In the fifth grade, I wore a one glove to school for a solid week. In the summer. And I lived in New Orleans. I wanted one of those zipper-laden jackets so bad, but they were expensive. So I rolled up the sleeves on my Members Only jacket, so everyone could see my glove instead. Michael Jackson became a part of me, just like he did with millions of others around the globe.
Thriller became the best-selling album of all time, and produced seven number one hits. The Thriller video turned music videos into an art form and upped the ante for every video production to follow. The moonwalk solidified his status as a world-class performer and turned Michael Jackson into a pop-culture god.
Michael Jackson authored “We are the World,” a humanitarian sensation that set the bar for every music benefit that has ever followed. He expressed his compassion, understanding and frustration of the human condition with “Black or White,” and “Man in the Mirror,” among other titles.
Michael Jackson’s impact was felt deep in the music industry too. He introduced introduced legions of new fans to Motown. He even headed the Recording Industry Association of America at one time.
No matter what anyone thinks about Michael Jackson the man, his impact as an entertainer, a musician and a music icon cannot be denied. His fame spanned the globe and his music reached more people than ever before, or ever after.
The closest I ever came to Michael Jackson was his exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (he came in at #4 on our list). But like many others, I still felt like he was a part of my childhood and my makeup as a music fan.
Twitter exploded with the news of Michael Jackson’s death on Thursday, June 25, 2009. It’s where many fans expressed their thoughts and memories of The King of Pop. Below are some eulogies from fans and colleagues. Leave a comment below to share your own thoughts.
LudaJuice: (rapper Ludacris) If it were not for Micheal Jackson I would not be where or who I am today. His Music and Legacy will live on Forever. Prayers to the fam R.I.P.
SnoopDogg: Rip Mj gotta show you some love…blazzn live on ustream http://bit.ly/6Agaw
Snoop streamed video of himself paying tribute to Michael Jackson, in his own way.
MCHammer: I will be mourning my friend , brother, mentor and inspiration. He gave me and my family hope. I would never have been me without him.
JesseJstreet: Still in shock over MJ, despite all of his troubles, I have been and always will be a big fan of his music. Lots of childhood memories.
ChrisBlake: 1st heard Billie Jean in 5th grade. I had a big portable headphone radio that I shared with a classmate so she could hear too.
SolangeKnowles: I honestly don’t think I can handle this right now. Why does it feel like family? My heart is really hurting.
QtipTheAbstract: (Q-Tip) no one better than brotha mike .. http://bit.ly/icWZI
BritneySpears: He was a wonderful man and will be greatly missed. -Britney
SoSoulfull: crying and listening to ‘Gone Too Soon’ by Michael Jackson http://ifly.by/lOt
Amanda8Murphy: In shock! 2 legends gone. Farrah struggled always to be herself. Michael Jackson struggled always to be someone else. Oh wow…
LilyRoseAllen: (Lily Allen) No fucking way
pandora_radio We’re not getting much work done over here. Standing around talking about Michael Jackson and feeling shocked.
RadioMilwaukee: I have to say, I’m truly amazed by all the love for Michael Jackson on twitter. That shows the impact of the man and his music.
One of the great things about Twitter is that it gives the feeling of being connected with hundreds, even thousands of people without ever actually meeting them. And if there’s one thing any fan wants, it’s to feel connected to their favorite bands. And as a band, you want your fans to feel close to you, but you clearly can’t meet them all.
If you don’t yet know about Twitter, at the bottom of this post is a short video showing how to get started and use it. It’s very easy to set up, and once you’re up and running, you can make updates (or ‘tweets’) in seconds. Suddenly you’re instantly connected with your fan base and you’ll find that they will go a long way in getting the word out about anything you want. You can even make quick updates from your phone via text message – perfect for when you’re touring.
Without further ado, and in no particular order are 10 tips to help you use Twitter, promote your band, and connect with fans like never before.
- Tweet a Song. When someone is following you on Twitter, they see your updates. So, if you tweet a link to a new song (or a live performance of a fan favorite) you might find that one of your followers “retweets” the post to their followers, who are not following you, and therefore did not see your tweet. Now those followers, who might not have known about your band, can hear your song. You might just make some new fans.
- Be Active. Your fans want to know what you’re up to – that’s why they’re fans. Update regularly – even if it’s just once a week or so. It goes a long way to making your fans feel connected. Not many bands are terribly active on Twitter, so it’s an excellent opportunity to dominate the space.
- Follow Fans Right Back. The only other thing more annoying than following a band that doesn’t update is seeing a band with 10,000 followers but only follow 3 people back. Go ahead and follow your fans, you have nothing to lose. What’s more, they will brag to their friends that their favorite band is following them, prompting even more followers.
- Get Personal. Don’t be afraid to add a little personality. Usually when I see tweets that say something like “I’m eating a cheeseburger, and it’s good,” I consider it a waste of my screen space. But something like that from a band (or any celebrity for that matter) takes on a different meaning. It humanizes the experience and gives some personal insight into a normally distant relationship between band and fan. Twitter is an excellent way to make people feel like they know you – take advantage of it.
