Ron Pope

The debate around streaming isn't as simple as "streaming versus musicians" -- as independent artist Ron Pope explains.

I’d like to start by saying this: I am an honest-to-goodness Taylor Swift fan. I’ve purchased each of her albums, I’ve seen her live, I cheer when she succeeds and find myself, almost inexplicably, personally insulted when people are unkind to her in the media. I wanted to be clear that I’m not bashing this artist whom I admire a great deal. She and I are interested in the same ends. I believe that I have a unique perspective on streaming and it’s role in the contemporary music industry, so I thought I’d take a moment to participate in this discussion while there seems to be so much interest in it.

Simply put, I believe that Taylor Swift and Scott Borchetta (president of her label, Big Machine Records) are misinformed about what streaming services are doing for emerging artists. Additionally, I feel that they are off-base in terms of what these sites mean for the future of our industry as a whole. The value of services like Spotify and Pandora within the music industry of today, and tomorrow, simply cannot be overstated. Also, it is of the utmost necessity for the continued growth of digital revenue generation that established artists participate in the building of audiences for services that pay out money for streams. For me, the explosion of streaming has proven to be yet another brick in the path towards a more democratic recording industry. I do agree that per stream royalty rates across the board are absurdly low. However, established acts removing their music from individual streaming services is not helping this fact. The media coverage on this issue has presented many of the facts regarding streaming in convoluted, confusing ways; I’m going to do my best to break down the streaming argument and explain how the music industry works for those readers who aren’t involved in the business.

Obviously, I’m not getting access to radio in the way that major label artists are. For instance, Jason Aldean (who pulled his new album Old Boots, New Dirt from Spotify) recently had a radio audience of 36.9 million listeners via 5,764 spins on US radio in one week. I haven’t had 5,000 spins on radio worldwide over the course of my entire twelve year, ten album career. Why? I’m not working with any of the large corporations, who have the power to help an artist make a real impact at radio. Over the past twelve months, I’ve had 44,560,048 spins on Spotify. In addition to allowing millions of people all over the world to access my music, those streams generated $250,867.86 (if you’re keeping score at home, that’s $0.0056 per spin). Promoting music on a global scale is overwhelmingly expensive; I’ve poured every cent of that money back into trying to share my music with new fans the world over. Since I do not have access to radio, it’s important for me to be able to reach new listeners via these more democratic channels of music consumption. Here’s an example of how this works for me; Megan likes my song “One Grain Of Sand” and says to her friend James, “Check this song out on Spotify!” There’s very little barrier to entry; James doesn’t have to pay for a download or for a subscription in order to hear my song. He clicks a button and boom, my entire catalog is available at his fingertips. If he listens to “One Grain Of Sand” and enjoys it, he can then listen to any and all of my albums. Now, instead of becoming a fan of a song, James is on his way to becoming a fan of me as an artist. While he’s doing this, he’s generating revenue (Spotify pays for every spin, even streams by users of the free, ad-supported service). For artists like myself, who lack access to traditional avenues of promotion such as radio, situations like the one I just described are an absolute boon. I’ve built a worldwide network of ravenous, devoted fans through these more grassroots channels.

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In my mind, this is not an argument about Spotify, or even about the impact of streaming as a whole; it’s about the “old music industry” versus the “new music industry.” If an artist wants the worldwide promotional strength of a major label and a big time publisher, those super powerful companies are going to take a great big cut of your pie, as they always have. It’s expensive to promote a huge album on a global scale, so it’s understandable that a label wants to be compensated for making that investment. Universal (the label who distributes Swift’s music) most likely takes a cut from her streaming revenue. Her publisher also probably gets a cut. In a conventional record deal, an artist makes between 12 and 18 percent of profits. As an independent artist, I own 100% of my masters -- the recordings of my songs -- and 100% of my publishing -- the rights to the songs themselves. When I finish a new album, I give it to Tunecore (my distributor) and they send it out to Spotify, iTunes, Deezer, and many other digital marketplaces. Tunecore distributes each of my albums for $29.99 up front, with a $49.99 yearly renewal charge. Since they don’t take a single cent on the back end, when Spotify, iTunes, or any other store owes me a dollar, I get the whole dollar. There isn’t a label or a publisher between the retailers and I. The upside of this sort of business model is obvious; I keep all the money I generate, and can use it to continue creating and promoting my music. The downside is that I simply do not have access to major, mainstream media. If Swift and Borchetta are concerned that they aren’t receiving a large enough piece of the streaming revenue that her catalog is generating, I think the first discussion that needs to be had is with her label and publisher. In a tweet earlier this year, Bette Midler said that she received $114.11 for 4,175,149 plays on Pandora. Based on what I’ve seen in my own SoundExchange reports, one million spins on Pandora generate over $1,000 for the rights holders. This means that somewhere between Pandora paying out over $4,000 and Bette Midler getting a check for $114.11, someone took a pretty sizable chunk of that money. Recording and publishing deals need to evolve with the times. I’d love to hear exactly what percentage of the two million dollars that Spotify has paid out to Swift’s team over the past twelve months actually made it’s way into Taylor’s hands.

