As many of you know, you can purchase my music on pretty much all of the big digital music stores – iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, etc. You can do this because I publish it through a service called TuneCore. I pay them a yearly hosting fee and they populate my music in the digital music stores. I get to keep any and all revenue generated through either purchases or plays. It’s a pretty ok deal and I usually break even with a given release – $10.00 for a single and $30.00 for an album.
They also offer other services for musicians like mastering through Universal Music Studios or a digital mastering service called LandR. For the longest time they’ve been pushing a service called Track Smarts, which is a market research tool. You pay a fee and they have a company present your song to a set number of music listeners who will rate and review your track. There are multiple levels for differing amounts of money, offering more reviews and ultimately the opportunity to be heard by A&R reps (top tier package).
I’ve always been curious about this service and so I finally did it. I got the report back today and thought I would share it with you. Why? I don’t know. It’s interesting and I feel like sharing.
I went with the most basic package, which gives you 40 reviews and 4 data points. I submitted my most recent release “The Whole” (you’ve heard it, right?). Anyway I’ll start off with the data points:
53% is my overall market potential. That’s… not awesome, but it’s not nothing. I guess a number higher than 65% is preferable according to the research people who are much smarter than me. The values range from 0% to 85% so I’m 10 points above the median, which is some consolation.
Next is my track rating which is 6.2 out of 10. That is also not awesome, but I actually don’t believe that number. Why? Because it’s based on the listener review ratings, which don’t always match what the listener wrote. And this is where I think I might be hooked and actually purchase more of these market research reports because the reviews are kind of awesome. In fact, I’m just going to post them all right here because they’re pretty great – even the negative ones.
Rating: 10
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I love the drums, they sound very clean and simple. The guitar makes this have a calmer tone. The vocal tone makes the song sound calm, but sorrowful. I love the lyrics because it is telling a story of how he feels. I really like the way he portrays his feelings through his song.
Rating: 10
I love the opening drums, they are perfectly off beat in a uniform way. The vocals come in at a perfect time, and are unique but very solid. It almost sounds retro with the synthesiser. The build up in the song is really nice and it escalates perfectly (and de-escalates at the right moments). Maybe play around with the dynamics (if you were to change anything). The guitar solo is also quite lovely and really fits the musical theme within the song. The raspyness of the voice is also pretty sexy as well. I would totally buy this song on iTunes.
Rating: 10
I love this song. It has a hipster/indie feeling and I could definitely put this in my playlist! This artist should get more attention because of his well-thought lyrics. Would love to hear this guy making the charts in the near future! Will definitely buy this song, and grow deeper love for this song!
Rating: 10
I love this song! I love it because of the melody, the tempo, and, the cord progression! The lyrics and vocals are amazing as well. Please make more. I love listening to these types of song. It’s so nice and calm. I also love the guitar in this song. More Please!
Rating: 10
Lovely drums and guitars, 2 instruments and everything sounds original and smooth. The instrumental is soft, it has rhythm and composure , the guitars are well balancing the drums through out the song, and there is variety of sounds and melodies coming from these instruments. The artist has a wonderful voice, his voice is deep and sensitive, it has color and is very unique, you can easy remember him just by his voice. And the guitars near the end are lovely. Definitely he has the voice of a great singer.
Rating: 10
i really like the drum beats and the guitar. he has a really nice voice. this song is very pretty. i like the words. it is very peaceful. i like the chorus. this song has a nice warm feel. i would buy this song. very soothing.
Rating: 10
soft drum beat intro that comes in fuller with a guitar and background sounds build in. the lead singers voice is like butter. you’ll want him to sing you to sleep at night his sound is sweet as honey and creamy like milk. the lyrics are beautiful , melodic and easy to follow. i want to sway to with my lover to this song in the moonlight. this would make a phenominal soundtrack to an indie movie or anything really. i want to melt into this song and listen to it forever and ever.
