News Archive
I taught my first songwriting class at Los Angeles’ Pierce College in 1991. Back then, if my car radio were tuned to a pop station, it was likely I would hear chart-topping artists such as Michael Jackson, Wilson Phillips, Janet Jackson, Michael Bolton, Poison, and Roxette. During that same era,…
Indie Spotlight: Jake Scott
Jake Scott is a Los-Angeles–based singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist who, in college, had the kind of success a student musician only dreams of: His debut EP, Of Life and Longing, peaked at number four on the singer-songwriter charts and was featured in the number four slot on the Billboard Heat-Seekers…
How to Write Song Hooks That “Hook” You in
What constitutes a hook? Any element of a song that grabs a listener’s attention and “hooks” them in. With there being so much competition for our listeners’ attention, including multiple hooks throughout our songs has become more important than ever. According to an article in The Atlantic magazine, “A short-attention-span…
Sting and Top Songwriters Honored at 2016 BMI London Awards
BMI proudly honored internationally-celebrated songwriter Sting as a BMI Icon today at the 2016 BMI London Awards. Music industry guests including Hozier, Rudimental, Snow Patrol, Disciples and Wayne Hector filled London’s Dorchester hotel to celebrate the UK and European songwriters, producers and publishers of the most-performed songs of 2015 on…
BMI’s Road to Roo is Getting Shorter!
The Road to Roo, presented by BMI and hosted by radio stations in Nashville and Knoxville, TN, as well as Athens and Atlanta, GA, is pleased to announce the bands that have been chosen for the preliminary rounds! Showcase attendees in each city will be able to vote for their…
What to Look For in a Demo Singer
Running a Nashville recording studio for almost twenty years, I’ve seen - and heard - an incredible number of vocalists. When it comes to demo singers specifically, I’ve found that the best ones have a very specific and highly developed skill set that allows them to deliver beautiful, compelling renditions…
BMI Hosts a Hard-Hitting CMJ Showcase
Soul siren Grace Weber; synth wranglers Wild Cub; electro-pop alchemists Clementine and the Galaxy; 80’s pop infusers Blondfire; and rock/pop experimentalists Beast Patrol hit the stage at New York’s Rockwood Music Hall for the 2012 BMI-sponsored CMJ Music Marathon Festival showcase on October 18. BMI also sponsored an intimate cocktail…
NYC’s The Kin Attract Local Attention
NYC rock outfit the Kin (formerly the Harlequin) have been tearing up NYC and the Northeast lately with their commanding live performances. Co-fronted by Australian brothers, Isaac and Thorry Koren, the sound of THE KIN blends the atmospheric musical wave of old school U2 and groove pop sensibilities of Duran…