Tag Archives: Music Blog

Top 5 Most Popular Christmas Songs of all Time

The most joyous time of the year has arrived. A time for family, copious amounts of food, more alcohol that we care to admit and a constant stream of Christmas songs reappearing in the music charts. I’m sure the artists who were fortunate to release a Christmas hit look forward to this time of year rolling around again. We all have a favourite Christmas hit, whether it’s Mariah Carey, Frank Sinatra or a modern re-release of a Christmas classic, there’s always one that fills us with more holiday joy. In the spirit of Christmas and to coincide with my ‘24 Songs of Christmas’ countdown on Instagram (if you don’t already, give me a follow and join in the festivities), today’s blog will be looking at the top 5 most popular Christmas songs of all time. 

Band Aid – ‘Do they know it’s Christmas?’ (1984) AND Bing Crosby – ‘White Christmas’ (1942)

We’re starting off our top 5 list with a draw between Band Aid and Bing Crosby. Various articles have either hit at the top of their list’s and it was difficult to actually find out which Christmas hit is the most successful globally, so they’re sharing this top spot. 

In support of the famine in Ethiopia, Bob Geldof and Midge Ure formed a supergroup of the biggest UK and Irish artists and together they released ‘Do they know it’s Christmas?’. Incredibly it is reported that the Christmas hit went on to raise over £8 million within 12 months of its release and to this day continues to raise money in support of various charities. Besides the heartwarming context behind it, ‘Do they know it’s Christmas?’ has continued to be the UK’s favourite hit and continues to rise in popularity every December. 

Bing Crosby released some of the best Christmas cheer during his life, including the massive hit ‘White Christmas’. Released in 1941/42, ‘White Christmas’ stands the test of time and has beaten every Christmas hit that’s come after. The Guinness Book of Records has recorded ‘White Christmas’ as not only the biggest selling song of all time but the most successful Christmas song in the United States. To date, ‘White Christmas’ has sold over 50,000,000 copies. 

Boney M – ‘Mary’s Boy Child/Oh My Lord’ (1978)

Taking the second spot is the Christmas classic by Boney M ‘Mary’s Boy Child’, occasionally referred to as ‘Oh My Lord’. One of my all time favourites, this Christmas hit deserves to be taking one of the top spots. If you need some Christmas joy this is the one to go to. After its release in 1978, ‘Mary’s Boy Child’ rocketed to success and became the UK’s Christmas number one the same year. Selling over 2 million copies, the hit single has become a lifelong miracle to disco group Boney M. Band member Liz Mitchell recently spoke of the song’s success stating “some people play the lottery all their life and never win a penny – others play once and hit the jackpot, and that’s how it felt with Mary’s Boy Child.” (Evening Express, 2013)

Mariah Carey – ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ (1994)

All hail the Queen of Christmas! Honestly, I was surprised that Mariah’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ didn’t take the top spot because every Christmas this is the one song I can say will be playing every single time I turn on the radio or enter a store. But alas, here we are. Let’s be honest, Mariah is rolling in it and her bank account thrives at Christmas. So far this hit has earned Mariah over 16 million global sales and is listed as the 11th best-selling single of all time. I’m sorry, but it is not possible to listen to this without erupting into a ballad. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of Mariah but I can’t hide my love for this epic Christmas hit. 

Wham! – ‘Last Christmas’ (1984)

Remember when I said that ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ will always be playing in any store or on any radio station throughout December? Well, ‘Last Christmas’ takes joint lead in that category – and why shouldn’t it?! 

If there’s a perfect karaoke Christmas song it’s this one. Unfortunately for Wham! they missed out on the Christmas number 1 spot in 1984 which was snapped up by Band Aid. Despite missing out on being crowned number 1, ‘Last Christmas’ continues to fill us with Christmas joy and is undeniably deserving of a top 5 spot. Since the devastating death of George Michael on 25th December 2016, ‘Last Christmas’ has taken on another meaning for many fans and many are determined to give this classic its number 1 Christmas chart spot. Currently ‘Last Christmas’ sits at number 2 in the 2020 December charts but it has been reported it’s just over 1,000 sales behind the reigning number 1; ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You. We have until Christmas Day to crown Wham! as 2020’s Christmas number 1.

As for who takes the number 5 spot – who knows! 

Every source I looked at stated a different Christmas classic so disappointingly, I have no answer. As there’s such a difference in who takes the number 5 spot, I’ll state all the favourites I found below and you can make the choice for yourself. 

The Pogues ft Kirsty MacColl – ‘Fairytale of New York’ (1987)

Slade – ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’ (1973)

Wizard – ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday’ (1973) 

Nat King Cole – ‘The Christmas Song’ (1953)

Eartha Kitt – ‘Santa Baby’ (1953)

What’s your favourite Christmas song?

Getting to know SEO

Marketing is a complete whirlwind and I know first hand how difficult it can be to gain website traffic and brand reach. With this in mind, I thought now would be the perfect time to discuss one of the hardest, but most crucial marketing tactics – SEO. Otherwise known as Search Engine Optimization, in basic terms SEO is the process of making your website more visible in search engine searches, which in turn increases website traffic which increases leads which increases brand reach and so on..

