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- Just to say hi, and best wishes for this holiday season!!!!!
- I remembered on my first cd there was a song that people who always ask me what does "Najane" mean. I remembered even asking the producer that wrote the song what does certain words in...
- Love the one you're with (in more ways than one)!
- This a delicious blog and much appreciated. Artists need to be inspired, and curious and just a bit encouraged which as a mentor you do so well. You’ve given great suggestions. I do think that the...
- Hi Derek Nice videos you've got from Popkomm! Very informative. I picked out two addresses to help me come further with my songwriting career! Regards & many thanks Peter
Derek Sivers
inspiring and helpful thoughts about music business and general entrepreneur issues- 1 month ago
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Mystery : Are people asking themselves questions about you? started by sivers
Questions need answers.
Don’t underestimate the power of curiosity. Once you get people to start asking questions, they need to know the answers.
In the book Stumbling on Happiness, Harvard psychology professor Daniel Gilbert did an experiment:
he handed out a
Don’t underestimate the power of curiosity. Once you get people to start asking questions, they need to know the answers.
In the book Stumbling on Happiness, Harvard psychology professor Daniel Gilbert did an experiment:
he handed out a
Double-speed! Half-speed! Up an octave! Down an octave! started by sivers
Singing:
I used to take voice lessons from Warren Senders.
For each lesson, I’d bring in one song I was trying to improve.
First, I’d sing it for him as-is.
Then he’d say, “OK - now do it up an octave.”
I used to take voice lessons from Warren Senders.
For each lesson, I’d bring in one song I was trying to improve.
First, I’d sing it for him as-is.
Then he’d say, “OK - now do it up an octave.”
Popkomm interviews with exhibitors started by sivers
Last week, I went to the PopKomm Music Conference in Berlin, Germany.
Since I had no real business need to be there, I tried to be the eyes and ears of my musician clients, bringing my video camera around to every company that was exhibiting there, and asking them questions from
Since I had no real business need to be there, I tried to be the eyes and ears of my musician clients, bringing my video camera around to every company that was exhibiting there, and asking them questions from
The Grand Pursuit started by sivers
Great phrase from this interview with rags-to-riches investor George Soros:
Q. Have your billions made you happy?
A. I’m reasonably happy, but the money’s not the point. It’s an indication that I’ve succeeded in the grand adven
Q. Have your billions made you happy?
A. I’m reasonably happy, but the money’s not the point. It’s an indication that I’ve succeeded in the grand adven
6 things I wish I knew the day I started Berklee started by sivers
6 things I wish I knew the day I started Berklee
Talk I gave to incoming first-year students at Berklee College of Music today (September 5, 2008)
#1 : Focus. Disconnect. Do not be distracted.
My favorite part of the movies is the training sequence, where a young Bruce Wayne, Neo
Talk I gave to incoming first-year students at Berklee College of Music today (September 5, 2008)
#1 : Focus. Disconnect. Do not be distracted.
My favorite part of the movies is the training sequence, where a young Bruce Wayne, Neo
Should I put my music on LOTS of websites, or just a few? started by sivers
Question: “Should I put my music on LOTS of websites, or just a few?”
Answer: Lots. Here’s why:
Millions of people love Rhapsody. They get all of their music at Rhapsody, so if you’re not there, and they search for you, the
Answer: Lots. Here’s why:
Millions of people love Rhapsody. They get all of their music at Rhapsody, so if you’re not there, and they search for you, the
Aim for the edges. started by sivers
An amazing shift has happened in the last 10 years, as an artist.
You now have a better chance of being successful by being remarkably unusual, than by being normal and mainstream.
Songwriters constantly search for that universal theme, aiming to write the next “Yest
You now have a better chance of being successful by being remarkably unusual, than by being normal and mainstream.
Songwriters constantly search for that universal theme, aiming to write the next “Yest
Are foreign accents a reflection of identity? started by sivers
I’m trying to understand self-identity and native accents in a foreign country.
My friend Aurelie from Paris has a beautiful French accent, so when she orders a ham sandwich in English it sounds like, “Allo, good I ove an om sondweech, pleece?” Even
My friend Aurelie from Paris has a beautiful French accent, so when she orders a ham sandwich in English it sounds like, “Allo, good I ove an om sondweech, pleece?” Even
Tim Ferriss interview started by sivers
One of the best things any movie, book, or music can do is permanently change you.
Tim Ferriss’ #1 bestselling book, The 4-Hour Workweek, changed my life.
Whether you are a musician, entrepreneur, employee, or all three, everyone has too much stuff you ha
Tim Ferriss’ #1 bestselling book, The 4-Hour Workweek, changed my life.
