The 24-Hour Challenge

— Andy Baker, 20th January 2021

The Rocket Fuel Academy 4-week program has been really successful...

We're not kidding here.

We've helped artists to raise funds for new EPs, albums, and creative projects. In fact, the average artist from our first Academy in 2020 made £1431 in just two weeks...some going over to generate £11,000 within a couple of months.

So if you're wanting to set up your Rocket Fuel Campaign at lightning speed, we can help you do this in just 24 hours! 

Take a look at the 24-Hour Challenge...it's starting on Friday 22nd of January at 7pm (GMT).


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Andy Baker is sowing the seeds for Homegrown Worship

— Michelle Chilcott, 10th May 2018

Since forming Resound Media in 2005, Andy Baker has worked tirelessly producing music, promoting artists and developing brands to help bring artists and fans together.

His latest vision is to bring fresh new worship songs into the inboxes of Christians all over the globe every week and aims to accelerate this to daily in 2019. Homegrown Worship is an ambitious project which will see the Gloucestershire-based writer/ producer modelling the process of writing, recording and sharing new music in a bid to attract other writers to share their music with the Homegrown Worship community.

The concept for the community challenges the traditional record label model; promising fair deals for creatives contributors, and is being launched through Rocket Fuel; the crowdfunding platform launched by Andy in 2014. The site has helped artists...

Sharpen Your Skills As A Songwriter

— Jessica Marston, 8th March 2018

Over the past 12 days we’ve been looking at a dozen ways to make people fall in love with your music. Hopefully you’ve been following our articles and found them useful :)

Here are 3 Reasons why you should sharpen your skills as a songwriter.

1. If your songs don’t draw listeners in, engage people emotionally and capture the imagationation of your audience, no amount of promotion will pay off.

2. If elite athletes have coaches to help them work on their game, you could significantly increase your chances of competing as a songwriter with some support from an experienced mentor.

3. If you have honed your craft as a writer, you can translate strong ideas into exceptional recordings. With the huge volume of material released each week, the public don’t tend to get excited by mediocre music.

Invite Your Fans On A Journey

— Jessica Marston, 8th March 2018

People can only follow you if you’re going somewhere so it’s important to invite your fans on a journey.

One artist who has modelled this very successfully is Sheffield-based singer, songwriter, author and blogger Philippa Hanna. She started her career in the Christian music scene, who is fast-becoming one of the UK’s leading ladies in country music and has travelled to 25 countries around the world sharing her songs and stories. Having gained a whopping £75,000 support through crowdfunding from over 2000 supporters, it’s reassuring that there are ways to build your career other than queuing up for TV talent shows.

 But how do you go from playing coffee shops to opening arena tours and having national radio support behind your music?

 One key ingredient is inviting people on an...

Give Your Followers Something To Talk About

— Jessica Marston, 8th March 2018

Are you innovating or following the crowd?

Are people talking about you and your music or are you getting lost in the sea of artist uploading their music to the internet in the vain hope it might get discovered?

As an innovating group of people, we like to encourage artists to step out of their comfort zones and have a go and interesting activities which can put a spotlight on their music.

If you’re up for carving out your own path rather than joining very long queues, here are 10 ways to get people talking:
 

1. Write a song about a truly unique event...forget how your feel for a moment and focus on entertaining your audience with something very different

2. Break a world-record. It doesn’t matter what in...it’s interesting and the press will cover it

3. Surprise your fans with gifts...people love to...Read more

3 Mistakes Artists Keep Making

— Jessica Marston, 8th March 2018

Some artists forget to tell their fans how much they love them.
Others talk at their fans, rather than to them.
Some forget to thank fans for buying their music, sharing their posts and turning up to shows.

These are 3 common mistakes I’ve seen artists making.

Developing any relationship involves saying the right things.

If I forget to tell my wife that I love her, she might feel a little disappointed.
If I fail to ask her about her day, she may feel a little ignored.
If I never take the time to thank her for the things she does, she will feel unappreciated

You get the picture right?

So what should you be saying to your fans to build a relationship with them?

Try boasting about how much fun you’re having with your supporters and how awesome they are... this will show both appreciation for them and entice onlookers to...

Write Songs for Occasions

— Jessica Marston, 8th March 2018

Writing songs for occasions is a no-brainier.

