Inside Sleeve
A friend once told me that the sound check was their favorite part of a live concert. At first, I thought it was an odd thing to say, considering all the hard work that goes into preparing for a show. But there's something real about it. It's raw, unpolished, and magical when musicians just mess around and see what happens.
Building Sleeve feels a bit like that. We're doing our sound check, letting it vibe with the people who've shown up early to check out what we’re doing and who’ll actually use it—hopefully, that’s you.
If you want to try Sleeve out early, whether you’re a listener or an artist, hit us up. Your feedback means the world to us.
Tuesday Trends
“How many monthly listeners do you have?” “Did you hit a million streams?”
These are the questions the music biz loves to throw around. But do they really get to what success is all about? A cool new study, "Sustainability in Chaos," digs into how artists navigate the crazy world of music. Spoiler alert: It’s not about going viral.
The biggest hurdle? Cutting through the noise of 120,000 daily uploads and finding time to create new music. The research says, “The song-first approach leaves less room for artists to grow as a brand and can leave them disoriented, wondering whether they are succeeding, and on whose terms: their own, or the industry’s.”
Real success is about having a stable, independent career where you can actually make a living. It’s about finding your audience—not necessarily the biggest one, but the right one. If you’re an artist or work with one, ask yourself—what does success look like? And how do you measure it?
Random Reflections
I had a deep chat recently with a friend who’s a total music aficionado, Henrik Marstal. He shared this awesome memory from his teens that took me back.
I never biked around without a bag of vinyl records, whether they were ones I had bought or borrowed. Friends would invite me over to hear the latest finds, and I loved being the go-to person for new music. It wasn’t about educating them; it was about sharing the pure joy and excitement of discovering something fresh and amazing together.
His story reminded me of how important it is to share the music we love with the people we care about. Those personal moments and stories create lasting connections—not just between friends but also with the music itself. Something we truly want to make way for at Sleeve. So, the takeaway? Find ways to share your music discoveries and keep that tradition alive!
Stay tuned,
Anna
P.S. Musicians, managers, record labels – we want to hear from you! Your feedback is pure gold. Drop me a line at anna@sleeve.fm if you have anything to share.
