Do Rock Stars Need Social Media Strategies

Do Rock Stars Need Social Media Strategies

Yes, they definitely do!
I’m not a social media expert but I’m a social media user. This is written from my point of view, the user site. I’m not a fan in the meaning of the word fan but I like some singers, songwriters, etc. and I realized that there a big differences for instance in Facebook fan pages.
In times of Facebook and twitter there’s no way to ignore these media. But it’s not done with only sharing a fan page.

Fans want to get updates on what’s going on in their idols life. And most of them do not only want to read news about the development of a new album or getting the next dates for gigs, no, they want to have the feeling of participating a bit. They wanna see pictures from “behind the scenes”, having insight in the ‘private’ part of them.
On the other hand it’s absolutely understandable that the artist him/herself is not keen to share too much private life and to draw a strict line between business and private life.
That’s the reason why strategies are needed. What to share when and what not.

Surely one important thing is how known the artist is. If Justin Bieber is posting the view from his hotel room he may run into problems. Some of his fans will know the city where he is currently staying, some the view itself and the hunt is opened whereas some “unknown” or niche artist can do that without sharing too much information.

To develop a strategy the artist him/herself is needed. It doesn’t make sense if a management is updating and the artist not involved at all.
People realize that. There are some good profiles which proof that it’s working whereas you have also the bad examples in masses out there.
I don’t even believe that the amount of likes or followers is the most important. It has an importance but it’s not the key to success of a page. We all know that the follow or like button is quickly pressed but that doesn’t mean they are all honestly interested.

Connection is another bullet point on the development list.
Spread the message on many social networks instead of focussing on one.
You will always have some who love for instance myspace whereas others just log onto twitter.
Technology nowadays makes it really easy to take one network as a main page but connect it to several others ones so that one post is distributed to all – so all get the same message at the same time.

If you don’t want to loose fans or followers, inform them! There’s nothing bad in posting that you will be on holidays for two weeks and therefore not posting but that there will be news on the date you return. This way they’ll stay curious and wait for the next message.
Also inform them about dates, not only gigs, when are TV shows, press conferences, radio interviews, etc. Here it’s important to let them know in time. Is a date fixed, inform them. You still can send a reminder on the day itself but too short notice will minimize the audience. Not everyone is 24/7 on the web but many will put notes in their calendars if they are aware upfront.

Read comments – you don’t have to read them all as that would in some cases fill a full day, no, sneak in randomly – it’s always good to see what they think or may request. “There was no update on the new album release, when will it be on the shelves?” – this is a good comments to base the next post on.

Interact, not like talk to all of them personally but ask – did you like…, what can I improve…, where do you want to see me…, etc. they will have the feeling as if they are a part.

Give them previews on new things, they follow you because they expect to have a bit more insight than the public mass. “I’m working on a new song called…, stay tuned”.

Add small challenges – to give away an album or autograph doesn’t hurt you but will keep your fans happy.

Mention cities where the audience was awesome, they get the feeling as if they were special.

All in all what I want to emphasize is that this is a wide spread topic and that it’s not enough to just have an account. It needs to be feeded.
Good luck!

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Does Pink Floyd’s “Coming Back To Life” reflect my life?

Does Pink Floyd’s “Coming Back To Life” reflect my life?

Does Pink Floyd's _Coming Back To Life_ reflect my life_

Who loves music not only for the beat but for the lyrics?

Confession:

I’m a music addict!

Confession two:

Dancing or feeling the beat are nice but the heart of music are the lyrics.

If a song doesn’t have a message it’s not a song I will add to my play list.

Texts are the most important part for me followed by the music composition.

Let’s have a look at the lyrics

I recently listened often to Pink Floyd’s ‘Coming back to life’ while I’m checking out songs for our wedding day. My husband loves this song and it reflects parts of his life so I was wondering if it reflects parts of my life as well.

