Top 5 Mistakes in Musician Websites from A&R Perspective

[roxybeast]

Top 5 Mistakes in Band/Artist Websites from A&R Perspective

I've been listening to band websites as part of helping the major label guys pick which artists to go see at SXSW. Here's what I can tell you bands & artists:

1. PUT YOUR FUCKING SONGS ON THE FIRST PAGE OF YOUR WEBSITE!!!!!

2. GIVE ME A CHOICE - DON'T FORCE ME TO LISTEN TO ONE SONG - LET ME CHOOSE & MAKE THE CHOICES EASY - IN OTHER WORDS PUT 5-10 SONGS UP THERE THAT I CAN CLICK ON OR AT LEAST SKIP THROUGH QUICKLY!!

3. PROGRAM YOUR SITE SO IT ALLOWS ME TO LISTEN TO A SONG WHILE SKIPPING AROUND & CHECKING OUT YOUR OTHER PAGES - BIOS, PICS, TOUR, CONTACTS, ETC.!!

4. MAKE YOUR FIRST PAGE LOAD IN 5-10 SECONDS OR LESS!!

5. IF YOU'RE PROGRAMMER CAN'T DO THAT - STICK TO MYSPACE OR OTHER FREE SITES LIKE THAT WHEREYOUR SONGS SHOW UP ON PAGE ONE AND LISTENERS CAN SKIP AROUND TO CHECK THEM OUT!!

You would not believe the number of bands playing at SXSW that did not have the courtesy to submit at least one song for SXSW to put up on the band's link on the schedule SXSW posted - unbelievable!

Some bands playing at SXSW provided them with a link to their blog or a page that did not even have music available to listen to - result, nobody is going to their show. Some bands have music on their sites, on page 5 in small print - it's like looking for a needle in a haystack to even find & listen to their music, they are lucky I have a modicum of patience, most label A&R & fans wouldn't. Some of these problems are not with the bands, but with their indie labels and the pages they have created for their bands - too much we control everything and want you to buy this that or the other & not enough this band has some really cool songs, here listen & check their music out (& then buy) ... for a band to do that is just stupid, but for a label? Inexcusable.

If you're dead set on having some tricked out hard to load information without music readily available band website that looks cool then at least have the courtesy & foresight to put a link to your myspace on page 1 (before the giant flash intro starts loading). If we can't easily find & hear your songs, it doesn't matter if your the best fucking band in the world in your genre, we are going to skip you and move on to the next band!

We are looking for talent - we want to find great bands & singer-songwriters - we don't just like & listen to mainstream stuff - I've found some very hip quirky bands that we like for different reasons or projects or licensing or side-labels - but here's the bottom line: MAKE IT EASY TO FIND & LISTEN TO YOUR MUSIC!!!

Even if you don't give a damn about getting signed or getting booked, at least give a damn about your fans!

Beth Isbell
http://www.myspace.com/bethisbell

[roxybeast]

Hey I sent this to my A&R boss at majorlabelscout.com - his company is on contract to identify & submit talent to major label EMI & I help with that whole process ... and he dug it - said it was "dead on!"

So if you're an artist or a band out there looking to get signed -
PAY ATTENTION. ,