1 CARRIE UNDERWOOD 19/ARISTA NASHVILLE 61,804
PLAY ON
2 BON JOVI ISLAND/IDJMG 51,003
THE CIRCLE
3 MICHAEL JACKSON EPIC 50,042
THIS IS IT
4 NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC SONY MUSIC 39,410
NOW 32
5 MILEY CYRUS HOLLYWOOD 31,232
TIME OF OUR LIVES
6 TAYLOR SWIFT BIG MACHINE 27,144
FEARLESS
7 ANDREA BOCELLI DECCA 26,524
MY CHRISTMAS
8 LADY ANTEBELLUM CAPITOL NASHVILLE 25,621
LADY ANTEBELLUM
9 TIM MCGRAW CURB 24,041
SOUTHERN VOICE
10 ZAC BROWN BAND ATLANTIC 20,761
FOUNDATION
11 TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON CHOP SHOP/ATLANTIC 18,744
SOUNDTRACK
12 MICHAEL BUBLE REPRISE 16,520
CRAZY LOVE
13 MICHAEL JACKSON EPIC 13,091
NUMBER ONES
14 GLEE CAST COLUMBIA 13,063
GLEE, VOL. 1
15 JASON ALDEAN BROKEN BOW 12,503
WIDE OPEN
16 MIRANDA LAMBERT COLUMBIA NASHVILLE 12,475
REVOLUTION
17 CREED WIND-UP 12,332
FULL CIRCLE
18 DARIUS RUCKER CAPITOL NASHVILLE 10,652
LEARN TO LIVE
19 JAY-Z ROC NATION/ATLANTIC 10,412
BLUEPRINT 3
20 FLYLEAD A&M/OCTONE 10,346
MEMENTO MORI
PLAY ON
2 BON JOVI ISLAND/IDJMG 51,003
THE CIRCLE
3 MICHAEL JACKSON EPIC 50,042
THIS IS IT
4 NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC SONY MUSIC 39,410
NOW 32
5 MILEY CYRUS HOLLYWOOD 31,232
TIME OF OUR LIVES
6 TAYLOR SWIFT BIG MACHINE 27,144
FEARLESS
7 ANDREA BOCELLI DECCA 26,524
MY CHRISTMAS
8 LADY ANTEBELLUM CAPITOL NASHVILLE 25,621
LADY ANTEBELLUM
9 TIM MCGRAW CURB 24,041
SOUTHERN VOICE
10 ZAC BROWN BAND ATLANTIC 20,761
FOUNDATION
11 TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON CHOP SHOP/ATLANTIC 18,744
SOUNDTRACK
12 MICHAEL BUBLE REPRISE 16,520
CRAZY LOVE
13 MICHAEL JACKSON EPIC 13,091
NUMBER ONES
14 GLEE CAST COLUMBIA 13,063
GLEE, VOL. 1
15 JASON ALDEAN BROKEN BOW 12,503
WIDE OPEN
16 MIRANDA LAMBERT COLUMBIA NASHVILLE 12,475
REVOLUTION
17 CREED WIND-UP 12,332
FULL CIRCLE
18 DARIUS RUCKER CAPITOL NASHVILLE 10,652
LEARN TO LIVE
19 JAY-Z ROC NATION/ATLANTIC 10,412
BLUEPRINT 3
20 FLYLEAD A&M/OCTONE 10,346
MEMENTO MORI
Friday, November 13, 2009
50 CENTS- BEFORE I SELF DESTRUCT TRACK LIST
01. (00:02:54) 50 Cent - The Invitation (Prod. By Ty Fuffe)
02. (00:03:44) 50 Cent - Then Days Went By (Prod.By Lab Ox)
03. (00:03:46) 50 Cent - Death To My Enemies (Prod.By Dr. Dre And Mark Batson)
04. (00:03:39) 50 Cent - So Disrespectful (Prod. By Tha Bizness)
05. (00:04:45) 50 Cent Ft. Eminem - Psycho (Prod. By Dr. Dre)
06. (00:03:18) 50 Cent - Hold Me Down (Prod. By Team Ready And J Keys)
07. (00:03:44) 50 Cent - Crime Wave (Prod. By Team Demo)
08. (00:04:07) 50 Cent - Stretch (Prod. By Rick Rock)
09. (00:03:01) 50 Cent - Strong Enough (Prod. By Nascent And QB Da Problem)
10. (00:02:59) 50 Cent Ft. Lloyd Banks - Get It Hot (Prod. By Black Key AKA Mickey Davis)
11. (00:03:14) 50 Cent - Gangsta's Delight (Prod. By Havoc)
12. (00:03:34) 50 Cent - I Got Swag (Prod. By Dual Output)
13. (00:03:32) 50 Cent Ft. Ne-Yo - Baby By Me (Prod.By Polow Da Don)
14. (00:03:26) 50 Cent - Do You Think About Me (Prod. By Rocwilder)
15. (00:03:04) 50 Cent - OK, You're Right (Prod. By Dr. Dre And Mark Batson)
