Applying to a Big, Ugly, Loud, Laborious Shit-Hot Industry Trade Show (or B.U.L.L.S.H.I.T.S.) like South By Southwest or this month’s CMJ New Music Marathon is a tricky proposition for a small-time independent rock band with little to no label support–ironic, since these festivals were originally started, allegedly, to showcase new, up-and-coming, undiscovered talent. Well, i’m not shattering anyone’s preconceived notions by pointing out that this hasn’t been true in awhile; after all, who are Spoon, Xiu Xiu or M.I.A. hoping to be discovered by at this point? So, sorry to say it, small-timers, but there usually is no room at the party for your stupid little band.
Still, every year, legions of hopefuls apply to hope beyond hope (that’s a lot of hope, y’all) that the genius of their unique take on Hot Topic-accessorized mallpunk or NPR-approved accordion-and-banjo driven crapass Americana “alt-country” will tickle the right ear at CMJ, and will be magically extended the Golden Ticket to Manhattan or Brooklyn. And how will they apply? These days, through SonicBids, the online Electronic
Press Kit (EPK) networking service that “has become one of the fastest-growing music communities on the web trusted by over 70,000 artists and over 6,000 festivals, music conferences, and clubs from over 100 countries” (or so says their website). For only $35 every six months, you and your band can enjoy access to quick and easy application processes for each of those festivals, all of which will charge you entry fees on top of the SonicBids subscription price! That’s right–SonicBids affords you the opportunity for quick and efficient application to and rejection from SXSW, CMJ, Milwaukee’s Summerfest, and many others!
Now, before you think i’m being unduly harsh on the bands that subscribe to SonicBids and use it to place themselves on their knees, mouths open and gag reflexes at the ready, at the gross, veiny cocks of hundreds of aforementioned B.U.L.L.S.H.I.T.S., it’s time for full disclosure–we’re one of those bands too. Or, at least, i am. The SonicBids subscription comes out of my pocket because i think it’s sort of ridiculous to ask the band to shoulder something that stupid. So, why do i do it? More full disclosure–it’s worked for us. Our SonicBids application secured us a slot at the 2005 CMJ New Music Marathon, playing Chinatown’s 169 Bar at 1:30 in the morning on the last night of the festival in front of 18 appreciative(?) concert-goers…15 of whom we knew personally. But, um, hey, exposure! Right? Eh? Eh?
Sigh. I kid, though; the entire experience was actually pretty fun and i’m glad we did it. But any notion that playing a CMJ showcase did anything whatsoever for our “career” (ha) is naive at best, delusional at worst. Still, this did not discourage me from humbly submitting the band to the mercy of the CMJ selection committee once more this year.
Unfortunately, little did i know that the recording of our next full-length would eventually get delayed until October–this weekend, in fact–when i applied. Since we’re all saddled with those albatrosses known as day jobs, taking days off for recording and a road trip to New York in the same month wasn’t going to happen, so i wasn’t very disappointed when we finally got our rejection notice (although, wow, having played before doesn’t guarantee you a future slot, eh? Good to know). What i wasn’t expecting, though, were 15 replies to the rejection notice, each from a different rejected band, each hitting “reply to all” to emphasize the fact that CMJ forgot to blind carbon copy the email addresses of 671 rejected applicants.
Uh, oops.
Many of these bands didn’t take kindly to having their email addresses broadcast to 671 other bands, but mostly, they were pissed at the splash of cold, wet reality that CMJ inadvertently slapped into their faces. See, before outright rejection, CMJ and SonicBids kept these bands hanging by flipping their status to “standby,” which, apparently, made most of them feel like they were on some sort of select second tier of artists that might still make the cut. Little did they realize that 670 other bands were also on “standby” before getting the ax. Soon, the other bands started doing the math. 671 bands x a $45 application fee = $30,195 in the bank. Goodness.
But hey, for all that money, the bands at least got their songs listened to by, well, someone, right? Well…here, Pitchfork actually covered this quite concisely last week:
CMJ blamed Sonicbids, the MySpace-like site they employed to let bands submit songs and press kits electronically. Sonicbids’ system allows the artist to see how many times their songs have been played. Many CMJ applicants were furious to discover that their songs had received zero plays, and called foul on CMJ for not even giving them– or their $45 application fees– any consideration.