I also want to point out that we need to be comparing apples to apples. Borchetta told Time that Big Machine received $494,044 for domestic Spotify streams of Taylor Swift’s catalog in the last 12 months. Spotify countered by saying that they have paid out over $2,000,000 to Swift’s label and publisher over the past twelve months worldwide. We have no way of knowing who took what piece along the way, because Borchetta is talking about domestic numbers and Spotify is talking about worldwide numbers.

71 million people “like” Taylor Swift on Facebook. So far, her new album, 1989, has sold around two million copies. I’d imagine that more than three percent of those people who liked her on Facebook are listening to her new record. Some people who love her have purchased the album, of course (I’m one of them). So what about those other 69 million people? Fans are illegally downloading, they’re streaming on YouTube and they’re listening on radio. These are places that generate little to no revenue. My digital sales have declined in the past twelve months much as everyone else’s have across the industry, but my overall revenue is growing, because I’m making more via Spotify and SoundExchange (my SoundExchange royalties grow as Pandora’s user base does; I’m generating 15 million streams per month through their service). Borchetta told Time that taking Swift’s music off of Spotify was meant to make a larger point. He stated that the “music industry was better off before Spotify.” He’s right in saying that the music industry was better off in 2007; I’d counter by saying that seven years before that, in 2000, the music industry was incredible! Just like we can’t go back to the year 2000, when the tenth-best-selling album of the year (the Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, which moved 7.9 million records, according to Nielsen SoundScan) sold more than the number-one-selling album of 2013 (Justin Timberlake’s The 20/20 Experience, at 2.5 million copies sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan).

We can’t go back to 2007. We have to deal with the music industry that we work in today. Fans under 25 have grown up in a world where music has always been completely free. I’d much rather my fans consume music via a service that will pay me, like Spotify, as opposed to downloading it illegally or streaming it somewhere that pays me nothing. Yes, modifying people’s behavior is challenging -- but I’m excited that a large percentage of the current paid subscriber base of Spotify began as free users. That means Spotify is, in fact, modifying the behavior of their users. Their service is taking people who are used to paying nothing for music and getting them to change their minds and spend money on art. That’s exciting news in my book.

Taylor Swift told Time that she believes her music should only be available via the “paid” portion of streaming sites, an option that Spotify doesn’t offer. I honestly believe that Spotify’s “freemium” model -- where users are offered a free service and then allowed to upgrade to a “premium” paid service -- has been working. This model is getting some people, who weren’t paying for music to, eventually, pay $120 a year for music via Spotify Premium’s $10 per month fee. Spotify also generates revenue for artists, through ads, from listeners who aren’t spending any of their own money on music. Spotify co-founder and CEO stated in a blog post that 80% of their premium users started using the service via it’s free option. These new subscribers are essentially being recruited from the base of music fans that didn’t want to pay for music. Why would any Taylor Swift fan want to sign up for that free service in the first place if they can’t access her music? By limiting access to your music to those fans who use the paid portion of a streaming service, you’re virtually guaranteeing that none of your listeners will sign up for the free service, thus negating the possibility that any of those fans might one day upgrade to a paid service. Why do I care if fans are paying for the service versus using the free option? The per stream royalty rate is higher for paid users versus ad-supported, free users. It’s in everyone’s best interest to grow the paid subscriber base of a service like Spotify.

I am honestly worried about the future of the music industry; as a result, I want nothing more than for my fans, many of whom are not accustomed to paying for music, to listen to my music in a place that may help them modify their behavior so that one day, they might pay for music. In my mind, on some small level, that’s a contribution I’m making to the future of the music business. I’m watching Spotify grow; I’ve had nearly 100 million overall plays since I put my music on their site in 2010 and nearly forty-five percent of those have come in the past twelve months.

I believe this is an important discussion and I’m excited that it is being had on the national stage. I’d love to have people who are in positions of power at Spotify, Pandora, Rhapsody, iTunes and all the other digital retailers sit down with artists and have an open, honest dialogue about what we all want and how we can get there together. I also hope that labels and publishers can be open and honest with their artists about just how much revenue is being generated via streaming. Many artists seem to be in the dark about how much money their music is creating in the digital marketplace, and just whose pockets that money is ending up in. That is a tale as old as recorded music, and it is my prayer that one day we might get past the “us versus them” ethos of the old school label-artist relationship.

Do I think that every artist should do what I’ve done and stay completely independent in an attempt to run their entire career on their own? Of course not. We’ve never seen an artist promote their own career without the assistance of a major label and/or publisher and still become a Super Bowl halftime headliner. If you want to climb that mountain, you need assistance. I am, however, extremely proud that my team and I have been proving each and every day that success is no longer an impossibility for people who are game for the challenges of true independence. The future of the music industry is being shaped as we speak; I think artists should step up and make their voices heard. - Billboard

My name is Ron Pope. I'm an independent musician, producer, songwriter, and label owner. I read the recent post on the Guardian 'Plugged In' which questioned why no independent artists are standing up and cheering for Spotify. It seemed as if they were beseeching someone like me to respond.

