Blog Stuck On You

One of the hottest trends in music in the new millennium is that of the independent acoustic singer/songwriter. Around 2002, John Mayer really opened up the door for this phenomenon when he released the EP Inside Wants Out on his own and built strong local followings, and then made a big bang and garnered interest from labels at South by Southwest. When his hit “No Such Thing” hit the airwaves and he became a mega star, it seemed that becoming an independent singer/songwriter became the new hot thing.

Not to mention, the invention of the web has made it a reality for thousands of singer/songwriter hopefuls to head out across the nation with their guitar and a handful of soulful ballads and make a living, sometimes a very good one, going around from clubs to bars to coffee shops coast to coast. They sell T-shirts and posters and self-produced CDs. They promote themselves with internet radio and myspace pages and sell ringtones of their music and digital downloads. Since record labels don’t hold total control over music distribution now, the concept of distributing one’s own music independently has become popular and individual artists now have a much greater level of control over their personal careers.

Here are some of the most exciting artists of the new millenium who have used independent promotional methods to build recognition and careers.

Tristan Prettyman - Tristan is from Sand Diego’s North County area, and her music reflects that easy, beachy style. Her fun, happy lyrics and uplifiting guitar stylings make it the ideal soundtrack for either a sensual, warm bubble bath while candles flicker in the soothing darkness or a fun family barbacue in the middle of summer. You may not be able to make it down to the beach, but all you have to do is pop in Trizzy P’s CD to feel like you’re there. Tristan’s concerts give you the feeling of having spent that time hanging out with a good girlfriend, chatting about men and pop culture, rather than attended a concert. Her debut EP (The Love EP) was self-produced, and her two subsequent efforts (twentythree and Hello…x) have both been studio produced.

Ernie Halter - Los Angeles based singer/songwriter Ernie Halter sprinkles a bit of Soul into the acoustic mix. He self-released the home-recorded “Lo Fidelity,” and later studio recordings “Congress Hotel,” and “Starting Over.”

Matt Nathanson - Matt is the product of relentless independent promotion and touring, building a strong, even fanatical, fanbase built from years of touring and above-the-call-of-duty efforts to personally connect with fans. His lyrics are symbolic and poetic - they go far beyond the standard Pop ABAB rhyme schemes and “You’re so amazing I love you so much,” themes that dominate the airwaves on mainstream radio. His initial effort was the independently produced “Please,” released in 1993, while Matt was still in college. Over the next ten years, his independent releases included, “Ernst,” “Not Colored Too Perfect,” “Still Waiting for Spring,” and “When Everything Meant Everything.” He then released, “Beneath These Fireworks,” on Universal and “Some Mad Hope,” on Vanguard. He also released a concert recording entitled, “Live at the Point.” The combination of his winning material and hilarious, personal banter in live shows have made Matt one of the favorites among the singer/songwriter fan community.

Tags: Entertainment, Music, Movies