16. (00:04:19) 50 Cent Ft. R.Kelly - Could've Been You (Prod. By DJ Khalil)
17. (00:04:23) 50 Cent - Flight 187 (iTunes Bonus Track)
02. (00:03:44) 50 Cent - Then Days Went By (Prod.By Lab Ox)
03. (00:03:46) 50 Cent - Death To My Enemies (Prod.By Dr. Dre And Mark Batson)
04. (00:03:39) 50 Cent - So Disrespectful (Prod. By Tha Bizness)
05. (00:04:45) 50 Cent Ft. Eminem - Psycho (Prod. By Dr. Dre)
06. (00:03:18) 50 Cent - Hold Me Down (Prod. By Team Ready And J Keys)
07. (00:03:44) 50 Cent - Crime Wave (Prod. By Team Demo)
08. (00:04:07) 50 Cent - Stretch (Prod. By Rick Rock)
09. (00:03:01) 50 Cent - Strong Enough (Prod. By Nascent And QB Da Problem)
10. (00:02:59) 50 Cent Ft. Lloyd Banks - Get It Hot (Prod. By Black Key AKA Mickey Davis)
11. (00:03:14) 50 Cent - Gangsta's Delight (Prod. By Havoc)
12. (00:03:34) 50 Cent - I Got Swag (Prod. By Dual Output)
13. (00:03:32) 50 Cent Ft. Ne-Yo - Baby By Me (Prod.By Polow Da Don)
14. (00:03:26) 50 Cent - Do You Think About Me (Prod. By Rocwilder)
15. (00:03:04) 50 Cent - OK, You're Right (Prod. By Dr. Dre And Mark Batson)
16. (00:04:19) 50 Cent Ft. R.Kelly - Could've Been You (Prod. By DJ Khalil)
17. (00:04:23) 50 Cent - Flight 187 (iTunes Bonus Track)
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
TOP 50 ALBUM SALES 11/09
1 CARRIE UNDERWOOD 19/ARISTA NASHVILLE 211,036
PLAY ON
2 MICHAEL JACKSON EPIC 86,892
THIS IS IT
3 NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC SONY MUSIC 86,503
NOW 32
4 ANDREA BOCELLI DECCA 60,426
MY CHRISTMAS
5 GLEE CAST COLUMBIA 51,256
GLEE, VOL. 1
6 TIM MCGRAW CURB 30,122
SOUTHERN VOICE
7 TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON CHOP SHOP/ATLANTIC 26,509
SOUNDTRACK
8 TAYLOR SWIFT BIG MACHINE 25,158
FEARLESS
9 MILEY CYRUS HOLLYWOOD 25,137
TIME OF OUR LIVES
10 CREED WIND-UP 23,395
FULL CIRCLE
11 MICHAEL JACKSON EPIC 22,751
NUMBER ONES
12 MICHAEL BUBLE REPRISE 20,474
CRAZY LOVE
13 FOO FIGHTERS ROSWELL/RCA/RMG 19,649
GREATEST HITS
14 ROD STEWART J RECORDS/RMG 19,629
SOULBOOK
15 ZAC BROWN BAND ATLANTIC 17,758
FOUNDATION
16 JAY-Z ROC NATION/ATLANTIC 17,169
BLUEPRINT 3
17 WEEZER DGC/INTERSCOPE 16,981
RADITUDE
18 BLACK EYED PEAS INTERSCOPE 15,459
E.N.D. (ENERGY NEVER DIES)
19 LADY ANTEBELLUM CAPITOL NASHVILLE 14,711
LADY ANTEBELLUM
20 LADY GAGA INTERSCOPE 13,988
FAME
21 STING DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 13,447
IF ON A WINTER'S NIGHT
22 JASON ALDEAN BROKEN BOW 12,887
WIDE OPEN
23 TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA LAVA/ATLANTIC 12,506
NIGHT CASTLE
24 MIRANDA LAMBERT COLUMBIA NASHVILLE 12,302
REVOLUTION
25 HANNAH MONTANA: THE MOVIE WALT DISNEY 11,943
SOUNDTRACK
26 OWL CITY UNIVERSAL REPUBLIC 11,190
OCEAN EYES
27 TOBY KEITH SHOW DOG 11,141
AMERICAN RIDE
28 JOSH GROBAN REPRISE 10,472
NOEL
29 BREAKING BENJAMIN HOLLYWOOD 9,958
DEAR AGONY
30 MICHAEL JACKSON EPIC 9,079
ESSENTIAL
31 SELENA GOMEZ & THE SCENE HOLLYWOOD 9,015
KISS & TELL
32 LUKE BRYAN CAPITOL NASHVILLE 8,829
DOIN' MY THING
33 CHICKENFOOT REDLINE 8,789
