Social media is beyond the craze of the day. You can’t turn a corner online without hearing the latest social media trend, craze, site, testimonial or campaign. In this article, Greg Rollett weighs the benefits of indie artist music advertising and also provides a variety of resources for doing so.

It’s a question that so many songwriters that are just starting out will ask themselves: “Should I sell my music or give it away for free?” You may be thinking, why would you give it away?! If you want to make music your career, then you need to make music make you money! But maybe there’s another side to this argument. When reality and passion have their say, you may find your goals of a success have a new twist.

Open mic nights at local bars, coffee shops, libraries, and other places are a great outlet for songwriters looking for an easy way to take their music to a receptive audience. If you’re a newbie to public performance then playing some open mics when you’re just starting out is a must. If you’re a more experienced gigger, you might use open mics to try out your latest songs on a real audience, or use your open mic performance to promote an upcoming full set performance in the area, or at the same bar. Here’s a list of some of the best go-to resources for finding a great open mic.

This week’s links roundup is all things design and art related to the music world. Artwork, graphic design, and photography play a huge role in the presentation and appreciation of music. From concert promotion, cover art, web design, band photography, t-shirt design, you name it… great design matters. Here’s a batch of links to get your creative ideas flowing.