trueAnthem

Wonka Battle Wildness continues! trueWidgets Populate the World Wide Web in Epic Proportions!

2009-04-13T19:19:00.001-07:00

Hello trueAnthem addicts,

We at tA headquarters are enjoying the web mayhem that has ensued surrounding Wonka Candy's Battle of the Bands.

As planned, many MANY good things are happening! Perhaps most importantly, we are seeing our artists exposure more than quadruple...with artists going from an average 500 listens a day to 4000+!

And, because of the ease of sharing the Wonka widget, many previously widget-shy fans are taking the reigns and posting their favorite artist's widget on social networking sites and other web hot spots.

Remember, YOU have a huge say in which band takes home the sizable wad of cash...15,000 dollars! Enough for your favorite artist to record about 15 more songs in a professional studio. Not an amount to be taken lightly! Certainly...

So, go ahead and keep enjoying the battle. Various bands are switching in and out of the top 10 daily--check in hourly to see the latest standings!

Here are the basics:
Every listen wins a band 10 pts.
Every download: 25
Every widget grap and post: 100 pts!

Enjoy all that free music, just remember to share the wealth.

Love,
trueAnthem Team.

Wonka Stages Epic Battle! 40 bands + 15K = FREE MUSIC for fans.

2009-04-06T01:29:00.000-07:00

Hey tA homies,

How's it hanging? You still loving life, despite having to sell your furniture to pay the rent?

Don't fear! Why? Because that is what Japanese tatami mats are for.

And Why? Because trueAnthem is here to brighten your day.

We have revamped our site specifically for the WONKA BATTLE OF THE BANDS! That's right...starting this week, trueAnthem's top bands will be duke-ing it out for some cold, hard cash.

They've each specifically crafted a hot batch or Wonka related trueAds, hoping that their humor and spunk will attract YOU (the onslaught of fans) to downloading their music.

We KNOW you love this.

I mean...who doesn't love a good OLD FASHIONED competition?
And what independent musician doesn't need some COLD HARD CASH?

We are using a lot of capital letters. Usually, when we do this, it implies that we have not slept enough and that our now red eyes are subconsciously stepping in behind our typing, aching to communicate...

the day is now over. But it is also...just beginning. Because, trueAnthem junkies, you are the lucky ones. You have caught our Live Blog at its livest--1:34am, Sunday morning, April 6. Monday awaits!

Enjoy the music.

And eat some Wonka candy...Sweet Tarts and Nerds, never went out of style, after all. :)

Peace,
trueAnthem TEAM

Praising the trueModel, Melissa Rapp signs with trueAnthem: "trueWidgets could save our music industry."

2009-03-13T08:54:00.000-07:00

trueAnthem's latest artist release week includes singer-songwriter Melissa Rapp. After a week with tA, she personally wrote us with her opinion on the trueAnthem model. ...It made us so happy that we just had to share it with you!

"trueWidgets, if adequately publicized, understood and circulated among the music-seeking population, could not only save our ailing music industry, but stimulate our economy as well," she wrote.

Indeed. In the trueWidgets latest iteration, artists are paid a small percentage of their chosen sponsor's Amazon sales, when linked directly from the artist widget. Melissa has already seen affiliate sales through her support of the Bliss spa product line.

Imagine! What would our economy and music industry would be if the billions who downloaded music every day *occasionally* bought a few of the artist's tracks (by choice) and then followed that $3 purchase with buying the artist's endorsed goods?

We at the trueAnthem fervently believe, that if both of these two (small?) wishes could be fulfilled, that the world would be a (noticeably) better place.

So, the real question here is: Can You Hang?

Or as Tupac would phrase it, Can You Feel Me?

We sure golly hope so. Cause we have some pretty talented artists releasing this month, and we hope you find their music valuable, as well as the products they believe in. This month, our artists are combining both the free and paid models for distributing their music. You'll find some tracks available for free download, with the remainders of albums often available at a discount price, only from trueAnthem's widgets.

We encourage you, as we always have...to Grab it like you want it. (The widget, we mean! Not that...) :) And then, SHARE SHARE SHARE! There is nothing, really, more lovely that you could do today than send your friend/mass email list the code for a new widget you have been digging. Encourage them to post in on their Facebook, MySpace and various rather ridiculous social networking pages...help spread the love.

Music, after all, is love.

So, now...ladies and gentlemen, without further adieu, we bring you...

NEW LOVE.

*

Melissa Rapp
The Other Side
brought to you by Bliss

This girl has told us more than once that she likes her lotions. Hand creams, foot scrubs, sex wax, magic eye creams. Melissa Rapp is not afraid to admit that she likes to moisturize.

When we told her that she could indeed pair up with one of her favorite moisturizing body care lines, Bliss, we saw a sparkle in her blue eyes. ...The possibilities! Endless! ...Quality music, a classy brand sponsorship, and trueAnthem's digital marketing prowess? What more could a young artist need?

And so the release began. trueAnthem is now the exclusive digital distributor of The Other Side.

While Melissa might have a slight obsession with lotions, we at trueAnthem have also noticed her slight obsession with perfection, or at least, in her words, "the attempt of perfection."

Sure, she started with the right ingredients:
*Jon Evans on bass and producing (Tori Amos, Paula Cole) {1 cup}
*Allison Miller on drums (Ani DiFranco, Natalie Merchant) {1 1/2 cups}
*Julie Wolf on keyboards (Indigo Girls, Dar Williams) {8 TBS.}
*Betsy Adams on lead guitars (Under) {As desired, up to 2 cups}

Sure enough, Melissa's backing band of musicians reads like a Wikipedia of Great Female Singer-Songwriters. We knew right away...we WANT to hear this album.

After all, it is a lesser known fact that some of the greatest albums of all time owed as much to the studio musicians behind the artist's tracks, as to the songs or artist themselves.

All this said, Melissa's desire to perfect her craft is perhaps most apparent not in her finished product, but in the bare bones of her artistry--her songwriting. In her ten rock solid tracks, she give us not one weak line, not one melody we don't want to hear over and over, not one bridge that doesn't take us to a higher place.

It may be the Stanford degree that pushed a songwriter like this to such near perfection...but we believe it's actually, more likely...in her jeans. Or shall we say, her jeans skirt. :)

Yes, Melissa can rock the mini-skirt. Even better, she is not afraid to admit that (along with her obsessions for lotion and perfection), she has perhaps more flip-flops than Sarah Jessica Parker has Manolos. And she most loves to wear "skirts, slippahs, or preferably, just a beach towel." "As little clothes as possible..." she told us, "that is how most true Hawaiians prefer to dress!"

And, in our humble opinion, Melissa is most definitely, a Hawaiian. "What? HOW!" you may ask...she is white as a doll!" But you see, 'Hawaiian' is not just a skin color or ethnic background," Melissa explains. "At its best, it is an essence, a drive, a respect for what came before us, and a unique sense of the energies that will follow."

Yes, that is what it is. Forget the resumes and fancy names. Stanford may have helped craft Chelsea and Tiger's future career paths, but we believe Melissa is perhaps most influenced by her Hawaiian upbringing.

Like contemporaries Jack Johnson, Makana, and the Ka'au Crater Boys, Melissa is inspired by the magic of the Hawaiian Islands--the surf, the wind, the heavy tropical rains. We hear, more than anything, this magical and unpredictable beauty, in her perfectly (if we may say so ourselves) crafted songs.

Enjoy.

Hot damn: trueAnthem's Matt Cusson trumps Justin Timberlake and John Mayer. We dig.

2009-03-13T08:50:00.000-07:00

Matt Cusson
brought to you by Skull Candy

From the opening track "Every Step," Matt Cusson is going to woo you. So, prepare yourselves.

While Mr. Cusson may have gone to school and played with Mr. John Mayer, we would argue that "Every Step," has at least double the seduction potential of "Your Body is a Wonderland." And hot damn, that is quite a wallop of seduction!

Matt sings a bit like Justin Timberlake often does...but we can actually hear his VOICE.

Yes, while every good trueAnthem fan knows how to rock out to Sexy Back or What Goes Around Comes Around from Timberlake's Future Sex Love Sounds album, any accustomed music listener will instantly recognize that that sexy sounding album actually has very little actual *music* in it. Hot beats, phat computer loops, and lots of energy--yes...but very few actual instruments, played by humans and recorded for the purposes of making music.

On Cusson's album we get (thankfully, in this case), the opposite. We get a VOICE. And we get a full band of real musicians backing him up. Matt seems unafraid to showcase his voice against real acoustic guitars, big grand pianos, soulful drummers, and old school horns additions, when appropriate.

Matt Cusson delivers an album that can be described best perhaps, as REAL. Tasteful, lovely, graceful.

We encourage you to download Matt's tracks and re-post his widget...

While you may not get the Timberlake/Mayer thing going in your living room (strutting around in cross-genre costumes, attitude, etc.)...you *might* just...fall...

in

love.

xoxo,
trueAnthem love *Matt Cusson*
Here's To You ane Me...making $ for you, from your lovely music... ;)

trueAnthem's Sean Fournier does something "absolutely crazy": giving his music away for FREE!

2009-03-13T08:49:00.000-07:00

Sean Fournier sings is his openings track:
"I'm in your vicinity but you do not consider me...
met you once or twice, but you probably don't remember me."

All we can say is...did this woman not hear Sean SING?

I mean, hello? I am already archiving him in my library of clever, sexy, talented singer-songwriter boys. On iTunes, of course...my black book is not *that* organized. ;)

Sean's bio read that he is a "lyrically-driven singer/songwriter." With this, we agree. He is most certainly a master of world play and surprisingly/equally crafty in comparison to his contemporaries (Jason Mraz, Jack Johnson, Michael Franti). We hear lots of good, juicy influences successfully realized here.

Sean's bio continues, he is apparently, on a "quest." We like this.
He has a "pocket full of songs." This, we might subtly correct...pocket full of MAGIC, seems more appropriate. ;)

Self-taught at guitar, piano, and ukelele. "Soft, yet edgy presence." Okay...can we just MARRY this boy? Or, at least, at the very least...take him home to meet our parents?

Thankfully, for ALL of us, Sean has decided to "do something absolutely crazy" and GIVE AWAY HIS LATEST RELEASE!

Did you hear that? He is GIVING his MUSIC AWAY! What a novel idea...I mean FOR REALS.

Even Radiohead had trouble with the free model. "Pay what you can," they suggested. About 70% of their greatest fans, apparently, couldn't afford to pay a darn thing. The rest paid 5 bucks.

Our response?

Let's go absolutely crazy! Sean Fournier, thank you for reminding us. Music is now FREE. And best given away.

Perhaps, the fall of the music industry as we once knew it (remember the days? dropping 60 bucks at Tower for 3 CDs, each with 1, maybe 2 songs that you actually liked and could listen to on them...)

BUT WE DIGRESS. After all, no artist or music lover likes to read the latest headlines about the industry.

What we DO like to see, however, is God, himself, in action.

Yes, artists like Sean Fournier remind us that perhaps the new price of music (free)...is how it was always meant to be.

After all, most great songwriters will tell you that they do not quite "write" their songs. The best writers channel their music. Receive it...let it fall off their sleeves" (Joni Mitchell once said).

Music, at its best, is a gift from the Gods...

So, perhaps it should be free?

If so, hey, booya. trueAnthem is on the right track!

