Yet another question submitted to the “Pick Johnny’s Brain” mini series that warranted the attention of a full episode! How do you know what your brand is and how do you refine it? How does knowing your brand help you know your audience? You can find the artist brand questionnaire here: www.daredevilproduction.com/discoveryourbrand All these questions […]

“How do I market my music when I don’t have a budget?” It’s one of those million dollar questions all artists want to know, and the answer may surprise you… LISTEN NOW:http://bit.ly/marketmusicnobudget  Shout out to Climber Eric Godswill for sending this music marketing question in for this episode fo pick Johnny’s brain.  PS: Get your free […]

How does one write a hit song without writing it? Is writing a life changing song really about just sitting down and writing the words? And what does it mean to write from “within” the song, instead of “about” the song.  Tune in as Brent and Johnny talk about how to write a song that […]

Have you ever wondered what a professional co-writing session looks like? How does it start and how do the writers land on a direction for the song title?    Tune into this episode of Song Title Challenge to get a glimpse of what the first 15-20 minutes of a pro songwriting room looks like as […]

The band Tool just released their most recent album, the first in 13 years, which features a 10+ minute single and costs $45 and it’s a #1 album! What does this mean for artists and the music industry? How is the market changing?  Find out in this episode.  In this episode, Johnny and Brent talk […]

At first, Johnny thought this question was silly…but then he realized that EVERY single songwriter goes through this horrific mental space Why is it so scary to contact Music Supervisors, Publishers, Music Industry Execs, etc. Find out in this episode. PS: Get your free PDF download of 21 Biggest Reasons You Don’t Have More fans today and […]

How do you take a typical cliche’ and turn it into a hit lyric, and what does this episode have to do with a piñata?  In this episode, Brent and Johnny dig into the infamous cliche’ and what kinds of phrases to steer clear of when you want to write an intriguing and fresh lyric.  […]

What kind of lyrical direction could a writer come up with on the title “New Teeth and a Used Trailer”?? You absolutely won’t believe what Brent and Johnny came up with on this one. Listen to a 15-minute brainstorm on 4-5 different conceptual approaches to writing song lyrics for this song.

Naivetè may keep you blissfully ignorant, but if you want to win the game, you’re going to have to learn to play the game. If you’re an indie artist, any genre, this is a MUST LISTEN! The bottom line is that in order to succeed in the music industry, you must transform into a professional…which means […]

What value does a PR company provide an artist on their debut release?  How does an artist find a reputable PR company and work with them? These are the questions submitted by CLIMBer Jay Thomason regarding the upcoming release of his debut CD. You might be surprised at Johnny’s response to this one.   PS: Get […]

“Ok songwriters, you’ve built up your song catalog and secured a meeting with a publisher. Now, how do you pick which song(s) to play? What are publishers really looking for?  In this episode, Brent and Johnny share valuable advice straight from multiple publishers mouths. Who knows, this information may just help you secure a follow […]

If you read this song title, on the surface it seems a little shallow and one-dimensional, but you’ll be amazed at how deep Brent and Johnny go creating multiple different conceptual ideas for writing the lyrics to “Alcohol Involved”. How would you write this one? If you have an idea that Brent & Johnny didn’t […]

Should you buy streams and fans? Is that organic or will it hurt you? What’s the deal with and what’s the difference between honest paid promotion and fake streams & fans.  In this episode of the C.L.I.M.B, Johnny and Brent discuss FAKE streams, followers and fans and how it affects your success.  If you’d like […]

I’ve been playing for about 30 years, in various bands but just for fun or one-off gigs mostly. I now want to do more serious and directed performing of covers and originals. What’s a good “Starter Pack” press kit marketing package to get into venues, gigs, etc.?Website, CDs, Social media, call or email venues and […]

What could you learn from getting in depth feedback from hit publisher Joe Dan Cornett on not one, but TEN different songs?  You need to spend 33% of your in proximity to the people who are farther up the food chain than you to succeed. Here’s a great way to learn from a pro. Get […]

If you’re a songwriter, how would you write this title? What angles could you use to approach it?  In a pro songwriting room, songwriters like to start the session brainstorming the hook to make sure they’ve chosen the best approach. Listen in as Brent and Johnny bounce around ideas for “Margarita Reasons.” What direction will […]

We all hear talk around town about the “new” music business…Johnny and Brent are always talking about how the artist is getting more and more power and therefore need a record label less and less. But is it really new? Or are we just putting a brand new tag on those same old worn in […]

this is the first episode of “Pick Johnny’s Brain.” We’ve asked CLIMBers to submit music marketing questions and Johnny will be answering them on the podcast!  If you have a music marketing question, please comment below! We’d love to answer it for you! Email your questions to info@daredevilproduction.com and put Pick Johnny’s Brain in the subject […]

“You don’t necessarily need to write with the artist, it certainly helps. But, I’m a firm believer that the BEST SONG WINS”, is just a small bit of advice from song-of-the-year songwriter Jimmy Yeary.  What else can YOU learn from this multi-hit songwriter? In this episode, Brent and Johnny recap Frettie interview with song of […]

Are you certain that you have settled on the very best concept to write your song title? The Song Title Challenge miniseries mimics what happens during the first 15 minutes of a pro songwriting session by creating 4-5 different concepts for writing lyrics. In this episode, Brent and Johnny craft concepts for the song title […]

How do great independent artists and bands FILL A ROOM? How do indie artists get MORE new people turned on to their music? We know the steps that it takes to help you get there. Are you ready to discover our secrets?  In this episode, Johnny and Brent discuss case studies of how independent artists […]

Do you know your target audience and your brand? That’s the secret to hyper growth on your social media platforms. If not, how do you find YOUR audience, create a long lasting relationship with them and what can you learn from Johnny’s Social Media Challenge with Michael R. J. Roth?  2019 NSAI lyric winner Michael […]

Have you ever thought about hiring an independent song plugger to pitch your songs but decided not to because you don’t know how it works?  Were you afraid you might find a shark of some kind that would take your money and not pitch your songs? In this episode, Brent and Johnny discuss the truth […]

Have you ever wondered what the first 15 minutes of a pro songwriting session are like? In this super-fun, creative miniseries, CLIMBers send in their song titles to info@daredevilproduction.com (please put SONG TITLE CHALLENGE in the subject line). Johnny springs the title to Brent live on the podcast. Then, for about 15 minutes they brainstorm on […]

How can Facebook kill your career when we’re always touting it as thee most important tool you can use to get your art in front of new eyeballs? In this episode, you’ll find out the in’s and out’s and become a student of the game to avoid losing everything! You’ll discover how and why Facebook […]