I want to be clear that no one from Spotify has asked me to write this article and I'm not being paid for sharing my opinion. In the past, I've heard many people complain that no one wants to talk numbers when it comes to streaming revenue; well, here are mine. My music was added to Spotify in September of 2010; through the most recent report, which runs through November 2013, I've had over 57 million plays and they've paid me out $334,636 with over $200,000 of that coming in 2013. I'm getting over a million streams in Sweden alone most months. As a result of this, I was offered a very respectable guarantee to play at the Bråvalla festival there last summer, where singalongs like this happened during every song: (youtube URL)

I have an extensive catalog; Spotify allows fans to take in all of my music so that they can become a fan of me as an artist, rather than directing them to one particular single. That's why my Swedish fans are able to sing along to songs that are eight years old the same way they sing along to songs that are eight months old. With Spotify, it's not about a single; the fans can pour over my entire catalog and follow my journey from my first album all the way through to today.

When I played in Norway in early 2012, I sold around 100 tickets; since then, my music has exploded on Spotify there. My upcoming show sold out at 450 tickets more than three months in advance. I'm seeing tangible effects from Spotify every day in my career. I can now sell hundreds of tickets in cities I'd never heard of just a few years ago. Last year, in countries where Spotify is popular, such as Norway and Sweden, I made eight times more per capital than I did in the United States. My three top countries in earnings for 2013 were the US, where there are about 317 million people, Sweden, where there are about 10 million people, and then Norway, where there are about five million people. Almost no one in Sweden and Norway are buying music; more than 97% of the revenue I'm generating in those countries comes from streaming.

I'm not going to argue about whether or not streaming canalizes sales; of course it does, and anyone who tries to convince you differently is selling snake oil and magic beans. Regardless of that fact, what I'm seeing is a marked increase in revenue because so much of my music is now being consumed by so many people. I'd argue that many of these people wouldn't have taken the opportunity to listen to me in the first place if they didn't have the option to check me out on Spotify without any initial monetary commitment. Until a few years ago, I was deriving 95% of my income from selling digital singles; if there's anyone who should be afraid of streaming, it's me. Instead, I'm watching my fanbase grow exponentially as my fans utilize social networking and streaming sites like Spotify to create an honest to goodness grassroots movement. These fans are consuming my entire catalog rather than one specific single.

At this point, standing at the gates of Spotify with an angry lynch mob waving pitchforks and torches is like people who threw up their hands eight years ago bemoaning the death of the CD. At this juncture in history, the music industry is like the Wild West; we're all trying to figure out how to exist in a volatile new place that is constantly changing. Artists, label owners, producers, all of us have to look forward, not backward, and try to learn how to exist in a streaming world. I don't know that Spotify will be the savior of the music industry and bring back the boom time 90's bonanza that this business once enjoyed, but it has certainly worked wonders for my career. I felt it was only right for me to stand up and say so. - Huffington Post

Ron Pope has been at this alone for awhile. Having released five independent solo albums, it appears Ron is ready to work with other musicians now. Recently teaming with Brooklyn-based musicians to form a backing band called The Nighthawks (Paul Hammer, Alex Foote, Andrew Pertes, Alex Brumel, Alan Markley, & Michael Riddleberger), Ron has created a team of musicians crucial to the conception of every song on the upcoming album Ron Pope & The Nighthawks. With an unorthodox presentation of songs, performing live before recording, the band has a firm grasp on how they want these tunes to sound already. This situation is is what makes the upcoming album so interesting. Ron's bluesy style and emotive lyricism coupled with a strong backing band hammer in the message he is getting across as well add even more emotional levels to the song. This is apparent on first single "Ain't No Angel".

The song is a banger. With Ron's strong voice leading the way, The Nighthawks bring an energy that matches Ron's intense lyrics. The angsty single has a definite southern rock vibe complete with gang vocals. It's an interesting first single. Aggressive and confident, Pope sings, "I want to stand on the mountain/I want to know how it feels/I want to see what the world looks like/and everybody hear can feel just what I say/I'll do it my way." It seems he is trying to take even more control of the world around him and his new band is helping him find clarity. Ron said this album is, "me going back to the roots of what made me a songwriter." It's a good first step. With intense drums, southern summer vibes, and a sing-along chorus this is driving music on a bright day. Good weather is coming and so is Ron Pope & The Nighthawks

Check out the song below, pick it up on iTunes and get ready for Ron Pope & The Nighthawks expected out this summer on Ron's own label Brooklyn Basement Records. - Baeble Music