Spreading our love, spreading the music, and making it Free.
Together we pray. God loves you. trueAnthem loves you.

And all these amazing trueAnthem artists will love you if you start sharing their god-given music.

Til next time,
trueAnthem TEAM

Stimulus! We done good this week...download away baby. Cheers to Obama. Cheers to more tA music!

2009-02-21T22:01:00.001-08:00

Hey homies,

So, growing up, my dad told us how as a child, a common method of discipline at his Catholic schoolas to squeeze the back of the miscreant's neck while simultaneously saying "STIMULUS!" It, of course (like most things), became a laughing matter in my family. A joke so I knew I could always squeeze my brother's neck and say "stimulus!" Always worked. Every time. We'd all magically start behaving again.

Over the past week, we have all relished in the fact Obama is grabbing all Republicans by the neck and saying "STIMULUS!" And we love a man who won't back down. Thank you, Obama. Thank you, Tom Petty.

Here at trueAnthem, we want to do our part. We want to stimulate the music industry. So, again, we are bringing free, awesome music.

Not just free. AWESOME!

Starring:
DANIEL CHASE
SEAN FOURNIER
MELISSA RAPP

Meanwhile, we are working away and will continue this blog as soon as we possible can. We have many details to share with you regarding this week's music.

Stay tuned! check back. and in the meantime, please grab our widgets, and share, share share! :)

with all our love, trueanthem TEAM

Five (no) Whammies This Week: NEW MUSIC! (Do you love us yet?)

2009-01-31T08:53:00.000-08:00

In typical style, trueAnthem's tech-y force (referenced in previous blog as sexy soft(ware) engineers)...have rolled out a ridiculous amount of quality music and widgets this week.

That's right--ALL for your enjoyment...

We know you have been missing our Free Music Wednesdays. You've been listening to the news. You've been reading the papers. The economy is in utter chaos. Even your iGoogle news now makes you sad.

It's okay! Don't fret. There is always Yahoo! news...there is always E! television. The world WILL go on. The US economy WILL rebound. And trueAnthem, help us God, will ALWAYS be bringing you free music.

I mean, what more could we do? In times of poverty, there is nothing better than a trueAnthem music fix to get you out of your dire straights.

And one more note on this train of thought. You are not alone! We all have watched our savings shrink 50%, our salaries shrink (or simply disappear), our stock options evaporating into matter the size of a piggy bank...we all are in the same boat. Even the doctor's wives of this world are now worried about their retirement.

In response to this, all we can say is: Skull Candy!
Skull Candy!?utm_source=TrueAnthem&utm_medium=banner&utm_content=killola&utm_campaign=Bann-TA-HP-01

How can you not put those last pennies towards a pair of Noise Reduction Headphones. In times like this, we may need to tune out even NPR. We just gotta keep our heads up! :)

So, in that positive spirit, I introduce to you our esteemed trueArtists of the week.

Matt Cusson

Matt is the kind of artist you want to hear about first. In fact, his bio needs a slight correction:
"Matt Cusson has people talking" should actually read "Matt Cusson has complete strangers talking."

When I first tuned me up some Cusson love on my lap top, the guy next to me in the coffee shop stopped me in less than sixty seconds..."What's that you're listening to?"

I thought he was going to tell me to turn it down/off/stop being so full of life and music, etc. (not an uncommon vibe in coffee shops these days...bastions of the under/unemployed, they are, after all.)

How not so! He instead wanted to know what I knew about Matt Cusson, and what more I could offer him. I said, well, coffee shop dude, it's your lucky day. I work for a really sweet good-hearted company called trueAnthem and you can get all of Matt's music for (frickin) free online. Not only that, a mighty sexy widget will display this music for your download enjoyment.

Darn, I'm good. I mean, darn! trueAnthem is good. :) And music, well, music is the BEST!

Thank you Matt Cusson, for making us some sweet, sweet trueMusic...tenor saxophones and all. We love you.
(Either that, or we want to make out with you--we can't decide.)

Oh, a few more random fact on Mr. Cusson. He's went to school and played with our talented songwriter friend John Mayer at Berklee. And what's more, he actually graduated. Sexy! No wonder our talented rockstar friend Christina Aguilera chose him to tour with her, and rockstar TV show hosts Regis and Kelly have already featured him live.

*

The Smyrk

New Haven's The Smyrk give us many reasons not to be depressed about the economy, our marriages, or children's view on the importance of higher education...

After all, this year we get all this from these rockers:
1. A new bandmember
2. A hot new album "in the works"
3. A HARD working, goal oriented foursome poised to become rockstars

Esteemed URB Magazine called the group a "tasty and refreshing treat. Impressively tight." We like to think the same thing about our trueWidgets. Agree? ;)

*

K-Tee

Hello, we are trueAnthem. We are pleased to introduce you to K-Tee. Nuff said.

No, not really. This guy could be summed up in one awesome sentence, we are sure. But he is oh so write-about-able too.

First off, we love any artist who has the guts to write their bio in the first person. K-Tee starts with:
"Hello and welcome to my domain the name is K-Tee and I am one of the up & coming... "
Straight-forward, tight, groovin'. Just like K-Tee's music.

We then learn (in the words of the man himself), that he is "soon to explode," talented AND driven. We like these things!

He also grew up singing in church.

(Okay--just marry us now, dearest K-Tee!)

No seriously folks. When you hear this man sing, you will become a believer.

He guarantees, for example, in the first track on his trueWidget, that he "can rock it baby." We, certainly, are no one disagree with this articulate statement. Nobody really is, anyway.

Well, okay...maybe if your last name is Obama you can put in an argument against K-Tee's declaration. Otherwise, forever hold your peace. We love this man.

God bless him. And become his fan. Hey, there may be no such thing as a free lunch. But there IS such thing as free music!

*

Hurry! Let’s Go

http://www.trueanthem.com/HurryLetsGo

Okay, K-Tee has some competition here. How can you not fall in love with Hurry Let's Go?

In their own words:
"We also love writing music because we know that it makes our fans (friends) smile and we like to make people happy."

LOVE! Innocence. Sweetness.

These three personality traits make surprisingly good music.

Here are a few last words from this Tallahasee band's bio. We couldn't say it better ourselves!
"Please go out there and spread the word about us by posting bulletins or telling your friends about us, and continue loving our music as much as we love writing it! God bless, H!LG."

*

Mc Schoolyard Master

Check. It. Out.

*

Ryan Huston (Update)
http://www.trueAnthem.com/RyanHuston

Our top-selling (top-giving?) trueAnthem artist is at it again. Not to be missed.

If you're gonna be "in it," be in it for the right reasons...

2009-01-21T11:27:00.000-08:00

POLITICS.

LOVE.

MUSIC.

All these amazing phenomenon come to mind this week as we write you a "blawg."

You see, at trueAnthem.com, we are now in the throws of the same economy as you. We use to (as little as six months ago...) have cocktails (margaritas, if you were wondering) every Thursday, and often dined at local Marina establishments such as Pacific Catch (ono!) and Real Foods (Real Expensive) daily.

Now, we pack our own sandwich. (Thankfully, our wives/girlfriends/lovers and husbands/finances/boyfriends are still working...so we can enjoy free-range turkey instead of just PB&J. If we do butter, we strive for almond butter.)

But I digress.

The point of this blog is not to point fingers.

It is to simply state, that as Obama, Aretha, and Yo yo ma so elegantly put it, it's time for change. It's time for hope. It's time for love. It's time for NEW music.

Perhaps that is why Obama actually became president while a beautiful brother was playing clarinet to the masses...rather than during the oath? (The oath, as we learned this morning on the news, was "flubbed.") I love that. The music remained perfect.

Because you see, even when music is "flubbed," it is still perfect.

In fact, it is arguably MORE perfect. A mistake on a recording should more often than not, be deemed a magnificent anomaly. Too often, in the last two decades, music has been harnessed by powerful (debate-ably powerful) men, who produced music till it was auto-tuned, controlled, looped, and essentially, dead.

We want to bring music back.
Justin T may have brought sexy back...
but we want to bring trueMUSIC back.

Do you think we can do it?

I think we can!

I think you can.

Let's just do it. Shall we?

Much love, powering on,
and turkey sands,

we love you like that.

Signing off (for now),
trueAnthem TEAM.

We Resolve: new year, new music, new trueAnthem!

2009-01-08T00:45:00.000-08:00

In general, we hardworking trueAnthem folk like to be generous. With everything we possibly can...our love, our new music, time...

We've given you a solid seven days to recover from whatever New Year's madness you chose to partake in. We are hoping you stayed up past midnight, at least? ;)

And in that same spirit of generosity, trueAnthem has been working around the clock...(often past midnight!) to continue to hone our model for the new music industry. We stand by our original goal: ensure that music creators continue to get paid.

We want great music for the rest of our lives! And we know that in order for that to exist, we need to find a way for the fan to always get their tunes for free, with the artist still getting paid for their work.

Cause believe us...the 3 minute Mariah Carey song that you are in love with has a LOT of effort behind it.

We're talking...

The woman herself, or her songwriting team, first experiencing some heart-wrenching moment of love lost...or just some super sexy one-night stand (you pick).

After that, the time must be made to feverishly scribble down lyrical ideas...and/or an instrument must be present for the melody to flow from the now heartbroken (or sexed up) artist/songwriting team...

that passion must then be revised and revised until, indeed, a HIT song is born...

then...well, the whole step to actually produce and record the song to what you finally download for free...it's too late for us to get into that tonight. :) but trust me, it's a lot of time, money, and 20,000 dollar microphones that come into play before that final product is delivered to you.

SO, all we ask today, is that you continue to hang hard with us at tA, trust us, and help us spread music and love and paychecks to the artists of this world.

Happy New Year.

May we all resolve to continue to work to save, not only the Arctic Wildlife Refuge, and our own retirement accounts, but also the ailing music economy...

With all our love and magic,
Happy 2009!

Peace out,
trueAnthem.

The Christmas Rush HITS: trueWidgets UNITE! Jes drops Imagination, along with Trash Yourself, Paper Rival and Until June

2008-12-11T11:26:00.000-08:00

Hey trueAnthem homies,

We're writing this from an island in the middle of the sea. But we are greatly enjoying (and we hope you are too) our new free music this week.

Look at the brands and bands coming on board!

Skull Candy is truly shining this week, sponsoring both Jes and Paper Rival:

Jes: she can sing AND just as importantly, ROCK the blue eye shadow. We will always welcome true "Dance Divas" such as this to our lovely site.

Paper Rival: almost all of these handsome men are smiling in their bio photography...how rare and lovely is this in the ultra cool rockstar image world. Love it! Note: Also loving the gorgeous Coldplay-esque melodies and artistic beats on tracks like "Alabama"...hard to pull off, but certainly done so (with flying colors) here.

Playboy store stepped up to the plate this week to honor the pure sex appeal of Trash Yourself. To sum them up, I will leave you with a few selected words and phrases from their self-penned biography.

exploded
quickly gaining support
innovative dance music
push the envelope, and push buttons.
international stage
dates in Mexico and Portugal
the Beat It Festival
Full
sexual references
over-driven
bass lines
putting out
music that'll get you sweaty and wet
expect nothing less than a fire

Thank you, Trash Yourself. You *are*sexy: articulated so well, and so wildly. We love you.