Rating: 9
This song creates a very interesting rythm that can be heard through out the entire song. The guitar is the one that keeps this rythm. The keyboard adds a nice touch on the pitchl sound. The singing is very good compared to most. I would recommend this song to anyone in their teens
Rating: 9
First off, the drums sound amazing. The singer’s voice sounds very soothing, and I believe that this is a good song as of 50 seconds. This is a simple song that feels very calming and it feels really smooth, nothing that seems to be breaking it. He is hitting all of the notes and everything flows very smoothly. It seems to be a very calm song and I would love to listen to more songs like this. I enjoy the guitar solos and how it doesn’t have to be super intricate, it can just be smooth and calming and rememberable. Thank you for making this and I hope to listen to this artist more one day.
Rating: 9
Very nice introduction to the song. I like the accompaniment. It is nice and smooth, especially with the transitioning. I think your voice is heavenly. You have one of those deep voices that sound so beautiful. Good job. I can tell that you are very talented.
Rating: 8
Very nice music, calming and relaxing. The vocalist has a nice smooth voice. The guitar is good and the acoustic gives a nice rustic feeling. Like, a song you should listen to when stargazing out by your cabin. Lyrics are comforting. I’m quite enjoying this. The vocalist is capturing the feeling very well. The guitar solo is simple yet inciting. A nice song, an Indie feel to a Easy Listening mood. Would definitely listen to again. Makes me feel like I’m around a campfire.
Rating: 8
the air that lapses is a acoustic track with a acoustic guitar and I love the ballad feel to the song. I think the song has a banjo behind the bass and it is drowned out. they should change the arrangement for sure. the singer is a male and his voice is very boring and stagnate. there is not much of a feeling to his notes at all.
Rating: 8
It didn’t let me down! Lovely musical arrangement, very easy listen. Singer has a rich, folky sounding vocal which reminded me of Ralph McTell. His voice is warm and expressive. A very melodious and memorable song with a subtle, flowing rhythm which is consistent throughout the song. It has an ‘ageless’ feel and could therefore be commercially viable in today’s market.
Rating: 7
The drum solo in the beginning has a swag feel to it and I liked it. The drum solo gets repetitive but the voice comes in which is low and deep. I think this music is very calm and should be listened to when running or trying to sleep. The lyrics seem to be very thought -provoking and inspiring to younger generations.
Rating: 7
I liked the guitar intro. But then the vocals came in its an eh eh. I love the lyrics they are meaningfull and heart warming. I as find the instrumental really soothing and clean. The only problem with me is your voice it nice to be just as smooth and emotional as the music. Basically all you need is a more feeling filled voice, it’s to dull. Sing like you are trying to convey your emotions. Sing like you don’t want that girl to let you down. Besides that the quality is nice and clear. Overall great song. Good luck as an artist
Rating: 7
I liked the jazzy intro and then it suddenly turned into a country song. I thought the song was a little slow tempo for me but the lyrics were very powerful and alluring. When the singers voice changes louder or softer it really seems nostalgic. It really reminded me about the past and the rhythm was on point and very strong.
Rating: 7
A sad little song (in a good way) The song pulls at your heart and makes you yearn for others. I really enjoyed the chords and the vocals, and the multiple backing vocal tracks. Overall a really well written song and could definitely imagine hearing this on the radio. The subtle instruments in the background give this a well made feel, a solid 7.5/10
Rating: 7
Gorgeous drum beat to start, loved how this leads to the vocal and melody – really pretty. The vocals were really smooth, but somewhat fragile sounding. I liked the slightly chanty nature of the lyrics – makes them sound a bit pained, which suited the theme of the song. This is a really relaxing cute song, very melodic. I love the guitar coming in towards the end – really sombre and sad sounding, but super pretty. This song is very subtle, and builds up slowly from nowhere to really melodic haunting ending. I would definitely buy this album – even though this is quite a sombre song, I thought it was beautiful.
Rating: 7
this song in my opinion did not really have anything in it that was all that ear catching. i did however, like how calming his voice was. the song was pretty peaceful, but it needs something in it to make it more appealing. the chorus maybe could have been stronger too. anyways keep up the good work artist! the lyrics was beatiful.
Rating: 7
Great acoustic sound with a raspy voice, I love it. I feel like I need to be riding in a pickup down an old dirt road in the country. The mood of the song is sort of melancholy but it’s enjoyable. Puts me in the mood to listen to old country songs. Something in the background sounds like horses trotting which makes me chuckle.