There are over 4 billion web pages for us to browse through on the internet, making it understandable why implementing an SEO tactic is necessary. Think of it like peeling away the layers of an onion until you reach the centre or in our cases, reach the top of the list for keyword searches. 

But how does SEO work? 

As we know, algorithms are our best friend and worst enemy. Luckily for us, to successfully implement SEO we need to know the algorithms and understand how to use them to our best advantage. Keywords are at the forefront of effective SEO, Google (or whichever search engine you favour) identifies certain keywords which will then be partnered with your webpage if they are visibly used. Subsequently, if a search includes the same keywords partnered with your page, Google will return your webpage in response to the search. Clearly, that is just the beginning because every keyword search returns hundreds of thousands of pages – to tackle this part you need to become best friends with Google and be ranked at the top or at the very least on the first page. Let’s be honest, how many of us really click to page 2?

If successful SEO was based purely around keywords, everybody would be ranking on the first results page which would make it even harder to find what we’re looking for. Subsequently, Google’s algorithms take a variety of factors into account, including (but not exhaustive): 

  • Design
  • Page Tags 
  • Titles
  • Page Links 

There are so many pages available to check what keywords bring back the best results, to gain the most from organic searches I highly suggest playing around with some of these websites and seeing which are most relevant to your brand and which provide the quality and quantity that Google requires. Alternatively, if you don’t have the time or like me, are struggling to get your head around the different elements of SEO, you can hire someone to do it for you and have the peace of mind that they will get the best results. 

I’ll be honest, even I’m not completely confident with SEO to explain how the Google ranking works, if you’re interested in diving a little deeper, please check out this link which explains everything (https://searchengineland.com/guide/seo)! 

I will leave some links below for some pages I found that managed to explain SEO in a way that even I could wrap my hand around. Let me know how you get on with your optimization mission!

Understanding SEO

https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2015/04/30/seo-basics

https://moz.com/learn/seo/what-is-seo

https://neilpatel.com/blog/

Try out some keywords

https://www.wordtracker.com/

ICONIC MOMENTS OF THE CENTURY

  • 2000

    The real slim shady announces himself. I just had to put this in here, I know there are so many more iconic moments from the beginning of the 00’s but there’s TOO many. Eminem has continued to be as timeless and the real slim shady, it will go down in history and is iconic. 

  • 2001

    After a lot of research into iconic moments of 2001 – I basically came up with nada. The only recurring moment I could find was the Space Odyssey soundtrack. If anybody has any music moments from 2001 please comment below and enlighten me!

  • 2002

    Michael Jackson was controversial in life and continues to be controversial in death. By far, one of his most iconic moments came in 2002 when he dangled his baby son, Prince, over a hotel balcony. At the time this happened, I was only 4 years old but I was still made aware of this strange event years later which gives it a definite claim to this iconic moments list. 

  • 2003

    Admittedly, the initial release of iTunes was in 2001. However, the release of the infamous iTunes Store was actually 2003 after Steve Jobs was granted permission by the major labels at the time to offer their catalogue content on the site. Aside from Napster, Apple’s iTunes Store really was one of the first innovators of easily accessible digital downloads at the time. It’s popularity and market dominance grew tremendously over the years and it was classed as the largest music vendor in the WORLD in 2010. Unfortunately for Apple, digital downloads were swiftly over-taken by streaming and iTunes lost its relevance. But in true Apple style, they took note of the changes and came back with the fresh and relevant – Apple Music.  

  • 2004

    Ok so it isn’t exactly a ‘music moment’ but it’s iconic and all social media relates to the music industry somehow. In 2004, Facebook was founded. Whether you use Facebook, agree with the concept of Facebook or avoid Facebook at all costs – you can’t deny its right to an ‘iconic’ title.

  • 2005

    2005 blessed us with Rihanna’s debut album ‘Music of the Sun’. Disappointingly we haven’t had any new Rihanna tracks for a while now but she is taking the fashion and beauty industries by storm – she’s a busy lady! 

  • 2006

    Lily Allen released ‘Smile’ in 2006 and it is a song that truly makes me smile whenever it plays on my playlist. Allen’s way of spoken singing (if that makes sense – I don’t know the technical term) brings delightful personality to her music and is a joy to listen to. 

  • 2007

    Madonna made a shift in the Music Industry in 2007 when she signed a 360 degree deal with global concert promoter, Live Nation. The powerful partnership saw the end of Madonna’s contract with Warner Music and gave Live Nation unprecedented access to all of Madonna’s future music related releases. The deal was reported to be worth an eye-watering $120 million. 

  • 2008

    The birth of Spotify!

    Who knew 14 years ago that streaming platform Spotify would become one of (or is) the biggest streaming platform in the world. It doesn’t look Spotify will be gone any time soon, with their users only increasing; reporting over 299 million users in June 2020.