Finally, Until June holds down our Christmas trueWidget fort this week with a sponsor no other than the monolith MEGA brand: the GAP. You perhaps can't get any bigger, either, than the placements, countries, and record labels this band has been known to hang with:
Norway, Finland, Thailand and the Philippines and Greece; NBC's "Private Practice," and none other than the career-making "Grey's Anatomy."

The Until June guys are busy recording a new record. Watch out crazy ass music industry world and fickle fans. These guys are just beginning to drop.

*

And so, with some remorse, we sign off.

Until Christmas, (try to) stay sane.

We at trueAnthem are praying for you, and us, that we all have enough money to buy Christmas presents. (Or at the very least, the flour and sugar to make everyone cookies instead.)

*God bless*

-tA!

trueAnthem: in full force: BRINGING IT in 2008, dominating in 2009!

2008-12-06T08:23:00.000-08:00

We have so much content now. Can you say...WOW?

or perhaps, GO TEAM!
or perhaps, Thank YOU!

to the trueAnthem team and their undying spirit...to the artists for taking a chance (and being smart!), and to the fans for continuing to show brands and the industry...that music DOES have value...

It may be FREE, but hey...there is no such thing as a free lunch is there...(not even at Google: trust us!)

And there is also no such thing as "Free music"...for real...that is...but there are...and will continue to be for years to come...

trueWidgets...delivering you free music, with an artist-band partnership completely approved of by both parties. All benefit...and they pass that benefit on to You, then FAN.

Hope you are feeling as grateful as us on this beautiful December day.

Peace out,
trueAnthem TEAM!

You give THANKS, we give you new MUSIC. Dig.

2008-11-26T22:30:00.000-08:00

You know you can count on us, every week. Even as our staff was rushing to planes, trains and automobiles, making sure to be with loved ones for a Thursday feast...we managed to work together to bring you three new trueWidgets. YUM!

We have a slightly revolutionary widget release this month with video content from freestyle skier champ Simon Dumont. Talented, unafraid, and already heavily tattooed, the video shows you Simon working his, talking about his rail game, and future goals. It's also filmed in NEW ZEALAND. Okay! We'll watch it!

Gorgeous. Brought to you by Empire.

Okay, back, to the music. We got a smashing widget from rockers All the Brightness. This power trio of talent definitely makes some trueAds laced with perfection...and they definitely know how to genuinely ROCK as well. We approve. Hope you do too! ;)
(PS: if you don't, it doesn't really matter...you are going to hear their music anyway--it's all over the place...in the hot reality show "Crash Addicts" and in the Vin Diesel video game "Wheelman," soon to be released by Midway.

Now. Listen up.

This week, trueAnthem brings you a rhythmic new trueWidget from super sexy Jared "J-Dub" Jackson. We have a sweet spot in our heart for talented white boy rappers. Especially if they have deep, soulful voices.

Luckily, Jared's trueAds allow you to hear his smooth talking voice, introducing his cleanly arranged rhymes. No shortage of true GROOVE here. You can't help but nod your head. Even if you are sitting among white people at breakfast in a random Best Western hotel in a random town in Central California.

Hot damn. If only Apple knew what's up, and designed a laptop with REAL speakers. Real bass. I would be jumping on the beds right now...with J-Dub's tunes in the background.

But no, Apple's actually not that into music...they are into selling devices. That they have done. And we aren't complaining.

But Stevie, can you work on an Air model that packs in some bass woofers?

We would be grateful for that.

We might even be so grateful that we'd buy another un-insurable iPhone, even though our devices have been stolen out from under our noses more than once.

Your sh-t is just too damn sexy.

And you know what?

That's exactly how we feel about the new iteration of the trueWidget.

This monster of a viral mechanism is truly, and unstoppable marketing vehicle...destined, we have a feeling, for success. And! Spreading that success to all who enter it's path...

now let's give THANKS to that! And a new music industry where MUSIC prevails. Not hipsters, not reviews, not ticket sales...just pure MUSIC. Brought to you by sweet brands who care about what tunes you are listening to as you wear their clothes, clean house with their products, or read their magazines. See? Brands are people too. :)

Love it.

Bye! and happy T-giving!!!

signing out,
tA in the HAUS.

Guitar Center and Ryle team up for 10% off...and and one intense widget.

2008-11-19T04:14:00.000-08:00

Check.

It.

Out.

Not only do you get free music this week from Electronic/Industrial superstar Ryle, you get to SAVE money at good 'ol Guitar Center. Can't beat that offer!

Since they got bought out, it just hasn't been the same at that wild store. The musician/employee madness is much more contained. Sigh...why must times change, so fast, before our eyes?

We collectively comfort you (and ourselves) this week, with a $$**coupon**$$ and

sick.

ass.

tracks.

from Ryle:

Love it. Share it.

Know it.

May this week bring only goodness into your life, and help you clear out any strong negative forces or people that have tried to pull you down.

Looking to the future, and enjoying the present...

Leading this music industry SHAKE down!

Peace out.

-trueAnthem in the house.

PS:
this week's mottos to remember:
*CARPE DIEM: this is IT!
**God moves in mysterious ways, but thank the lord, sincerely, for the trueWidget and it's truePotential to rock the music industries socks off!)

PPS:
ongoing mottos:
"keep the shades on." -george clinton, CMJ panel, NYC, Oct 2006
"picture us rolling..." -us, trueAnthem.com, upon release of the phat new trueWidget last week, 2008! ;)

PPPS: (my we are digressive this week!)
One free kombucha to the blog reader who can guess which trueAnthem employee's first job out of college was (indeed) in the keyboard/software department at that fine store Guitar Center is...back when it was on 9th and Market in 2001.
Then, a free bar of quality dark chocolate if you can guess how many months he/she lasted in their esteemed sales role at that pleasant location...

New trueWidget HITS trueAnthem and the world...TODAY!

2008-11-12T06:37:00.000-08:00

STOP! Whatever you are doing...whatever browser window is simultaneously demanding your attention as you skim this blog...please HALT!

Now.

Fully focus on Killola's brand spanking, super packed trueWidget.

Notice anything strange?

Sure you do. This is not just any new Killola action packed rockin widget...this is trueAnthem's trueWidget version 2.0 release!

The genius tech guys here have been working night and day for the last several months to bring you this fancy, flash-driven, super-powered trueWidget.

And today is the day it all comes down! We're so proud trueAnthem veteran rockers Killola are breaking it out for you. Tracks like This is How the World Ends, Strung out on Sunshine...seem MADE for the momentous day of change and beginnings that this new trueWidget release represents. And of course, since Lisa and her Killola men are naturally cool, on it, and smart as hell, they prepared a sweet little video for you to enjoy as part of the trueWidget 2.0 celebration. Hear what Lisa thinks about w-i-d-g-e-t-s. :)

You know, it's a perhaps little known fact that the programmers at trueAnthem are not only brilliant coders and designers, but are pretty damn sexy guys as well. All are also either musicians themselves or huge music fans and tastemakers. We know that their natural sexiness and instinctive understanding of music played a big part in making this widget as BOMB as it so obviously is!

Now, enough talk. Go check it out. Grab it. Touch it with your mouse. WORK IT! All over the internet...and the world. Help trueAnthem keep going on its mission to pave the way for GREAT music to be created and distributed for years to come.

No more of this pop, cookie-cutter imaging major labels tend to put their talent through...we at trueAnthem love finding artists, taking them just as they are, finding a brand they believe in, and then letting the music and downloads speak for themselves.

This is how we ROLL.

(Tupac, shout out to you at this moment. Picture Me Rolling. You got us through some long widget coding sessions.)

SO!

Without further ado or digressions, we present trueWidget version 2.0.

This widget IS trueAnthem...developing at a rapid pace...and taking the music world to a higher level of technologically forward, entrepreneurial excitement!

Enjoy.

NEW PRESIDENT!...New Beginnings, and of course, New Free Music!

2008-11-05T06:52:00.000-08:00

They may not be as sexy as Obama yet...but they're already putting up some strong competition. trueAnthem welcomes threesome Candy Coated Chaos. Sweet Jersey dance pop from these lovely Livingston ladies, courtesy of suave shoe sponsor Steve Madden. We love their three part harmony, super pop song structure, and of course, their quite natural and honest photogenic gift. :)

Rochella, Brittany, and Stephanie will also surprise you with some right on lyrics. Check out free download track "Promise (Sacred Vows mix): "Regret is a useless feeling/my smile is my disguise/my reflection never lies."

So...

Grab it! And don't be selfish...(even though they are THAT sexy)...share share share!

After enjoying the sweet madness of Candy Coated Chaos, move on to Ohio's emerging punk popstars Katius. These kids sing about high school from the front lines...with song titles like Arrogance is Ignorance and Lying Backstabber, we know they've been living teen life to the fullest.

They've also got some impressive music business smarts--a kickin MySpace page easily charting over 600 plays a day, a page long list of big name sponsors...these kids are already laying the groundwork for hitting the big time. And hitting it hard!

Atlanta's bluegrass/country artist Bethany Dick struts into the trueAnthem world this week, her award winning blue fiddle in hand and a mean set of pipes to boot. Yep! Bethany kicks the "girl with guitar" stereotype right out the door. In addition to a female artists usual guitar capabilities, Bethany can rock the mandolin, fiddle and sing some mean harmony. She's also done time in Nashville and cites Allison Krauss as a lead inspiration. We think we're going to like this girl...
it doesn't hurt that she blogs from the heart...documenting her mouth blistering salsa experiences and first homemade apple pie achievements. We like a woman who knows when to picnic.

Bethany clearly doesn't mess around. You shouldn't either: grab her free music-packed, Steve Madden sponsored trueWidget and start spreading her love around the country!

Finally, trueAnthem favorite Brian Chartrand delivers yet again...perfect Sunday morning music...made by his bluesy guitar and soulful vocals on tracks like How Thin These Walls. The five songs released this week via trueWidget are from his brand new release, Out of the Ether.

Music like this doesn't need much introduction...acoustic, pure, soulful and from the heart...Brian confirms his growing star quality. He is a true master of vibe. A natural mood setter.

So...sit back and enjoy Brian's latest...
download (free)
grab
post

Love.

Nick Black blows the roof off a trueWidget: releasing a video only widget with Playboy

2008-10-29T15:33:00.001-07:00

Curious what happens to an artistic mind when they start writing music, get a pad in Hollywood and living the life of a touring musician?

Learn more than you ever wanted to about trueAnthem Alternative/Industrial/Rock artist Nick Black. Apparently, he paints his toenails, flushes with his feet, and eats penis-shaped food.

This is only the beginning. He also experiences (cold) hot tubs, RV adventures, tornadoes in Arizona...and things we probably shouldn't discuss in this blog (should we censor the 50c super-studded condom machine video clip for certain red states?).

Anyhow, Nick brings goes through the touring life right in front of your eyes, completely candid style--how we know you YouTube addicts and reality TV people like it.

"Being an entertainer...is a lot of pressure..." we learn from Nick. We have a feeling this is only the beginning of randomness we will experience from the all new "Nick Black TV," brought to you by Playboy.

Don't miss the sixth free download--Nick's official and mighty sexy/slightly disturbing rock music video for "Sorry." (Based on the NBTV pilot webisodes, we have a feeling this is how he likes it.)