Rating: 6
The drums at the beginning and the guitar makes me think i am near a campfire i would play this song with my homies when i go camping. i like how the main male vocals are like “don’t …”. i feel that the singer has lost something very close to him like a good friend of family member. That is why i gave the song a 6.
Rating: 6
The beginning wasn’t the best I could hoped for. Harmonies, melodies, and tempo are OK. However, he again is singing about a loved one, which cheeses up the song, and ruins the originality. I do here a gross sound effect all through the song. Disgusting. However, the personality of the singer makes me see the song in a better light. However, I would not pay for this song. It doesn’t sound very much appealing to me. Maybe for a different person.
Rating: 6
A fast, hard driving drumbeat as part of the introduction which contrasts with the calm strumming guitar works to create a calm mood. The lead vocalist has a soft, husky, soothing sound which is enjoyable to listen to. The lyrics of the track are not the most memorable and the chorus is a lovely example of how an instrumental can be used to create a supportive layer to the melody. Overall, the track is probably too mediocre and average in it’s sound to be like by the general public in general.
Rating: 6
The intro was compelling and solid; however, the beat and your voice didn’t match. With the point you were trying to get across it kind of drowned it out. It sounded like you had no emotions, or you were just expressionless. The lyrics were just bland and it had no meaning. There was no balance between the lyrics and the beat.
Rating: 6
I like the build form the drums into the song and then mixing the vocals in. It is quiet and relaxing and is a good low key song. The vocalist could be a little bit more clear some of the time. The lyrics are well put together and the vocals mix nicely with the guitar in the background. It is a nice song to listen to.
Rating: 6
The immediate folk acoustic sounds immediately caught my attention. I love the soft beckoning of the singer’s voice. I would absolutely listen to this song if I wanted to relax on any occasion. There’s a great balance between electric and acoustic guitars and I love how they blend with the drums. I had to listen all the way through for this one.
Rating: 6
The instrumentals were a nice and calming melody running through the speakers. The vocals came in and seemed to lacked a sense of confidence in the way the words were being presented. I think they have some potential to hit certain audiences. They have a nice and decent sound to them. The production was put together very well. Overall I think they have some potential but need more instrumentals to make up for any flaws that they currently have. I think the elements they provided could work well in the long run. The tempo stayed consistent and made it easy to follow along with. The guitars had a nice rhythm to the song and provided the real meat of the song.
Rating: 6
This is a good song. The song has a good vibe to it. There are some points where the vocals clash a little with the music. Maybe just a mixing issue. The lyrics are deep and thought out. The song is very enjoyable and I would like to hear other songs from this artist.
Rating: 6
A very marvelous song. The start to the song sounded marvelous. The vocals sounded fine; the vocalist having an OK voice, and I could understand almost everything that was sung.Later on, the lyrics were really inspiring and made the song enjoyable to listen to! I’ll be humming them in my head.Furthermore, the rhythm flowed throughout the song pretty nicely, although it could use a couple variations.The tempo of the song really made the song flow, and the structure was classic.What a tuneful melody in this song. It was entertaining to listen to and can be easily sung. Instrumentally the song was pretty solid, although there seemed to be some room for improvement.Next, the digital effects were fine but they didn’t blend too well with the song.This songL was very exciting altogether, and had lots of enjoyable musical ideas. I liked most of it, but the mixing of the song could should be polished.
Rating: 6
This track could have a better clarity in terms of audio quality. Besides the audio quality lacking in clarity, I will admit that this performance does not disappoint when it comes to entertaining the listener. Although some the lyrics were a bit hard to hear, due to the audio quality, I still found the few verses that were legible to be beautiful and well developed.
Rating: 5
This seems like some sort country song. I personally don’t care for it. The guitar is very tuneful and interesting. The vocals seem distinctive and rich in flavor. The lyrics are amusing and fun to listen to. The instrumentals are balanced and good to listen to. I think the audience would enjoy this song if they prefer country. I just don’t care for it.
Rating: 5
This song is reminiscent of great classics from the 70s. I love the overall sound of the song. The singer’s voice combines great with the melody for a soothing performance. The tempo of the song is soothing as well. It all meshes very well and is a positive listening experience.
