Blazetrak is reshaping the industry: it changes who the creatives are & how talent can be found. Its the world’s 1st online system that allows aspiring talent to get directly in touch with established celebrity talent – specifically in the music industry—and be guaranteed a response. With a database of highly sought-after celebrity professionals who are actively recruiting talent for a variety of upcoming projects, Blazetrak users can browse opportunities and submit directly to the professional of choice, for a fee, in exchange for a guaranteed direct video response and a shot at their big break!

To get Blazetrak to the SXSW Conference this year, they’ll need 50 nominations. To nominate Blazetrak simply go to the following link: http://www.soundctrl.com/flashfwd/ and complete the form.

Nominating: Blazetrak.com
Nominee Name: Corey J. Stanford, Nate Casey & Ron Harrison
Nominee Company: Blazetrak, LLC
Nominee Website: http://www.Blazetrak.com
Nominee email: info@Blazetrak.com

Winners will be announced the 1st week in March and receive travel and lodging to the SXSW Interactive Festival and recognition at the inaugural FlashFWD event on March 16th.

You can check out the articles here:
Blazetrak in The Hollywood Reporter
Blazetrak in Billboard Magazine

The 15 most visited sites on the internet.

The 15 Busiest sites on the internet. Some of the results may surprise you, some may not. We spend a lot of time on “auto-pilot” while browsing the web, so when we check our gmail account 300 times in a day (on a slow day) - you don’t realize quite how much you are lining googles pockets. Looking at the data, it becomes clear who the real players are. No matter how much buzz surrounds sites like “Twitter”  (number 46 on the list) these are the big guys.  Its mind-boggling to think of just how many professions have been born out of these 15 sites alone.

#1 google.com - surprise surprise. Pay Per Click advertising is apparently very lucrative.

#2 Yahoo! - Microsoft eat your heart out.

#3 YouTube - Lights, Camera, wow that was a weird video. Google got this for a cool 1.65 Billion. With a B.

#4 Facebook - Myspace Shmyspace wants to add you as a friend.

#5 Windows Live - I was surprised to see this, I guess it pays to have hundreds of millions of users who don’t know how to change their home page in internet explorer

#6 MSN.com - I guess Windows 95 really had an impact.

#7 Wikipedia -  Its amazing what passes as information these days. I’m surprised Google hasn’t bought this yet!

#8 Blogger - So many people with so much to say. Uses Googles login mechanism, its just a matter of time and FTP!

#9 Myspace - It might be outdated, but its still the social network of choice for many boppers and musicians.

#10 Baidu.com - Say what? Chinas most popular search engine. A Billion reasons why this is on the rise.

#11 Yahoo.co.jp - Japans favorite site to find….something. Learning Japanese is on my list  for 2020.

#12 google.co.in - Google India. Again a booming population recently introduced to the interwebs!

#13 google.de - Uber cool german version of google Suche im gesamten Web, in deutschsprachigen sowie in deutschen Seiten. 

#14 QQ.COM -  QQ is the most popular free instant messaging program in Mainland China, and the world’s third most popular IM service.

#15 Microsoft Corporation - The only listing in “BLUE Screen” blue. The end. CTL ALT DELETE!

Now its time for me to contribute to googles number one ranking again and again and again.

- Dion

Follow me on Twitter @dionroy

AMP3 Twitter : @AMP3pr

AMP3 PR is a full service public relations agency.

“I wondered: could a human-like object traverse sidewalks and streets along with us, and in so doing, create a narrative about our relationship to space and our willingness to interact with what we find in it? More importantly, how could our actions be seen within a larger context of human connection that emerges from the complexity of the city itself? To answer these questions, I built robots.”  

I highly recommend reading more about this study at
 

Not only did I find this study  interesting, but the robots are so adorable! 

New Yorkers (New York City) are notorious for their “you’re on your own, get out of my way” attitude, but  from this study one can see that some people are still willing to take their iPod earbuds out and interact:

Checkout these empathetic New Yorkers helping the lost little tweenbot 

The tweenbot created a powerful network that united New Yorkers to help it along the way. Those who came in contact with the robot during its struggle were willing to help it reach its goal (getting to the designated destination noted on the flag). Clearly, humans today feel more connected with technology than ever before. Should we expect this with human to human interaction or, did the passerby’s only help because they were curious about the lost little tweenbot in the big city.