CHICKENFOOT
34 SLAYER COLUMBIA 8,748
WORLD PAINTED BLOOD
35 TAYLOR SWIFT BIG MACHINE 8,608
TAYLOR SWIFT
36 KINGS OF LEON RCA/RMG 8,242
ONLY BY THE NIGHT
37 BEBE & CECE WINANS MALACO 8,031
STILL
38 MARIAH CAREY ISLAND/IDJMG 7,762
MEMOIRS OF AN IMPERFECT ANGEL
39 AMERIE DEF JAM/IDJ 7,703
IN LOVE & WAR
40 WHITNEY HOUSTON ARISTA/RMG 7,312
I LOOK TO YOU
41 NICKELBACK ROADRUNNER 7,270
DARK HORSE
42 ALICE IN CHAINS VIRGIN 6,973
BLACK GIVES WAY TO BLUE
43 DARIUS RUCKER CAPITOL NASHVILLE 6,717
LEARN TO LIVE
44 DRAKE CASH MONEY/UNIV MOTOWN 6,523
SO FAR GONE
45 PARAMORE FUELED BY RAMEN 6,512
BRAND NEW EYES
46 JACK JOHNSON BRUSHFIRE/UNIV REPUBLIC 6,366
EN CONCERT
47 TREY SONGZ ATLANTIC 6,192
READY
48 NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC SONY MUSIC 5,876
NOW 31
49 THREE DAYS GRACE JIVE/JLG 5,488
LIFE STARTS NOW
50 BROOKS & DUNN ARISTA NASHVILLE 5,384
#1S & THEN SOME
PLAY ON
2 MICHAEL JACKSON EPIC 86,892
THIS IS IT
3 NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC SONY MUSIC 86,503
NOW 32
4 ANDREA BOCELLI DECCA 60,426
MY CHRISTMAS
5 GLEE CAST COLUMBIA 51,256
GLEE, VOL. 1
6 TIM MCGRAW CURB 30,122
SOUTHERN VOICE
7 TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON CHOP SHOP/ATLANTIC 26,509
SOUNDTRACK
8 TAYLOR SWIFT BIG MACHINE 25,158
FEARLESS
9 MILEY CYRUS HOLLYWOOD 25,137
TIME OF OUR LIVES
10 CREED WIND-UP 23,395
FULL CIRCLE
11 MICHAEL JACKSON EPIC 22,751
NUMBER ONES
12 MICHAEL BUBLE REPRISE 20,474
CRAZY LOVE
13 FOO FIGHTERS ROSWELL/RCA/RMG 19,649
GREATEST HITS
14 ROD STEWART J RECORDS/RMG 19,629
SOULBOOK
15 ZAC BROWN BAND ATLANTIC 17,758
FOUNDATION
16 JAY-Z ROC NATION/ATLANTIC 17,169
BLUEPRINT 3
17 WEEZER DGC/INTERSCOPE 16,981
RADITUDE
18 BLACK EYED PEAS INTERSCOPE 15,459
E.N.D. (ENERGY NEVER DIES)
19 LADY ANTEBELLUM CAPITOL NASHVILLE 14,711
LADY ANTEBELLUM
20 LADY GAGA INTERSCOPE 13,988
FAME
21 STING DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 13,447
IF ON A WINTER'S NIGHT
22 JASON ALDEAN BROKEN BOW 12,887
WIDE OPEN
23 TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA LAVA/ATLANTIC 12,506
NIGHT CASTLE
24 MIRANDA LAMBERT COLUMBIA NASHVILLE 12,302
REVOLUTION
25 HANNAH MONTANA: THE MOVIE WALT DISNEY 11,943
SOUNDTRACK
26 OWL CITY UNIVERSAL REPUBLIC 11,190
OCEAN EYES
27 TOBY KEITH SHOW DOG 11,141
AMERICAN RIDE
28 JOSH GROBAN REPRISE 10,472
NOEL
29 BREAKING BENJAMIN HOLLYWOOD 9,958
DEAR AGONY
30 MICHAEL JACKSON EPIC 9,079
ESSENTIAL
31 SELENA GOMEZ & THE SCENE HOLLYWOOD 9,015
KISS & TELL
32 LUKE BRYAN CAPITOL NASHVILLE 8,829
DOIN' MY THING
33 CHICKENFOOT REDLINE 8,789
CHICKENFOOT
34 SLAYER COLUMBIA 8,748
WORLD PAINTED BLOOD
35 TAYLOR SWIFT BIG MACHINE 8,608
TAYLOR SWIFT
36 KINGS OF LEON RCA/RMG 8,242
ONLY BY THE NIGHT
37 BEBE & CECE WINANS MALACO 8,031
STILL
38 MARIAH CAREY ISLAND/IDJMG 7,762
MEMOIRS OF AN IMPERFECT ANGEL
39 AMERIE DEF JAM/IDJ 7,703
IN LOVE & WAR
40 WHITNEY HOUSTON ARISTA/RMG 7,312
I LOOK TO YOU
41 NICKELBACK ROADRUNNER 7,270
DARK HORSE
42 ALICE IN CHAINS VIRGIN 6,973
BLACK GIVES WAY TO BLUE
