Rating: 
Summary: REVIEW FROM BILLBOARD MAGAZINE
Review: "Whether you're an indie or not, working today's music industry is not unlike fighting in a guerrilla war, and knowledge is the best weaponry we know. As the title suggests, Justin Goldberg's book reflects that it's a whole new ballgame out there. Goldberg has pulled together a provocative map for navigating the music-biz waters, combining intelligent and honest testimony from seasoned pros with common-sense advice aimed largely at DIY label practioners. One of the most useful features of Goldberg's tome is a CD-ROM included as standard equipment. The disc contains some handy informational databases."
Rating:
Summary: REVIEW FROM BILLBOARD MAGAZINE
Review: As an industry outsider, survival guide is proving indispensable in my effort to take a popular yet unsigned Atlanta act to the next level. Goldberg succeeds at making the industry
understandable and accessible.M. Boyle
Manager - YOU
www.pleaserock.com
Rating:
Summary: Practical and Insightful
Review: As an industry outsider, survival guide is proving indispensable in my effort to take a popular yet unsigned Atlanta act to the next level. Goldberg succeeds at making the industry
understandable and accessible. M. Boyle
Manager - YOU
www.pleaserock.com
Rating:
Summary: This book saved our band!!!
Review: Finally an honest book about today's music industry! After buying and reading too many other books promising the "secrets" to success in the music industry, I decided to take a chance and read this one mainly due to the frankness of the title "handbook for hell" which many bands playing original music can testify is the appropriate title for finding success in music. The greatest strengths of this book are the directness and honesty with which Justin points out the unfortunate truths about the industry - while providing an outline for success - even if you aren't an "American Idol". It's also easy to read and entertaining while quite instructive. This book brought new life to my band and should be required reading for any original band.
A great side benefit is the accompanying disc for PC that is packed full of crucial contact info.
If you wanna be a sucessful musician playing original music - get this book!
Rating:
Summary: This book saved our band!!!
Review: Finally an honest book about today's music industry! After buying and reading too many other books promising the "secrets" to success in the music industry, I decided to take a chance and read this one mainly due to the frankness of the title "handbook for hell" which many bands playing original music can testify is the appropriate title for finding success in music. The greatest strengths of this book are the directness and honesty with which Justin points out the unfortunate truths about the industry - while providing an outline for success - even if you aren't an "American Idol". It's also easy to read and entertaining while quite instructive. This book brought new life to my band and should be required reading for any original band.
A great side benefit is the accompanying disc for PC that is packed full of crucial contact info.
If you wanna be a sucessful musician playing original music - get this book!
Rating:
Summary: This book saved our band!!!
Review: Finally an honest book about today's music industry! After buying and reading too many other books promising the "secrets" to success in the music industry, I decided to take a chance and read this one mainly due to the frankness of the title "handbook for hell" which many bands playing original music can testify is the appropriate title for finding success in music. The greatest strengths of this book are the directness and honesty with which Justin points out the unfortunate truths about the industry - while providing an outline for success - even if you aren't an "American Idol". It's also easy to read and entertaining while quite instructive. This book brought new life to my band and should be required reading for any original band.
A great side benefit is the accompanying disc for PC that is packed full of crucial contact info.
If you wanna be a sucessful musician playing original music - get this book!
Rating:
Summary: GREAT INSIDER INTERVIEWS
Review: Finished absorbing the book just last week and I've got to say it's some of the *best* money I've ever spent in this industry! Gave me great perspective and I particularly liked all the insider interviews! Nicely done!
Rating:
Summary: Ultimate Survival, Indeed!
Review: Goldberg's is an excellent and timely book that should be useful to anyone considering getting into this weird but wonderful business of music. His illustrations are clever but it's a shame that they're not in color. It's a must read for anyone who's interested in the music industry.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Worth the Money
Review: I am truly puzzled by the other reviews of this book. I'm wondering if maybe I bought a different edition or something, because the book I read had none of the things others are describing, and none of the things promised in the promo copy.
I bought this book based on the reviews. My goal was to learn how to release independent music (my own). For example, the promo copy for the book specifically says that readers will learn "how to effectively release independent albums". Yet on reading the book, the guide to releasing an independent album was nowhere to be found. Reading the book, the only things I found that even remotely resembled advice on how to release an independent album were anecdotal comments from a few industry executives along the lines of "it is different now than it was back in the day, now you just have to be ready to do whatever you need to do, and remember to follow up." Absolutely no help at all.
The book consists entirely of anecdotal interviews with various music industry executives. There are no step by step guides. There are no checklists, there are no plans. Just the author interviewing industry execs. These execs in turn ramble and reminisce about things that happened in the distant past, how they got their start, who they worked with, etc. No concrete information whatsoever.
The book NEVER mentions the CD-ROM that was included. The CD-ROM is not covered in the table of contents, nor is it addressed in the book itself. You would think that an author might write something like "the first thing you need is a contract (see the file named contract.doc in the FILES directory on the CD)". If you read this book, you will see nothing of the sort.
In short, this book DOES NOT do the following: specifically explain how to release an independent album, explain how to create revenue through licensing and other opportunities, explain how to get your music into major retail outlets, how to gain radio airplay, or how to setup songwriting copyrights and music publishing companies.
For example, in the section dealing with getting your music into major retail outlets, the author simply interviews an industry exec, and asks questions like "how do you get your music into retail outlets". The answer is typically "it is really difficult to do so, you just have to keep trying and keep sending promo copies and keep following up until you get a break". This is nonsense, and absolutely no help. Who should we call? Who should we send promo copies to? How about suggestions for cover letters? Preferred distribution formats? Minimum quantities? Pricing structures?
I specifically wanted information on how to setup a licensing company or other business structure for my music, and a guide for setting up an independent label to release the same music. I found none of this in this book, though judging from the book's description, this information is exactly what I should find. By "guide" I mean specific suggestions and advice, not interviews with random people telling me it is hard work and to just keep trying.
All in all, an extremely unsatisfying book. If there was a "no star" rating I would have chosen it. I should point out that I have co-authored two books myself (both available here on Amazon) so I know what it takes to deliver a "how-to" book. I gave this book more than a few chances to give me the information I was looking for, because returning it or selling it used is a hassle. In the end, after the book consistently failed to provide specific info, I returned it.
Disclaimer: I did not open the CD-ROM. I never do until I am certain that I will be keeping the book, because I want to preserve my option to return the book if needed. Some of the things promised for the book may or may not be on the CD-ROM.
Rating:
Summary: wrote this to the author
Review: I currently work at a major label doing what Justin used to do, A&R. His book is kicking my ass. So true...so legit...so on the money. I wrote him to say: I have not finished it but am on my way. Really diggin it. Nice work.
Our markets are really different but there are enough similarities that you had me giving an "AMEN!"...well...just about every page.
Too bad you won't be in Canada on your book tour. I'd love to chat with you some time.
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