Once downloaded, make sure to enjoy these videos everywhere you can...on your iPhone or mobile device...anywhere you feel like it! We know a good dose of NBTV at a stressful moment in your day will help you chill out and remember life is too short to NOT be ridiculous. I mean--check out those skinny cows! (Does that last sentence remind anyone other than us of Balky? "...Don't be ridiculous!!!")

Celldweller Brings it Again: New trueWidget in partnership with Tomb Raider

2008-10-29T14:09:00.000-07:00

CELLDWELLER adds to our New Music Wednesday madness Halloween all-star week with the release of his brand new album Through The Gates: Soundtrack for the Voices in my Head.

On these monster tracks, piano and electric riffs lead into epic beats and huge arrangements, with bass that is locking it DOWN and psyching you up for whatever challenge you might be about to face. Forget Eye of the Tiger--this song is for the new generation of rabble-rousers.

Warning: this is the kind of music that will keep you up WAY past midnight. Mesmorizing, constantly moving, passionate...

Releasing alongside Mary Magdalan, we're definitely bringing you some serious RELEASE music this week...but we have only good intentions. If you have to finish that problem set or PowerPoint for example, Celldweller's Pursuit of the Hunted will most definitely power you through till a most successful, and highly climatic finish.

Now...

Grab. Rage. Share! Alllllll free, as always...thanks to Tomb Raider Underworld.

If you still can't get enough Celldweller, we're also releasing a FiXT trueWidget, the brainchild of Klayton (Celldweller), FixT is a high energy, high quality compilation ushered together by Klayton's desire to encourage artistic collaboration on a global scale. He builds sync placements opportunities for electronic artists, designs creative remix competitions, and finds new ways to empower independent artists to "break away from the traditional archaic record-deal scenario."

Now, THIS is something we at trueAnthem are all over..it's sort of our exact mission statement. :) Brought to you by our super sponsors and most essential gear suppliers: Guitar Center!

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Halloween New Music Wednesday MADNESS! Mary Magdalan and The Speaks

2008-10-29T13:46:00.000-07:00

This week, we're not holding back...ANYTHING. We're giving you new music, we're giving it to you free, and we're giving you MARY MAGDALEN.

This girl does not hold back. Total lyrical honesty, confessional whispering over verses, and screaming rock metal choruses. It's not often that we find a hardcore chick that we can truly stand behind...that breaks us out of our shells and makes us want to tear shit up, scream as loud as we can in the middle of an office building elevator, or at the very least, have a good old fashioned HEAD BANG.

Damn straight. This woman is a marketer's dream: raging tracks matched with total sex appeal, unforced and genuine. Mary packs lips that rival Angelina Jolie's, hyper color long locks, and a tight rocker body that a porn star would give her right ass cheek for. It's no mistake that she's clocked well over 6 MILLION MySpace plays, without the help of any major label promotional machine. As she proudly lists, she remains "UNFUCKINGSIGNED." And man, are we oh so glad. This chicks got a blazing smart business head on her sexy shoulders too.

We all have some inner demons and rage...even our beloved parental units that might have lived in the suburbs for the last 40 years.

All we can suggest is: Grab Mary Magdalen's widget...and hold on as hard as you can.

After you've cooled off and detoxed a bit from Mary Magdalan, check out our new alt/rock band The Speaks. Guitar Center wanted to get behind these guys, who are best described as a "balls-out, unapologetic ROCK & ROLL band." We love any band that goes balls-out! So they are already on our good side, we hope you like them too.

The five-piece hails from DC and have built a huge MySpace following thanks to their radio play on DCs major station, DC101 and hard work touring in the US and Asia. After signing a deal with Warner Music Asia in 2005, The Speaks' singles have received massive airplay around the world, charting on radio and video charts in target market the Phillipines and beyond. No stranger to stadium sized crowds, The Speaks have shared the stage with acts like Switchfoot, Jimmy Eat World, the Roots, Live, and Blues Traveler.

The Speaks love performing and promoting on a global scale. Music they believe, is the "one true universal language." Help these guys feel the viral power of their new trueWidget!

New Music Wednesday covers the map: Mike Falzone's Fun with Honesty, R&B powerhouse group Ahmir, and techno electro hipsters Velvet Code!

2008-10-22T23:00:00.000-07:00

Plaid-clad, Connecticut born singer-songwriter Mike Falzone's “Fun with honesty” hits right where we need it about now, bringing us a much needed does of humor during transitional times.

Bottom line: this guy cracks us UP. Check out his hilarious blog on Jon McCain.

Describing his sound on MySpace, Mike comes up with "Sounds Like: the cookie monster having sex.” We love this.

On his first free download track, Famous, Mike sings, "I’ve been thinking in between breaks from drinking/about the things you said concerning my singing…" Then the chorus hits: "If you told me I could be famous/I’d present you with a list of changes/I could make/We could fake the world out.”

But the best part is, Mike isn’t faking. He’s got some serious songwriting skills, and has packaged those with surprisingly smooth vocals and tight, clean grooves. We hear a little John Mayer and Jason Mraz action going on here.

Check out Mike’s fancy finger work on his live video performance of Famous in the studio on YouTube.

This guys’ definitely got some natural guitar riff writing skills and an instinctive soulful groove…fo sho. And the humor…what a BONUS! Mike plays over 100 shows a year, has opened for national acts like Third Eye Blind, Kate Voegele, and Matt Nathanson, and is showcasing at CMJ in NYC this week. He can also count CD founder Derek Sivers as a super fan!

On with the music...trueAnthem introduces Mike Falzone via a new trueWidget sponsored by GAP.

Grab it.

Grab it like you want it.

Yeah.

Next, we bring you free downloads from Boston's R&B/soul group Ahmir. This foursome's trueWidget opens with a killer video of the guys singing just for YOU. Yep, after two European tours, 800K MySpace plays, multiple features in Billboard and Vibe magazine, Ahmir's career is going strong. We can't even imagine the heights they're about to hit with the release of a trueWidget!

Coming onto the scene in 2006, Ahmir's first single, "Welcome To My Party," peaked at #82 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop charts, becoming the #19 Top Selling R&B Hip Hop single of 2006. The group has also snagged opening slots for major recording artists like John Legend, Busta Rhymes & Boyz II Men. BET's top 106&Park show hosted the guys in February this year after they won the weekly Wild-Out Wednesday competition based on a national audience vote. Sweet!

Finally, New Music Wednesday also brings you free music from NYC’s Velvet Code, brought to you by Sketchers.

On first listen, you might feel like you've heard their hit “Say You Love Me” before. The hook is perfect melodically and lyrically... “Why…why, why’d you have to say you love me?" (We’ve all been there.) Other tracks come with equally punchy titles like "Trust Fund Girl" and "I Never Wanna Feel." The guys have perfected their techno electro 80s production loveliness to a T.

Even Perez Hilton couldn't help but love it. On Velvet Code, he wrote: “Though they're from New York, the lead singer sounds like he's from England. And, though it's 2008, the song is straight-up'80s. Both of those are pluses in our book! Bring on the new NEW romantics!”

Enjoy your free Velvet Code downloads. All we ask in return? Help VC fulfill their musical aim. Give in to your "undeniable thirst to dance...and let it all go.” “We will remove the shackles off your feet!” they write, "We live our lives to the following phrase: "If it's not fun, DONE!”

Now that’s a New Music Wednesday model we can subscribe to.

Free Katie Reider Downloads: Together We Keep Her Singing, via a new trueWidget

2008-10-22T19:34:00.000-07:00

Katie Reider, a beautiful soul, voice, and performer, passed away July 14, 2008 from cancer. At age 28, just approaching the peak of her music career, the singer-songwriter developed a rare Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor in her left jaw that progressed into her skull base. Over the course of only a year, the tumor took away her sight in one eye, her voice, and her gift for performance.

For ten years, the Cincinnati-born songstress Katie Reider sang her moving, heartfelt indie folk music for lucky fans. A prolific writer, Katie released four albums with her band: Wonder (1998), No Retakes (2001), I Am Ready (2002) and Simplicity (2004).

Fans remember Katie as the full package: “A great singer and a powerful songwriter, with that presence that no amount of practice is going to give you...she was a star."

As an artist, Katie sought to always be "Real, Transparent and Vulnerable." A genuine spirit, she had a special gift for reaching out to every person in the room during a live show. “She was always in the moment...she would focus in on the person that looked the saddest…her eyes could just pierce people..."

In her remembrance, Katie's friends and loyal fans have set up website 500Kin365.org, with the goal of introducing 500,000 new people to her music and her story over the next year.

trueAnthem is proud to help this moving effort to spread Katie's music and spirit. So, as part of New Music Wednesday we bring you Katie's trueWidget, including five gorgeous tracks and a memorial video. You'll love her velvet vocals and the personal touch she puts on her cover version of Sarah McLachlan’s hit "Building a Mystery."

Knowing her story, original compositions like "Found" take on new meaning:

Never knew her name but here I am
Growing older but I'm still young
Another place and another name...

I want to say thanks,
For giving me life
There's no hurting inside...

Just to see your face, you look upon mine
I want to say thanks
For giving me life
There's no hurting inside...

--Found--Katie Reider

http://www.500kin365.org/
Together we can KEEP HER SINGING.

Guitar Center loves the trueWidget, launches two more rock bands: Blue Stahli and Steelborn

2008-10-22T00:30:00.000-07:00

Described as "the soundtrack to underground dance floor lust and aftermath...a schizophrenic collision of noisy guitars, edgy electronics and sensual vocals,” Detroit’s Blue Stahli has had no trouble attracting attention. This week, Blue Stahli is releasing 19 high energy tracks with trueAnthem, in a new partnership with Guitar Center.

Known for his aggressive arrangements and beats, Blue Stahli first started making music, “literally…to stay alive.” “That hasn’t changed," he writes. Bret has played a range of roles over his rock music career…from playing guitar in a drag queen fronted punk band to DJ-ing for fetish burlesque troupes, his circuit-tattooed arms and pink-dyed hair make him a natural stand out rock star.

Check out this packed trueWidget, and be sure to Grab away and repost after you snag your free downloads!

Guitar Center also brings you three free tracks from New York's metal/rock act Steelborn. European brothers Alex and Mike, aim to deliver quality, old school metal, self-producing and recording their latest creations raw, from their home studio. Fans have loved their recipe so far...the guys have easily amassed over 600K profile views on MySpace. Enjoy!

Free Music Wednesday delivers again: The Vacation, S1, Red Carpet Rats and Guy Cassidy!

2008-10-15T01:00:00.000-07:00

There’s one thing most of us don’t get enough of every day. And that is real ROCK. Nothing like a band that categorizes itself on MySpace as Rock/Rock/Rock to get you out of your Wednesday slump.

Brought to you by Playboy, the 14 tracks from LA’s The Vacation are one amazing solid rock song after another. The band seems to capture all that 21st century rock should be—wailing electric guitar, big bass, raspy soulful vocals, hooks, and most importantly, ATTITUDE.

How can you not love a band with song titles like Get Used, White Girl, and Shit Talker? And their provocative fliers and promo material (one featuring Tom from MySpace) are just too good to be true.

The big critics are latching on early to The Vacation...Britain’s NME hailed their album as “a menagerie of musical wonder that you could dance, fuck or drink to" and the BBC raved about the LP’s “well-oiled animal magnetism," calling band “stadium-size entertainers.”

