TuneCore Announces Music Industry Survival Guide

While TuneCore — the trailblazing digital music delivery service — has been embraced and utilized by big-name artists like Public Enemy, Queens of the Stone Age, Bjork, Jay-Z and Keith Richards, the service's low flat fee makes it equally accessible to unsigned or unknown artists. Knowing that the road to success can be more arduous for the independent musician, TuneCore has issued a Music Industry Survival Manual. Here are just a few of the guide's many helpful pointers: Create an iMix: Once your music is available on iTunes, publish an iMix playlist featuring your own music alongside the music of more popular bands in the same genre. When customers search for the music of the more popular bands, your iMix (featuring your songs) will surface on their albums page.

Create Links From Your Page To Download Stores: In iTunes, Rhapsody, Sony Connect and Napster, you can create a link to your music from your website or MySpace page, so that users can more easily buy your downloads. With the iTunes Store and Rhapsody, you can even sign up for an affiliate program to earn even more money when fans buy your music. Reach Out To Blogs: In many cases, contacting a blog is as simple as sending an email. Artists should take advantage of all media resources — YouTube, MySpace, message boards, etc. — to develop quality and compelling content and a unique, differentiating online presence.

Match Your Merchandise to Your Fans: Analyze your demographic; know their style preferences and spending habits. Tailor the design of your t-shirts, stickers, buttons, etc. to fit their tastes.

Join Sound Exchange: SoundExchange is the first performance rights organization designated by the government to collect royalties on behalf of recording artists and record labels. Performers registered with SoundExchange are able to receive their deserved royalties from non-interactive digital airplay — satellite radio, internet radio, and cable/direct TV radio — in the United States.

Visit TuneCore's website for more tips like these and to learn how TuneCore can assist artists with many of these steps. Be sure to read the free 28-page PDF booklet on how to market, promote and make money from your music, found here: http://www.tunecore.com/images/artwork/templates/pdfs/tunecore_manual_dl.pdf

For more information on TuneCore, please contact Nick Loss-Eaton or Matt Hanks at Shore Fire Media, 718.522.7171.