43 DARIUS RUCKER CAPITOL NASHVILLE 6,717
LEARN TO LIVE
44 DRAKE CASH MONEY/UNIV MOTOWN 6,523
SO FAR GONE
45 PARAMORE FUELED BY RAMEN 6,512
BRAND NEW EYES
46 JACK JOHNSON BRUSHFIRE/UNIV REPUBLIC 6,366
EN CONCERT
47 TREY SONGZ ATLANTIC 6,192
READY
48 NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC SONY MUSIC 5,876
NOW 31
49 THREE DAYS GRACE JIVE/JLG 5,488
LIFE STARTS NOW
50 BROOKS & DUNN ARISTA NASHVILLE 5,384
#1S & THEN SOME
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Rihanna Album song list
1. “Mad House”
2. “Wait Your Turn”
3. “Hard” feat. Young Jeezy
4. “Stupid in Love”
5. “ROCKSTAR 101″ feat. Slash
6. “Russian Roulette”
7. “Fire Bomb”
8. “Rude Boy”
9. “Photographs” feat. will.i.am
10. “G4L”
11. “Te Amo”
12. “Cold Case Love”
13. “The Last Song”
2. “Wait Your Turn”
3. “Hard” feat. Young Jeezy
4. “Stupid in Love”
5. “ROCKSTAR 101″ feat. Slash
6. “Russian Roulette”
7. “Fire Bomb”
8. “Rude Boy”
9. “Photographs” feat. will.i.am
10. “G4L”
11. “Te Amo”
12. “Cold Case Love”
13. “The Last Song”
How to write a song
- Learn music theory. It is helps to learn from experts. Wikipedia is a useful start. Scores (midi files) in your genre to read, sing, or practice are good, too.
- Use the clock. Try writing songs from 12 pm (Noon) to 4 pm. This is commonly known as "song writing prime-time" - when your creativity is at its peak. Don't miss out by sleeping in!
- Stop thinking about writing a song, and start writing. Songs will not just come to you and say, "Hey, I'm a good song. Write me!". You have to listen to your surroundings. It's the song you'll hear inside your head, so you start singing it. Find the missing words you need for the song inside of you.
- Think of a subject you want to write about. Whether it is about a break-up, or partying or even a very fun event, stay focused on that subject. It will make it easier!
- Listen actively to a lot of music. Good poets read other people's lyrics. Good songwriters listen to songs. As you listen, think about what you like about a song. Are the lyrics unique? Do the song's chord changes perfectly capture a mood? Do you like the transition from one part of the song to another? Find out about song arrangement.
- Get technical. You do not need a degree in music theory to write a good song. Song structure is good to know, because it mirrors poetic form. There are infinite ways to structure a song, and a common sequence is found in pop and hymns. As you listen, try to identify chorus (refrain) and verse. Check yourself by looking at lyrics online or in a music book; the parts of songs are often labelled in these media.
- Be ready when inspiration comes calling. Unfortunately, inspiration usually does not always strike at convenient times, so if you get a good idea, then rehearse it. If you have the courage, then do it out loud. Carry a pen and paper with you wherever you go, or better yet, carry a tape recorder or digital audio recorder. Melodies can be extremely difficult to capture on paper unless you have a strong music background.