  • 2009

    Kayne West interrupts Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech at the VMA’s. After the, then 19 year old, Taylor won the VMA for Best Female Video for chart topping ‘You Belong With Me’, Kanye controversially jumped on stage, stole the mic and ranted about how Beyonce should’ve won the award. Poor Taylor was evidently mortified and Beyonce appeared extremely confused, if not slightly blushed but Kanye carried on. In the spirit of being a fair competitor, Beyonce invited Taylor back on stage later in the evening and allowed her to have her moment of acceptance and appreciation for her win without any stormy interruptions. 

  • 2010

    We’ve all seen many one hit wonders and watched the rapid rise and fall of artists and Lil Wayne experienced this in 2010. Whilst at the height of his career, Lil Wayne was sentenced to 1 year in prison for gun possession in 2010. Even with his year away from the spotlight, Lil Wayne continued to hit the charts and be a prominent figure in the hip-hop genre after his release. 

  • 2011

    It’s friday, friday …

    In 2011, Rebecca Black hit the scene and rapidly became a household name thanks to her viral ‘hit’ ‘Friday. I apostrophise hit because it was a very marmite song – you either loved it or you hated it. Either way, the lovers and haters of this song caused it to be a phenomenon and YouTube sensation.

  • 2012

    Tupac returns… in hologram form. If you haven’t heard or seen that hologram is developing the chance to see your favourite artist, years after their death, then you need to catch up! In April 2020, Coachella raised the roof when they introduced Tupac alongside Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre is a memorable, never seen before performance. Holograms are paving the way for artists to be remembered and celebrated and profited upon (controversial, I know) after death and to give fans the chance to make up for lost time. Personally, I think holograms are here to stay but to cover the extortionate costs of creating and running a hologram fans must be prepared to pay a hefty ticket price. 

  • 2013

    I don’t know anyone who doesn’t know the Frozen hit song ‘Let it go’ word for word. Children and adults around the globe were captivated by the Disney hit film and it rocketed even further with the irritatingly addictive, ‘Let it go’. In an unlikely turn of events, the hit song won an Oscar for Best Song… one the Disney creators will never forget.

  • 2014

    Anyone else remember waking up on one fine morning in September 2014 to find U2 dominating your iTunes library? I do. 

    Everyone loves a free gift but unfortunately for U2, their free gifting of album ‘Songs of Innocence’ didn’t go down as well as they hoped. But, bad publicity is good publicity as I’m sure industry veterans, U2, are well aware.

  • 2015

    2015 saw one of the biggest copyright battles between (you guessed it!) Robin Thicke, Pharrell and the Marvin Gaye Estate. Thankfully this is old news but the effects are still present today. Many songwriters and artists can give thanks to the tenacity of those in charge of Marvin Gaye’s estate for publicly showing that copyright infringement simply isn’t ok and you will be liable for A LOT of money when caught. I’m sure Thicke and Pharrell won’t be making that $7.3 million mistake again!

  • 2016

    In January 2016 the world mourned the loss of a true artist and music legend, David Bowie. True to form, Bowie surprised his adoring fans with a final album, Blackstar, released just two days before his death. Bowie’s dedication to his art is awe-inspiring, especially when you take into account that his illness would have been at its worst when he wrote, recorded and released Blackstar – whilst also filming music videos that beautifully told the story of Blackstar. Throughout his life, Bowie had profound influence over fashion, culture and music and it goes without saying that his influence and artistry will stand the test of time. 

  • 2017

    Two Words – FYRE FESTIVAL

    One Word – DISASTER

    But, highly entertaining.

  • 2018

    2018 was a fantastic year for music but one artist in particular took the industry by storm. Ariana Grande was a major 2018 highlight, she captured all audiences from her relationship with Pete Davidson to her female empowered album release, Sweetener. 

  • 2019

    In August 2019, I did a post dedicated to TikTok and questioned its potential longevity in the ever-expanding social media bubble. Well, let’s just say TikTok is here to stay! TikTok developers really have relished in countries around the globe being locked down with a desperate need to cure their boredom. In the UK alone, the amount of new downloads surged by 34% in the week Boris Johnson announced the national lockdown.

  • 2020

    Let’s be honest, 2020 is a right off. It’s been a year that caused everyone to be tremendously resilient and forgiving. Aside from the disappointment that is 2020, the world has been propelled into the #FreeBritney movement. If you haven’t heard of the #FreeBritney movement, take some time to delve into what’s been happening – it’s a complete whirlwind. We all remember the very public mental health crisis pop singer Britney Spears went through in 2008. But what we didn’t know is that since then Britney’s finances and life decisions, even those involving her children, are in the hands of her father. The legal term for this arrangement is ‘conservatorship’ in which an individual is instated as the ‘conservator’ over somebody who the courts believe is unable to make life and financial decisions due to a variety of reasons. Evidently, Britney has taken positive strides with her mental health and wellbeing, yet she cannot live her life how she wishes without the approval of her father. Thanks to social media, the #FreeBritney movement has gone viral and she is currently in the process of having her father removed as her conservator and now she has the support of millions.

    Follow us on Instagram for teasers and updates!

    Celebrating Black Music Icons

    In light of everything that is happening in the world right now, I only felt it was just to take the time and write a post. Today’s post will be a celebration of black icons within the Music Industry. I will be celebrating a range of contributors within producing and recording. 