When we contacted CMJ about this, we received the following statement from Matt McDonald, Vice President, Artists & Events:
“We very much appreciate the amount of blood, sweat, and tears that each artist puts into his/her music, and the CMJ Music Marathon wouldn’t have lasted for 27 years if that appreciation were not in clear focus for everyone involved in the event. As head of the staff who reviews the music and selects the artists for the marathon, I can tell you firsthand that we do in fact listen to at least two songs from every single artist who applies. For the ease of listening, the showcase department downloads mp3s from Sonicbids EPKs and drops them into our iTunes player. Sonicbids has recently changed their system to track streamed plays, however it does not currently track these mp3 downloads, making it appear that we did not listen when in fact we did. We can report back which specific songs were reviewed. Our review process is extremely thorough and difficult and with or without payment for submissions, I cannot even fathom the injustice of ignoring any submissions. I can reassure you that each and every artist was given the same respect and critique.“
Out of curiosity, i hopped over to our EPK, checked the play stats, and discovered that in September (between the flip to “standby” on August 28th and the rejection September 25), our mp3s were played four times–three on one day, and once on September 25th itself. Since we hadn’t applied for any other B.U.L.L.S.H.I.T.S. in that time, one can safely assume the only people looking at that EPK were CMJ folks. So, are they being straight with everyone with their “we download the mp3s to iTunes” talk? Are the applicants being scammed? Who knows.
Most importantly, what did these rejected bands learn from this experience? Hopefully, they’re a little less naive about their chances (although, thanks to this peek behind the curtain, the fact that we got through in 2005 tends to stagger the brain a little more than it did at the time. Us? What?), and a little wiser about exactly who these festivals serve–namely, CMJ, club owners, labels, and of course, SonicBids.
Still, if any of these bands decide to suck it up and apply again next year, good luck to ‘em. As long as they approach it as what it is–a vacation to New York where they get to see a shit-ton of excellent bands and get to play a show themselves, only to fade back into obscurity the next morning–they’ll have a great time. If they expect that dude from American Recordings in the front row to actually talk to them after their guitarist steals his beer, drinks it, and thrusts the empty glass back at him (well played, HiFi guitarist Yale Delay!), well, then, they won’t be the first to call “BULLSHIT!”
Note: The author canceled his SonicBids subscription shortly after finishing this piece.
13 Comments »
hahahaha… 0wned!!
fuck all that pay to play bullshit.
Even fucking Noisepop here in the bay area uses that shitty service.
These festivals need to be destroyed and real festivals about actual music put up in their place.
good good post. hi guys.
Matt!
Hi Matt!
Hey, everyone i know got jobbed by Sonicbids. The only gigs any one i know ever “won” were entrances into battle of the bands. We complained figuring if we did that they would throw us a sympathy gig to keep us for another year. Wrong again.
Hello Unsigned Artists/Bands/Musicians,
Dave here formerly of ApathetiQ/Never Hide.
I created a website by the name of youShowcase.com for musicians alike. I am now offering you an opportunity to present your music, photos, bios, videos, and more in press kit format to music executives worldwide. This service is FREE and is not considered SPAM or a SCAM. There are no hidden fees and youShowcase works on an advertising/CPC/R model. The artists/bands and music industry executives are real too.
You can sign up your project by going to the following site:
http://www.youshowcase.com (Registration takes under a minute to complete and clearance is granted right away).
youShowcase.com wants your feedback too! Please do not hesitate to e-mail us with comments or questions at the following address:
You can also add us here: http://www.myspace.com/youshowcase (Help us spread the word to other artists/bands/musicians)!!!!
Thanks,
David P.
Principal, IT Director
youShowcase
Sonicbids has sent me annoying me e-mails to enter in some festival or some showcases always asking me to pay money to perform. Why the fucking hell should I pay to perform? Just for the status? I had a friend who perform at SXSW and CMJ just for the status and bio/resume but NOTHING happened after that - he didn’t get signed or sold more CDS or even getting more gigs. You all should boycot Sonicbids, SXSW and CMJ - these organisations are such fucking ripoffs. Thank you for exposing Sonicbids, SXSW and CMJ as scams because they really are.
I went to the sonicbids booth a few years ago and this guy at teh booth keeps telling me to be a member because of the “prestigous” festivals I can enter. He wants to tell me only what I want to hear. He knows what musicians are going for - festivals and status. Guys - stay away from sonicbids scam!
Oh, anyone out there thinking of entering SXSW and CMJ thinking they are going to get discovered? Don’t - save your money, they are better ways to get discovered. Sonicbids, SXSW and CMJ are all palying on your fucking egos, Sonicbids, SXSW and CMJ are all fucking with your fucking heads. Sonicbids, SXSW and CMJ should all rot and die your god dam mother fuckers and B.U.L.L.S.H.I.T.S.
Guys - play your funky music and improve your craft. Just forget about your status such as Sonicbids, SXSW,CMJ and B.U.L.L.S.H.I.T.S. want you to do. After all it’s your music that you want to improve not which festival you’re gonna play it.
I LOVE this…..as a past user (used by) Sonicpigs, I got really disgusted that I was allowing myself to fall into the sad trap they set, and bailed out at the end of the subscription.
So today I got an email from a festival, asking me to apply to the festival, through SONICPIGS!