Music industry mogul Rick Rubin also saw the potential in this band and scooped them up for his own label, American Recordings, which hosts musical legends like Tom Petty, The Black Crowes, and Johnny Cash.

Enjoy!

S1 (Symbolyc One):

Originally from Dallas, Los Angeles based S1 has been getting plenty of traction on MTV recently. The guys' blend of R&B and Urban Pop swept the honors on the channel's hit show "Top Pop Group," blowing away celebrity judges from super-groups like The Black Eyed Peas and Destiny's Child.

We like that S1 makes it a mission statement to bring you "feel good music." With the economy goin' crazy, who can say no to this? The guys recommend you check out their three favorite tracks: Hit My Switch, Foolin Around and eXtacy. All available free for you, of course, via S1's brand new trueWidget, brought to you through a partnership with Baby Phat.

Old Navy also got on board this week to bring you three free tunes from Nashville's Red Carpet Rats. This rock/powerpop act brings you four-part harmony, hook-driven rock, and a fantastic sense of humor in their trueAds. Never missing an opportunity to give back, Red Carpet Rats will be joining the Armed Forces Entertainment Group in touring overseas military bases in the coming months. Be sure to grab this RCR trueWidget and re-post to your hearts delight!

And finally, we introduce Guy Cassidy:

London based singer-songwriter Guy Cassidy didn't plan to get into music. It was his videographer career that originally took him from his hometown of Chicago to living abroad in Paris and London. In the midst of all this adventure, the 24 year-old produced and recorded some tunes and put them up on MySpace. In under a year, he's watched these songs garner well over a million plays, thanks to catchy experimental pop/rock songs like Annabelle.

Citing influences like The Beatles and David Bowie, you'll also hear a bit of youthful exuberance a la Davy Jones of The Monkees in Guy's vocals. He's busy recording his debut album, but in the meantime, wanted to get out four tracks for free for your listening enjoyment, including a remix of Annabelle. Brought to you by GAP!

Lots of ROCK: partnerships with GAP, Orange County Choppers, Guitar Center bring you more free New Music Wednesday love

2008-10-08T16:01:00.000-07:00

Our brands and artists partnerships have been a smashing success so far--with both parties loving watching us work our trueWidget magic. As always, we have YOU to thank...the music fans and music heads who are grabbing these widgets, re-posting them in every web place you can think of...and downloading away. Here's to another week of free music love.

Check out the ten tracks from huge classic rock artists Jet Boy, brought to you by custom motorcycle company Orange County Choppers. The San Francisco based five-piece is releasing the best of their late 80's and early 90's hits via a trueWidget this week. Watch out...in no time, the guys will have you waking up every morning singing…“I’m a rock n roller! I’m a rock n roller!”

With over a million MySpace plays, LA's rock/gothic band Shaolin Temple of BooM (StoB) has built a global audience and voracious fan base through viral promotion. Enjoy their ten free tracks, brought to you by GAP.

Hailing from the OC, the Go-Sheilas bring energetic pop punk fronted by ballsy lead vocalist Sheila, with Andy Fischer on guitars. Thanks to Guitar Center, we've got 11 free tracks for you to download.

Finally, LA's Matt Toka rounds out our artist roster this week with his infectious, inspirational anthem rock. In addition to his work as an artist, Toka manages to squeeze in time as an activist. He travels nationwide to high schools, speaking to students about suicide prevention, and is the founder of a social network, "Stories of Struggle."

Widget-packed Wednesday: five new tA artists launch with mega-brands

2008-10-01T00:30:00.000-07:00

We've got crazy variety and talent this week. Check out the five new widgets we've released to the world!

And...Guess what? In our trueAnthem artists' words:

"You can download it and it's FREE. It ain't get no better than that!" -Rio, "They Don't Wanna" trueAd, October '08

Welcome Rio, Tennessee's charismatic RnB king:

Acoustic rock from Wyoming's Cary Judd:

Acoustic pop/soul from Nashville's Steve Means:

New York's pop/punk diva Chantele diBrava:

And...Shockstars! tA's Chicago rockstars, fronted by our man Stuhby from Lucky Boys Confusion:

New Music Wednesday: Old Navy launches R&B artist Amber Ojeda, Guitar Center hooks up with Chris Malone

2008-09-24T00:30:00.000-07:00

You’ll hear the influence of jazz greats like Sarah Vaughan in San Diego singer Amber Ojeda's R&B tracks. With a style reminiscent of Jill Scott or Erykah Badu, Amber consistently dominates the MySpace Top 100 Jazz/Soul/R&B artist charts, in part due to her heavy play on over 100 radio stations and podcasts worldwide. This week, she releases six sexy songs and a live show video of “Don’t Rush.” Check out our favorite moment at the end of “So Lovely" where she sings “Wooooo!…This is what love sounds like.” These songs will definitely get you to slow down and relish in your sexy-ness. Thanks to Amber and sponsor Old Navy for giving you free content this new music Wednesday. And check out that red dress!

And for the metal heads out there, we bring you 15 tracks by Iowa's Chris Malone. Known as a "musical mad scientist," Chris' newest release blends instrumental rock and industrial metal in the style of bands like Static X and Ministry. You can thank sponsor Guitar Center for these free tracks!

Ultraviolet Sound featured on Perez Hilton's Listen to This!

2008-09-19T15:19:00.000-07:00

trueAnthem's Ultraviolet Sound continue to rake in the attention, with a sweet feature post on Perez's blog today. He loved their cover of Stacey Q's '80s classic 2 of Hearts, a collaboration with fellow electro-popsters Electric Valentine. Check it out!

Lucky Boys Confusion launches packed trueWidget with sponsor MacWarehouse

2008-09-17T12:30:00.000-07:00

Another band who’s been through the major label machine, Chicago’s rock/punk outfit Lucky Boy Confusion joins the ranks of trueAnthem artists sparking a revolution, launching their trueWidget packed with free music this week. The guys have been playing out to rabid fans for a decade, releasing two albums with Elektra Records and five on their own Townstyle Records. Live, the band is full of charisma and energy, and had no trouble building a fan base when they started playing out in Chicago right after high school. In only a year, they were selling out the House of Blues and moving 10,000 copies of their debut record.

You’ll be able to download a whopping 18 LBC tracks this week, including some of their more well known songs like “Fred Astaire” and “Dumb Pop Song” (the hit that got them on the national radio circuit after heavy play by Chicago’s alternative rock station Q101).

A naturally creative bunch, LBC’s trueAds are a treat to listen to—they're the first group we’ve had who actually penned little song ditties specifically for each ad. Hard to find these spots bothersome when they add so much to your listening experience. You’ll no doubt fall in love with these guys, just like we have.

You can catch them live in the Midwest this month, where they continue to play shows and put on their annual “Songs From A Scene,” a two night sold out showcase featuring the best of the flourishing suburban Chicago music scene from which they emerged. The event has hosted major acts like the Plain White T's and The White Tie Affair.

Ryan Huston and his manager reflect on their first two months with trueAnthem: “The results have blown me away…”

2008-09-12T15:24:00.000-07:00

We sat down with acoustic pop singer-songwriter and trueAnthem artist Ryan Huston and his manager, Marie Matteucci, to discuss their experience with trueAnthem. Having had great success promoting and selling Ryan’s music online, the two were initially hesitant about trying the ad-supported distribution approach. Yet only two months into their contract with sponsor 3J Workshop, the team saw how powerful the viral trueWidget could be in exposing new music and raising revenue. Ryan quickly got to work to record material to add to his widget this week. We hope you enjoy the five exclusive tracks, and Ryan and Marie’s thoughts on the tA model below.

tA: What made you interested in trueAnthem, given that you had already achieved success selling Ryan’s music online?

Marie: Being his manager, I’m really particular. We were selling CDs and downloads on MySpace and iTunes and doing quite well. When Joanna [tA CCO] first approached me about tA, I didn’t get it. I couldn’t understand how it would be beneficial to us. Even up until the point where we launched, I really wasn’t sure how well it would work. But the results have really blown me away. I was concerned—would this hurt our iTunes downloads? Would it hurt our CD sales? The truth is, it did hurt our iTunes downloads somewhat. But we’ve made so much more money through trueAnthem, that it offset that. The reality is that so many more people go to download it for free, so in turn we’re making more money anyway.

tA: What reactions have you received?

Marie: We get messages all the time from people saying, “Why are you giving your songs away for free?” I want to say, “Well, because you would've gone on Limewire and gotten them for free anyway!” We are a generation of fans used to getting music for free.

What trueAnthem has done is just really incredible. They’ve made music consumption both user friendly and artist friendly. It’s never really been that way--with the record industry, it’s always record industry friendly first, so it wasn’t necessarily friendly for the consumer or the artist. trueAnthem builds that bridge between the artist and the user.

Now that we’re promoting the widget, I also get messages from other artists inquiring about trueAnthem and they’re asking all kinds of questions. It’s really hard for them to understand it at first. But what I tell them is--everyday when you’re reaching out to new people, they’re much more inclined to listen and download the music to see if they like it if it’s free. We end up getting exposed to a much bigger fan base.

Times are tough these days, people don’t have money to get their hair done or their nails done…they aren’t going to go buy music. But if the songs are free, they’ll check them out. At the end of the day, we have new fans.

tA: So you feel like free is the way of the future for music?

Marie: Radiohead proved that people want to download music for free. They have probably the most incredible and loyal fan base out of any artist out there. Given the choice, seven out of ten downloaded it free. If Radiohead fans aren’t paying for the album, then no one is going to be paying for records. I bought Radiohead's album, but I know I’m rare. The hype around the promotion gave them so much more exposure. People who hadn’t heard of Radiohead went to the site to download the music to check it out—because it was free. Maybe these people were also more inclined to buy the record when it came out.

I’ve had people say, “ I just listened to your album. I downloaded it off Limewire…” Ryan responds and says, “Why don’t you download it from my widget for free, with better sound quality. And people say, “Okay, sure, no problem.” I do believe that trueAnthem is the only thing that will pull those users away from Limewire. It’s not going to be the major labels that will do it. It’s already been proven—for the last 7 years. The only thing that can take people away from illegal downloading is for the artists to be releasing the music for free, or at least giving the option to release the music for free.

-

tA: How did you feel about the audio ads?

Ryan: The whole audio ad is a new direction for music, but I think it’s the next direction for music. Just thinking about it and talking to Joanna, she knew it was the next direction.

tA: What was it like actually recording the audio ads?

Ryan: At first, there’s a little bit of second-guessing, but they’re very natural and easy to do. The second-guessing was just wondering how the fans would receive it…but it’s been received great. It helps Victor [3J Workshop designer] get his name and business out there and it helps us get out music.

tA: Were you worried about how people would respond to the audio ads?

Ryan: It was a moderate concern in the beginning, but in order to get free music out to people, we thought it was worth the gamble. Ninety-nine percent haven’t had a problem with it. For the few people that do have a problem, the option to buy on iTunes is there as well. Most people just like getting free music.

tA: Any specific feedback from the fans? Do fans find the ads annoying?

Ryan: Not really. They’ve just enjoyed the music. And a lot actually like the ads, cause they hear the artist speaking as normal as they can be. Hearing the artist is kind of fun for the fans. It’s been 99% positive feedback. And I think it really just comes down to being free music. I think if people were paying for the album, and hearing ads, it wouldn’t be as popular, but because it’s free people are able to look past that.

tA: Have you had any strong negative reactions to the audio ads?