    Over the past few days I have seen several posts on social media shedding light on the fact that white people love black culture, but are complacent to the history behind black culture and the injustices faced. First and foremost, I need to state that racism is an EVERYDAY issue and it pains me to know that once the media coverage ends, people’s active support may fade. 

    Personally, I have taken the past week to research and understand in depth the various compounds of racism, not just in the U.K. or USA but globally. I have always been a supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement and the need to become Anti-Racist. However, as is the case for all white people, it is easy to become complacent and blind ourselves to the issues faced as they do not directly affect us. But this needs to stop, we need to hold people accountable, educate ourselves, and be consciously ACTIVE in demanding change. 

    Being consciously active in the movement to demand anti-racism globally can come in various forms. Whether we are attending protests, posting online, educating ourselves, educating children, having difficult conversations or donating and signing petitions we are actively and continuously showing support. The most important action we must take is calling people out when they display racist traits or make racist remarks. Casual racism is the area that (I personally feel) needs to be fundamentally addressed to stimulate change.

    Why should it be at the forefront of people’s minds to make a casually racist comment? Why should it be used for comical effect? What is the need? 

    DO NOT BE COMPLACENT OR SILENT. We must use our voices and use our white privilege for the benefit of those around us. 

    It is truly sickening that we are in 2020 and still people are being judged and treated differently for the colour of their skin, ethnicity, gender, disability and so so much more. We are individuals, we are unique and that’s what makes every single person beautiful. Let’s celebrate each other, not discriminate.

    I could go on and on about racism but at the end of the day, it is down to us as individuals to make changes and I can’t persuade otherwise. Just remember those 2 words: Be Kind. Be Kind to EVERYONE. Be the change you want to see in the world.

    At the bottom of this post I will leave some links to interesting articles and sources of information I have found beneficial, read them yourselves and share them to people around you who may need educating.

    NILE RODGERS

     “There is something so mellow about Rodgers you could smoke him”

    The Guardian, 2018

    Nile Rodgers is iconic, along with all the other industry veterans I will be discussing today. Rodgers has been a part of the creation of many popular and long-standing records including (but most definitely not exhaustive): 

    CHIC – Le Freak

    Sister Sledge – We Are Family

    David Bowie – Let’s Dance

    Madonna – Like a Virgin

    It’s clear that being immersed within the genres of Jazz, Soul and R&B has rubbed off on Rodgers as a journalist described their encounter as “There is something so mellow about Rodgers you could smoke him”. Nevertheless, over his 67 years on this planet, Rodgers has suffered and succeeded. Throughout his childhood he was surrounded by poverty and addiction, something that he is very open about discussing. Moreover, Rodgers has stated that the effects of his early life taught him that “the world revolved around race” at a young age. However, all his tribulations have led to incredible triumphs. As a Grammy award winning producer, Rodgers has a career full of highs and a rich discography. An icon in his own right.

    SYLVIA ROBINSON

    “As a woman in the industry, Robinson was unfortunately robbed of credit on several records”

    Undeniably, Sylvia Robinson deserves the utmost celebrations for her success as a black woman in a male dominated Industry. As a woman in the industry, Robinson was unfortunately robbed of credit on several records before the success of ‘Rapper’s Delight’. Commonly referred to as the Godmother of Hip-Hop, Robinson has created her own milestones. In 1979, Robinson created and produced “Rapper’s Delight” by The Sugarhill Gang. At the time, hip-hop as a genre was viewed as a street culture and had very negative connotations. However, thanks to Robinson and The Sugarhill Gang, hip-hop was brought forth into the commercial industry. “Rapper’s Delight” became the first rap single to place in the charts and on radio playlists and sell over a million units. Arguably, the current professionals working within hip-hop have derived from the spotlight Robinson shone on the genre and helped pave the way for future artists, producers and managers to succeed. 

    QUINCY JONES

    “Rock ain’t nothing but a white version of rhythm and blues”

    Quincy Jones for Vulture, 2018

    A true industry legend. The number of records that Jones has been a contributor to or overseen is countless, he’s worked alongside a magnitude of artists. Jones is highly celebrated as a music industry veteran, having been awarded a staggering 28 Grammy’s and a recent Netflix documentary documenting his life and career. Being in the presence of Jones has been described as being surrounded by ‘enveloping charm’ (Vulture, 2018), he is a man of unprecedented knowledge and experience and has developed into a global celebrity. Jones has worked with various genres and artists ranging from Michael Jackson to Frank Sinatra and is a complete musical genius.

    PRINCE

    An artistic genius. Prince was and will continue to be an influence for most major artists in coming years, his talent and creative imagination cannot be beaten; he was a pioneer. Prince’s creativity was undeniably influenced by his parents who played in the Jazz group, Prince Rogers Trio; Prince was born and bred with musical genes. Prince’s childhood and career is fascinating, he truly immersed himself into music, both creatively and intellectually. He knew everything about the composition, recording and producing process and ensured he could oversee and manage these processes to achieve the greatest outcomes. One of the most important aspects of Prince’s career was his vision, he wanted to be known as an artist with no immediate reference to his race or gender; simply celebrated for his creative talents. For anybody who wants to delve a bit deeper, The Prince Estate have constructed a sort of virtual Prince museum over on his website – I’ll link below.

    https://becoming.prince.com/story/

    JIMI HENDRIX

    “an ex-paratrooper who gradually became an advocate of peace.”