Songs are emotions many know but only a few are able to say them

I would even say that many songs probably would fit into many life stories but not all humans are thinking deeply about their own life. There are always those who wipe emotions away quickly as it seems to be the easy way. I personally would say this way is wrong but I’m not the one to teach others, at least for me I think that I have to face it all and only this way I’m able to reflect, think about, learn, yes, even suffer, because in the end I’m more wise than before. That’s for sure not the easiest way but the most proper from my point of view.

Buy here

Here’s my personal “Coming back to life” story:

“Where were you when I was burned and broken”

There were times when I was exactly thinking that. Relationships in the past where I thought we were meant to be but when I needed the other one most I was standing alone. A true sign that it wasn’t meant to be but this is something I knew afterwards only.

“While the days slipped by from my window watching”

There were many of these days where you are unable to move. Stuck within deepest grief for whatever reason. Scared of when this state will change again or is it getting worse and ends up in a depression? People around me were telling me to stand up again, let go of the past and live and but I was still unable to move forward. Being stuck in the dark is sometimes needed to start all over again.

“Where were you when I was hurt and I was helpless”

Wishing for one special person to knock on my door, pick up the phone or show me at least a small sign of interest. The feeling that nobody cares is the worst. And it’s in most cases not even true. I always had persons who cared about me,  but they were not the one I was longing for. I felt hurt and helpless but knew always that I have family and friends. They would always be there, nevertheless it wasn’t getting me out of this state as the “One” wasn’t showing up to be there at my side.

“Because the things you say and the things you do surround me”

Exactly, I remembered words and gestures, moments which passed by already but still were present and overlaid the reality. Life went into a state of dreaming, wishing, remaining still where I want to be although everything around me went on. Getting out was hard but worth it and sometimes it needs someone real to drag you out of this lethargy.

“While you were hanging yourself on someone else’s words”

This is a mean thing as I at least know from myself that these words become other meanings the longer you try to interpret them. Sentences which were totally clear remained in my mind until I saw them completely different just to have a valid reason for myself to hang on a bit longer. Words are often nice and charming but if actions never follow be careful.

“Dying to believe in what you heard”

One thing I learned from the past is that talking is absolutely important. Listening for sure as well. I heard many promises and plans but they never became reality. I love to talk about deeper thoughts and many other things but there is a big BUT.
Actions have to follow!

You can talk about planning something endlessly, but if you never start to do it, all those words are without meaning.

“I was staring straight into the shining sun”

Sunshine makes happy and I tried to escape from my messed up life and traveled to enjoy sunshine. What happened is that I realized quickly that there is no escape! Sunshine is nice, but it will never be able to erase your thoughts and feelings. I don’t know how many hours I stayed in the bright sunshine just staring into the sun, it were many. I felt low but the sun on my skin gave me the feeling of being alive.

“Lost in thought and lost in time”

What can travel and sunshine give? This travel and sunshine gave me time! Time to think about everything. What do I want, where do I wanna go, what do I expect from my life? And even more important what do I expect from myself.
Time out of the everyday circle to really sit down and think, forgetting the time and just listening to yourself, that’s a gift!

“While the seeds of life and the seeds of change were planted”

It was grounding me, getting me back partly to the person I was before. A change needs time and sometimes it’s not easy to remain in that state when heading back home. But what it does is planting seeds, like reminders for yourself not to fall into the same state you were about to escape from.

“Outside the rain fell dark and slow”

There’s no sunshine without rain and vice versa. Life isn’t always happy and yes, there were days when everything seemed to be dark again.

I unfolded in the darkness. What I learned is indeed that the darkness was needed to ground me and to bring me back to my raw inner self. Without these dark moments I would not have been able to start all over again.

“While I pondered on this dangerous but irresistible pastime”

Ghosts from the past were hunting me, no more daily but they still were present in my life. You can never erase the past completely, it is a part of your life and will remain but these ghosts will fade and loose shape after a while.

“I took a heavenly ride through our silence”

I never said I hate something but I learned that I hate silence.
Not the silence when you are alone in a house or walking through a forest, no, I hate emotional silence. The silence when two persons, who where more than close to each other, stop communicating. Or let me say it better, if you are not getting answers any more. This silence hurts and is able to break a person.