Marie: Literally, I have had one complaint about the ads. It was a man in his 50s. He said, “Way to ruin the flow of the album.” But that was ONE person--out of over hundred thousand downloads! Ad supported content is going to become the norm. You already see it with video. All the way from CNN to TMZ, companies are putting ads before their media. It’s like commercials, and how they allow television to be free.

tA: So after your seeing the trueAnthem model in action, how do you feel about the concept?

Marie: I get it now. I finally get what Joanna was trying to convey to me for a few months before we were willing to give it a shot. I’m a pretty cautious person, and this idea didn’t hit me right off the bat. It took me awhile to process it, and see the results.

With illegal downloading, fans are making the mistake, thinking that if you are musician, you have money. Most musicians don’t have anything. So the way for a musician to have money is to get a sponsor and pass out your music for free. The music industry is going bankrupt because no one is buying CDs anymore--if Britney Spears released her new record tomorrow and sells half a million copies, everyone would say that’s amazing, but 10 years ago, that would be a failure. tA's figured out way to get some money back in the artist’s pocket.

Even if Britney signed on to tA and released her album, I fully believe that she would make way more money releasing her album with tA than through Jive. There are so many people that are downloading her records off Limewire anyway.

We’ve made more money giving the songs away for free than we would have had we continued to just sell the music on iTunes and through CD sales. And that was not something that I thought was going to happen! The money concern is probably most artists’ initial reservation. It’s hard to compute the numbers. But you have to take into consideration all the fans who are going to download your music because its free. What it comes down to: we’ve made more money giving it away for free.

tA: What would be your response to those who find the audio ads annoying?

Marie: I would say, “Did you pay for it? You can’t have your cake and eat it too all the time. Do you care about the artist?” That ad is allowing the artist to be in the studio creating music rather than saying ‘Can I take your order?’ You hear about starving artists all the time…unless they’re waiting tables. That ad is allowing the artist to work and focus on music, instead of having to split their time.

The artist is saying, “I get the fact that you don’t want to go out and pay 18 dollars for a new record, so I’ll give it to you for free. Here’s the catch: there’s a 3-sec ad at the beginning.”

Like I said, most people don’t care. You can’t have it all. You’re only getting complaints now because this is brand new…but a year from now, this will be normal. And honestly, most people like hearing Ryan’s speaking voice. It’s like listening to the radio and it’s just an announcement of the song and that’s it.

If people don’t want the ad, then go buy the record, but they’re not going to do that, so quit bitching.

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tA: How did you feel about the brand sponsorship process?

Marie: I’ve been saying for a long time now that artists need to pair up with corporate sponsors. There have always been endorsement deals in the music industry. I think it’s great that there are now these corporate sponsors pairing up to support artists as the record labels fall apart. The 3J workshop clothes are amazing—the designer’s an artist just as much as Ryan is an artist. So it was a great fit.

tA: What’s it been like working with 3J Workshop?

Ryan: The partnership has been great. Victor really loved my music and connected with it. We really liked the 3J workshop line. He’s been a great supporter of our business venture as well. He makes it so that you want his name to get out there too. So it’s more personal. We’re in the same boat.

tA: Did you consider other sponsors?

Ryan: There were a few sponsors presented to us, but I liked his clothing, I liked him. It was something I felt like I could get behind and support. And likewise, he thought it would be a good business venture to work with us as well.

tA: Did you check out other companies that did music widgets?

Ryan: Yeah, but this was a groundbreaking concept coming from trueAnthem. It was really the first company we’ve seen giving music away for free by pairing an artist up with a sponsor.

People love getting things for free. When you get them for free, you’re more inclined to share them with other people. That’s what I love about tA. People are more inclined to listen and download your music if it’s free.

Sure, there’s illegal downloading. But this is the legal way of doing it. Limewire hurts the artist--they’re not getting paid for their music at all. People think, “Oh artists, they have lots of money”…but it’s not the case.

tA: What hasn’t worked in terms of getting your music out there?

Ryan: iTunes has been frustrating. When I first started putting my album on iTunes people would end up just downloading a song or two.

tA: So iTunes isn’t helping your album sales?

Ryan: iTunes has exposed artists to people that may not have originally gotten their music. I’m sure it’s helped certain artists, but in my personal experience it’s actually hurt.

There are differences between radio friendly songs and more album friendly songs. They’re all special songs…some are just more intimate. You aren’t releasing any "bad" songs, they just aren’t all immediate marketing hits. As an artist, it’s not like you make two great songs and don’t care about all the others. You love all the songs you’re creating and you want to share them. I’m guilty of the same thing--I’ve gone to iTunes to download just the one or two songs instead of buying the whole album. Itunes is great for the consumer but not for the artist, because with iTunes you just have think about writing hits. It’s a different kind of thinking.

tA: And iTunes even reinforces the singles model by gauging each tracks popularity and listing the Top Songs…

Marie: Right. And for most artists I know, the songs closest to their heart aren’t the singles. But fans aren’t spending the money to download the entire record. With tA you might as well download the whole record. So fans are getting the gems that they wouldn’t have heard otherwise. Fans are being exposed to a bigger catalog of Ryan’s music.

tA: What aspects of the tA model have worked best for you?

Ryan: We get a much smaller amount per download, but we’re being exposed to THAT many more people. Instead of being supported by just the type of fan who will buy your music, we’re being exposed to the type who will like your music but won’t necessarily spend the money to buy it. With trueAnthem, we’re able to reach both types of fans.

tA: Do you think of it as selling out?

Ryan: Maybe to some artists, it might appear like that. But the thing is, the times are changing. Maybe back in the day, putting an ad at the front of a song would be strange. But the music industry has changed. It’s changing at this very moment. Are you really going to go out there, play live, have an A&R rep find you, then you’ll go into a studio, make and album and tour? Those days are numbered. It’s the day and age of digital distribution.

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tA: Would you still be interested in singing with a label?

Ryan: Am I interested in signing any record contract just to be with a label? No. You’re giving up a lot when you sign with a record label. You give up the rights to the music. Say you sign up with a label, and they’re not doing so well. They might not release your music. It really depends on the contract and the type of situation.

I’m happy with what I’ve been able to accomplish so far.

tA: Cause you’ve been able to make a living?

Ryan: Right. And that’s really the goal. To be able to make music for a living. It’s always been a goal and a dream.

tA: Do the labels have something you feel like you still need?

Marie: It’s exciting that the labels aren’t the end-all-be-all of an artists career anymore. It just gives the artist more options. Artists deserve to have more options.

The hardest thing about not being with a label is marketing…In order for the tA model to work, the artist needs to build a fan base on their own. You get this widget, you need to be able to expose it to a bunch of people. But with MySpace and all these other social networks, it’s not hard for an artist who can put in a few hours a day to build up an online fan base.

I also believe that in another year or so, these companies that are interested pairing up with musicians are going to be interested in putting money to help in other ways…doing tours, etc.

tA: So in a sense, brands can function as the new record labels?

Marie: Yes, an artist can only do so much for themselves, they can only access so many people on the internet. You need more money to do other kinds of marketing. These other companies coming in can do this. It’s great for corporations to take on artists—the artists need them and they need the artists.

Levi’s teams up with soulful songwriter Jonathan Clay for exclusive multimedia release

2008-09-09T23:39:00.000-07:00

Austin based singer-songwriter Jonathan Clay has chosen to make this album release a big one, including a variety of video and music content exclusive to trueAnthem.

Jonathan's had no trouble getting his music out to the public on his own, thanks to choice spots in MTV shows like The Hills and The Real World. His MySpace plays are approaching several million and he’s got a busy fall college tour schedule already booked. He sees this trueAnthem release as a new opportunity to reach an even larger audience and share fresh content with fans. Coinciding with Levi's "Live Unbuttoned" campaign, he's making available his entire “Acoustic Sessions” album along with live footage from his recent show at Houston’s Warehouse Live. Check out Jonathan’s blog to get the inside scoop on the process leading up to his trueAnthem release.

New brands & new music: Electro Riot, IGM partner with Addias, Blockbuster

2008-09-08T22:45:00.000-07:00

If your trying to kick your caffeine habit this month, you’re in luck because Electro Riot Vol. 2 is now coming to you as part of free new music Wednesday. Following up on the highly successful 2007 Electro Riot Mixtape release, the spicy compilation exposes you to 10 tracks by the hottest artists in the underground West Coast electro scene. Check out Jeffree Star, Brokencyde, and tA artists Ultraviolet Sound. Or…just download all 10 hoppin’ tracks for the same price—FREE! Brought to you by Adidas Originals.

Looking for something different? Check out IGM (Industrial Ghetto Metal). The group taps metal, rap and rock influences to craft some ghetto-raging, genre-crossing tracks. The Memphis four-piece has been busy co-writing with a diverse list of rock and hip-hop artists. They’re psyched to team up with Blockbuster to bring you six songs from their debut album.

For the country fans, we bring you an exclusive trueWidget from the Drew Davis Band. This charismatic foursome is best heard live. This summer, they toured across the country, rockin huge venues while supporting trueAnthem artist Hootie and the Blowfish’s Homegrown tour. We bring the action right to you online with recordings of these epic live shows.

Joanna on global radio show talking trueAnthem

2008-09-05T23:00:00.000-07:00

Last night globally syndicated talk show Computer America interviewed tA Chief Creative Officer Joanna Ifrah on the trueAnthem approach. She explains the evolution of the tA concept, breaking down why artists aren't necessarily better off with a record label (including the newer 360-deals), and how trueAnthem can help. She also previews aspects of the next iteration of our trueWidget, launching at the end of this month. Venezuelan listeners were all over it...calling in clamoring to be able to access their free downloads. :)

Killola's trueWidget on the MOVE!

2008-09-05T14:49:00.000-07:00

We’ve just got word from trueAnthem artist Killola that their trueWidget has been spreading like mad. We’re not surprised. You'll find them featured on sexy guitar product maker Clayton USA's page, in nationally distributed Interlude Magazine, and on the home page of MishMash Magazine. Also look out for them in Chord Magazine next month.

In only one week, Killola’s music was downloaded a whopping 10,000 times. No doubt, the press coverage is helping, as well as the band’s attention grabbing placement of their widget at the top of their MySpace page, flashing “Totally Free Record.” The band also has some mighty entertaining trueAds, in our humble opinion. No shortage of creativity with this gang.

Killola is tearing across the US as we speak. Tonight has them playing a set in the Gibson Lounge for the MTV Video Music Awards’s gifting party at LA’s swanky Roosevelt Hotel. The rest of the weekend takes them through San Diego, Vegas, and Arizona. YOU can help them out by keeping their widget on the move as they rock across the country.

Post Labor day hump day: new free downloads from Celldweller and Brian Chartrand

2008-09-03T14:58:00.000-07:00

We know how hard it is to head back to school or work after a beautiful three day weekend. It may be especially hard with that weekend being Labor Day and the end of our August summer days. Don't worry! Our trueAnthem team and artists worked hard over the holiday to ensure you have new, upbeat music to get you through these first days of September. Remember...summer is a state of mind...and we declare, it need not be over yet!