    The Guardian, 2014

    Hailed as the greatest guitarist of all time, Jimi Hendrix is a timeless icon. For everyone who lived in London in the 60’s was blessed to be in the presence of Hendrix after he moved here from New York. Hendrix had a connection with his guitar like no other, it was magnetic, mesmerising and could never be missed. His relationship with his guitar provided insights into the importance of electric guitars within rock and blues. Hendrix was a lover of love and a lover of music, the perfect combination that gives him the title of one of the most influential musical figures of the 20th century. 

    DIANA ROSS

    “Queen of Motown Records”

    It can be argued that Diana Ross has had two chapters in her career as a musician; firstly in the band the Supremes and secondly, as a solo artist. The Supremes had dumbfounded success after signing to Motown Records and working alongside Berry Gordy Jr, they became the first U.S band to achieve 5 consecutive number 1 singles. With unmissable talent, Ross ventured into her solo career and continued to top the charts. Ross’ catalogue includes an abundance of identifiable songs such as ‘Ain’t no mountain high enough’ that will forever be timeless. Throughout her career, Ross has been celebrated and has won several accolades including a Golden Globe, Black Entertainment Television’s Lifetime Achievement Award and a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement. Ross has been described as the Queen of Motown Records and I’m sure they will cherish her catalogue for years to come. 

    INTERESTING ARTICLES BLM:

    https://blacklivesmatter.com/resources/

    https://witanddelight.com/2020/05/how-white-people-can-be-better-allies-to-the-black-community/

    https://www.timeout.com/things-to-do/how-to-support-black-lives-matter

    https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/black-history-month-teaching-the-complete-history

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/sfrost/2020/06/03/black-lives-matter-if-youre-white-pass-the-mic/#189b73fd6945

    PETITIONS THAT NEED YOUR SIGNATURE:

    Justice of Breonna Taylor  

    Suspend the UK export of Tear Gas, Rubber Bullets and Riot Shields to USA 

    Improve Maternal Mortality Rates and Health Care for Black Women in the U.K.

    Anti-Racism Education to be Compulsory in U​.​K Schools

    Teach British children about the realities of British Imperialism and Colonialism

     

    Top 10 Lockdown Bangers

    ‘If we all liked the same artists, the Music Industry would be pretty bleak’

    Well… it’s been a while. Since the current ‘lockdown’ in the UK I have found myself with quite a lot of spare time and spending everyday powering through university deadlines is driving me slightly insane. Everybody needs an escape from the drooling (but needed) isolation we are all facing. 

    I have found myself losing motivation to do my university work, but it has given me extra motivation to procrastinate; not that I needed much motivation for that. However, I am finally getting through some of the many books I’ve bought recently which is helping! 

    For any of you that may be interested, I am currently reading ‘The Silent Patient’ by Alex Michaelides, it is harrowing but most definitely, addictive. I highly recommend it to anyone, who like myself, needs something to occupy their mind. On top of reading, researching and drinking cheap wine from Lidl, I’ve been listening to my favourite tracks on repeat to get me through so I thought – ‘Why not write a blog about them?’. And that’s what I’m here to do. 

    Let there be no judgement on my taste in music.. If we all liked the same artists, the Music Industry would be pretty bleak.

    1. Viola Beach – Call You Up 

    Honestly, I couldn’t love this track anymore. It’s beautifully emotional, I will admit it does tug on my heart strings; alongside the bands tragic ending. Unfortunately, I didn’t discover Viola Beach until after their untimely deaths and it somehow makes their music more powerful. ‘Call You Up’ has been my favourite song since the first day I heard it and it’s the first song I made my boyfriend listen to when we met – he now loves it as much as I do. If you haven’t heard it, please do give it a listen. 

    1. Tom Misch – South of the River 

    Oh what a delight (yes, he’s pretty to look at), this song would put anyone in a good mood. It’s just the kind of upbeat music we need right now. I was lucky enough to see Tom Misch a couple of years ago and he certainly did not disappoint, if anything it ignited my love for him even more. Forever thankful to my lovely welsh friend for the ticket – what a legend! 

    1. Catfish and the Bottlemen – Hourglass 

    When they first hit it big, I was engrossed by their music and cool exterior. They are very pop rock but ‘Hourglass’ just stands out to me. Van Mccann’s voice is graceful and soothing, which makes a change from their usual tracks (not a negative, there’s not one I don’t like). If you like ‘Hourglass’, give ‘Glasgow’ a listen. Oh, before I forget, I went to see Catfish in Hull a few years back and nabbed a place right in front of the stage – lucky right? Well no, the crowd went wild when they came on which is of course expected, but little old me was being trampled on so my ex-boyfriend had to carry me to the back of the arena! Embarrassing but I enjoyed the rest of the gig even more without being constantly elbowed in the face. 

