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Bridge The Atlantic
Benji Rogers: Pledge Music, Superfans & The Power of Email Lists
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Our guest this week is Benji Rogers, British-born, New York-based entrepreneur, technologist, musician, and the founder of Pledge Music. As an early pioneer of the direct artist-to-fan model of distributing music, Benji founded Pledge Music based on the belief that artists should share the process of their artistic output, not just the finished product.
In addition to his work with Pledge, Benji is also the co-founder of the Dot Blockchain Music Project, an attempt to create a decentralized global registry of music rights using blockchain technology that will overhaul the commercialization and movement of music online. We had a great chat with Benji about Pledge Music, the importance of superfans, and the advice he'd offer to musicians and music industry entrepreneurs.
Highlights:
- Benji schools us with a Michael Bolton related Office Space quote
- Marcio shares his personal experience of Pledge Music with Benji
- Benji shares how the team are the key to Pledge Music’s success
- “Technology is a huge piece of Pledge Music, but it’s the humans behind the technology that make it work”
- Benji tells us why he started Pledge Music
- “If all music is crowdfunded by fans, what difference does it make WHEN people pay for it?” - Benji Rogers
- There’s a percentage of music fans who want to pay more - and we have to give them this option
- Benji shares how it’s more about attracting the right fans, rather than a huge number of fans
- “The way artists interact with their superfans will be the difference between those who make it and those who don’t” - Benji Rogers
- “Fans don’t need more ways to consume music - they need reasons” - Benji Rogers
- Benji talks about how the internet has enabled for direct interaction between artist and fan
- Benji shares that he believes that moving forward, artists will start measuring Return on Attention rather than Return on Investment
- We talk about the power of your mailing list, and Benji shares tips for growing your list
- Benji shares his advice for musicians and music industry entrepreneurs
Advice:
- When crowdfunding, be honest about why you’re doing this and why
- Offer an experience that is better than what they can get on YouTube or streaming services
Guest Links:
- Pledge Music: http://pledgemusic.com
- Dot Blockchain: http://dotblockchainmusic.com
- Twitter: @benjikrogers
- Instagram: @benjikrogers
Sponsors:
- Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents
- Christine Infanger @ Thirty Roses
- Joe Settineri
- Music Launch Hub
- Buck Naked Soap Company
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