Don't be surprised if you recognize some of Celldweller's material. His high energy mix of techno, drum, and bass has been featured in dozens of film and TV soundtracks tracks, ranging from CSI Superbowl Spots to big flicks like Spider-man. Fierce electronic programming and production skills have brought him an enviable following in the electronic music world, where he’s been featured in Keyboard magazine and training series and presentations for Apple LogicPro. Celldweller’s got several releases under his belt, and this week adds six new tracks for free download off his already highly successful trueWidget.

Also, check out the four new tracks soulful songwriter Brian Chartrand has added to his trueWidget. He's made tracks like UFO available for free download--one of the first songs he ever wrote, according to his trueAd!

Ultraviolet Sound rocks the WB with Obsessive Compulsive Dancing

2008-08-27T17:12:00.000-07:00

Check out the WB site to see a hot new video featuring trueAnthem's own Ultraviolet Sound. They put on a slammin' performance of O.C.D., setting a room full of WB fanatics on fire.

The video provides the backdrop for the fall TV preview trailer "The WB: It's TV Online!" and features confetti and all. UVS frontwoman Sarah struts in some killer green stilletos to kick off their performance. We wouldn't expect anything less from our favorite hipsters!

Download O.C.D. and 10 other tracks from Ultraviolet's Adidas sponsored trueWidget today!

"I just can't stop--I'm a freak. I just can't stop--moving my body!" - Ultraviolet Sound, O.C.D.

Free music widget madness continues: Electrocute, Hope, Stephen Speaks

2008-08-27T00:27:00.000-07:00

What would a Wednesday be if we weren't bringing you more free music? As promised...

Electrocute: If their tiger tights and adorably quirky outfits don’t pull you in, your eyes will be peeled watching them squish tables full of cake in between their toes on their “Bad Legs” video. Writes PlugInMusic.com: “a word of warning: they only look innocent.” This saucy duo landed in Los Angeles via Australia, writing electro punk that has generated two million MySpace plays. Catchy tracks have helped the ladies land coveted TV and movie placements (“Uh Oh” was featured on the Grey’s Anatomy season finale) and songwriting credits for megastars like Tom Jones and Britney Spears. Enjoy six free tracks from these wild ones on the rise, brought to you by Guitar Center.

The online music community has been hooked by Los Angeles artist Hope’s acoustic soul tunes. Reminiscent of Sade or Corrine Bailey Rae, the young vocalist has quickly amassed over 10 million plays on MySpace. This week, trueAnthem brings you her full album for free, in partnership with Simple Green. Her arrangements offer a beautiful minimalist approach, with soft acoustic guitar, piano and rhythms supporting smooth, breathy vocals. Hope has been busy recording for her upcoming Atlantic records release so catching her live these days is a rare treat. In the meantime, enjoy these tasteful, healing tracks. Check out "The Rain Don't Last"...a perfect lullaby for a Wednesday afternoon.

Oklahoma based acoustic rock/pop band Stephen Speaks launches a trueWidget this week with sponsor 3J Workshop. The guys were psyched to pair with one of their favorite clothing bands for their 11-track release “Symptoms of Love.” They’re actually wearing a 3J Workshop shirt on their album cover…and looking pretty sexy, we might add. The band keeps up a busy national touring schedule, feeding their impressive fan base--2000+ plays a day on MySpace, totaling over 4 million so far. Not bad for an indie band. Writing and recording for over a decade, brothers Dain and Rockwell Ryan’s hard work has paid off. Now let’s see what happens with the extra power of a trueWidget!

30 Seconds to Mars speaks out

2008-08-21T17:20:00.000-07:00

Some of you may have seen 30 Seconds To Mars frontman Jared Leto’s response to fans about the lawsuit brewing between the band and their former record label, EMI.

The band found recent experiences with the label so horrifying that they are citing a loophole in CA law to get them out of their contract early. We can only imagine the band’s frustration. After nine years with the company and two million records sold, they’ve apparently “never been paid a penny.” They’ve actually been told they are still 1.4 million in debt, and that the next record’s profits would be used to pay off the “old supposed debt.” On top of all those financial debacles, Leto describes how they’ve had to watch the severe restructuring of the label after its recent takeover and the firing of over 2000 employees, including all staff they’d come to know and work with.

Not surprisingly, the label’s response to the band’s decision is an unnecessarily publicized lawsuit for the “the ridiculously oversized, totally unrealistic and pretty silly (but slightly clever) sum of $30,000,000.” We wouldn’t expect any less from a panicked, litigation-happy major label (or as Leto refers to it, “regime”).

30 Seconds to Mars certainly isn’t the first act that’s had to endure a long, public battle with their label. You may recall Prince’s temporary name change and album entitled “Emancipation”—both products of his tumultuous 18-year relationship with Warner Brothers. It’s no surprise, then, that as technology develops and the traditional industry model crumbles, big artists like 30 seconds to Mars are choosing to explore new business models.

MTV News explored the changing landscape in an article last year. Citing Madonna, Radiohead, and Trent Reznor as a few of the bigger artists that have been forging the way, the article explains how for an established band with several albums on their belt, the major-label set up might not be necessary. While a label contract used to be viewed as a source of prestige for a band, enough successful artists are making it on their own (or on independent labels), that the paradigm has shifted. Labels are attempting to make major changes to keep up with the technology, but artists, the author states, are one step ahead: “They've figured out that technology has given some of the power back to them." The Madonna-Live Nation deal proves that even for a world famous act, a record company is no longer required in the days of digital downloads and P2P file sharing.

At trueAnthem, we’re obsessed with employing our technology expertise to help artists survive in the new music economy. So far, we’ve seen our viral widgets and brand partnerships work surprisingly well for both emerging and established artists. With nearly 75% of artists coming off their labels in the next two years, we’re excited to see just how much music we’ll be able to deliver to you. As always, we strive to bring it to you how you like it (free), while still ensuring that the artist gets paid.

New trueArtists launching this week: Grove Hill, Mirage, and Rich Price!

2008-08-20T14:19:00.000-07:00

If you’re on your way to Vegas this month, you’ll definitely want to be spinnin’ Grove Hill’s “I’m Delirious” en route. The brother-sister duo’s personality filled power pop will get you in the mood as you head for those black jack tables. The young act recently left their hometown Ohio to hit the LA scene and will be releasing their debut EP this fall. This week’s trueWidget introduces six fresh, power pop tracks that are ripe for a movie soundtrack. Download away baby...

This Wednesday also delivers fresh tracks from Ohio born hip-hop artist Mirage. Revolutionary fitness product maker Perfect Pushup spotted Mirage’s promise and jumped on the opportunity to sponsor the downloads of this charismatic rapper. With over two million MySpace views, we can’t wait to see Mirage’s viral popularity spin to new heights, bolstered by the power of his trueWidget.

Finally, we bring you the latest from Rich Price. We’re not the first to realize the magnetism of Rich's voice…you may have heard his breath stopper track “Turn Off My Heart” all over MTV recently. trueAnthem is indeed the happy beneficiary of another artist off his major label contract. Once signed to RCA and Geffen, Rich found the independent route a better match. He's now going viral with 10 tracks (including two tA exclusives!) ready for free download off his trueWidget. He’s got some of our favorites there…be sure to check out “Breakup Breakdown,” “Queen B” and the yet unreleased “From the Top.”

For the musicians out there, Rich has thoughtfully posted his song progressions on MySpace, so whip that guitar out of the closet and get playing. This Oxford educated singer-songwriter has lived all over the world, and has a special talent organic arrangements and quality lyrics. We leave you with a short sample from Rich:

"It's the breakup breakdown again/You lose your mind if in love you never win
You close the door but still it comes right in/It's the breakup breakdown again...
But all I wanna do is cover you like a blanket/And pour my heart for you and be sure that you drank it." – Breakup Breakdown

Even more free music: DW Drums launches two trueAnthem artists

2008-08-13T16:43:00.000-07:00

Referred to by one blogger as “Blondie on crack,” Los Angeles rockers Killola are kicking off a US tour this September to celebrate the release of their trueWidget. After forming in 2003, the punk-pop outfit, fronted by charismatic vocalist Lisa Rieffel, rode the MySpace wave into L.A. club stardom. Killola has proudly mastered the do-it-yourself ethic demanded by today’s music industry, funding all recording, releasing a live DVD and booking a huge UK tour. Their promotion has paid off, with over 6000 people stopping by daily to hear their music on MySpace. We’re excited to watch Killola's exposure skyrocket with their DW Drums trueWidget release!

With an energetic live show, Minneapolis based This World Fair brings epic alternative pop arrangements that have quickly won them thousands of national fans. “They've just got that magic sound, the one that everyone wants to hear…” wrote blogger Mike Minehart. Chris Kalgren’s melancholy melodies and vocal style are reminiscent of Coldplay or Augustana…and most definitely…ready for the big time.

trueAnthem launches first event widget for Icer Air 2008

2008-08-13T14:50:00.000-07:00

This October, Icer Air 2008 descends on San Francisco’s for a fourth epic year. The event is a one-of-a-kind action sports, music and lifestyle experience featuring big air skiing, snowboarding, skate, BMX, freestyle motocross and headliner music acts. We’ve designed them a sexy widget where you can download sweet video montages of previous years’ action, along with music tracks and links to buy tickets or merch. Check out the incredible footage from the event’s inaugural year held on Fillmore Street and get psyched for Icer Air 2008!

New FREE music this week! Bag of Toys, The Distance, Brian Chartrand

2008-08-12T23:23:00.001-07:00

If you’re in a groovin' mood, check out San Francisco based four-piece Bag of Toys. The guys craft surf-inspired, acoustic guitar based tunes designed to make you want to “sit back, grab a beer, and enjoy the imaginary sand in between your toes.” The band has quickly built a national following, with their music featured on a commercial for Microsoft’s Zune media player and on Bay Area trend-setting radio station KFOG. On their Jet Set sponsored widget, you can hear all songs from their debut album Nooner…and a song from their 2008 release. For those in the Bay, head down to beautiful Chrissy Field this weekend, where they’ll be keeping the energy up performing for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life 24-hour event!

Hailing from New Haven, Connecticut, The Distance bring you high energy hardcore with melodic runs, punk angst and catchy rock hooks. They guys have been recording and national touring machines for the last several years. They can even fill you in on stories from the “old days”—imagine touring without cell phones, GPS and the web! Their hard work has paid off, leaving with them with an enviable fan base (approaching three million views on MySpace). Free from past record label encumbrances, the band is psyched to release three new tracks with an Initium eyewear sponsored trueWidget and watch their viral power magnify.

Finally, Brian Chartrand celebrates the release of his updated Ivar Pack trueWidget including three new tracks. Citing influences like Van Morrison and Crosby, Stills & Nash, Brian's latest project is a collaboration with two other talented singer-songwriters: Rich Price and Greg Naughton. Each is brilliant on their own…together, they’re magic. We’re confident you’ll love their soulful acoustic guitar and deep harmonies on tracks like "What I Am Looking For". You can catch Brian in his Arizona home this fall, where he’s playing a series of winery shows.

A band perspective on ad-supported music: “There’s no such thing as selling out anymore…”

2008-08-12T12:22:00.000-07:00

Hot off a showcase at Las Vegas’ Amplify music festival, we took a moment to chat with trueAnthem artist Ultraviolet Sound as they made their way to San Diego. This “Freak 4 the Beat” tour has UVS on the road with fellow So Cal band Electric Valentine, who they plan to release a collaborative EP with trueAnthem this fall. Unlike artists of previous years, the band isn’t slacking off in between dates. Instead, they’re packing in recording work at their favorite studios like Vegas’ “Odds On” and perfecting tracks on their mobile rigs. The gang took a break to give us their latest feelings on UVS’ Adidas sponsored widget release and promoting music with the trueAnthem model.

tA: Why trueAnthem?

