Katy & Gaga. The most anticipated music releases of the year. Both camps are following the chart race closely as a #1 album creates good press.

Katy’s track is cracking along toward 450,000 downloads by the end of the week, while Gaga’s is estimated to sell between 200,000 to 250,000, according to Billboard.

8 Things Young Musicians Should Learn* from David Bowie
* besides how to make awesome music, of course

At the beginning of July, 40 years ago, after a sold-out concert, David Bowie was killing off Ziggy Stardust, the alter-ego that defined his career, a blueprint for dozens of artists, the character that changed the face of music forever. Some called his gesture madness, others called it integrity, we don’t know exactly what Bowie called it, but in an interview he once said “I think he was a very successful character and I think I played him well, but I’m glad I’m me again”.

And Bowie’s life is full of examples like the above-mentioned one, outlining the career of a musician fearlessly chasing his own artistic endeavors. He’s seen good, and he’s seen bad and he has been constantly faced with challenges that can become any young musician’s challenges irrespective of time and place. His career is a sturdy template. You can find out how he dodged delicate issues, how he got stuck and how he managed to keep his artistic integrity.

The following rant is a fan’s investigation into the hours of reading biographies, watching interviews and listening to Ziggy’s father, brother and executioner.

1. Kill them creations when time comes

So, Bowie ‘killed’ Ziggy after one year. You’re probably still a long way till that time will come, but the truth is that what’s good for your manager, colleagues and fans is not necessarily good for you. As creator of your own work, you know better than anyone else when the time to pull the plug and start anew has come. Call it instinct. It’s a fluid, but handy tool. And by all means, wear a dress if you have to.

2. Perseverance

His debut album launched in 1967. In 1969 he hit it pretty big with “Space Oddity”, but it was only two more amazing albums later, in 1972, that he got as big as you could get at the time, with “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars”. So, never take your toys and leave when something doesn’t work the way you want and when you want it. Bowie tried various styles until he finally got to the place he wanted.Complete dedication to the project can work miracles too. CONTINUE READING

The only three bands that achieved platinum status last year were Mumford & Sons, The Black Keys, and a lesser known hard rock act from Wisconsin called Skillet. In fact, Skillet is a Christian band.

“Skillet’s success seems to signal a growing acceptance of Christian rock at a time when rock is generally declining in cultural importance. While it is not unusual for Christian acts to score an occasional hit on mainstream radio, Skillet has become a regular presence there, emerging as a leader among Christian bands that have crossover appeal, among them Thousand Foot Krutch, P.O.D., Flyleaf and Switchfoot.” Read more

The pop genre has hit a new low with Both Justin Timberlake and Robin Thicke releasing videos with nude women only to boost videos streams. Both artists are suffering a mid life crisis, potentially falling into the Justin Bieber category, will pull any tactic to stay in the limelight. They are also taking advantage of a new music business model.

In the case of both singles, more than 1m views were achieved just days after they were uploaded. Whether viewers were revelling in their laddish audacity or fuming about the objectification of women, the clips led to a frenzy of social media debates, news bulletins and views. Based on their success, it’s likely that similar dirty tactics could be used to gain attention for future new releases. Ever since Billboard announced that it would take paid-for streams into account when compiling its Hot 100 chart, online videos have become an increasingly vital tool for artists operating in the US market. The Recording Industry Association of America determined that 100 streams would now equate to one single physical purchase of a single. This means that that an artist could now go platinum after 100 million streams. Read more…

This would most likely be the end result if John Lennon auditioned for The Voice.