Broadjam artist, Troy Castellano, playing live in the studio, a song dedicated to his sister Melanie, who lost her son to a tragic car accident on December 24, 2011.

http://www.broadjam.com/troycastellano

Mike goes over a quick review of a page that you’ll find invaluable if you submit music through Broadjam.
http://www.broadjam.com/delivery/info.php

Mike from Artist Services talks about Broadjam’s unlimited media policy – songs, photos, AND videos!

Travis from Broadjam Customer Service goes through how you can see all the opportunities you’ve submitted to, as well as the selections!

It was the night of the Grammys, and zero hour approached. Remote in hand, I scrolled. “2012 Grammy Awards” appeared in the menu, but I scrolled some more, aimlessly selecting a rerun of Law & Order SVU I’d seen a dozen times. I kept up with the Grammys’ doings on Twitter and Facebook, but I couldn’t bring. Myself. To watch.

How come? It’s not my age; this year’s Grammys featured no shortage of greats from the past. It’s not my musical taste, which has seasoned and broadened with time. It’s something much more complicated: my history and its meaning to me.

I had a taste of the success fully digested by Dave Grohl and Bruce Springsteen and recently savored by Adele and Bon Iver. But I blew it. I got screwed out of the money I should have made from selling about half-a-million albums with ’80s pop band The Producers. And I quit. Too early.

So watching the Grammys is, for me, an exercise in self-loathing. Whether well- or poorly performed, every note sung by every artist doing well enough to warrant a Grammy appearance beams from my television directly to my brain and screams “LOSERRRRRR!” My heart pounds, my throat tightens, my mouth droops, my eyes glaze. My command of English fails utterly, replaced by grunts, groans and whimpers.

Now, by most reasonable measures, I’m not a loser. I’m a senior editor at UW-Madison. I have an advanced degree in my discipline. I’m good at what I do, and I enjoy it. I just recorded an independent album of 12 original songs, and I’m singing better than ever. I’m not wealthy, but I do OK, which is more than many can say in these troubled times.

But my experience with the Grammys isn’t rooted in reasonable measures. It’s the cry of an artist’s heart who knows it’s over and I’ll never matter and I sing better than any of these clowns and no matter what I do nobody cares and it isn’t fair and what happened and how did I let it happen and why did God let it happen and why am I cursed and what did I do to deserve this and it’s my own goddamn fault and I blew it and yes I am a fucking loser …

I share the emotionality not to earn your pity but to borrow your ear. I’m a cautionary tale for aspiring artists and future celebrities. So let me focus your mind on three lessons you can learn from my experience.

1. If you’re not great, dial down the dreams and enjoy the experience.

I realize that the meaning of great is person-relative. But assess with rigorous, punishing realism whether you have something unique and uniquely entertaining as a performer, player, songwriter, storyteller.

If the answer is no, do your very best to turn down your dream dial – the one regulating your expectations and hopes. Continue to write, to book gigs, to record, to enjoy. But do your best to focus on the experiences and enjoy them.

2. Learn enough about the business that you’re able to smell bullshit.

Bullshit abounds in every business, but the music business seems especially well fertilized. Your only defense is knowledge.

Had I known 30 years ago a simple distinction between mechanical and publishing royalties – the former are recoupable; the latter are paid immediately – I would have received around $250,000 that I neither saw nor knew enough to demand.

Gird up your loins with knowledge of the details, or prepare to be reamed.

3. If you’ve got it, stick with it.

If you’re convinced that the answer to #1 is yes, and if you’re making progress, stick with the plan. Steady as she goes. Groove. Cruise. Don’t quit. Don’t make big, unnecessary, impulsive changes.

If you’re in a band that’s receiving and exploiting opportunities and you decide that your killer drummer’s hygiene habits annoy you, spray some air freshener in the room and keep going. If you’re an Americana solo artist and getting some attention, don’t switch to electronica because you heard a song you really liked. Keep at what’s working.

Trying to make it in the biz? You must be great, and you’re going to need a lot of luck. Luck is out of your control; she must discover you. But educating yourself and remaining steadfast will help you recognize and embrace her when she enters the room.

This guest post was written by Broadjam artist, Kyle Henderson, who plays soul and blues, classic and original. He spent the ’80s as bassist and singer of MTV faves The Producers. He now lives in Madison, WI, where he teaches, blogs and performs. You can listen to his latest album, Life Goes On, on his profile page.

Mike goes through how easy it is to submit one of your songs to our music industry professionals for review!

Jesse reflects how he and his wife found their wedding song on Broadjam! A beautiful tune by Beth Stalker – http://www.broadjam.com/BethStalker

A beautiful and inspirational track from Broadjam artist, My Silent Bravery.

Mike goes through our licensing page and shows you how to sort our hundreds of awesome music licensing opportunities! Here’s how to get at the list that you need for your music quickly.

Jesse talks a little bit about one of our most popular Pro Reviewers - Dave Hnatiuk!