“I knew the moment had arrived”

For killing the past and coming back to life.
It took almost years and ‘the moment’ were many moments, quietly  popping up in my life, showing me there is a future and I can make it.

Alone.

Just me.

Inner strength built up in tiny steps, month by month, week by week.

A moment can be a day or a month or a year, a moment is defined by yourself.

“I took a heavenly ride through our silence
I knew the waiting had begun”

Waiting for the day when the past is no longer important in the present. It will stay in the past where it belongs to, where it was important but the way forward should be free and open.

“And headed straight..into the shining sun”

Yeah, and sometimes it fits completely!
I struggled for a long time and the way back was hard and full of stones but it was worth it.
I married my shining sun and most important, there is no silence!

My weird style of music

My weird style of music
My weird style of music
Some at least say it’s weird, I love it instead.
I was never the girl who was going along with the mainstream, at least not in music. Fashion is another topic, there were many times I remember today where I wore the so-called fashion faux pas.
My style in music also is a story of development. I started with, and it’s almost embarrassing to admit it, “I am looking for freedom” from David Hasselhoff.
It was the time when Baywatch was on TV and he was a nice guy hopping into the water. It didn’t last long,that’s the good about it. And what followed is a youth in a really strange music time.
The nineties were from my point of view the worst times – too much Techno and one hit wonders, I never liked it.
So what to do, go back to the eighties. Despite of being ten years older nowadays I would have loved it to spend my teenage time in the eighties. This was music and is still. All the freaks from UK, London must have been awesome.
But what do I listen to today is not only eighties, no, it’s a variety of artists which have mostly one thing in common. They are unique in their styles, they’re not following the mainstream, they really have voices and their songs are songs with a meaning. Whatever the meaning is, and music is often about love and relationships, I see myself in them, that’s what is counting for me. They sing about what I went through, am in or was thinking (but not able to put into words on my own), it’s a bit of everything.
Songs inspire me, give me feedback on unsolved questions, support my anger, happiness, love, make me feel myself, and so much more.
A life without music is impossible. The music can raise you up or can be a companion when you are down.
I don’t like each and every song from my favorite artists/bands but for me the majority of what they produced is enriching my life.
I list them for you and I add my fav song for each (and they have lots to listen too besides that one) but they are listed without preference as they all deserve a place in my life and maybe some will find a place in your life too.
Just check them out. I have listed lots which haven’t a “big name” but they don’t have to be hidden at all, they are great!
Visage – Fade to grey click here
Simon and Garfunkel – The Boxer click here
a-ha – Nothing is keeping you click here
Gus black – Fall into you click here
John Mayer – Belief click here
Colbie Caillat – Circles click here
Enigma – Why! click here
James Taylor – Shower the people click here
Mattafix – Living Darfur click here
R.E.M. – Losing my Religion click here
Andru Donalds – Simple Obsession click here
Ray LaMontagne – Gossip in the Grain click here
Wilson Phillips – Release me click here
Marc Anthony – My baby you click here
George Michael – Careless Whisper click here
London Grammar – Truth is a Beautiful Thing click here
Phil Collins – Always click here
Rea Garvey – Can’t stand the silence click here
Chromatics – The River click here
Michael Bolton – A Love so beautiful click here
Ben Gibbard & Feist – Train Song click here
Sade – Jezebel click here
White Apple Tree – Snowflakes click here
Pink Floyd – Coming back to live click here
Natasha Bedingfield – I bruise easily click here
Rod Stewart – Sometimes when we touch click here
Jaylene Johnson – Closer to you click here
P¡nk – Who knew click here
Bryan Adams – When you love someone click here
HT Heartache – Hearts are toys click here
Alanis Morissette – Guardian click here
Katie Melua – Just like Heaven click here
Hurts – Blood, Tears & Gold click here
Zucchero – Senza una donna click here
James Blunt – Heart of Gold click here
…and still so many more…