Every month we feature one member from our community to share their inspiring story so we can learn more about them and their contributions to the industry. This month we had the opportunity to speak with industry pro and independent artist, Mike Warner!

Hi Mike, it’s great to have you as our community member spotlight this month! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I was born in Australia, and I’m  one of the leading experts in the world of streaming music. I work as both a freelance label consultant and as the Director of Artist Relations at Chartmetric. These jobs have allowed me to develop and execute strategic digital campaigns for both major and independent clients.

I’m a best-selling author as well as a public speaker and I’ve shared my insights on every stage, from guest starring on numerous podcasts and appearing live on CNBC to speaking at the music industry's largest conferences including SXSW, NAMM, and ADE. 

After the success of the first edition of Work Hard Playlist Hard, I have expanded the world of WHPH into a full online educational portal workhardplaylisthard.com and a podcast series called Streamline With Mike Warner. 

I’m also an independent artist and I understand the challenges facing artists today better than anyone. As a bit of a rebel and an obstinate supporter of independent artists, I continue to be unrelentingly passionate about empowering musicians with the tools they need to succeed. As an educator, author, speaker, executive, and leader, my work has given me recognition among my peers as the go-to authority at the forefront of the digital music world.

Wow! You have so much valuable experience in the industry. Can you give us some background on how you got into the music scene? How did you first start your journey?

I've been a music lover from a very young age and got into DJing first and foremost. From there I wanted to tour and play in other states and cities so I got into music production. Fast forward to wanting to start a new project and no record labels being interested, my friends and I decided to go independent. That led me to research streaming music and so many other strategies and documenting the entire process. Over time people started asking me for advice and eventually that led to me writing a book. Now I work with a company called Chartmetric that provides music data and analytics for the industry and I continue to release books, podcasts, and anything else I can do to share what I've learned with other artists. 

Awesome! It sounds like you’ve been a part of some very important projects. Can you tell us about some of the most exciting and meaningful projects you’ve worked on?

Honestly, the most exciting and meaningful ones I've done, I did not do for money but I also did not do it for any clout or bragging rights. It's amazing how many things happen through direct messages or a quick email introduction and what that can do to help someone else and their career.

Helping artists is our main goal, so we couldn’t agree more. Let’s talk performing - if you were given the opportunity to perform at any venue, anywhere, where would it be and why?

I would have to say Red Rocks, just because I've never been there and it looks like such an incredible venue.

It is, and we’d love to see you there! What do you love most about connecting with your fans?

I just love meeting people and learning from them. While I may be sharing a lot of this information, I also enjoy listening and hearing from others because everyone thinks differently and has different things that work for them.

That’s awesome. Do you have a favorite Bandsintown for Artists feature and can you tell us what you love about it and why?

I love the fact that artists can directly message their fans, this is something that has been asked for by many artists and it's wonderful to see that you allow them to directly communicate messages to their fans.

Thank you for your time, Mike! Is there anything else you would like your fellow community members to know about you?

I would like to support the community in any way I can. If anyone has questions, or would like me to do a video walk-through, write an article or create a podcast episode on a specific topic or question please let me know. I do this in my spare time and it's my way of giving back, so please feel free to ask.

To connect further with Mike directly, you can find him in the Bandsintown Artist Community or through the links shared below.

Next month, we’ll choose another member to spotlight, so stick around!

Bandsintown - www.bandsintown.com/a/1036170-date-night

LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/askmikewarner 

YouTube - www.youTube.com/askmikewarner 

Instagram - www.instagram.com/askmikewarner/

Facebook - www.facebook.com/workhardplaylisthard