Artists like Ron Pope are rare these days. It is not often that a talented, humble artist can write meaningful lyrics that connect with audiences. But, when one does, it is truly magical. That magic was felt when Pope, an NYU alumnus, returned to the East Village on Sept. 28 to perform at Webster Hall.
Von Grey, a synth rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, opened the show. The four members are all sisters, and their tight harmonies made their strong relationships apparent. While the synthetic drum tracks and little stage presence made the performance somewhat unexciting, the band’s unique sound captured the audience’s attention and offered a fun introduction to the evening.
The second act of the night was Frances Cone, an indie-pop band from Brooklyn. Each song was enjoyable, but the set as a whole was static, carrying the same emotion and tone throughout.
The crowd was brought to life when Pope jumped onstage to sing harmonies for one of Cone’s songs. At around 9 p.m., Pope began his three-part, 20 song set. Joining him were his bandmates, who happen to be friends he made through a songwriting circle during his time at NYU.
Pope transferred to NYU from Rutgers University to pursue music after his baseball career ended in injury. He majored in anthropology in the College of Arts and Science, while also building a following for his band The District. The District toured across the United States for two years after the members graduated. Since then, the band has recorded three albums.
Had anyone walked into the room having only heard “A Drop In The Ocean” prior to the show, they would have been pleasantly surprised by the energetic pop-rock show that ensued. The obvious chemistry between Pope and his bandmates made for a fun performance. Pope played many songs never heard before by a live audience, including “White River Junction” and “The Stage.”
During the first part of his performance, Pope brought out solo artist Alexz Johnson, who joined in on “Nothing.” Johnson showed off her soulful voice through powerful verses and blended voices for remarkable harmonies during the chorus.
As the second part started, Pope accidentally broke his electric guitar while going solo for “Hotel Room.” Left without it, his talents especially shined when he dropped the PA system and picked up his acoustic guitar for an intimate moment with the audience during his song “Perfect For Me.” The entire room was silent, except for the fans who were softly singing along.
Pope chose “A Drop in the Ocean” as his encore. There could not have been a better choice to end the night’s performance, as fans confidently sang along to his lyrics.
After the show, Pope joined the friendly crowd on the VIP deck.Pope recalled a poor review he received whe he was a student. The District competed in a Battle of the Bands on campus, and the reviewer did not like the performance.
Pope now looks back on this negative review without any embarrassment. Based on the Webster Hall performance, The District and Pope have matured into something much better than anyone could have imagined.
A version of this article appeared in the Wednesday, Oct. 1 print edition. Email Allison Stubblebine at music@nyunews.com. - Washington Square News

"Ron’s a songwriting success story built on the internet from his early days promoting his solo songs on MySpace, and it can teach other independent artists a great deal. And as we delve into his experiences, strategy and work ethic to find out what we can learn, it’s clear that it takes a lot more than just raw talent to make a living as a songwriting performer."

Full review only viewable by PDF in link - Total Guitar

Ron Pope has premiered the official lyric video for Southern Cross – the first single from his upcoming twelfth studio album.

An affectionately-crafted, Americana-drenched love song, soaked in the country rooted-musicianship of the southern states, the track marks the imminent arrival of the 31 year old’s full length follow up to last year’s Calling Off The Doors.

Titled Ron Pope & The Nighthawks, the 31 year old singer-songwriter’s latest LP was written and recorded whilst on the road and, instrumental in creating the album, were a band of fellow Brooklyn-based musicians (Paul Hammer, Alex Foote, Andrew Pertes, Alex Brumel, Alan Markley, & Michael Riddleberger) whom Pope called upon to form The Nighthawks.

As well as contributing to the song-writing process, the band performed the tracks on the road during the recording sessions, giving them the opportunity to share the finished product with their fans before anyone else got a chance to hear them.

“This is me going back to the roots of what made me a songwriter,” says Pope, who has sold over 2 million singles to date, and become something of a go-to guy for the US TV teams responsible for hunting down songs to feature on their shows. “I was trying to blow my own mind with the last album – this time I’m trying to soothe it. I want to take those songs out on the road and get them dirty, sharing them with the fans while they are still fresh and brand new rather than incubating them in a sterile environment for a long time.”

Download Southern Cross from iTunes now and watch the lyric video below. - ChartShaker

Ten albums and countless singles later, Ron Pope is still delivering music that takes us to that soft spot in our hearts. Yet, his new album, Calling Off The Dogs, offers a fresh sound that is sure to grab peoples’ attention when he performs at SXSW 2014.

With a new album set to release at the beginning of January and a world tour, Ron Pope has quite the full schedule ahead of him for 2014. Not to mention, Pope has already had a pretty hectic 2013: he recently got married, put the finishing touches on his album, and shot a music video for his single “Lick My Wounds.”

Pope’s upcoming album, Calling Off The Dogs, not only showcases his singing talent, but also highlights his capability as a writer, composer, and music producer. In Calling Off The Dogs, Pope pushes past his comfort zone of dominating vocals to create a unique sound that new and loyal fans will appreciate.

