CUSPM A G A Z I N EFALL ISSUE 2014FALL ISSUE 2014

BUCKETFEETArt for your

+

Music Dealers & Indie Artists: A Perfect Match

// A Brief Encounter with Celebrity Chef Sam Talbot

// Ramen Noodles Take Over Chicago

// Fall Music New Releases

// Beastgrip Photography Gear for Mobile Phones

// DRYV The Future of Dry Cleaning

// Art Alliance : The Provocateurs curated by Shepard Fairey

// Summer’s Best Threads on the Streets of Chicago

M A G A Z I N E

cuspmagazine.com

// A Brief Encounter with Celebrity Chef Sam Talbot

// Ramen Noodles Take Over Chicago

// Fall Music New Releases

// Beastgrip Photography Gear for Mobile Phones

// DRYV The Future of Dry Cleaning

// Art Alliance : The Provocateurs curated by Shepard Fairey

// Summer’s Best Threads on the Streets of Chicago

cuspmagazine.com

Music Dealers to Deal Winning Handfor

MUSIC//M

USIC DEALERS

Music Licensing Company Creates New Revenue Stream for Musicians

Written by Zach MillerPhotography Courtesy of Music Dealers.

Indie Artists

32 CUSP MAGAZINE FALL ’14 ISSUE

MUSIC//M

USIC DEALERS

33 CUSP MAGAZINE FALL ’14 ISSUE

Being a professional artist also means being a business with longevity. It requires creativity,

collaboration, marketing, sales, socializing and networking. It requires sharing, technology, touring, interviewing, recording, collections and distribution. All of this – and more – differentiates a paid, professional artist from a hobbyist.

Music Dealers, a Chicago-based music agency, strives to help all artists graduate into paid professionals by licensing independent music in a way that delivers artists’ work to audiences across the world. Music licensing provides artists a means by which they can share their music on a global platform through commercials, advertisements,television shows, films, video games and more, while also providing artists reliable revenue for their work.

34 CUSP MAGAZINE FALL ’14 ISSUE

The artist community of Music Dealers is comprised of thousands of independent, emerging artists who wish to share their craft with the world, to touch and impact lives through their music, and to sustain themselves through their art. In 2008, CEO Eric Sheinkop (pictured right) founded Music Dealers in order to connect rising artists with the proper channels by which they could realize these goals.

“Music Dealers was created to help more artists be able to make a living off of and sustain themselves through their art,” said Sheinkop. “Music licensing is the number one way an artist can get into the music industry and make a living these days, whether it’s a major label artist or an artist just starting out. Licensing is the most available opportunity for them to earn income through their music.”

At Music Dealers, artists retain 100% ownership of their work at all times and are never charged for the company’s services. When a sale with a client, such as an ad agency or production house, occurs, Music Dealers splits the upfront income 50/50 with the artist. Additionally, artists retain 50% of the revenue from publishing royalties and 100% from writing royalties.

Built By Artists, For ArtistsMUSIC//M

USIC DEALERS

35 CUSP MAGAZINE FALL ’14 ISSUE

“We are an artist company: built by artists, for artists,” said Sheinkop. “That’s first and foremost. So there will never be a charge to an artist at Music Dealers.”

Companies like Music Dealers have grown through a societal evolution that celebrates new, up-and-coming artists and that recognizes the power of rising talent. Brands such Coca-Cola, which formed a global music partnership with Music Dealers in 2011, are seeking sounds that aurally match their brand message. For example, Coca-Cola, who endeavors to spread happiness wherever a Coke is consumed, seeks music that communicates that brand essence through specific harmonies, melodies, lyrics, etc.

“The power of music to evoke emotions is harnessed by advertising executives, filmmakers, military commanders, and mothers,” wrote cognitive psychologist Daniel Levitin in his book, This Is Your Brain On Music. “Music is being used to manipulate our emotions, and we tend to accept, if not outright enjoy, the power of music to make us experience these different feelings.”

Music discovery has quickly become an important aspect of many young adults’ lives. In a widespread, generational shift, consumers value new music that is released by emerging artists over popular songs from household names. Brands, agencies and filmmakers have recognized this trend and are therefore actively seeking songs by independent artists that can effectively communicate their brand message through music. Music Dealers is a strong advocate of the independent artist and works diligently to connect artists with clients whose

goals fit the sound and feel of the artist’s work.Through maintaining a very artist-oriented

perspective, the company has quickly secured music licensing as a proven model for independent artists to earn significant revenue from their music.