Rating: 5
The drum beat at the start of this start and intro of guitar make for a pleasant listening experience. The vocalist delivers song solid lyrics. The singers voice is very soft and smooth in this track. This song makes for a great listening experience, but not the type you’d want to hear for every occasion.
Rating: 5
The drum beat has a distinct feel to it. The rhythm of the beat is off and creates no rhythm and flow. The soft vocals are calm and he doesn’t sing with anu emotion. The song lyrics are meaningful as the song goes on. The guitars sound good as they blend in from behind. The song does catches rhythm and gets better at the end.
Rating: 5
Guitar work is great. I love this man’s voice. Lyrics I can definitely relate to. The feel of the song is blues and and a little soft rock. Very different than what kind of music I’m use to but in a good way. My favorite part of the song is the electric guitar solo in the middle of the song.
Rating: 5
The drum is a bit low at the start. The vocals are also a bit low. They are clear to where you can hear the lyrics. It is a boring dong. Maybe because of the music but it was very slow and sad sounding. It did not sound very interesting. It was so slow and boring I dozed off a little. Love the country style and feel of the sond but overall it could have been extremely better. The vocalist could work on projecting his voice a bit more.
Rating: 4
The singer’s voice is wonderful and the melody was lovely. I liked the rythm of the song complemented with simple words that could easily be understood. The chorus had an easy flow to it. Whilst the song was not bad at all it seemed to fail to fully captured my attention.
Rating: 4
The songs starts of with the drums and the intro has a good length before the vocals come in. The vocals and lyrics are a bit depressing signing about “don’t let me down” and “don’t run away”, the structure of the song works well and the accompaniment instruments harmonise with the vocals well.
Rating: 3
This intro was so beautiful and led into the vocal s very well. The guitar was airy and pretty. The vocalist had a smooth, light voice that I liked a lot. I liked how his tone and how he changed his pitch when appropriate. The lyrics were also relatable and sweet. This was a nice song. That fit well in the Indie Pop genre.
Rating: 3
The intro seems very boring as it is only drums but then it seems to get better when, it progresses into the verse. I then realized that the lyrics are slow an all low pitched. To make it better i would suggest adding more tone to the pitches in the voices to make it more appealing and attractive to the listeners.
Rating: 3
The drums really do not have any rhythm. The introduction is uninteresting, the tempo of this song is slow and his vocals are dull. The guitar is too loud and there is no melody really in this song. The vocals lack tune and he is off pitch. The instrumental is apathetic and this song sounds careless. I would not expect this song to be successful
Rating: 3
I think this song has some good musical qualities, but needs a better musical arrangement. The singer has to deep of a voice in this song for the instruments that are being played. The lyrics seem quite interesting but can not be heard clearly because of the poor vocal instrumental balance. It is quite a tuneful piece, though, but could easily be improved with a more tasteful instrumental balance. The rhythm seemed to be off a little between the singer and the instruments.
Rating: 3
A bit of a slow song huh? The singer could try to make his voice stand out a little more. It is a bit hard to understand him. It does sound nice though. The lyrics are comforting and the tune is relaxing. If reworked a bit I could imagine this as an easy listening track.
Rating: 1
This song was very down and depressing in my opinion. I also did not like the singers voice at all he sounded kind of old fashion along with the song. The music also had a very mellow beat to it and was not as bad but I just feel it was not a song I would like listening again.
Rating: 0
This song is a mix of country and sounds like a upbeat sound. I don’t like it whats so ever. I would not enjoy this anywhere. The lyrics are ok but the beat makes me want to rip my ears out. The singers vocals suck too. i would not recommend anyone to listen to this song, especially if you enjoy an upbeat song. This will just ruin your mood and day.
Rating: 0
The beat at the beginning seemed as if it were from a country theme tune on birds. Personally i don’t like this type of music. The lyrics were repetitive and not catchy. The song is a more emo country song which some others are fond of and who would enjoy this song. I wouldn’t ever buy this song off itunes
Fun, right? Or is it just me? Ok, now go listen to “The Whole” and see what you think.
Photo from Angela Simpson