Pope tells hitthefloor.com about “Silver Spoon,” the track that ignited the entire album, stating “I was challenging myself to work outside of the confines of really basic song structure (where I usually live), and the song turned into something I’m incredibly proud of. I can’t wait for all of you to hear it!”

Hear “Silver Spoon” first at SXSWfm along with Ron Pope’s new single, “Lick My Wounds,” off of his upcoming album Calling Off The Dogs. To launch SXSWfm on your mobile device or desktop, click here. - SXSW.com

I tend to wax poetic about musicians I enjoy but Ron Pope makes it especially easy. This past weekend, Pope played the Grand Ballroom at Webster Hall, a far cry from his first performance there when he played the basement Studio. I may be biased but I always feel like Ron gives it his all whenever he performs in New York and he seemed especially happy to be back in his old stomping grounds.

The show opened with new talent Von Grey, an all-girl rock band that packed a serious punch. Despite their young age, every song they performed was anthem-worthy. “Bad B*tch” was an instant favorite based on the fact that it was an unapologetic declaration of girl power that was also catchy enough to get stuck in my head for days after.

The second band to perform, Frances Cone, has been touring with Ron Pope all year. The sound of Frances Cone is hard to describe. It’s definitely Indie pop but there’s something just a little Lady Antebellum about them too. The tracks are fun and lead singer Christina Cone’s vocals are saccharine. They’ve come a long way since the last time I saw them in January; they seem more confident and command the stage in a way they didn’t before. The highlight of their set was when Ron Pope himself ran out to sing with them.

By the time Pope took the stage the venue was filled with fans and friends alike and the energy was high. The audience was treated with a few old favorites, including “One Grain of Sand” and “You’re the Reason I Come Home”. The second half of the show was dedicated to softer tracks, the love ballads that have made Pope a favorite for lovers, such as “Perfect for Me” and “Our Song”.

In our recent interview, Pope told us that he was working on new material while on the road, some of which he played for the first time that night. The new singles are, in a word, incredible. They’re heartfelt, fun, and original in a way that is absolutely Ron. “Stage” is lyrically beautiful and features a fantastic musical arrangement. Another strong track, a duet, features the talents of singer Alex Johnson. If the clapping and full out booty-shaking are any indication, Pope’s new tracks were well received.

Unsurprisingly, Pope brought great energy to his performance, which was mirrored by the audience. However, the most touching gesture from the audience had nothing to do with enthusiastic cheering. Somewhere in the excitement, Pope managed to break his electric guitar and was forced to use an acoustic one. Afraid that the sound would be lost, he asked the audience to be “pin-drop” silence. A hush fell over the entire crowd, an incredible feat for a group that size. It’s always been my opinion that the true power of a musician isn’t just to make people scream but to render them silent. Ron Pope is definitely one of those musicians.

After the show, I able to touch base with Ron briefly to discuss what’s coming up for him in the next few months. While touring in the fall, he and his band plan to record the new album live and possibly film some of it for a documentary. He is extremely excited about his new material, saying “With the last album I was trying to blow my own mind, this time I’m trying to soothe it.” Partially written in Georgia, it is a return to his “roots” in that it feels more natural and fresh. The new album is due out by early next year and I for one can’t wait to get my hands on it. - StageBuddy

Eager butt shaking, enthusiastic guitar swinging and passionate, joint-hand clapping were just a few of Ron Pope’s unexpected body movements that excited the crowd when he performed at the High Noon Saloon Friday. I had the expectation that Pope would be a very low-key, full-of-slow-songs type of performer because he is best known for his heartbreakingly sweet love song “A Drop In The Ocean.”

In actuality, his performance was anything but expected. Most of Pope’s performance was high-energy and fast-paced. About halfway through his performance, though, all of this changed completely. He explained to the crowd that this crazier, let-loose side of him was only a part of the concert and transitioned into the start of the “second half” of his performance, a much slower and subdued part of the night. Pope’s balance between powerful, high-energy songs and soft, quiet love songs help to showcase his amazing ability to perform different roles as an artist.

The first part of Pope’s performance was intense as his voice blared through the microphone and he constantly moved around on the stage. Pope had an unexpectedly large band, which included five bandmates in addition to himself. The band members alone contributed to the high-energy performance as they crowded the stage. Pope often interacted with them throughout many of his songs. He would passionately run from one side of the stage to the other as he gathered closely with two of his other band mates and they would sing parts of the song together.

After performing his first few songs, Pope told the audience that if anyone knew the words to his songs, that they should scream them as loudly as possible. And the crowd did just that. When he performed “One Grain Of Sand,” the crowd was transfixed on him and a majority of people sang along to every word of the chorus. When he sang “October Trees,” his hands forcefully moved to the beat of the song and his body would twist as he really got into a specific melody. As the colors above him changed, Pope swayed his hips to the rhythm of the music and eagerly swung his guitar to the beat.

