Durham Enviro Stars

Many musicians are aware that making the right music industry contacts is highly important for achieving a successful music career. The problem is that, most musicians really don’t know ‘who’ the right music industry contacts are, where to find them, how to actually transform a ‘first contact’ into a meaningful relationship, and what ‘having the right music industry connections’ really means.

If I gave you my complete list of music industry contacts (key industry people I have established relationships with over the last 20 years), do you think it would help you develop a successful music career? … NO! Why? Because a mere ‘contact’ is not worth anything. Music industry contacts need to become meaningful music industry connections. Meaningful connections are developed by building good relationships… More on this later…

However, even if you have good relationships with the right people, this won’t help you until and unless you work on having the right things in place which enables your industry contacts to feel confident enough to work with you. Watch this free video on building a successful career in the music business to learn how to turn mere “contacts” in the music industry into meaningful relationships that will help your music career. 

Music has been a bridge connecting people of all religions, races and cultures.  It fosters well-being, gives joy, and researchers have documented the physical and psychological benefits of listening to music.

Music is commonly used in medical therapy to promote wellness, manage stress, alleviate pain, express feelings, enhance memory, improve communication, and promote physical rehabilitation.

Music can also help heal one’s spirit by connecting listeners with consciousness…a place within the heart where one’s contemplative nature is activated.

Healing is how many listeners are describing a new CD, ‘Sacred Love’ from Shambhu who crafted his music as an expression of beauty.

“Creating a heartfelt feeling of love was fundamental to composing and performing the music of Sacred Love,” said Shambhu. “If people can feel love in music, then this can nurture them into a more productive, healing space.”

“Tremendous tenderness and love has gone into the making of this CD,” said music reviewer and industry veteran Bette Timm.

D. Brian A. Aberger, D.C., says, “As a health care professional, I would truly recommend this CD to any of my patients or friends that just want to unwind and escape.  It is indeed just what the doctor ordered.”

Why is Music Important for Kids?

This question has been debated for as long as time has existed. Even the great Greek and Roman philosophers approached the question: is music something that should be taught and does it help the development of children? Plato answered “I would teach children music, physics, and philosophy; but most importantly music, for in the patterns of music and all arts are the keys to learning.” And again “what then is the education to be? Perhaps we could hardly find a better than that which the experience of the past has already discovered, which consists, I believe, in gymnastic, for the body, and music for the mind.”

In all cultures of the world music plays an important role. While these roles may change depending on the culture it is impossible to separate music from the life of an individual. While some may argue the role of music in our lives it is impossible to escape it. Even in the popular culture of Australia it is impossible to go shopping without hearing music. Music provides a means of communication and expression of culture and individual identity.

During The Pirate Bay trial, the music industry placed the blame for the decline in their revenues squarely on the shoulders of file-sharers. Their logic is clearly flawed, but it could sway the verdict if no alternative explanation is presented. So, if piracy isn’t to blame, then what is *actually* killing the music industry?

According to Per Sundin, CEO of Universal Music, the decline in music revenues in the past 8 years can be fully attributed to illegal file sharing. If this were actually true, many of us might even respect his decision to go after pirates as fiercely as the music industry is doing right now. However, the past 8 years have seen a lot more changes in the landscape of home entertainment than Per Sundin would like to admit, and some of those changes have had a massive impact on music profitability – much more so than any amount of piracy.

Let us refresh our memories and take a look at what actually happened during and just before the past 8 years:

Internet-Music Bond

The collaboration of Internet and music has shared a bond pleasing musicians and their audience since its inception a few years ago. On one hand, downloading music online allows its audience the option of obtaining music for free, a benefit to both the musicians and the audience. However, the Internet has also acted as the villain for opening a lot of avenues where talent goes unrecognised and do not get their due credit, which in a way is generally referred to as ‘online piracy.’

It doesn’t appear to be a new fad as streaming music sites with free accessible content are being used by a growing number of listeners as a substitute for buying music. For instance, a few years back, a survey revealed that music enthusiasts often spent a whopping amount of 0 per month buying CDs and digital downloads to fill their iPod.

Whereas, the internet and music bonding came a long way and proved less taxing, where in it has enabled music lovers to get their favourite music by spending only or less each month. Services like Imeem and Last.fm (CBS) have given the music listeners a golden opportunity to listen to any kind of music over the Web for free or at minimal cost.