    1. Billie Eilish – ocean eyes 

    Basic, I know. When she first rose from the ashes I wasn’t interested and desperately tried to stray from the hype. But I caved and now I understand her quick rise to fame. Billie’s lyrics are captivating and majestic, it’s incredible to think it was released when she was just 15 years old. Her creativity is endless and luckily for us, she’s only just getting started. 

    1. Sean Paul – Temperature 

    Ok stop the judgement. I know I am BASIC. Come on, who doesn’t bop to any Sean Paul song when they’re on a night out? If you say no, you’re lying (sorry not sorry). I know if my boyfriend is reading this, he is rolling his eyes because he knows what I’m like. That’s all I have to say, it’s a tune and I’ll hear no more about it. 

    1. Daniel Caesar feat H.E.R – Best Part 

    It’s going to be my wedding song and that pretty much sums it up. 

    1. Ini Kamoze – Here Comes the Hotstepper 

    Yup, another cracker. I love this song because any time it is played in front of my mum or dad, they go wild, so it’s treasured. A classic 90’s track, the perfect mix of genres and the perfect pick me up. 

    1. Jorja Smith – Something in the Way

    Basically, anything Jorja Smith. My all time girl crush. Jorja’s voice is deep and passionate and I will never not adore every track she is on. Her debut album, ‘Lost & Found’ will place on my top 10 albums forever – she is timeless. 

    ‘Her talent is undeniable and I’m sure I speak for many when I say that she will always be a treasured artist.’

    1. Amy Winehouse – Stronger Than Me

    Talking of timeless.. Amy Winehouse. Wow. How can you not be hypnotised by her voice? I grew up with my mum who adored Amy and of course, when I grew old enough I could totally understand why. Her talent is undeniable and I’m sure I speak for many when I say that she will always be a treasured artist. 

    1.  The Beatles – Come Together 

    I really struggled with whether I should include The Beatles in this list. However, they are icons and I am a fan. Maybe not to the extent of the fangirls in the 60’s but I’m a lover not a hater. I don’t know what it is about ‘Come Together’ that I’m drawn to, I just unashamedly am. 

    That’s it! My list of 10 lockdown songs. Some you may love, some you may hate. If any of you have any groovy recommendations please send them over, I have all the time in the world. I hope lockdown is treating you well, it’ll be over soon and the summer sun will be upon us.

    The ‘Queen of Rave’ is back

    What’s one dance track from the 90’s that you or a member of your family remembers? I’m sure many of you will say the catchy tune of ‘Everybody’s Free (To Feel Good)’. Nobody can deny how much of an absolute club classic this is, even though I wasn’t born during its debut release I have heard the delights of Rozalla on many occasions. Rozalla’s Top 10 hit single has been remixed a magnitude of times over the years (some better than others) but most importantly, these remixes have given us a constant reminder of who Rozalla is and what she has to offer. 

    During the height of her career, Rozalla achieved international success and Billboard Top 40 status along with so many other accomplishments. Touring alongside Michael Jackson is a hard act to follow and certainly a chapter in her career I’m sure she will cherish (and boast about) forever. But it’s only the beginning for the next chapter!

    Rozalla graced the 1990’s with several international hit dance tracks and she’s back, doing what she does best. In most recent years it appears that Rozalla is still a hit in the US, her 2015 single ‘If You Say it Again’ peaked number 5 in the Billboard Dance Chart. Her legacy continues into 2019 where Rozalla has recently re-released her latest single, ‘Turn On The Light’. 

    Commonly referred to as the ‘Queen of Rave’, Rozalla’s latest single will certainly be hitting the nostalgia button for her 1990’s fans. Not only is ‘Turn On The Light’ full of positivity, it takes you straight to the dancefloor. I’m sure it won’t be long until you’re hearing ‘Turn On The Light’ on your radio stations, Rozalla has been hard at work promoting the long awaited single. Be sure to give it a listen and if you’ve been missing out, I’ll link Rozalla’s recent works below along with her socials in case you want to see her live! 

    Turn On The Light – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSpWa2SJhfM 

    If You Say It Again – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vd7Jh4vfY_s 

    For all the nostalgia seekers…

    Everybody’s Free (To Feel Good) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI42hQHfbi8 

    Instagram – www.instagram.com/rozallab 

    Twitter – www.twitter.com/rozallab 

    Introducing… DLOW

    Today’s blog will be following on from how artists can benefit from apps like TikTok. I’ll be discussing Chicago dance legend and platinum recording artist DLOW and how he has used these platforms to his utmost advantage. 

    But firstly, who is DLOW? 

    Recording artist and dancer DLOW shot to fame at age 17 when he uploaded a dance challenge ‘DLOW Shuffle’, to this day the upload has accumulated over 33 million views. Since then DLOW’s fan base has been ever growing, his 2015 release ‘Do it Like Me Challenge’, has gained over 116 MILLION views on YouTube and has now been awarded as RIAA Platinum. Not a bad thing to have on your CV.

    How rare is it to find an artist who is genuinely and naturally talented at songwriting, recording and dancing? You’re in for a treat.