For the second part of Pope’s performance, Pope did a complete 360 on his audience. His band members took a break and it was only Pope and his guitar at the microphone. In this portion of the performance Pope showed a side of himself that he hadn’t shown before. As he performed “You’re The Reason I Come Home,” he stood on the stage solo, eyes closed, swaying ever so slightly to the music. Pope appeared to be in his own world, completely unaffected by the crowd around him. The crowd, feeding off Pope’s untroubled energy, quietly moved back and forth to his voice — very different from just minutes before when they had been screaming the lyrics to his songs.

Regardless of whether Pope was singing a crazy rock song or a sweet love song, he was able to completely captivate the audience. His passion for music cannot only be seen but also felt through his powerful performances. Pope’s dual dynamic only furthers his talent as an artist and exposes his ability to perform different roles. But more importantly, it showcases his ability to do this and still have an amazing connection with the audience. - Badger Herald

Last time we heard from Ron Pope, he was touring the country in support of Atlanta, a rootsy solo album that positioned him as one of the south’s newest indie-folk troubadours. Nowadays, the guy is singing a different tune. “Lick My Wounds,” Pope’s new single, is a Top 40-styled pop anthem aimed at the nightclub club, complete with a gang-vocal chorus and plenty of danceable drum loops. Pope sings the song to a girl who’s “21, but holds her liquor like a freshman,” while synthesizers swoon and cymbals crash in the background. Sure, it’s a left-hand turn from the folksy path he was traveling a few years ago… but the destination looks just as bright.

“I came up with the beginnings of ‘Lick My Wounds’ in Mexico, staring at the ocean, actively trying not to think about writing songs,” Pope tells us. “I couldn’t get it out of my head, and that’s usually a good sign with an unfinished tune. After that trip, I had some chords and a few words, but the mixed meter was kind of throwing me for a loop. When I finally found my way back to Brooklyn, I met with my bassist Kyle McCammon, because he’s got the funk. I thought the song would never get done; we couldn’t think of any words for the chorus that would continue the narrative beyond “And if looks could kill she would stop your heart.” After about two hours Kyle said, “Oh! ‘Not just a girl but a work of art.’ Of course.” And here we are!

“That song became the starting point for my new album. The record follows two people from the first instant they lay eyes on each other through the very last. ‘Lick My Wounds’ is about that first moment when you see a stranger across the room, where it’s all possibility and hope. I’d never written a song about that feeling before, so it was exciting when this one came out well.” - American Songwriter

Brooklyn singer Ron Pope has been churning out solid, self-penned rock records for close to a decade now (if you’ve got every episode of “TRL” memorized, then you may recall he performed on the show back in 2008), and he’s reeled in enough devotees to sell out major arenas in Europe and Australia and attract famous fans like Jillian Rose Reed, also known as Tamara from “Awkward.”

In fact, you may have already caught some of his tunes on “So You Think You Can Dance,” “The Vampire Diaries,” or “90210.” Also, the winner of “The Voice” Season 1, Javier Colon, released Pope’s “A Drop In The Ocean” as a single in 2012.

Ron just dropped a brand-new album called Calling Off The Dogs, which includes the Muse-meets-The Ting Tings-ish lead single “Lick My Wounds.”

The accompanying video for this catchy tune has also just arrived, and it’s, well… awkward. Why? Because it stars the aforementioned Jillian Rose Reed.

Yep. that Jillian Rose Reed.

The Brandon Nicholas-directed clip is sort of like an epic ’80s animated fantasy flick unearthed from an ancient VHS tape, filled with Disclosure-y drawn faces, flares of Illuminati symbolism for good measure, and some seriously fierce royal princess realness courtesy of Jillian.

For comic book enthusiasts and/or fans of hand-to-hand, neon paint-splattered combat under a black light (you kind of just have to watch it to understand), this one’s a real visual treat. - MTV Buzzworthy

Ron Pope has made a number of solid splashes in the music scene, landing on TV shows such as 90210, The Vampire Diaries and So You Think You Can Dance. He even has a viral music video (created by a fan) that picked up a quick 17 million views.

And so, we're excited that today Ron Pope is releasing his latest single "One Grain of Sand," and we've got the premiere for you. With a sturdy alt-country sound, I can't help but detect hints of Mumford & Sons. It's a far less intense approach, but equally as entrancing. - Indie Shuffle

This is a long overdue review, but a deserved one nonetheless, so here we go:

I’ve spoken a lot about Ron Pope before, but let’s just recap quickly. He started out the way most do - in a band that wanted to play rock and roll but didn’t seem to have an overriding direction in its life. Then, God bless cyberspace, his own Myspace page kind of made him blow up on the net based on the best content possible - his excellent music. Knowing this, I wondered just what the true measure of Pope’s online success was. The answer arrived with the release of his sixth album at the beginning of June - The New England Sessions put him into the US iTunes sales charts on the day it debuted. That’s impressive clout for a record he and two friends recorded themselves in a house in Massachusetts.