Every Mother’s Day you can guarantee Mama by the Spice Girls will be all over the radio and Katy Perry will be counting up the royalties that Firework brings in from New Years Eve and Independence Day.

When your song becomes associated with an occasion, it will get played time and again and help cement your reputation in the public eye.

So...have you ever written a song for an occasion? We’d love to hear it...

Send it to info@resoundmedia.co.uk!

Find Out What Your Fans Really Want

— Jessica Marston, 8th March 2018

Happy Valentines Day!

However the day looks for you, we hope it’s awesome!

In my experience working with artist over the past 15 years, I’ve found that artist who truly love their fans tend to see their fanbase grow. It sounds pretty simple doesn’t it?

To love them, you need to understand what they really want. Understanding usually involves time, asking lots of questions and a little trial and error

Here are 3 things that I believe are helpful to consider when trying to work out what your fans want:

1. Fans want to talk to you

Responding to messages and posts online is a must for emerging artists. Once you’re a household name, it will become impossible to keep up with this but until you are, it’s a good idea to talk to fans.

Be The Bearer Of Beautiful Gifts

— Jessica Marston, 13th February 2018

It’s much better to give than receive right?

As a child, I used to look forward to Christmas to see what I would get. Now, as a Dad I really couldn’t care less about what I get...it’s all about the presents under the tree for my little girl.

Childish artists see themselves as performers.

Grown up artists see themselves as entertainers.

Entertainers have an audience … performers don’t necessarily have an audience or even know what to do with them.

If you want to grow your audience, it's essential to understand their pains and gains.

What problems are you solving for your audience? Perhaps they’re bored, maybe they’re feeling down and they could even be cross at Coldplay because tickets to see them are £150.

What gains are you offering? Perhaps you’re exciting to follow...

Stand Out From The Crowd

— Jessica Marston, 12th February 2018

Three years ago I was invited to be one of the judges at Open Mic UK, a talent competition which attracts thousands of performers from across the UK. It was a real honour to sit alongside representatives from major labels, celebrity vocal coaches and a songwriter/producer who had sold 10’s of millions of records.

When you watch around 80 artists over the course of the day, there are few who you remember.

One young man stood out though.

He was just 16 and singing an original song whilst most in his age category performed covers.

His song was really good. It was an upbeat pop-rock kinda of track but it had a half-time chorus...the shift in gears was strong and unexpected

However...it was the use of a harmony pedal on his vocals which was the icing on the cake which made the chorus stand out. I remember the precise feeling...

Make Every Performance Memorable

— Jessica Marston, 12th February 2018

A single spotlight illuminates a gaunt figure, indigo stark against his chalky skin. He stares down his audience with a crazed look in his dark eyes, raising both fists above his head, while the mammal twitches helplessly between his teeth. As the bat’s blood trickles down his chin, Ozzy Osbourne cements his reputation as one of rock’s most notorious - and enduring - icons.

At least, that’s how the story goes. What is certain is that audience went home talking about what they saw, and are still talking about it more than thirty years later.

Now, I am not in any way encouraging you to go out and decapitate small animals in the name of a memorable set. But think about your live performances from an audience’s point of view. When you watch a mixed bill of several artists, who stands out and what moments do...

Treat Your Songs To The Recordings They Deserve

— Jessica Marston, 12th February 2018

A beautiful girl should not be taken to KFC on her anniversary...it’s just not right is it?

If you love your songs, you’ll take them somewhere special and not subject them to the fast-food approach to production.

Like Michelin Star rated Chefs, myself and Aron have been cooking up records over the past decade and have enjoyed helping dozens of artist to create tasty work they are really proud of.

Here are some of the highlights in the past couple of years... you can listen to all these tracks by clicking here

1. Helping Out Of The Ashes get their own brand of blues/jazz/gospel on both Good Morning Sunday and The Blues show on BBC Radio 2

2. Crafting arrangement and co-writing with Ellie Jane and then seeing tracks from her debut EP featured as BBC Introducing tracks of the week nationally on Georgey...

Smarten Up Your Act

— Jessica Marston, 12th February 2018

First impressions count.

When you go on a first date with that person you really like, you will probably give some thought to your choice of outfit. You may even obsess over this...

You want to make a great impression right?

