This is a very informative video on the power of trademarks, how to file them, and importance of having one. A must watch for any independent artist. Read the rest of this entry »

Choosing a good artist name is as important as your music. With the internet being a major source for the way people discover and share music, not picking the right name can cause huge problems for your marketing and promotion strategy. Here are a 4 very important things you should take into account when selecting one.

1. Is your name easy to pronounce?
Having a difficult name to pronounce makes it harder for people to pass along info about you by word of mouth. This is not to say that there haven’t been artists who have made it with complex names, it just creates an added obstacle when trying grow your fanbase. If you have a complicated name, provide a phonetic spelling with it to help new fans get it right.

2. Is your name too common? Read the rest of this entry »

Ever wonder why Common is no longer Common Sense? Or why Soulja Boy is now Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em? Well, the answer to both of those questions is, the failure to acquire a trademark.

Common Sense, after building a sizable fanbase and an impressive body of work, soon learned that a reggae band owned the name before he did. Soulja Boy was sued by a hip hop artist who also owned the name first and had to either change his name or modify it in a way that was legally acceptable. Read the rest of this entry »