- It would be helpful if you have a musical instrument (e.g. Piano, keyboard, guitar, etc.) so that you can explore the music. An added advantage is that you can easily write down the notes (or tabs) when you have a tune. Try recording it for feedback. Guitars plug directly into computer mic jacks with an adaptor. You can always go back to your recording. It helps. If you revise it, then record it again.
- Figure out what you've got. Once in a while, inspiration will hit you like a full force gale, and suddenly you have a full song out of nowhere. Most of the time, however, just a small piece of a potential song will come to you, leaving you to do the hard, but fun work of fleshing it out. You should have a feel for what part of the song you've come up with.
- If it's super catchy (either a lyrical phrase or a snippet of music), and you can envision it being a repeated theme in the song, you've got the refrain—the climax or summary of your musical story—and you need to write verses to explain how you know in detail.
- If what you've come up with seems more narrative lyrically or subtler musically — a part of a story rather than the main idea — you've probably got a verse, and you'll need to write the rest of the story (more verses) and, usually, a chorus.
- Set the mood. Make sure your music fits the story. If it is sad, then you may want your melody to evoke sadness (by slowing it down or adding some minor chords, for example) or you might want to add a twist and combine sad lyrics to upbeat music in order to create a sense of tension and ambiguity.
- Say something. A song can get by with poor lyrics, and you have a better chance of writing a really good song if your lyrics are great. This does not mean they have to be serious, but they should not be cliché or ho-hum. Write your lyrics as though you are talking to somebody who you want to impress or to someone toward whom you feel some sort of deep emotion.
- Make your words sing.Lyrics can appeal to emotions, and they should also appeal to the ear. Rhyming is the most obvious way to accomplish this, and you can employ a number of rhyme schemes. Learn about these and other tools of poetry, and try putting them to work for you.
- Strike a balance between repetition and variety. Repetition is what makes a song catchy; repeated choruses, for example, stick in our heads even when the rest of a song does not. It is easy to ask people to join you in a refrain, which is why it is usually called a chorus. It is hard to beat Ode To Joy for that bit from Beethoven, even though that bit used from his ninth symphony has no chorus, and all lines have the same length, the same rhyme schemes, and the same chord progressions throughout. That is an exception to the rule, because the most common way to add variety is to insert a "bridge" into your song.
- Look for the hook. The hook is that elusive part of a great song that captures your very soul and makes you want to listen to that song over and over. Hooks are frequently found in the chorus and often become the title of the song. Sadly, there is no recipe for hooks, but you'll know when you have one. Better yet, your friends will tell you, because it is the part of a song they can not seem to get out of their head.
- Smooth the rough edges. If the pieces do not fit together, try building a transition. Put all the sections of your song in the same key. If your song suddenly changes in tempo (speed) between the two parts, try gradually changing the speed as you enter and exit the section that does not fit with the rest of the song. Try adding a short instrumental interlude that will carry you from one part to the next. While it is possible that two parts should not be in the same song, it could be that you started one part with the wrong meter or wrong kind of beat.
- Get feedback. Play or sing your song for people and get their opinions. You will probably get a better idea of what they really think after you write a few songs. As they hear more of your songs, they might give you hints like, "It's good, and I liked that first one you wrote better" or "Wow, I've never heard anything like that, and I like it." and "That's a really good song!" Be prepared for a critic in the family that will accept nothing less than to hear it post-produced with all the bells and whistles that a band in a studio can offer.
- Once you've finished your first song, don't stop. Keep writing and practicing, and you'll find yourself getting better and better. You may need to write a lot of songs before you hit on one you really like, and even after that, you may need to write a lot more before you get another good one. Work hard and have fun doing it!
- Write music with someone If you feel blocked, then find a partner. The dues to pay in music involve a lot of volunteer hours. If (s)he does have inspiration (s)he could inspire you with writing your song, or part of it. Some great stuff became four parts through good interpersonal Chemistry.
- Go for a walk. While you should write as often as you can, writer's block is inevitable and really can stop you in your tracks, even writing the worst song in the world becomes impossible and your pen simply refuses to touch the paper. To overcome this blank state of mind, stop writing and do something different; go for a walk, pick up a newspaper, get milk and bread in, and while you take a little break from trying to write, be aware of the sights, sounds and smells of whichever environment you are in. Perhaps someone is having a BBQ that smells amazing and you can even taste the smoke, or you can hear bells, birds, waves, cars, wind, whatever, just try to pick out all the different things going on that you would not normally spot if you were just on your way to work or school. That can be all you need to pick up a little inspiration or at least get you back into practising your writing...