UVS: The basic concept is genius--bands can now make a living on their art. I get my music for free, finding it online, downloading...Everyone wants to be able to do this. They filled in the missing piece for us. Within 90 days we had 50,000 downloads with our first sponsor Initium Eyewear. I don’t think we could have gotten that exposure on our own. With the state of the music business, this was the obvious choice. To be able to still be paid and provide free downloads for the fans, we just jumped right on it.

tA: How did you release your music before trueAnthem?

UVS: For our first EP, we tried selling on our own. We weren’t able to get it out to as many people as we have with trueAnthem. Before that, I was signed to a major label…spent three years of my life making a record, and then having the label closing and never being able to release it. I got a little bit more careful about my future endeavors. trueAnthem seemed ideal. It’s the way music is going.

tA: Do you feel like you took anything good away from the major label relationship?

UVS: I met Joanna (trueAnthem Chief Creative Officer), who brought us in to trueAnthem. I also wrote with a lot of the top songwriters out there. But I felt like the label had a lot of artists to manage and some fell by the wayside. It made me cautious about record labels in general.

tA: Why were you not cautious about trueAnthem?

UVS: The concept is amazing. They’ve found a way to pay the artist. And you can still be in charge of your own destiny. You can still spread your music across the Internet for free, and you’re getting paid. It seems like common sense.

tA: How did you feel about inserting audio ads into your songs?

UVS: Initially, we were nervous and didn’t want to annoy the fan with an ad. After we got hooked up with such a dope brand our perspective changed a little and we were excited about the concept—we could give away our whole album for free....what else can you ask for!

We started getting creative with the ads and having fun with it…making them more of a genuine shout out rather than a corporate vibe. It doesn't have to be robotic and boring. We didn't get negative feedback, and actually had people responding positively. It's a way to actually speak to the fans—we want to thank Adidas for helping us put the album out for free. It gives us another connection with the fan. They get to hear Sarah's voice.

tA: How has it changed your revenue?

UVS: The amount of downloads that we have gotten so far through trueAnthem has been amazing. I don't think we could have done that on iTunes alone. And it works with our other publicity. When we were featured on Perez Hilton, two million people were exposed to us, and then had the opportunity to get our record for free.

We've found people still want to buy the music without the ad. On iTunes, you might just buy your favorite song. On trueAnthem, you hear them all. Then a lot of true fans can still go buy the songs. You have options: you can download it for free with the ad, then go back and buy it without.

tA: What have you done before trueAnthem to get your music out there that didn’t work?

UVS: Mostly selling it on our MySpace and at shows...which works but not even close to the level that tA does. With trueAnthem, you don't have all the middlemen and politics. We like selling it off MySpace, right off our page, but the reality is only a hard-core fan is going to spend the eight bucks to get it. trueAnthem is the only company that has really taken action in getting us out there.

tA: What about trueAnthem has surprised you?

UVS: Our widget really is viral. It does actually keep spreading from the one original one. The technology…how it allows the music gets passed through people, through the widget. There was nothing like this we could try in the past, other than “preview the album, click here to buy now”. Only some of the people would actually find our music.

tA: So why Adidas as a sponsor?

UVS: Why not? They are the most classic brand ever. Especially with music. I’ve been wearing it since I was little. Sarah’s first concert was Beastie Boys and Madonna in 1986 and we all love Adidas. I think everybody in hip-hop was sporting Adidas in the 80s.

tA: Are there other brands you’d like to work with?

UVS: We really love American apparel and music brands like Gibson. But Adidas was just us.

tA: Tell me more about the music video you are doing with in collaboration with them.

UVS: We are doing a video with OCD with a lot of dancing. We're filming all our friends across the country…in LA, NY, Vegas…dancing. Adidas is going to hook up all the dancers with gear. We're giving the fans a really fun video to watch that will also available on trueAnthem for free download.

tA: What would you say to people who dislike the audio ads?

UVS: I would just say to that person…you have full right to feel it’s annoying. But I would ask that person: Do you like downloading music for free? And they might say, “no I like to buy my music.” Then I would tell them, great trueAnthem sells it too, without the ads. Other people are annoyed because they want the music for free. I would ask them what they do for a living. They say, “I cut hair”…how would they feel if I asked them to come to my house and cut my hair for free? People are used to getting music for free, so they’re annoyed that there is a four second ad. But they can buy it without the ad if they like the music.

tA: One blogger wrote, trueAnthem is “next nail in the music labels’ coffins.” What’s your reaction to that statement?

UVS: Labels have been screwing over artists forever…what comes around goes around. In the way that the world is evolving, with music and artists taking it into their hands to reach the fans, I think trueAnthem is maybe a couple of nails in there. That is, only in regards that the major label business model stays the same. If their business model was great, and artists were getting what they want and fans were getting what they want, there would be no trueAnthem.

tA: Tell me more about how they paired you with Adidas. Was it like a matchmaking process? Did you consider other brands?

UVS: Yeah. We told them we want a brand that we can connect with, that our fans would get why we teamed up with that brand. Joanna knows our music really well so we just trust her. The staff there get it…that the fan and the band go together with the brand. For the band to feel good about it, the band wants to know that the brand is something they can relate to. If they said Michelin Tires is going to sponsor your album, we’d say no. But Adidas is awesome and I rock Adidas all the time. If the ad is going to lead into the music it should be something the artist is passionate about. trueAnthem understands what the band’s fan base is. They analyze the band’s demographic well and find a brand that would make it work.

tA: What specific feedback have you received from fans on the ads?

UVS: Even if our fans appreciate getting it for free, they are wondering if it will be available without the ads. People are willing to pay for it without the ads--the true fans. The point is making those fans.

We’ve gotten a few negative emails. But whenever you’re doing something cutting edge and revolutionary, there are always haters. For the most part, the numbers really show that it’s successful. 95% seem to like it. For the other 5%--maybe those people have a problem, and the problem is not the ads!

tA: Do you see any downsides to the trueAnthem model? Do you think it’s selling out?

UVS: I don't think there's such a thing as "selling out" anymore. Back in the day, the label, artist or company or whatever would try to change you for your paycheck. Now, it's just smart--A. cause we want to make a living and B. cause we want to get some exposure. If you're an artist just for the sake of art and don't want to make any money, then you'd be selling out. But if you want to make art and make a living, it's different. Artists who license their music aren't selling out. It's not selling out. It's being successful, which is great.

We knew people would complain about the ads. We got spoiled with so much free music, free downloads. Now, we have this new model.

tA: Do you aspire to be on a traditional label again?

UVS: There is no telling what opportunities will come. We definitely want to continue putting records out with trueAnthem and continue to do a lot of touring. We know that it can still be beneficial to be with a label depending on the specific deal. We aren't ruling out any options.

tA: How can you envision the trueAnthem model working for well-established acts coming off a label?

UVS: If you have a huge fan base, trueAnthem helps you put out your records directly to your fans and be in control through the whole thing. You connect with your fans and they all get it for free. No one has to worry about that marketing.

If you’re someone like Nine Inch Nails or Radiohead, you’re giving out your album for free anyway. Pay what you want is pretty much the same thing as free. Trent Reznor wrote an article about his release…the vast majority got it for free. You have to question--is exposure more important than selling albums? It’s more important to get people to listen…to get 100,000 people to listen to you music than sell 10,000 albums. If I were a big artist, I would do it. Hillary Duff might leave her record label…if she were on trueAnthem, she would sell and have more creative control.

tA: Before working with trueAnthem, were you guys able to sustain yourselves with you music sales?

UVS: No. Definitely not. The band has been together two years. I imagine it would take about that amount of time to really begin to sustain yourself. But trueAnthem just made it happen. We aren't all buying houses now or anything, but we're excited about the future. It only builds and gets bigger from here.

Vote for trueAnthem!

2008-08-08T17:33:00.000-07:00

We at trueAnthem HQ are pretty excited about our product's potential to help artists succeed in the new music economy. To our delight, others are starting to take note. We've been nominated as a finalist for The Industry Standard Innovation 100 Awards!

The Standard wants to hear from YOU before they decide the top leaders...so head to the polls and vote for tA in the widgets category today!

trueAnthem brings you new music WEDNESDAYS!

2008-08-08T09:44:00.000-07:00

We at trueAnthem know that Wednesdays are hump days for most of us hard working folk. At 7am on a Wednesday morning, Friday seems just too far away. Don’t fret! From now on, you can count on trueAnthem to get your Wednesdays rolling. We’ll be releasing new free music each week featuring our favorite emerging artists.

This Wednesday, look out for a new trueWidget from Rhode Island’s Matt Hartke, brought to you by Body Glove. This smooth singing songwriter has been called “the pick of destiny” by Rolling Stone, and opened for the likes of G. Love, Colbie Caillat, and The Beautiful Girls. We (along with over 21,000 MySpace fans) have been loving his acoustic-driven, surf inspired tunes.

For the country fans, we bring you an exclusive trueWidget from the Drew Davis Band. This charismatic foursome is best heard live. This summer, they’ll be rocking huge venues around the country while supporting trueAnthem artist Hootie and the Blowfish’s Homegrown tour. Can’t be there in person? We bring the action right to you online with recordings of these epic live shows.

Ultraviolet Sound helps you sport the latest adidas Originals!

2008-08-08T09:43:00.000-07:00

For all you hipster Ultraviolet Sound fans, we are thrilled to announce their new collaboration with adidas Originals. Yep! trueAnthem is ensuring that you will be headed back to school with the latest music and threads. For the course of their “New School of Thought” campaign, Adidas is offering a 30 discount to all Ultraviolet Sound fans. Want to cash in? Check out UVS’ new trueWidget. First, you’ll be able to download eleven free songs, including the new release of the “Ooh I Like It” remix with DJ Larry Tee. Then, you’ll be able to check out all the new shoes, clothes, and accessories from adidas Originals with your insider-only discount.

Be sure to let your friends know about this sweet deal by posting the widget across your MySpace, Facebook and other social networking pages. For those out West, you can catch Ultraviolet Sound live as they cruise through Utah, Nevada, and California over the next two weeks! Also, keep an eye out for the upcoming UVS video where they’ll be mixing it up in their favorite gear by adidas Originals.

trueFans can still get music how they like it: FOR FREE.

2008-08-08T09:38:00.000-07:00

It’s a bad idea to try to please everyone…but in the new music industry, we need to have a way to get music to fans without letting the artists starve. At trueAnthem, we’ve thought hard about how to satisfy all parties involved…and we’ve found a way to make it work.We’ll be working with your favorite brands to get music to you how you want it—readily available, spread-able and free. Our brand supported trueWidgets will bring you the latest music from both emerging and established artists. You’ll hear a short intro recorded by the musician before you stream or download tracks…afterwards, the music is all yours.

We love the fact that we get to hear the artist’s voice. And we especially love the fact that you can enjoy the music while still supporting your favorite band.

By embracing the trueAnthem model, you join a growing legion of trueFans—those who can’t live without music, but want to ensure that while the old recording industry model may be sinking, great music will continue to be created and shared for generations to come.