    ‘Determined, Loyal, Optimistic and Willing to Learn’

    Truthfully, his style of writing isn’t a personal preference of mine but I can without doubt appreciate the attraction to his extremely energetic and charismatic personality that bursts through his music and accompanied music videos. Not only does DLOW have the moves, he has the infectious personality to match. It’s not often you see artist’s being truly individual nowadays but from what I can tell (I hope I’m right), DLOW knows who he is and loves it! 

    His creativity doesn’t stop at his choreography, lyrics and recording. Beautifully his name is the acronym ‘Determined, Loyal, Optimistic and Willing to Learn’. A constant display and reminder of his passion for what he does.

    A born entertainer. 

    Achieving a viral status online is becoming harder and harder as time goes on, as we all know the amount of traffic on social media is endless so knowing how to gain attention and slowly filter yourself through that traffic is vital for success. The umbrella of ‘Social Media’ apps is incredibly big and deciding which app is best for the individual artist is a difficult but crucial decision. More often than not it’s the artists who take a risk on new and developing apps like TikTok that benefit the most. 

    DLOW has swiftly tapped into the niche (but growing) market of TikTok and Dubsmash users, the key is understanding these audiences and what genre of music they will respond to. I’ve seen a few artists posting ‘challenges’ for their fans over the past few months and so far, they seem to be gaining career momentum as a result. DLOW is a modern day artist who knows who his audience is and where to find them; plain and simple – interaction builds popularity! 

    Retrospective to his quick rise to fame, DLOW has grasped many opportunities to gain noticeability with a lengthy list of appearances under his belt; including Good Morning America and Lollapalooza. Definitely signs of an artist who is doing everything he can to benefit his career and a team of people behind him with the same aspirations.

    Learning from past success and using his talents to his advantage, DLOW has recently released ‘Issa Workout with DLOW’, the release equals as another dance challenge; who has what it takes? I’ll post some links below for you to check him out and see if you can master the moves. 

    Official Website – http://www.iAmDLOWmusic

    Issa Workout with DLOW – https://youtu.be/ht5FAHbAFuk

    Do It Like Me Challenge – https://youtu.be/7hl0aTooA90

    Like Whoa – https://youtu.be/sVe8-x_k4i0


    TikTok – Is it here to stay?

    Admittedly, when I first heard of popular app TikTok I never took it seriously and found the whole concept quite ‘cringe’, but it appears the app has had a profound impact on it’s millions of growing users. 

    What is TikTok and where did it come from?

    Does anybody remember the constant sponsored ads for lip-syncing app ‘Musical.ly’? Go back a few years and I was constantly getting social media ads for Musical.ly which had a simple concept; people upload videos of them lip-synching to music, catch phrases or sections of movie/TV scripts. In late 2017, Chinese company ByteDance took control of Musical.ly and merged its current users onto TikTok – and it’s been a huge success!

    Conceptually, TikTok is very similar to popular app Vine which was ‘indefinitely postponed’ in 2018. The format allows users to film and upload 15 second videos, alongside filters and music clips of their choice. The videos can be (and have been) anything, users have gained millions of followers by uploading comedy sketches, handmade music videos and short clips of their daily activities. Unsurprisingly, the most popular pages are those with the simplest videos but that tap into the ‘satisfying’ genre; such as craft content.

    “YouTube created a class of five-minute content. I’m curious if TikTok will create the 15- or 60-second song.”

    Jack Krawczyk for The Ringer

    The app is consistently growing in users and followers with over 1 BILLION App Store downloads in 2018 alone. Regularly compared to upload giant YouTube, it appears TikTok has caught the global attention of Generation Z. Those in charge of marketing TikTok definitely know their audience, mainly using advertisements on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram which is guaranteed to be the reason behind their ever-growing user/follower statistics. 

    What does this mean for artists?

    As far as I could grasp, new artists who want to gain exposure and increase their streams can pay users with a large following to use clips of their music. Even though it seems far reaching that many artists will be willing to pay someone else to use their music, they will benefit in the future. I’m sure they’ll all be looking at Lil Nas X’s ‘Old Town Road’ and how TikTok gained it viral success and wanting a piece of the pie.

    Again, I’m not 100% sure on what popular artists will be paid in the means of ‘pay per play’ when their music is featured on the app but I don’t doubt they’ll certainly be appreciating the extra streams. In a (not so) shocking twist, it’s even been rumoured that the creators of TikTok, ByteDance, are planning to launch their own streaming service in the near future. 

    The future of TikTok

    It can’t be forecasted how the future will look for TikTok, will the popularity slow causing the app to stop? Or will it’s popularity continue at this consistent rate?

    I would suggest it all depends on how the app creators develop the features, if they continue to add new in-app features and develop with the developing digital climate, they could be the next YouTube! 

    Popular YouTube content creators, television personalities and comedians have been taking advantage of the apps global reach so I can’t see it plummeting into the abyss anytime soon. 

    Brexit and the Music Industry

    (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

    Well, the UK officially have a new Prime Minister. Since walking into Number 10, Boris Johnson will have been hard at work trying to figure out a Brexit deal that suits everyone. It’s inevitable that leaving the EU will cause various changes for the majority of industries but how will it affect the Music Industry? 