One example of a Music Dealers artist whose success grew through music licensing is the London-based artist Metis, who had left his job in investment banking to pursue a career in music.

Metis submitted his work to Music Dealers and explained to Sheinkop how he wanted to increase the reach of his music. When Coke Zero partnered with Music Dealers for their “A Step From Zero” campaign, they wanted an artist whose personal journey fit their brand message of possibility. Music Dealers submitted Metis’ song “All In” for the project, which became Coke Zero’s global anthem for the campaign. Through the worldwide reach of the commercial, Metis was able to share his music across continents and afterward was signed to Sony Music Entertainment in Latin America, to Universal Music Group in the UK, and to Warner Music Group in France.

Global Demand for Indie Music

MUSIC//M

USIC DEALERS

CUSP MAGAZINE FALL ’14 ISSUE36

Nearly six years after the company’s foundation, Music Dealers continues to look for new ways to create dependable sources of income for independent artists. Most recently, Music Dealers has announced two new services that it will be offering for its artists: the licensing of music videos and live events.

According to the Music Dealers Artist Services department, the company has received numerous requests from clients for music videos to license for their television productions. In addition to searching for great songs from independent artists, television shows, movies and even storefronts are now also seeking original music videos that they can license from up-and-coming artists for various projects.

“We have the opportunity to place your music

video on that screen and get you some cash,” wrote Music Dealers in an email to its artist community. “We know that when you hear your music playing in your favorite TV shows, an incredibly rewarding feeling shoots straight through your body. Now, we’re excited to begin working to place your music videos into your favorite shows, movies, and store locations.”

This innovative service represents a recent push for more exposure of the independent artist community. Audiences are clamoring for brands, films and companies to incorporate new songs from emerging artists; in tandem, up-and-coming artists are seeking ways to continue their craft and spread their music to as many eager ears as they can reach. Music Dealers and its new music video licensing services are the bridge between artists and audiences, brands and bands.

“We know that when you hear your music playing in your favorite TV shows, an incredibly rewarding feeling shoots straight through your body.”

New Revenue for Musicians

CUSP MAGAZINE FALL ’14 ISSUE 37

By licensing their original music videos, artists are able to connect with potential fans both aurally and visually. This allows artists to communicate their craft and demonstrate their personalities in a doubly powerful way, one which is truly new to the music licensing industry and to the independent artist community.

A television show may license a music video to play in the background of a scene; a production house may license one to incorporate in its movie trailer; a sporting goods store may license one to appear on TVs in its storefront.

The possibilities for music video licensing seem as endless as those for regular music licensing. Furthermore, according to Music Dealers, the rights of the video are similarly retained by the artist, as is the case when licensing music through Music Dealers. Artists retain ownership over the music video at all times and are free to use their video for whatever purpose, even while licensing their work to a company. Just like with music licensing, music video licensing at Music Dealers allows the artist to generate revenue for their work without sacrificing ownership of it.

CUSP MAGAZINE FALL ’14 ISSUE38

For any artists that are interested in licensing their music videos or songs, Music Dealers encourages them to create a profile on the company’s website and submit their music for review. Because of the complexity of licensing music videos (which includes both visual files and audio tracks), Music Dealers can only license music videos for songs that have been loaded onto the artist’s Music Dealers profile.

According to the email, Music Dealers is accepting original music videos for approved songs, and is not seeking live performance videos, cover-song videos or lyric videos. In this way, Music Dealers is able to match clients with music videos that best align with both the artist’s goals and the client’s needs.

MusicDealers.com

MUSIC//M

USIC DEALERS

CUSP MAGAZINE FALL ’14 ISSUE 39

“My favorite thing, and I think the

greatest thing that we do, is we really

help artists every single day. And

we change artists’ lives sometimes.

It’s at least giving them the ability

to look back and say, ‘Look, I’m

creating art that has value. I’m

creating art that’s appreciated.’”

- Eric Sheinkop, CEO/Founder of

Music Dealers