Twitter top 10: who should I follow if I’m interested in the music industry?
I’ve long been a fan of Twitter, but recently have begun to use it in a semi-serious way professionally to follow what goes on in the music and media industry (rather than simply tweeting what I’m having for lunch!). Since doing this, I’ve been meaning to write a brief post on my tumblelog about some interesting music-types to follow on Twitter.
Earlier today, however, TwiTip, the blog that sets out to provide “Twitter tips in 140 characters or more”, set a challenge to construct your own ‘Top 10 Must Follow’ list related to your own “niche” or area of interest. Never one to turn down a challenge, I thought I’d take the opportunity to write a slightly longer post on this topic, especially after Twitter user @qburns left a comment on the original TwiTip post:
“I’d love it if someone could help make a list of people to follow for discussions about the music industry and digital/new media strategies as they apply to music”.
The comment went on to mention a handful of music business tweeters, but here (in no particular order) are my own favourite ones. Probably a bit of a UK bias, and not necessarily the most popular or most powerful, but the ones I most enjoy hearing from!
1. @Mark_Mulligan
Bio: “Vice President and Research Director with Forrester Research”
2. @mr_trick
Bio: “By Day: Internet & Music person @ Large Corporate Brand™… By Night: Radio DJ, Webhead and infrequent Producer person.”
3. @anthonyherron
Bio: “Muso, workaholic, label owner, app developer based in Birmingham UK”
4. @carlcorp
Bio: “The art of language and the language of art. The music of business and the business of music. Sleeveface.”
5. @artistshouse
Bio: “Helping Musicians and Music Entrepreneurs Create Sustainable Careers”
6. @dubber
Bio: “Music and Online Media”
7. @seaninsound
Bio: “Drowned in Sound“
8. @jonthebeef
Bio: “MP3 Blogger, DJ and Online Marketing bod.”
9. @MyChemToilet
Bio: “Shiny Media’s music blog – flush with musical goodness, festival frivolity and video viralosity”
10. @gleonhard
Bio: “Media Futurist, Author, Keynote Speaker & Presenter, Strategy Advisor, Blogger, Idea Curator, Musician…”
Plus some honourable mentions to: @coolfer, @creativecommons, @whatevrnvrmind, @cshirky, @fascinated and @choochootheband, who may only be one of the many bands starting to use Twitter, but are using it better than most bands I’ve seen. Their tweets are frequent, interesting, friendly, and not too self-promoting or only of interest to die-hard fans.
And don’t forget to follow me (@JonathanDeamer) for updates on digital music stuff (publishing, marketing), tunes I’m digging, and plenty o’ links. ;-)
I’m sure I’ve missed out some cool people; let me know in the comments. And do you tweet about music yourself? Say so!
Nice. I will instantly check out all the Tweeters you recommend. Thanks for the honourable mention :-)
Dan / CHOO CHOO
Dan
December 1, 2008 at 11:45 am
don’t forget to get a report on who to follow at mrtweet.net, it’s more than ok! (and follow @gleonhard of course…;)
pixites
December 1, 2008 at 11:50 am
Yes, I do music, yes, I tweet a bit about it..I’m still finding my way with the marketing of it, because my agenda is a little different from most musicians online..
Thanks for drawing attention to what some of us are trying to do; strikes me that a little more cooperation and coordination would be no bad thing..
George Bolam: InZaneCountry
george bolam
December 1, 2008 at 11:54 am
Oh, maybe I should have left my Twitter id :
@tindle follow me here: http://twitter.com/tindle
George Bolam: InZaneCountry
george bolam
December 1, 2008 at 11:58 am
Hi Jonathan,
Thanks for the link – an honour to be included in the list. Can I offer a couple of others that might be of interest to your readers?
@cyberpr – Ariel Hyatt
@sivers – Derek Sivers
@solobasssteve – Steve Lawson
There are others, of course – but those ones spring immediately to mind.
Dubber
December 1, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Happy to be on your list alongside some people I respect.
For Sleeveface antics I’m trying a dedicated @sleeveface account to accompany the site.
This list is pretty good now, so my top tip would be to use Twitter Search and subscribe to feeds for terms that interest you – including your own username to pick up mentions that are not direct @ replies. Pretty essential.
Carl Morris
December 1, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Great list, thanks!
To hear a new song daily from songwriters around the world follow @startmysong
Scott McIntosh
December 1, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Thanks for the comments and additions to the list, all. Dubber, in particular, makes some great suggestions, that could (should?) really have been in the initial list!
And I’m a big fan of subscribing to Twitter Search feeds as Carl Morris suggests.
Jonathan Deamer
December 3, 2008 at 1:16 am
How about http://thisisnotpitchfork.blogspot.com/ Michele is reviewing her extensive music collection one album at a time. These aren’t standard reviews but more “sense memories” of what the album meant to her, a memory associated with the album, or her hilarious observations on the band.
Love her writing even if I don’t know half the groups she talks about. And despite the fact that she keeps ignoring my request to review her one Johnny Cash album.
Oh, and don’t bother going to my site for music. Unless you want frequent reviews (especially this month) of the largest, widest and possibly most embarassing Christmas music collection.
Yeah, I know you’d hate it. I’m married to a Brit from Surrey and he assures me “All Englishmen hate Christmas music.”
Lisa Paul
December 4, 2008 at 9:03 pm
As luck would have it Lisa, earlier this evening I tweeted Michele (@abigvictory) about how much I enjoyed her blog – she’s got great music taste, and her passion comes across. I empathised with what she said about not wanting to be a music critic, but just to write about how much music meant to her – they’re not the same thing.
And I can’t speak for all Surrey-born males, but I’m the same as your husband ;-)
Jonathan Deamer
December 4, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Great post, hope I remember to check this later.
Tom Davenport
December 4, 2008 at 9:20 pm
I just started tweeting and got a follower who is a fabulous unsigned musician. He contacted me with his myspace page, I’ve fallen in love with his sound and will soon feature him on my blog, and only because of his “personal” contact via twitter. This could really revolutionize the music world, … I’m no one important but what a way for artists to access someone who IS. Thanks for writing this up!
oh, and my blog is chock full of xmas music right now, shhh
xoxo,
Tart
Tart
December 9, 2008 at 1:24 am
I’m not a band, though I do work with them a lot. Just a point of clarification. Thanks for the mention though :)
@whatevrnvrmind
Brad Barrish
December 11, 2008 at 10:50 pm
Thanks for stopping by Brad. I probably wasn’t clear, sorry – the “band” bit only referred to @choochootheband. I know you’re only one man!
Jonathan Deamer
December 12, 2008 at 1:31 am
What about the founder of the hardest rocking social news site on the web? That would be me I think. http://twitter.com/MarkCarras
Mark Carras
December 17, 2008 at 1:29 pm
hey i just set up @twindie to try and keep a list of indie bands that tweet. feel free to @ me if you know of any i’m missing or follow me to find out when new bands join.
@twindie
December 23, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Thanks for the top to follow.
Added many of these to http://www.tweettop.com/topic/music-industry
J
Jordan
March 16, 2009 at 8:13 am
Great, thanks Jordan – cool site, I’ve always been kinda intrigued by Alltop, so good to see a similar thing for Twitter.
Jonathan Deamer
March 16, 2009 at 11:56 am
nice list! Im followin almost all of the ones on ur list now..great for music biz info
http://1or8faction.com/recordings/monkey-king-releases-single-we-gonna-get-there-378
monkeyking
June 4, 2009 at 3:35 am