- Update About Recent Performances. Your fans want to know about a show you just did. It’s not only a great way to stay in touch, but also to let followers know how much you enjoyed the crowd and their city. You know how when you mention a city’s name during a performance and everyone goes nuts? Same thing applies with Twitter.
- Announce Upcoming Tour Dates and Appearances. Recently announced tour dates have a way of spreading through Twitter (and consequently all over the Web) and give followers and fans a sense of urgency. Will you be featured on TV or radio soon? Tell ‘em.
- Give Away Some Tickets. Want to make friends fast? Consider giving away a pair of tickets to your followers. Start by announcing that you plan on giving away tickets soon. You’ll see a deluge of new followers. Then follow through by selecting a random follower(s) to receive free tickets to an upcoming show. Make sure to make a post after the fact, telling the rest of your followers that a winner was chosen and call out the winner with an “@” link, like this: Thanks everyone for the great response to our ticket giveaway! @TheMikePhillips is the winner!
- Give Away a Free Download. In the same way as giving away tickets, give followers a free song download every now and then. When a fan sees that you occasionally give away a free tune, they will tell their friends and you’ll end up with a quickly growing list of follwers.
- Run A Poll. Let’s say you have an upcoming gig in Chicago. Send out a tweet polling your followers, asking which song they would like to hear at your next concert. Take the one with the highest votes and jam it during the gig. Do this and you will get instant credibility with your fans. You’ll also get some media attention, guaranteed. PollDaddy has an excellent tool for polling Twitter users.
- Be Real. In the end, we’re talking about music – a very personal experience for everyone. Treat your followers like you would treat a friend, or a fan you just met in your local pub. Twitter lets you share your life and experiences with many, many people, all at once and from a “safe” distance. It’s easy, it’s fast, and it can make a big difference in how fans connect with you and your band.
Follow me on Twitter, at Twitter.com/SoundCitizen
UPDATE: We found another cool Twitter tool called Twaud.io. Check it out.
(Video after the jump) It’s time to close the books on 2008. It’s been a good year – there was plenty to see, some great new releases and some good tours. We asked some readers about their favorite concerts of 2008 and we got back a variety of responses. Posted here are some of your answers. Thanks to everyone who responded and, if you didn’t, we’ll be polling the audience more in 2009 so don’t miss out on the next one! If you think we missed out on some great shows, leave a comment below. And if you have any questions, or if you would like to submit future concert or album reviews, please send us an email. Have a great time this New Year’s Eve – if you head to a show to celebrate, send us a review!
What was your favorite concert of 2008? Who, where and why?
bstanley, of Chicago, Illinois says, “Cold War Kids at The Vic because they are wildly entertaining, the music was electric & I had some great company +free tix!”
amykchulik, of Chicago, Illinois says, “I would say Bloc Party’s Lolla after-show at House of Blues – they were into it, audience was into it – huge energy.”
justinpward, of San Franscisco, California says, “Favorite concert of 2008 was easily The Whigs, Yo La Tengo and My Morning Jacket at SXSW. Second row. Epic.”
smussyolay, of Chicago, Illinois says, “James @ Vic. Tim Booth is completely captivating as a lead singer. Might’ve been best show I’ve seen in last five yrs.”
tiffany83, of Houston, Texas says, “New Kids on the Block. Haha. It was the only one I attended in 2008. Brought back fond memories of my childhood. 
”
FoxBrownFox, of Chicago , Illinois says, “Without question the best concert I saw this year was Badu – New Amerykah. she rocks so damn hard it hurts.”
TheLocalTourist, of Chicago, Illinois says, “Taste of chaos at the Aragon. Some of my fave bands! Venue bad acoustics, but historic.”
Note: Taste of Chaos featured Atreyu, Avenged Sevenfold, Bullet For My Valentine, Bless The Fall, Idiot Pilot, and others.
phogtom, of Windsor, Ontario, Canada says, “You Say Party, We Say Die! at Phog Lounge in Windsor, Ontario. Nutty, dancing awesomeness in an intimate venue!”
Kelly, of Denver , Colorado says, “Snoop Dogg in a small bar up in Aspen. Self explanatory!”
Meg!!! <333, says, “Avril Lavigne’s Best Damn Tour. The effects, her voice, everything blended perfectly.
kelody says, “If I had to pick just one it would be The Academy Is…‘ Bill and Trav’s Bogus Journey Tour at the House of Blues, Anaheim, California. William Beckett’s voice is captivating and you can’t ignore their stage presence. At the end I felt so exhilarated that I only played their songs for weeks.”
Sound Citizen’s TheMikePhillips, of Chicago, Illinois says, “Tough question, so I’m going to cheat. The Raconteurs at Lolla – one of the best shows I’ve seen 2008 or otherwise. Some serious talent there. And The Kooks at the Vic – great talent, high energy and just a good time.”
Note: Video below is “Sway,” from the Kooks show.
