Berklee Blogs

First-hand accounts of the Berklee experience

Tag: music industry (Page 1 of 22)

music industry

The Puzzle of the Music Industry from a Multi-Platinum Songwriter

On November 9th, the Berklee Music Business/Management Department, in collaboration with the Songwriting Department, had the pleasure of hosting Sam Hollander, a multi-platinum songwriter and author of the book 21-Hit Wonder: Flopping My Way to the Top of the Charts. Hollander has written with many artists, including Carole King, Panic! At The Disco, blink-182, Katy Perry, One Direction, and Train. He sat down with Professor Ralph Jacodine (Music Business Department) and Assistant Chair Jonathan Perkins (Songwriting Department) to discuss the ups and downs of his songwriting career. 

As a child, Hollander was constantly listening to music on records, and he eventually decided to pursue a career as a songwriter and producer. As much as he loved creating music, the beginnings of his career did not go as planned. Hollander spoke about his experience attending college at Temple and NYU, getting signed by a record label, and then getting dropped all in his early twenties. Despite this defeat, he was determined to continue chasing music. He wanted to keep creating music until something clicked, so he took on various gigs such as making song remixes, ringtones, and even Kidz Bop Records. He was determined to make at least one hit, because, as Hollander puts it, “If I have 1 hit, I’ll have 100 hits.” His career really took off after he invested in an opportunity to produce, master, and mix for Fall Out Boy. After his work topped the charts and the record went gold, he gained more opportunities to work with artists like We the Kings, blink-182, and Train. He also shared his creative process with the audience, explaining how he gets up early every morning to brainstorm and write new lyrics, melodies, or even just unique song titles. 

Hollander learned a lot throughout the course of his career, and he had lots of wisdom to share with the Berklee community. He talked about music industry trends and advised students to “always keep an eye on where things were progressing and try to stay one step ahead of it.” For the producers, he talked about doing research on the recording artist by watching interviews or reading the press before entering a session. Most importantly, he encouraged solo singer/songwriter students to continue pushing themselves musically, even if it seems like everyone else is succeeding first. In Hollander’s words, “Your moment happens when it’s supposed to happen.” 

Read more about Hollander’s journey in the music industry in his new book, 21-Hit Wonder: Flopping My Way to the Top of the Charts, available on Amazon on December 6th. Sam wrote it to help aspiring musicians, songwriters, and producers learn about survival, endurance, hustle, and the importance of laughing even on the worst days of the journey. He is donating 100% of his book proceeds to the charity, Musicians On Call, a nonprofit that brings live and recorded music to the bed-sides of patients in healthcare facilities. 

Pursuing a Passion in Music: Jerilyn Sawyer

By Shantell Ogden B.M. ’05

Jerilyn Sawyer

Jerilyn Sawyer

For Jerilyn Sawyer, the path to a job in the music industry working first for CTK Management, and now her own management company, Sawyer & Garner, has been paved with passion for music and excellence. She started singing at age 7, and after many years of performing, writing, and recording songs, she believed the next natural step would be attending Berklee.

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Here’s What I’ve Learned

I have one week left. The nostalgia is already kicking in. Here’s one last post!

Although I did something literally every single day, all summer, I still know there is so much more to do in Los Angeles. Here, I felt like a tiny fish in a massive ocean, with endless opportunities and experiences to discover. I’m truly looking forward to my future career, and my experiences here have affirmed my hope that I will be successful in following my dreams.

Friday fun at Tunecore!! I wanted to get everyone in the office, but some of them snuck out before Katie got out her selfie stick..

Friday fun at Tunecore!! I wanted to get everyone in the office, but some of them snuck out before Katie got out her selfie stick..

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So Much to Say, So Much to Learn

 Hey everyone,

Time is moving so quickly here. It’s crazy. I feel like there is so much more to learn! I mean, there is obviously so much more to learn, but it’s more that I don’t want to leave LA before I learn it! There are moments where I feel like the task I’m doing may not be teaching me anything, but then I get home, and I have so many thoughts and questions. My mind is racing constantly. Maybe it’s just me that’s crazy… hm. 

One of my bosses, Lucas Vidal, wrote the score for Fast & Furious 6, The Quiet Ones, Nobody Wants the Night, The Raven, and more!

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My First Month Interning in Los Angeles

Hey everyone,

The picture above is me sitting in my office, on the phone with an important client. Just kidding. My supervisor and I thought it would be funny to start off my posts with a joke. I work in a cubicle, and don’t talk to clients. But hey, I still have two months left here 😉

I’m Christina, and I’m about to enter my last two semesters of school at Berklee. Crazy how time flies. Up until now, I was double majoring in Music Business & Film Scoring. Starting in the fall, I’ll officially be switched over to Music Business & Pro Music (focusing on film scoring and composition). I made the switch because while I love film scoring, and movie scores – they are one of the main reasons I decided to pursue music in college – I’ve learned a lot about myself in the last year. I’ve realized that I am not the type to be able to sit alone and write. I wish I was, but I am stimulated and excited by leading projects with a lot of moving parts and people. I love planning, coordinating and networking. Which is why I’m hoping to find my place in the film industry, but from a more behind the scenes role. 

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