As the majority of music lovers like their lives through a screen, it’s essential that you capture their attention and communicate who you are through the way that you appear.

You might have won the genetic lottery or you might be insecure about your shape, size or appearance but the good news is anyone can create a strong and engaging brand. Take this encouragement from someone who started going bald aged 15.

1. Don’t scrimp on photography. You tend to get what you pay for. We can happily recommend a good photographer that won’t break the bank

Write Songs That People Want To Hear

— Jessica Marston, 12th February 2018

As you write songs, there are many important factors to consider but few things could be considered more important than your audience. Without an audience, you can be a performer but not an entertainer... entertainers need people to entertain.

A few years ago I was preparing for a trip to Nashville with Philippa Hanna, I got in touch with several people I know in Music City to ask advice on what a singer-songwriter needs to do to in order to get attention on the other side of the Atlantic. Philippa has enjoyed a successful career over the past decade crafting her own unique blend of inspirational folk/pop, extensively touring in churches, bars, coffee shops, festivals and arenas. After several well-received visits to the US and being awarded a prestigious export development grant backed by the UK Government, we were keen to...

Join The Rocket Fuel Team

— Andy Baker, 30th December 2017

Are you already working in the music industry?

Do you fancy making some additional cash?

Would you like to help introduce independent acts to a platform that can help them generate money?

If you answered YES three times there, we’d love to hear from you.

Resound Media is looking for a number of individuals already working within the music industry to join our growing team as we seek to help more artists through our crowdfunding site Rocket Fuel in 2018. Having already helped dozens independent artists raise £100,000s, we are looking to expand, helping hundreds more artists to engage, grow and monetise their fanbase.

Ideal candidates should - Be available 12-20 hours per week- Have experience working in the music industry- Possess unusual confidence- Demonstrate excellent written and verbal...Read more

Chris Tavener - Live In London!

— Tom, 21st November 2017

Chris Tavener Live @ The Slaughtered Lamb, London

Friday 20th October 2017

By Tom Price, Galaxies Collide

I’ve seen Chris Tavener on a several occasions now, in a number of cities and venues around the UK, however this has to be his best set to date. Solid new additions to his set such as The Phone Song and Millennials make his 45 minutes on stage all killer, no filler. Sat in the comfortable but quirky surroundings of the basement venue in Faringdon’s Slaughtered Lamb pub, the set seems to fly by, leaving the full audience who listened intently, pleading for more.

Chris’ unique blend of dark comedy and catchy tunes, mixed with lots of subtle but vitally important physical gestures certainly makes his act stand out from the crowd. Too often, ‘solo singer-songwriters with a guitar’ acts are rudely...Read more

Crowdfunding Triumph For Indie-Folk Band Speak, Brother

— Jazz Bovill, 16th May 2016

The awesome Speak, Brother released their brand new EP, ‘Light Runs After Us’, on Good Friday after smashing their first Rocket Fuel goal! The 4-track collection was met with a whole host of glowing feedback and labelled as “genuinely thrilling” (My Random Jukebox) and “mesmerising” (Tony Cummings - Cross Rhythms) by reviewers, proof that there are great things in store for the indie-folk quartet.

We caught up with frontman James Herring to find out the secrets behind the band’s crowdfunding success and get the latest news on the release. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  1. What have you been up to recently? Loads it seems! Our EP was received well after it's release...Read more

And The Award Goes To...

— Andy Baker, 21st October 2015

Imagine a world with no new songs. The radio would be even more repetitive, stories would remain untold and the evolution of sound would grind to a halt.

To save planet earth from being stuck on repeat we've decided to partner with the wonderful folk at Open Mic UK to champion the acts bringing the best new songs to out attention. 

At all of the Open Mic UK live finals, we will pick the best original song and present the artists with a Rocket Fuel trophy. The competition run by Future Music has discovered many of the UK's most popular new artists including  Birdy, Lucy Spraggan, Emily Middlemas and Luke Friend. 

Earlier this year, Rocket Fuel founder Andy Baker join the panel of judges for the Grand Final of the competition at the NEC in Birmingham. With over 10,000 entrants annually, the level of talent is...

Successful Crowdfunding Missions for Musicians Using Social Media

— Jazz Bovill, 20th August 2015

To have a successful crowdfunding mission you need to do social media before, during and after your campaign has been completed.