Whether you are a musician, entrepreneur, employee, or all three, everyone has too much stuff you ha
Nobody knows the future - and it doesn’t matter! started by sivers
Nobody knows the future.
That’s a hard but crucial lesson to learn.
If even ultimate insiders like Greenspan, Bernanke, and Paulson don’t know the future, then neither does Jim Cramer, your stockbroker, Nostradamus, nor you.
We have a hu
That’s a hard but crucial lesson to learn.
If even ultimate insiders like Greenspan, Bernanke, and Paulson don’t know the future, then neither does Jim Cramer, your stockbroker, Nostradamus, nor you.
We have a hu
Bye-Bye, Baby! started by sivers
There’s a beautiful quote from Abraham Maslow: “Life is an ongoing process of choosing between safety (out of fear and need for defense) and risk (for the sake of progress and growth). Make the growth choice a dozen times a day.”
You might have seen i
You might have seen i
Reversible business models started by sivers
In China, some doctors are paid monthly when you are healthy. If you are sick, it’s their fault, so you don’t have to pay that month. It’s their goal to get you healthy and keep you healthy so they can get paid.
Shai Agassi of Better Place desig
Shai Agassi of Better Place desig
Ah, to own nothing! started by sivers
Something’s changed. I just can’t get myself to buy an iPhone.
I had been planning it for months, when friends would tell me about theirs, I knew I was going to wait for the 3G version. It’s even the reason I chose AT&T. The day it was anno
I had been planning it for months, when friends would tell me about theirs, I knew I was going to wait for the 3G version. It’s even the reason I chose AT&T. The day it was anno
Uncomparable: anchor a new mama started by sivers
You know how baby ducks think the first big creature they see is their mother?
In the book Predictably Irrational, tests show that people do the same thing with prices.
When we first consider buying a product or service, the first price we see is the anchor to which we alway
In the book Predictably Irrational, tests show that people do the same thing with prices.
When we first consider buying a product or service, the first price we see is the anchor to which we alway
Books you need to read first! started by sivers
My top recommendations from my book list:
Understanding the world we live in:
Stumbling on Happiness - by Daniel Gilbert
Not at all new-agey, as the title might suggest. Harvard professor of psychology has studied happiness for years, and shares factual findings that will change th
Understanding the world we live in:
Stumbling on Happiness - by Daniel Gilbert
Not at all new-agey, as the title might suggest. Harvard professor of psychology has studied happiness for years, and shares factual findings that will change th
If I had a record label, would you be signed to it? started by sivers
If I had a record label, would you be signed to it?
I never liked the idea of having a record label, because you’re too deeply invested into something you don’t control.
So if I were to have a label, my decision on who to sign wouldn’t b
I never liked the idea of having a record label, because you’re too deeply invested into something you don’t control.
So if I were to have a label, my decision on who to sign wouldn’t b
What would you ask the biggest names in Digital Distribution? started by sivers
What would you ask the biggest names in Digital Distribution?
Vote at http://sivers.org/poll/dd
In a few weeks, on Thursday November 6 in Seattle, I’ll be the moderator of a panel of Digital Distribution experts at a musician-focused event called &#
Vote at http://sivers.org/poll/dd
In a few weeks, on Thursday November 6 in Seattle, I’ll be the moderator of a panel of Digital Distribution experts at a musician-focused event called &#
Small actions changing self-identity started by sivers
Have you noticed how a small action can change your self-identity?
Last week when I was learning scuba diving in Iceland, I took a snorkeling trip to my dive spot first. The snorkelers did everything the divers did, minus the tank and weights.
So a week later, when I retu
Last week when I was learning scuba diving in Iceland, I took a snorkeling trip to my dive spot first. The snorkelers did everything the divers did, minus the tank and weights.
So a week later, when I retu
The list of books I’ve read in the past year started by sivers
Please see this new page I created for you:
http://sivers.org/book
Last year I started keeping track of all the books I read. Underlining my favorite bits, and typing out notes for later. Then I refer back to my notes often, so keep what I’ve learned fr
http://sivers.org/book
Last year I started keeping track of all the books I read. Underlining my favorite bits, and typing out notes for later. Then I refer back to my notes often, so keep what I’ve learned fr
Is your album a starting line or a finish line? started by sivers
People often asked, “How much does the average artist on CD Baby sell?”
Others would take the numbers on the “about” page and divide them: $85 million paid out to 250,000 available albums = $340 earnings per album. Now we know how much the %E
Others would take the numbers on the “about” page and divide them: $85 million paid out to 250,000 available albums = $340 earnings per album. Now we know how much the %E
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[Real rebellion] doesn’t feel like going to school dressed in black. It feels like going to school wearing a clown suit.
Today Jason pointed