Bum Rush the Charts TODAY
March 22nd, 2007 by Doug
I suspect many readers of this blog are already aware, but Bum Rush the Charts, a massive social media experiment, is taking place today, March 22.
BRTC is an attempt to put an independent (non-major label) music artist in the iTunes Top 100 charts for one day, through word of mouth.
Go to Christopher Penn’s site at: http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com/bumrush to participate, which means only purchasing one track, Black Lab’s “Mine Again,” from iTunes for 99 cents.
More information on the project is at:
http://bumrushthecharts.blogspot.com/
Whether or not you like this band or this song, it will be fascinating to see the results of this effort. I bought the song (no, I won’t be expensing it). Will you?
This entry was posted on Thursday, March 22nd, 2007 at 9:07 am and is filed under News & Commentary, Social Media, Web. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
March 22nd, 2007 at 10:09 am
I’ve bought the track. What a great cause!
March 22nd, 2007 at 2:03 pm
Wait, wait, wait …
You want me to give a company that slapped our client with a cease and desist letter a buck? Give me the buck and I’ll support the cause, but not under my name.
Just what is the value of this experiment?
I’m more interested in how King of All Media Howard Stern and a great web site ‘Vote For the Worst are manipulating American Idol voting to keep the dregs involved - now that’s a worthwhile use of my time and buck.
March 22nd, 2007 at 3:38 pm
No waiting– get on or miss the train–
I did fail to put in this post my ambivalence about using iTunes (for reasons unrelated to the c&d letter), but decided that was beside the point. Hop on, even for curiosity’s sake, to see if this can work (already at #67 on the US Rock chart today, btw, and not done yet)
or, simply be one of the elite (read: tiny percentage who followed him to satellite radio) listeners of Howard Stern.
March 26th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
Guys, did you even listen to the song?! It flat our sucks in a pleading, fake emotional U2 lite way.
Sorry, but scorned ex-boyfriend songs still suck …
“Every day I will wait until you’re mine again”
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=11770383
Additionally, I dare you both to make it through their “This Night” track on MySpace.
Doug and Bryan,
Find a new cause celebre (or at least a better band) to pump up Apple’s slipping iTunes sales.
March 26th, 2007 at 9:35 pm
You just heard the sound of Adam missing the point completely.
This was not about the quality of this particular band or song, but about if a bunch of people spreading the word via social media could put an independent band into the charts– and by that standard, it was a success.
What I take from this is we should all not limit ourselves to what the major labels pour down our throats, whether it be The Who (one of my favorites) or Beck (whom I can take or leave) or Radiohead (kill me now please) or whomever– but that social media channels are one way that we can hear about other artists we may have missed otherwise.
You don’t have to like Black Lab– that couldn’t be farther from the point– for myself, I’m digging up some of the lesser known artists (label or otherwise) that I favor and letting people know about them via Twitter, blogging, etc.
(start with Amelia White and Dave Aaronoff, while I’m at it).
That’s my take on it– a bit Kum Bay Yah, but kneejerk hostility is just silly.
March 27th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
Not hostile in the least - well actually I hate the band and I won’t give my money to Apple’s directory.
While you’re dropping band names, be on the lookout for Alston’s own, The Big Disapointment.
Additionally, I’m going up to Salem on Saturday (hopefully with friends - if I have any left) to see the amazing Bonbomb.
Rock on gentlemen, but don’t feed me your independent music goes social media fluff.
March 27th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
Can we ban one of the site admin’s? Todd V, a ruling?
March 27th, 2007 at 8:00 pm
By the way, forgot to post the final update, via Christopher Penn
US Rock #11
US Overall #99
Canada Rock #10
Canada Overall #53
Netherlands Rock # 2
Sweden Rock #7
Germany Rock #12
Germany #73 Overall
Holland #15 Overall
Norway #55 Overall
Norway Rock #10
Not a bad showing
March 28th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
Dear Shel Haslam,
What’s with all the banning conversations? ;-]
Saturday - Let’s go to a show so you can hear some real “social” music away from your sound bridge and desktop.
March 28th, 2007 at 4:11 pm
Just a joke obviously. Shel Israel may have some “aggression issues” when it comes to you and Strumpette.
As for BRTC, I swallowed my anti-iTunes bile for one day, and enjoyed the success of a social media experiment. What next? Some ideas, not too different from what I said above– so, who are your favorite independent musicians?
Sure, I am overdue for some live music. Not sure about Saturday, but perhaps a night of Wally’s jazz will be just the thing.