Public Relations is all about making your clients look good.  So on a day like April Fool’s, where everyone’s a target, we stay on edge to make sure no prank goes too far.

But with that said, there are certainly some fun and harmless ways you can enjoy the day, even in a city like New York where the hustle and bustle never stops.

I found a delightful YouTube video that illustrates some of the simplest and easiest pranks you can pull on your loved ones that won’t cause permanent damage (to the human body or any property).

Just be forewarned that any pranks you may play could come back to haunt you.

At the very least, enjoy this adorable video that came my way of father trying to rile his whole family up…

AMP3’s resident social networking site, RipLounge.com, recently hosted a contest via SonicBids to find new music to add to its roster.  With three distinct rooms in which 3-D avatars and mix and mingle, winners from three different genres—Top 40 and Rock, Hip Hop and R&B, and Techno/Electronica—were selected from a slew of entrants.

We wanted to take a bit of time to get to know the winners, get their thoughts on what an opportunity like RipLounge.com offers them, and what else they’ve got planned in the future.

Top 40 winner Stealing Jane is an 8-man band based in Long Island, NY that defies genres by combining rock, pop, funk, and soul into their sound.  We were able to chat with three of the guys, Bunce, Bryce, and Andrew, to pick their brains.

Here’s what they had to say:

AMP3:  How did you hear about the “Rock at RipLounge - VIP Playlist 2009″ Contest?

BUNCE:  A friend who is also in a band and told us to check it out the contest and referred it to me, and it turned out to be a great opportunity.

AMP3:  What do you think about the social networking site, RipLounge?

BRYCE:  It’s really cool; I like that the avatar creation is so personalized.

BUNCE: Yeah, definitely the most appealing 3-D social networking site. The graphics are great and it’s really easy to use and navigate through, unlike some other sites.

AMP3: What other ways do you go about promoting your music?  Which do you find to be most effective?

ANDREW:  Well since we’re a band of 8 people, we have the option of going to different concerts and handing out CD samplers and fliers to people who we think would really dig us.

BRYCE: We try to be in all places at once.  It’s tough, but we have eight guys to keep up with it.  We also try to keep an active presence on YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, Purvolume, Virb, and a whole bunch of other social media sites.  I find that some are better for finding new fans, such as Purvolume and YouTube, and others are better for keeping in touch with the fans we have like MySpace and Facebook.

BUNCE: We also have an amazing Street Team that helps us with pretty much all of this.  We really wouldn’t be where we are without them.

AMP3:  If you could describe your music in just a few words, what would they be?

BUNCE:  Powerful, passionate alternative rock with a horn section.

AMP3:  What are you working on now?

BUNCE:  Right now, we’re continuing the writing process while the songs we previously recorded get their final touches in the mixing stage. We are also booking short tours around the north east to keep stirring up the fan base and spreading the live show magic.

AMP3:  What’s next?

BRYCE: We’re making a shift from focusing on writing to getting back on the road.  We know that the best way to stay in touch with the fans and to make new ones is to play, so we’re really looking to get out with our new songs and show ‘em off!

You can check out Stealing Jane at www.stealingjane.com.

*****

Techno/Electronica winner ellee ven has been on the scene for years, with her “Groovetronics” music spreading via DJ play and word of mouth.  Hailing from LA, she’s know for her tracks that get people up and moving.

Here’s what ellee ven had to say:

AMP3:  How did you hear about the “Rock at RipLounge - VIP Playlist 2009″ Contest?

EV:  Through SonicBids.

AMP3:  What do you think about the social networking site, RipLounge?

EV:  I think it’s super fun.  I wish more of my friends were on it, but I’m sure that’ll change soon enough!

AMP3:  What other ways do you go about promoting your music?  Which do you find to be most effective?

EV:  Well I’m on lots of social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace.  I also throw free/artsy events. I like to give my audience as much of an experience as possible.  I also have some great, cheap promotional items that keep me on a would-be fan’s mind; things like pencils, notepads, magnets, bottle openers…  Stickers and things like that are good for branding but people are more likely to keep the thing they can use.