Selecting The Best Channels For Your Mission
Look through your social media channels and find out which ones have the most followers.

Where are your fans located.

Who has the most influence in your fanbase.

Which platforms do you know well. 

You are more than likely going to be looking at Facebook and Twitter, but don’t disregard Instagram. If you are ready to take snapshots of your life, share, and create a window into your world, then you will find an abundance of connections with new potential fans appearing before you, and you can start creating some deep long term fan relationships with this platform.

Facebook GroupsWe know Facebook is not the easiest platform to grow. Remember the days...Read more

Artist Interview - Jenny Pegg

— Jazz Bovill, 27th July 2015

Ever wanted to get inside our artists’ heads and and find out everything there is to know about their Rocket Fuel journey? Well, you’re in luck! Once a month we’ll be sharing an exclusive interview with one of our Rocket Fuelled artists, starting with the lovely Jenny Pegg…

Jenny is a church worship leader and singer-songwriter based in Sheffield. She has a “beautiful, gentle style”, with a lot of her songwriting being inspired by the struggles she has faced as a result of her chronic illness. She is passionate about providing others with inspiration and encouragement, and, with a little help from Rocket Fuel, she has been able to do this through her music.

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Jazz: Hey Jenny!...Read more

Artist Of The Month - Jordan Adams

— Jazz Bovill, 8th July 2015

Drum roll, please! Rocket Fuel are delighted to announce that July’s ‘Artist of the Month’ is… the wonderful Jordan Adams!

Jordan began his Rocket Fuel journey with a bang, funding a £900 Artist Development Contract within a month of his mission launch. Since then, his fans have helped him to raise the money to make a music video, film a short documentary and record a new single, all in under 5 months! With over £3500 raised so far and more coming in all the time, we thought he was the ideal candidate to be crowned as July’s ‘Artist of the Month’.

Rocket Fuel foudner Andy Baker is thrilled with the progress Jordan has made: "Jordan Adams has demonstrated that you don't need have a massive following to tap into the power of Rocket Fuel. From less than 30...

Running A Successful Mission - Top Tips from Chloe Reynolds

— Jazz Bovill, 9th June 2015

Chloe Reynolds began her Rocket Fuel journey in November 2014, achieving her first goal within one week of the launch! She has raised over £2700 in total for three different goals so far and is aiming to release a full album in the near future. We caught up with Chloe to discover the secrets behind her success and her top tips for Rocket Fuel artists.

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J: When did you launch your Rocket Fuel mission? 

C: I first started with Rocket fuel last November and achieved my first goal in a week! 

J: How did you go about recording your video pitch? 

C: I recorded the video pitch with the Rocket Fuel team in Sheffield. They made it really easy for me to relax and not feel nervous, and have used some really creative ideas to make it look good.

Putting On A Launch Event

— Jazz Bovill, 2nd June 2015

Getting close to your mission launch or the launch of a new goal?

Unsurprisingly, we’ve always found that it’s the artists who go the extra mile who bring in the most support, and what better way to do that than to host a launch event! This could be anything from a gig to a party to just a small gathering of friends and family.

Any excuse for a celebration, right? A launch event is a really great way to create a buzz around your mission, interact with your supporters and show them how much you appreciate their help. It’s the personal touches that make fans into superfans, so make sure to invite everyone who has been with you all the way. Let them know that you couldn’t do it without them and make a real effort to make them feel special.

The Mission Video

— Andy Baker, 8th April 2015

Your mission video is the first thing that your fans will see. People will click on it...they want to know what you have to say for yourself. 

Here's the first thing to remember..

You can post a new video at any time. 
Do it...make it fresh for your followers. 

The 2nd thing is to make sure that you keep it up-to-date. If your first goal is long-gone and your video is talking all about that, just yourself onto Mission Control and upload a new video and update your mission brief (if required)

We'd suggest that you get creative with your video. It can be dull if you want but seriously...why bother? If you want to get somewhere as an artist, you need to get people excited about coming on a journey with you. Laughs and smiles work a treat along with useful information...please don't bore anyone to tears with...Read more

Top, Middle or Bottom?

— Andy Baker, 8th April 2015

Who remembers Strike It Lucky? (Probably not many of you) 

Anyway...one of the most subtle but useful things artists need to know is that you can direct people to several different parts of your mission page. Why is this important I hear you cry at the top of your lungs.