    Trade Deals/Copyright Protection

    Arguably the most crucial issue that needs to be resolved and secured during our exit from the EU is trade deals.Whether it’s securing and continuing already established deals or negotiating equally beneficial deals, trade deals are vital for a successful Music Industry. Again, trade deals will be at the forefront of any major industry players minds and the major labels are no exception. Trade deals in the Music Industry include the issue of copyright protection and the manufacturing, shipping and distributing of physical products (Merchandise and Musical works). UK record labels and Industry professionals will be actively reminding the Government to ensure that labels, artists, producers, manufacturers (and everyone else) will have continued IP Protection once we’ve become independent from the EU. 

    Touring

    The Live Music sector has grown by nearly 50% since 2012 and creates a vast amount of tourism and has a large economic value in the UK so you can understand the concern surrounding Brexit and Live Music. Take into consideration how easy it is for artists to fly to Europe to play a quick show or for European artists to fly to the UK for a quick show. Now think about if those artist’s needed visa’s anytime they wanted to go book tour dates around Europe, not only is it a lot of added effort but a lot of added COST. Not ideal for new artists hoping to break Europe with minimal financial loss. A further frustration is the possibility of touring artists and crews having to create and pay for a ‘tour carnet’. This particular documentation will need to provide a full list of gear and shows being played, however if there are any unexpected changes during touring, you’d need to create and pay for a new carnet. 

    Promotion

    Thankfully, there’s always digital promotion techniques that artists/labels can fall back on in the case of a negative Brexit deal. However, what are the two vital ways of promoting new artists? Touring and TV/Radio appearances! Two of the most important ways to promote and grow into a successful artist could be the most affected. Not only will artists have the added cost of visas and tour carnets, it’s highly likely that tariffs and taxes will increase, making it harder and harder. 

    With the deadline October 31st fast approaching, let’s hope Boris creates a deal positively affecting all industries. I can’t envision a deal that will drastically affect the booming Live Music and streaming sectors for UK and European artists but we’ll soon find out! 

    Tips and Tricks for Online Promotion

    Currently going through major writers block, struggling for ideas and lacking in inspiration but the blog must go on! 

    Today I’ll be discussing the best ways to gain attention in today’s digital climate, where is the best places to promote your music and who can help. Luckily for many upcoming, past and present artists the game of being online greatly increases exposure opportunities. Social Media platforms; Instagram, Twitter and Facebook are undoubtedly the most popular sites to promote a new artist and update fans about new music and appearances. Moreover, due to the constant usage of Social Media, the right algorithms can take an upcoming artist from virtual invisibility online and rocket them to stardom overnight. BUT, Social Media isn’t the only option; so, what are they? 

    WEBSITE (and I’ll shout it again) CREATE A WEBSITE!

    Social Media has completely overshadowed the importance of needing a website because artist’s believe they can provide everything a website does on their Social Media accounts. However, think of your website as a home, it’s a home for your music, a home for your merchandise, a home for touring information; a home for your brand. A website doesn’t need to be fancy and cost a mortgage to set up, the most important thing it needs is to be branded with your music. It will become the first place fans will go to if they need anything. Another crucial aspect of having a website is setting up a mailing list, this kind of personalised marketing is key to grasping the attention and loyalty of your fans. 

    Finally, if you’re willing to pay a little extra and spend a little extra time on taking full advantage of your website; investing in ‘search engine optimisation’ softwares are the best option for you. Using SEO will vastly increase visibility on google searches, it will ensure your website URL is easily filtered through the cloud of online traffic. Making it 10x more likely that once your name is searched, the results will take the googlers straight to your website.

    LinkedIn

    I know LinkedIn is technically classed under the ‘Social Media’ umbrella, but it’s so effective. I’ll admit that I never considered LinkedIn as a place to promote music and artists until I created my own account. I inserted the blog URL in the website in my profile description and since then, I’ve had a large number of hopeful artists contacting me for exposure on my blog. Evidently, I’ve only created one exposure piece on this blog so far but there will be more to come! 

    Sending a quick press release with your website and socials linked to individuals who you feel can benefit your career via LinkedIn is a great way to promote your music and widen your network! Which leads me onto the next point… 

    Reach out to bloggers

    There are hundreds, if not thousands of Music based blogs right now and the vast majority will be willing or already are creating exposure posts for artists. If you’re an independent artist or an upcoming artist who’s lacking in funds to afford the prices of a PR professional this is one of the best options for you. By gaining credibility from bloggers you’re not only benefiting from free publicity but you could be networking with somebody with a bright future in the industry who can remember you for future work. 

    Playlists

    Entry into playlists is an ideal way for an artist to increase their streaming count and earn some well deserved money (even if it’s not a lot). Although to begin with an artist will only feature irregularly on playlists, if their tracks receive high levels of streams and the playlist curators see potential, they’ll have a higher chance of becoming regularly featured. Uploading your music onto sites such as CD Baby increases your chances of being noticed by playlist curators from streaming sites Spotify, Apple Music and Deezer.