How To Get Placement On Major Playlists And Network In The Music Industry

On this week's episode of the Monday To Monday podcast, Mike Boyd Jr is joined by Emily Lorimer to discuss how to get on the playlist, concerts in New York City, and stories from Mike Boyd Jr's time in the music industry. Additionally, he shares a funny story of his interactions at Rolling Loud New York with a co-worker. This is an episode you won't want to miss if you're a musician or in the industry, so tune in!

They kick off the conversation with a text from a listener named Filip, asking about what concerts are coming up in New York City this winter. Mike Boyd mentions that UPSAHL has a show in January at Baby's All Right in Brooklyn. They have over one million followers and millions of monthly listeners on Spotify. He notes that he found UPSAHL from a TikTok submission.

The next question comes from a listener who wants to know his advice for independent artists who wish to enter the NFT space, either as collectors or creators. Mike said that even just getting your foot in the door is the most important thing. He notes that it can get expensive, but if you don't have any money, do research, read about them, join the Discord, and get to know the process. 

From a creator standpoint, Boyd notes that it is essential to ask your followers, supporters, friends, and family want to see from a project. He says that you should see what utility they would want, noting that artwork is great, but access is king. Emily chimes in to let people know that you have to add value and you can't make it a cash grab, as it's not the right reason. Mike Boyd compares specific projects to a Patreon, where you can access an exclusive fan club like a newsletter. 

Going off this point, Boyd begins to connect the correlation between hype with supporters and reality, tying it back into NFTs from a music perspective. He notes he once saw a DJ promoting an artist in Atlanta, really preaching to the crowd that this artist would be a star. Confused, Boyd didn't understand why this artist was being hyped because, in his heart, he didn't believe that the artist was going to be big. 

After the event, he went up to the DJ to ask what he saw in the artist and see if he is gaining a lot of buzz. Boyd then explains that the DJ was actually just paid to say that by his record label, and he doesn't believe that. The same thing can go with NFTs. There could be a lot of buzz, but without a natural base supporting who believes in the artist, it won't matter. That's why Boyd says you have to take everything with a grain of salt. 

Going off this point, Boyd discusses when people are reaching out to him and what he sees. When receiving an email, Boyd notes that he thinks, "why is this person emailing me?", as in "what do they want from me." Further explaining that if you are in the music industry, you may be invested in an artist, which is the premise for the message. Boyd says that it would be crazy for somebody from another label or PR company to recommend an artist they don't have some sort of stake in, as that is an authentic buzz. 

Emily and Boyd then shift the conversation to Rolling Loud New York. They begin talking about a co-worker at ONE37pm, Sean, a creator and comedian on the team. They talk about meeting Gunna, the time they went to the studio with Dave East, and Boyd recognizing Megan Thee Stallion's talent before her becoming a star. Tune in to this funny video of Sean at Rolling Loud. 

The last question comes from an artist named Al Mal. He asks Boyd the best way to get on the playlist or any playlist in general. Emily chimes in with a common mantra preached by Gary Vaynerchuk, with her noting that you have to give twice as much as you receive (jab jab jab, right hook). They talk about how people will text, interact, and message with the message "listen to my music." The problem with that is that is only within their self-interest. Boyd notes it's essential to build a relationship and ask questions. 

Boyd tells the story about how a listener shared the playlist with his co-workers and uses it to find new artists frequently. He says that this meant a lot to him, as it shows that the playlist is bigger than him or Gary. He goes on to emphasize that the only thing that matters is music. 

He further explains how to get on the playlist and how ten artists will be featured on the playlists who submitted their music, so be sure to tune in. Finally, Boyd goes into the stories of his experiences in the industry, and Emily chimes in a unique perspective from somebody not in the music industry specifically. Talking all things NFTs, playlisting, and more, this is an episode that you won't want to miss.