AMP3:  If you could describe your music in just a few words, what would they be?

EV:  I describe it as GROOVETONICS: it makes you move and lifts the mood.

AMP3:  What are you working on now?

EV:  Getting my songs heard!  I am always writing and have a couple of good ones in the works, but I have no new album release date.  

AMP3:  What’s next?

EV:  Touring and creating some videos for my album DANGEROUS DIVERSION.  Then probably another album.

You can check out more from ellee ven at www.elleeven.com.

*****

Hip Hop and R&B winner DANNA also hails Long Island, NY, but showcases her Hip Hop and R&B vocals in her self-written songs.  Coming from a family of musicians, singing has always been DANNA’s passion, and with her five-octave vocal range, she’s sure to make you feel it.

Here’s what DANNA had to say:

AMP3:  How did you hear about the “Rock at RipLounge - VIP Playlist 2009″ Contest?

DANNA:  I heard of “Rock at RipLounge - VIP Playlist 2009″ contest through Sonicbids.com.

AMP3:  What do you think about the social networking site, RipLounge? 

DANNA:  I think the site is an excellent way to meet new people that you have something in common with; since RipLounge has such a big focus on music, it’s a great place to exchange ideas about the music business, to network, and to possibly form collaborations.

AMP3:  What other ways do you go about promoting your music?  Which do you find to be most effective?

DANNA:  Aside from promoting on SonicBids.com/danna, I also promote my music on myspace.com/dannamusic88, showcaseyourmusic.com/danna as well as playing live gigs.  I think promoting yourself online as well as doing live shows are both effective ways of letting the general public know who you are.

AMP3:  If you could describe your music in just a few words, what would they be?

DANNA:  A description of my music would be: R&B/Pop with a trippy, soulful edge: just like my reality!  I’m working on a concept album so the songs on the site are just a little taste of what’s to come.

AMP3:  What are you working on now? 

DANNA:  At the moment, I’m writing a song called “Jealous.”

AMP3:  What’s next? 

DANNA:  I’m in the process of signing with a great personal manager.  Next, I will finish recording my album and my manager will shop it and get me signed to a great label!

*****

To hear any of the winning artists, visit RipLounge.com or their sites listed above.

Jackie for AMP3pr.com

@JackieBrook

PR is all about those lightbulb moments

I realized on a recent trip to Florida that most people don’t really understand the function of Public Relations.  This came about as I had to explain my job as a publicist to some elderly companions celebrating my great-uncle’s 85th birthday.

The quick answer I generally give is, “I help people with something to promote promote it.”

That’s actually a terrible answer and doesn’t really do me much service with respect to getting people to actually understand what Public Relations is and why it’s important.

PR, as defined by Wikipedia, is “the practice of managing the flow of information between and organization and its publics.”

That’s a junk definition (not that mine was better), so I’m going to break it down a bit more thoroughly.

The function of Public Relations, regardless of the niche–doesn’t matter if it’s Music PR, Fashion PR, Book PR, PR PR, whatever–is to make sure a client’s newsworthy product or service is made known to the public via all possible media outlets.

As glamorized as PR has become through Samantha Jones and that  Lizzie Grubman MTV “reality” show, there’s a lot of work and innovation that goes into a successful PR campaign, and into being a successful publicist.

Between establishing a campaign that will ensure the highest degree of success, there’s also maintaining relationships with media professionals, networking (whether it’s on Twitter at an event or otherwise), and general maintenance, someone working in PR is working constantly.  PR would be a different beast if it were just three martini lunches and two-cheek kisses; the fact of the matter is there is always a new angle or a new contact to reach out to, so there is always work to be done.

My re-defined definition of what I do may be a little wordier, but I think it better encompasses what someone working in Lifestyle PR actually does: I represent a wide variety of clients and work to make sure that the right people are talking to and about them in a positive way.  Publicists are communicators, figuring out the most effective way to let people know what they need to know, and then doing it as efficiently as possible.

Jackie for AMP3pr.com

@JackieBrook