- Use your imagination. Do not copy verses. One line might not matter, and stealing a verse would prevent you from releasing a recording without permission. Stolen tunes do not always prevent you from performing, say, a parody, in person. Adding or deleting words might not fix this problem, either. If in doubt, check it out. If you can play an instrement e.g Guitar, Piano, or drums they can help you create and just finish your song. Then you have to give it a name. Base your name on what your song is about e.g if your song is about your friend, then use her or his name.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
So What Kind of Representation is Right for You?:
Though the kind of representation that you choose depends on your individual situation, I contend that most beatmakers/producers only need a lawyer, and at times a beat broker, but NOT a producer manager. Beatmakers/producers are already self-contained and usually very organized. We are not like other recording artists; that is, our careers depend primarily on servicing the musical needs of other recording artists rather than performing ourselves. Furthermore, given the nature of the general openness of the beat shopping process itself, it’s not terribly important who gets your beats into the hands of decision makers. In fact, increasingly, recording artists are accepting beat/instrumental submissions through other outlets, namely email, social networking sites, and national contests.
Moreover, it’s important to keep in mind that once you sign with a producer manager, they are entitled to a 20% cut of all the music-related revenue you earn. And typically, the representation period will last for two years or more. All this for essentially doing exactly what a beat broker could do for a much cheaper rate and a less restrictive representation period? That being said however, I think that as your career grows, and as you become a more sizeable figure in the recording industry, then it may indeed be not only advantageous but necessary for you to get a manager, mainly because you will be eligible for opportunities outside of selling beats to other recording artists.
But in regards to just starting out, well, the decision to get a manager can go both ways. Here, it’s important to point out that hip hop-rap beatmaking/production is a relatively new and rather unique phenomenon in the recording industry. And as such, many recording artists are still trying to navigate their way through the current model of obtaining beats. Moreover, because of the aforementioned solitary factor of the hip hop-rap beatmaking/production craft itself, beatmakers/producers do not typically need the guidance of a producer manager. Though a producer manager can help a beatmaker/producer gain exposure early on, it’s important to remember that once a beatmaker/producer is established on any significant level, the task of successfully shopping their beats themselves actually becomes rather easy. In fact, should you reach a point of acclaim, people interested in your brand of beats will often reach out to you. As beatmaker/producer DJ Premier has said, “Christina Aguilera was the one to reach out.” So if you’re a beatmaker/producer just starting out, the question of whether or not to go with a producer manager is really a question of exposure. If you feel that the exposure a producer manger can get you is above and beyond what a beat broker can provide, then getting a producer manager might be the way to go. Just make sure that the producer manager’s responsibilities and obligations are well-defined in writing. It’s also a good idea to include benchmarks (set goals) within the language of any agreement that you enter into with a producer manager. But before you actually commit to an agreement with a producer manager, remember this: savvy beat brokers are more likely to go to better industry parties than producer managers.
Producer Management 101
Representation, such as a manager or a lawyer, is an essential asset to any recording artist trying to succeed in the music industry. But for hip hop beatmakers/producers, representation takes on a whole new meaning. For one thing, the role of a hip hop-rap beatmaker/producer is different than that of a typical recording artist. Hip hop-rap beatmakers/producers provide beats for other recording artists to write and perform to. Moreover, unlike other recording artists, who sell their persona and image to the public just as much as they do their music, beatmakers/producers sell their music to other recording artists, and they usually do not have to worry about their persona or image being in the public eye. Instead, their primary concern is pairing their beats with recording artists who need new music. Thus this precarious music-matching process is one reason why beatmakers/producers need to have representation. They must have someone who can flush out opportunities for music placements; they need someone who can find recording artists and other comparable parties who are seeking new beats.
The other reason why a beatmaker/producer needs a representative, especially early on in their career, deals with the compositional method of hip hop-rap beatmaking/production itself. Hip hop beatmaking/production is a very meticulous and often arduous craft that is usually orchestrated in a solitary environment. It is this solitary dimension to beatmaking/production that prompts the need for representation. Beatmakers/producers need a representative, someone to pitch and/or broker the sale of their beats. So just as with the music-matching process of the beat-selling world, here, it’s easy to see why a representative—or better yet a “beat broker”—is absolutely critical to the chances of beatmaker/producer landing the much sought after placement on a commercial release.
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