So now I guess Sonicpigs is probably selling all their past and present email list to any promoters who sucker for that, though I guess since they will both profit it works out for both.
Here’s what I wrote back (to his credit he had wrote back to my initial email….his response first…
Them - “Hey there WB,
Sorry to hear you had a bad experience with them - We book a great deal of bands for all our festivals through them, and have had nothing but good experiences with them and the artists we’ve booked so far.”
Mine - “Thanx for the response, I appreciate that…..but…..
I’m sure you do book a lot of bands through them, and my experience was no different or worse than any other act’s is I assume. What I’m really referring to is the revenue sharing that events/promoters and Sonicbids do as a result of posting an opportunity and having bands apply for them.
Promoters and events look at the application fees generated by Sonicbids listings as another revenue stream, so not only do you find your bands, but you also get paid by each one that applies (I’m sure you know all this), even the ones who are not chosen (surely over 90% of them).
How is that artist friendly in any way, and how canit be justified, other than just profits? Profits are all fine and good, but off the artists? Doesn’t seem right……
Personally I won’t use Sonicbids on principle alone, and I am a touring pro who has over 20 years experience playing with people like Christopher Cross, Carlene Carter, Miguel Mateos, LeAnne Rimes, Joe Cocker blah blah blah etc etc etc….I’ve been there done that, and I won’t be a part of this.
Why not just charge what you’re getting from Sonicbids yourself? At least that way the bands can save some money for themselves, you still get the money, and everything is above board and on the up and up. Keep working with Sonicbids and you’ll put them in a position that will eventually come back to haunt you, these are not people of scruples. You make them a nexus of power in your business at your peril.
Do as you like of course, but know that the knowledge of how this thing is used and how artist hostile it is, is spreading.
I write this email knowing that at this point it won’t change a thing, but as awareness grows, I hope you and other folks in your shoes will rethink your position.
WB”
So I hope more people will write to these B.U.L.L.S.H.I.T.S. and let them know how you feel, this crap’s gotta stop!
Sonicbids is a rip off. You create a fund of your hard earned money to use toward applying for “opportunities”. They allow “promoters” to set up accounts, and charge a price that is deducted from your money fund, for consideration toward the promoters “opportunities”.
The chances of actually getting an “opportunity” are slim, but the disturbing thing to me is that some of these promoters never even respond after taking your money. You click on the “Apply For Opportunity” button, and your money goes away, and Sonicbids is the middleman for this scheme. Think of it as a big swap meet we’ll call Sonicbids, and it’s full of booths of thieves and shady characters.
In trying to follow up with some of these absentee “promoters” and their “opportunities”, I was surprised to find websites with no contact info.
When I got in touch with Sonicbids about that, I got this kind of “Oh we don’t like that response”, but their in the business of bringing the wolves to the sheep.
If you just want to post an EPK then fine, but what’s wrong with your website and Myspace page? If you’re looking for gigs or opportunities, RUN THE OTHER WAY!! THESE PEOPLE ARE IN THE “TAKING YOUR MONEY BUSINESS”!
And dig this, cancel your subscription (and you get no warning of their auto-renewal) and they don’t prorate or refund the balance, and you forfeit your submission fund balance,
I can’t believe the FTC hasn’t busted this scheme!!
Thank you all for this information. I was not aware of this pay-to-play scam. My band is just starting out playing gigs and getting heard and I am greatful for this info. and will surely steer clear of such scams in the future. Thanks again>
Sonicbids is a total scam. Our band was stupid enough to fall into it to. It didn’t take us long to figure out that they keep accepting submission money for events that the promoter has already CLOSED, they have never fixed their tracking service because they don’t want you to know that the promoter you just paid $50 to never even viewed your kit, and they have NO customer service. You never hear back or maybe after four months.
We found a MUCH better service that doesn’t have the BS, doesn’t look like a cartoon, understands the struggling musician and works FOR us, and has customer service reps online up to 20 hours a day, seven days a week. Even on holidays!
myPPK Power Press Kits. NO per-use fees, no pay-to-play. Graphic themes are great and you can make your own theme for cheap. We STRONGLY recommend everyone who has been scammed by soncibids check out Power Press Kits.
Hello everyone. You have no idea how much Sonicbids sucks, but I do because I work there. Sorry I’m a little late to the party but please check out my blog at soundslikepenis.wordpress.com. It will be an ongoing thing as I watch the whole place crumble around me. Thanks!
Gee I feel like a sucker now. Should I wait to cancel my subsciption until I know I wasnt accepted to any of the events I paid for? LOL
Live and learn.
Thanks for extra insight Lola!
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Comment by yaledelay — October 3, 2007 @ 9:58 am
DEAR A.R. rep from American, you Rolling Rock was the best $5.00 beer I have ever tasted… it tasted like VICTORY!!!