So the record - Pope says it’s the quickest one of his records has ever moved from inception, writing and recording to finishing, but the swiftness of the creation isn’t audible at any point. The New England Sessions is just what we fans want from Pope - some slow love songs, some blues-style drama, an ode to a loved father and a slice of life from his New York City days.

Don’t expect a party vibe - that’s not what Ron Pope is about. Rather pour yourself a glass of wine on a lazy afternoon and listen to the beautiful emotion imbued in the lyrics of songs like “Perfect For Me”, “Last First Kiss”, “Give You Up” and “Parts Of You”. “Stranded In Los Angeles” picks the pace up a little and is probably my favourite track on the record - I like anything that has to do with drinking in the afternoon. There are one or two tracks that I’m less than enamoured with, but since I’m about the peace and love today, I won’t focus on the likes of “I Don’t Mind If You Don’t Mind”, and I’ll just tell you what I love.

Pope’s star seems to be rising ever faster as he shot onto more radars when an older track, “You’re The Reason I Come Home” was featured on the new season of So You Think You Can Dance, and his major label debut on Universal Republic is expected soon, so get into this music while you can - we highly recommend it!
- A Thousand Guitars.Com

Soulful singer-songwriter Ron Pope (whose “A Drop In The Ocean” video garnered over 16 million YouTube views) has chosen American Songwriter to host the premiere of his new album, Atlanta. It’s good to be in the Pope’s favor!

The excellent new disc is available at iTunes tomorrow via Hard Six records, but you can preview the entire enchilada here. Watch the video for the opening track “Atlanta” here. - American Songwriter

When your sister’s pipes up and says ‘Is this Ron Pope? I LOVE him’ you know you’re in for a treat. And by jov, that it was, a momently excitingly powerful, emotive experience through and through. And I know what you’re thinking… no, he’s not a pope neither does he own one of those really cool mobiles, I don’t think.

Just like his fans have come to know, Ron Pop is a Brooklyn artist who, if you’ve ever watched such American serial dramas you’ll respond to his soothing life songs. Amazing hair aside, Ron Pope sings within a Bruce Springsteen atmosphere; like bubble that is never going to explode and with 145 singles on iTunes (other downloading sites are available) that’s hard to deny. Simultaneously Ron Pope produces everyday music with a sound that will guide you through break ups or have you smiling with each and every muscle your face allows.

Like jazzy jazz music? // ‘Lick My Wounds’ // storms on to the scene through the form of deep bass, a niggling guitar pluck and the most exciting electro sound, not to mention the catchy lyrics. Following the melody, the word pattern continues to march tactically throughout the track. Fittingly // ‘Lick My Wounds’ // could be matched to many modern songs that have gone on to be HUGE indie anthems.

Taking influence, this track shows what can happen when different genres join, each instrument has a personality that aids the distracting ambience, not to say that the singing isn’t holding attention, in fact Lick My Wounds would fit perfectly to the summer sun; the falling sunshine on the horizon of a Californian beach with casually roller-skating youths passing by. - Independent Music News

I cannot rave enough about Ron Pope. As some of you might know, we've been following his career and his music for about a year now and FINALLY got to see him live last week. Hells yeah!

The gig: Friday May 14th at Greenwich Village's Sullivan Hall.
The mood: Pope and his 5-piece band have just returned from Massachusetts where they've just finished recording Pope's new album, The New England Sessions. They are stoked about the record but I think I might be more stoked to finally be in front of their stage.


Ron Pope comes on stage. I’m not entirely sure it’s him. As per most New York clubs, there are a couple of bands on the bill tonight and I can’t see who this singer is behind his curtain of luscious hair. Seriously, it’s epic. Very similar to the style Chris Cornell has been sporting lately. But that’s not the point. It is Ron Pope who’s come on stage and we’re ready to go.

If I didn’t know any better, I’d tell you that Pope’s set list for the night must have been entitled ‘None Of The Songs That Monica Knows’. Well, almost none. But even though I could only sing along to three songs in a set that was nearly 90 minutes, it was still totally excellent for two reasons.



The first is that Pope’s emotional, subtle songs don’t do any justice to showing what a badass guitar player he is. His blues gene appears to be extraordinarily strong as he guides the band through electric guitar solos and an incendiary blues jam. It’s impressive and I hope he never loses that from his live set.
(It in fact makes his subtle music all the more effective because, even though he can, he chooses not to show off during every song.)

The second reason why Pope’s music works is because of its emotional quotient. As he slowly croons about walking alongside a river, skipping stones and thinking of you, he does it so effectively that everyone in the room gets taken in by the song and puts themselves in the position that Pope is singing about. His emotional connection with his audience members through his songs is superb.

And the third reason (even though I only mentioned two before) is his band. Songwriting partner and keyboardist, Zach Berkman is the Richie Sambora to Pope’s Jon Bon Jovi and their camaraderie is obvious to everyone watching.



