Customer Reviews

Making and Marketing Music: The Musician's Guide to Financing, Distributing and Promoting Albums

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

While this book contains a few helpful suggestions on confronting the business of music, much of the information presented is simply common sense. If you are 15 and just bought your first guitar, this book might be for you. Otherwise, you might find it insulting to your intelligence.

Summers' demographic is pre-pubescent, as the following excerpt will help you understand:

"What it takes to make an album is good songs. Think about whether every song is the caliber of 'MMMBop' or 'Sympathy for the Devil.'"

By refering to young teen bands like Hanson she is trying to appeal to a very yound crowd. I suppose this is why Summers tries so hard to be hip, using slang here and there. But not only does her slang confuse the writing, it comes off sounding akward and embarassing, like when your mom tries to use the slang of your generation. The book is a jumble of obvious and vague statements written in akward ways.

Take a moment to review Summers' credentials:

Jodi Summers is President of World View Media, an international company supplying entertainment and new technology material to magazines, newspapers, Web sites, and online services. Summers' work has appeared in virtually every music magazine around the world. She lives in Los Angeles California.

Notice "has appeared in virtually every music magazine around the world." This statement is so vague it makes think she is avoiding the fact that she hasn't been published by a remotely noteworthy newspaper or journal. I want to give her the benefit of the doubt, but I am skeptical. Credentials aside, the quality of writing suggests that Summers is more like a soccer mom driving around the valley in her SUV than an industry pro.

I emplore you to hesitate before buying this book! Those are hours of my life I will never get back.

This is not so much a book... more a collection of magazine cuttings. There are far too many short stories about other bands, mainly used in my opinion as a name-dropping exercise. There is very little actual information of any practical value, other than a few obvious references to writing better songs and presenting them to the right people. There was no indication of how to write a better song, or who the right people are, or even how to go about finding them. So much for marketing information.

The writer goes on to explain that someone DID market their own album successfully. May as well have said that someone DID land on the moon, but no indication of HOW to go about preparing your music (or your spaceship) to do the same.

Very disappointing all round, or maybe my expectations were a little high, which is also possible, isn't it.

It's obvious why Billboard Magazine gave Making and Marketing Music such a great review. It's full of interesting stories on how so many different platinum bands from so many areas of music succeeded.

If you're looking for step-by-step instruction on how to market and promote your album - this book is incredibly helpful!

Great, great great! That just sums all there is to be said about this book. With a step by step structure and structured reading this book takes you through the steps of recording, getting the album into the stores, booking concerts and managing the finances. Good title for managers and musicians alike, but songwriters and producers will love it too because ti opens up lots of closed doors and gives a lot of unseen information. Recommended for novices and experienced people alike, do not miss.

Ms. Summers demonstrates a unique understanding of the inner-workings of the
music industry. Her insights are often pithy, helpful and even humorous. This
tome should be assigned reading for anyone wishing to make a career within
the oft-confusing walls of the contemporary music world.

I have own a marketing company in Portland, OR,and after "Almost Famous" came out I decided to branchout into the music business and have found everything Jodi has written to be so helpful.

Thank you
Pennie Lane

I just finished reading your books ("The Interactive Music Handbook" and "Making and Marketing Music") Congratulations. They are great!

Yes, 'twas I who contacted your publisher looking for you. Thanks so much for your note of introduction. Since late June I've been making my way through your most informative book; I'm slightly less than three chapters from the end and recently noticed I'd begun to daydream about dialoguing with you. I wondered about driving down from the S.F. bay area to consult with you in person, and even tried L.A. information to get your phone number--no luck there. I've been performing (and doing studio work from time to time) for over 15 years, and now have become serious about having a band that will make a concerted effort at some degree of success. Your approach has consistently underlined for me the effectiveness of planning ahead.