Radyo Akdeniz FM Music

A History of Rock and Roll Music

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:50:18 +0000

The immediate origins of rock and roll lie in the late 1940s and early 1950s through a mixing of the genres of blues, country, R&B, folk and gospel music. Alan Freed, a disc jockey based in Cleveland, Ohio is generally credited with first using the phrase rock and roll in 1951, though the phrase was in constant use at time in lyrics of R&B songs of the time. The phrase rocking and rolling has its origins in slang for dancing or having sex. Many early rock and roll hits were re-writes of earlier R&B or blues songs. Black music was still taboo on radio stations, so producers and artists began making white versions of black music. In 1955, Bill Haley’s Rock Around the Clock became the first rock and roll song to top the charts. The song became one of the biggest hits in history, and hordes of teenagers began flocking to hear Haley and his band The Comets. Blues would continue to inspire rock for decades with great acts like Cream, The Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin drawing their inspiration from musicians like Robert Johnson and Skip James. Rock and Roll influenced lifestyles, fashion, attitudes and language. It also appeared at a time when racial tensions were coming to a head in the United States, the music contributed to the civil rights movement as both black and white teenagers followed the music. It was a fresh sound which spawned fresh ideas and approaches which paved the way for the swinging sixties.

Cue Music Database 6 Months on

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:45:31 +0000

Just over 6 months ago, I found myself (not for the first time) idly surfing the web looking at a variety of different popular music websites. They’re dotted about all over the place, taking part in many mini-battles with each other, trying to gain number one status with their own particular target audiences. Then it occurred to me; who’s trying to attain number one status with ALL target audiences?

I thought that the best way to achieve this was to create a website that had a page for every band and artist there is or has been. The page should contain news articles, pictures, videos and MP3 downloads. Great idea… but how the heck would I do that? NME has a battalion of researchers running around the globe for them. The BBC has an army! I have… er… me!

After a lot of deliberation and failed attempts, this is what I came up with: fill a database with as many bands and artists as possible then scour the web. Or, more importantly, since there are only 24 hours in a day, develop some automated routines that would do it for me. The CUE Music Database automated routines regularly check tens of RSS feeds for news, check video download sites for videos, check royalty free image sites for photos, check ticket sites for concert tickets and MP3 download sites for downloads. These automated routines run continuously, keeping the music database as up to date as possible at all times.

Sure, automation is not 100% accurate and I guess having 100 staff doing the work manually would lessen the mis-matches, but hey – I don’t! As time has gone by, the search routines have been tweaked, the site design has been altered and now, on it’s 6 month birthday, CUE Music Database boasts pages for over 3000 artists, with 12000 news articles, 1400 photos and 80000 videos!

The CUE Music Database front page is constantly dynamic, showing you the latest music news headlines with accompanying artist photos and showing our Top 10 videos, Top 10 artists along with the latest bands, artists and videos we have added.

Whether you’re in to Jay-Z, Coldplay, Metallica or Madonna, CUE-mdb has a page (or a hundred) for your tastes!

The website has a feedback form where you can contact me to add bands and artists that have been overlooked. I am always happy to receive feedback on ways in which the website can be improved and I get a particular thrill when new, up and coming artists contact me direct to say, “hey, why aren’t we on your site?” Rest assured, when they do, they are quickly added to one of the most vast music resources on the web!

The Cruel, Cold, Critical World of Music Promotion: 7 Tips to Make It Work

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 23:37:59 +0000

If you are trying diligently to break into that unknown realm of music promotion, you may find it’s a little more difficult than you might have expected. As with any industry, music promotion comes down to whom you know. There are ways to get your foot in the door; however, you must be willing to work at it. For those who want to become a part of this wonderfully exciting, calculating critical world of the musician, here are some tips to help you:

Connect With Your Connections: In the music industry, it’s all about who you know. You have to stay in touch with other musicians, promoters, advertisers, clients, and even your friends and family. Keep the lines of communication open. Drop them an email or give them a call every now and then. Keep your name in the forefront of their mind. Look for Unorthodox Means of Marketing: One of the best things you can do to market your music is to make it stand out. This does not necessarily mean your music must be completely different from anything else that is available. It only means that you must use music marketing ideas that are not the norm. Use daily blogs and social networks to promote your website. Promote a local charity. Give away something strange with a CD order, such as a trash can for the rest of the music someone listens to. Give away a CD of jokes with your music. Anything you can do that is different will get you noticed. Overhaul Your Band’s Image: Are you a rock and roll band? Create a perpetual rolling rock for part of your stage show. Is hip-hop more your style? Find a huge stuffed rabbit and dress it in the latest hip-hop clothes. These may sound completely absurd and more than a little gimmicky, but someone’s going to remember you. Use your creative side to create a unique look that people will remember. Build Your Fan Base: Bonuses are always good – free is outstanding. While not every musician can afford to give away t-shirts or CD’s, create something with your bands name on it that people will use. The key to music promotion is to stand out. Obviously, if your fan base grows, so will the interest in your music. Talk to People: Take a moment to talk to everyone you can. Standing in line at the market? Speak to someone in front of you. While this doesn’t mean the little Grandma in front of you, it does mean to talk to someone who might listen to your genre of music. Take the Time with Your Fans: Don’t ever get such a big head that you don’t take the time to spend a few moments with your fans. No matter what business you are in, these people will determine your success. Whether it’s having a beer at the bar or signing a few autographs, your fans will remember that they were important enough for your time. Pick the Positive People: If you find you are surrounded by negative people all the time, it’s time for a change. You need to be upbeat when you meet and deal with people. You need confidence in yourself and your music. You must keep the end results of your music promotion campaign in mind at all times.

Music promotion can be a down and dirty world. Keep your own morals intact; don’t lose faith. Promotions can take on just about any persona and you’ll need every bit of help you can get along the way.