As my sister proclaimed after the concert, “I knew he was untapped genius.”

Pope’s sixth record, The New England Sessions came out on iTunes on June 1st and his major label debut is expected later in the year.
- A Thousand Guitars.Com

Whether you still listen to radio, or keep up to date via music TV channels and Vevo, you’d be forgiven for thinking that every song sounds almost the same. The styles blend into each other, and the catchiest tracks have that percussive hook. The lyrics are always about being a nightclub fiend, certainly about drinking, and having that one night of lust. The songs seem to speak of nightlife being the only way to live when you’re at least 16 years old and above. Hardly memorable, and not likely to be known as anything but a summer song.. Or worthy of industry longevity – they’re the Supre of the pop world.

Last week, I had the privilege of chatting to Brooklyn singer Ron Pope, who agrees. “A lot of songs about going to the club, or going out and getting drunk aren’t successful. But the ones that are – that sing about that same activity are about the feeling.”

Ron Pope has more than 100 songs on iTunes- no small feat, and his lyrical prowess is something to behold. Google his name, or YouTube it certainly and you’ll find a myriad of covers of his breakout hit ‘Drop in the Ocean’ – featured on the Vampire Diaries, and in an immensely sad moment in 90210 (I say that because I know I was mopping up a few tears during it). You know that you’ve made your mark lyrically when it is pinned, tumbled and instagrammed. By that I mean, his lyrics are made into typographic art. Sometimes aside from sharing music; sharing lyrics alone can be meaningful on their own. When you have that; that lasts far longer than a bowl of lollies at a kids party.



His latest album is ‘Calling off the Dogs’. A story album; a melodic telling of a relationship from start, to finish. The first track released is that ‘meet cute’ story – Lick My Wounds – (see clip below) where he sings about that moment. “I had never written a song about that initial moment before. I kinda left that in the realm of ‘dance artists, and r&b artists write about that moment. It would be challenging to tell that story that didn’t feel like ‘damn girl, you’re fine you wanna go home with me tonight?”

I talked to Ron about how I loved that it was an anime-neon-ninja inspired video, where two women battle it out, one of them being his great friend Jillian Rose Reed (Tamara, sassy one-liner in MTV’s Awkward.) and its a fun companion to the song, all about that moment where you meet someone. Not in the Jason Derulo ‘Wiggle, Wiggle’ kinda way but in the ‘let’s have an adventure’ kind of way.



And I don’t ever stay out this late
But there’s something happening that made my pulse race

“Now that I see you and you seem interesting and it seems like something can happen between us (maybe) where can it go, what can happen. I think that’s a lot more exciting than hey, you’re attractive and relatively young. I’m attractive and relatively young, would you like to have sex with me?”

Lick My Wounds is an energetic start to the album; but uh.. I hate to break it to you – but this is the height of the relationship told throughout the album.

Whoops, should I preface this with a spoiler alert?

Are you like me where you listen to the singles first, and a lot. And then perhaps let the next track play. See if its your thing, if you like the opening chords, and skip until you get to the next track? Well Calling off the Dogs draws you into story. Its so visual; drawing you into this relatable relationship. A meet cute, a fresh start and adventures to go on (Empty Page) by the time Explain, Silver Spoon and Signs comes around; you are still wistful, hoping, romantic; but there’s reality setting in.

Once you get to Nothing a gorgeous, melodic duet with Alexz Johnson; well. You know the cards are on the table.

After Calling off the Dogs was released (in August of 2013) Ron got married which makes for the start of something new, and wonderful for him and his new wife. Curious as to whether or not a milestone like that changes his songwriting mind, I asked him if that changes the tone of future songs altogether? Does every day begin like the scene in (500) Days of Summer where Joseph Gordon-Levitt dances through the streets?

Okay, I might have been wearing my rose-coloured glasses there.

Ron clears this up; “I think that by the time you were, like 20 years old; most people have had enough, ups and downs and roller coaster adventures in romance. I had enough material to write about love and the different facets of relationships by the time I was 20.”

Do we think Kanye will write mushy love songs now he’s married Kim?
Hmmm..

“The other day, I wrote a song about falling in love. And then I wrote a song about hating someone. Back to back, over the course of four hours. It depends on where my mind goes on. I’ try to be open to chasing the muse wherever she ends up.”

I think that we all need to be open to that, don’t you?

That’s why I’m going to be at the Melbourne show on Sunday; ready for my muse*.
Or for any single music loving folk that may see me swaying my cat lady hips along to both Ron, and the Cam Nacson Band.

* Note I don’t have any skills in songwriting. Hopefully my muse, is blog inspiration and/or eye candy for this girl’s heart.
THE DETAILS

See Ron, and the Cam Nacson Band (supporting) on the Calling off the Dogs Tour

June 6 – Brisbane

June 7 – Sydney

June 8 – Melbourne (2 shows – one all ages, one 18+)

June 13 – Perth - Pop Coutour