Here's why...

Convenience. 

If you want to promote a product, send people to the product section rather than sending them to the top of the page where the bait you've enticed them with is a scroll away.  Just add the magic #shop onto your URL

rocketfuelhq.com/peternevland#shop 

Or if you want to encourage monthly supporters, follow the same approach with #support

rocketfuelhq.com/peternevland#support

FInally, for those who keep up with the latest developments, you'll know that you can add in some music tracks and a biography. I'd like to...
Read more

Artist in the Spotlight Jordan Adams

— Edie Renshaw, 4th March 2015

As Jordan Adams has been doing such a great job promoting his mission we have decided to get his perspective on how to get the most out of Rocket Fuel.

Edie from the Rocketfuel team caught up with him:

Why did you decide to use Rocket Fuel to fund the development of your career?

"The last year has been an amazing journey for me! Reaching the Grand Final of Open Mic UK has really driven my desire to relaunch my music career. I chose Rocket Fuel to help fund this change of direction as it is a great multi-platform that engages supporters on many different levels - from products to rewards to donations. The site is very professional in design and is easy to navigate. This is incredibly important as first impressions really do count. The site is very user friendly and a great way for people to become...

A Musician's journey in setting up a Rocket Fuel Mission

— Joel Toombs, 10th February 2015

In the first of a short series of blogs musician Simon Pritchard explains his journey with music and his experiences in coming across Rocket Fuel and how it could help him to develop his career in the direction he wants to take it.

Hi I'm Simon. I’m a twenty something musician who sings (slightly) and plays the guitar. As a child, I grew up listening to whatever music the parents had in, notably “Now 22” - I was deprived. Over the years, and after learning my first instrument of the violin, my music tastes diversified from the horrors of “Now 22” and in my late teens did what every teen back then used to do and started a heavy metal band after learning a few chords on the guitar. Achieving mild success, a UK tour and a modest following on Youtube and Facebook, I decided that heavy music...

Andy Baker Invited To Judge Open Mic UK Grand Final

— Andy Baker, 21st January 2015

Managing Director of Resound Media Andy Baker has been invited to join the judging panel at the Grand Final of Open Mic UK this weekend at the NEC in Birmingham. He will join leading industry executives industry Layla Manoochehri (Sony/SYCO), James Morgan (A&R, Universal), Matt Hill (Artful Dodger), Chris Grayston (Future Music) and several others. 

Rocket Fuel artist Emily Middlemas who won TeenStar competition in 2014 will be performing in front of more than 2,000 people as a guest artist for the event which looks to crown winners in 3 age categories. The competition attracts a high level of interest from labels, managers and production companies looking for the UK's future music stars. 

For more information visit openmicuk.co.uk

Artist of the Month - Philippa Hanna

— Andy Baker, 25th November 2014

Philippa Hanna embarks up the final few days of her debut Rocket Fuel goal as November draws to a close. The Sheffield songstress is no stranger to fan-funding after running a successful campaign with Kickstarter in 2012. Her ever-growing fanbase have been purchasing music, journals and instruments in a bid to help Philippa kick things off with a bang in the new year. 

With a 31-date UK support tour looming in January 2015, Philippa is looking to fans to help her cover the costs of taking a small team on the road for nearly 2 months. Touring can be expensive business for support acts with few guarantees are far as income is concerned so it's hardly surprising that fans are rallying behind her . Building on the success of touring with Lionel Richie, Wet Wet Wet and Rebecca Ferguson, Philippa continues to offer hope to...
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Fuel For Thought

— Andy Baker, 6th November 2014

The man from the AA didn't appreciate his time being wasted when there were real emergencies he should have been attending to. His diagnosis made me feel a little stupid...

I was dangerously low on petrol and parked the wrong way up a hill. 

Running out of fuel is not fun. Calling your friend from work to pick you up is embarrassing. This embarrassment continues further when you have to purchase a jerry-can from the garage and suffer the awkwardness of filling this up whilst everyone else is being normal and putting petrol in a vehicle. 

Having learned this lesson the hard way, it often reminds me of just how many artists set out on a journey with absolutely nothing in the tank. Optimism and vapors will only get you so far and the road ahead is invariably long and winding.