the TrueFans AMP— Issue 117

“Labels don’t do artist development anymore. They expect you to arrive at the party with your sound, your audience, and your brand already in place.”
— Ariel Hyatt

“It’s what separates professionals from hopefuls. Pros build systems. Hopefuls chase virality.”
— Tony van Veen

In This Issue... 18 pages (about 27ish minutes to read) You'll Get... 

• Recommends— Read the PS from PS, TrueFans CONNECT™, in this issue

• Your BIZ— From Buzz to Bond: Building a Sustainable Music Career a  Conversation with Ariel Hyatt & Tony van Veen

• the Greatest Singer Songwriters of All Time— Bobby Hart: the Unsung Maestro of Pop Songwriting

• in partnership with Symphonic 

• Feature Article— How to Use Crowdfunding to Launch Your Next Project by Randi Zimmerman from Symphonic

• PS from PS— TrueFans CONNECT™

Here’s the playlist

• Recommends— Read the PS from PS, TrueFans CONNECT™, in this issue

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• Your BIZ— From Buzz to Bond: Building a Sustainable Music Career
A Conversation with Ariel Hyatt & Tony van Veen (Adapted for TrueFans AMP™ from Tony van Veen’s Indie Music Minute video— watch the full 19-minute interview here)

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A Meeting of Two Artist-First Minds
When Tony van Veen, CEO of Disc Makers, sits down with Ariel Hyatt, founder of Cyber PR Music, it’s not just talk. It’s a head-to-heart about how artists actually survive today.

Hyatt, one of the most respected digital-music strategists in the business, has been helping artists find fans since before “social media manager” was even a job. Her new book, From Buzz to Bond, distills decades of experience into a single mission:

“A career is built on connection, not on numbers.”

THE BUZZ TRAP
Streaming and social platforms have re-wired how artists think about success.

“Everybody’s been trained to believe they need 100,000 followers or a million streams,” Hyatt says. “And that’s created a terrible illusion. If you don’t have massive numbers, you think you’re failing.”

Tony adds:

“Artists are skipping the slow, hand-to-hand work of building a fan base. It’s harder than ever— but it’s still the only way it works.”

Ariel’s point: Buzz metrics are surface-deep. Bond metrics are soul-deep.

“Spotify numbers, playlisting campaigns, meta ads— all of that is buzz. Buzz looks good on a screen. Bond pays your bills.”

WHAT REAL SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE
Success doesn’t mean superstardom. Hyatt redefines it.

“Maybe you just want to play locally, five or six shows a year, and keep your day job. That’s fine. The goal isn’t full-time. It’s sustainable.”

A sustainable career is one where your art supports your life— and your life supports your art.

STEP 1: KNOW WHO YOU ARE (AND WHO YOU’RE FOR)
“Who am I?” sounds simple— but few artists ask it deeply.

“You have to understand what differentiates you from the 120,000 tracks uploaded to Spotify every day.”

That starts with:

“Are you funny? Angry? Nurturing? Serious? Your voice should come through in everything— your songs, your socials, your visuals.”

And forget “everyone is my audience.” Hyatt insists that clarity beats universality every time.

Ariel Says

“Labels don’t do artist development anymore. They expect you to arrive at the party with your sound, your audience, and your brand already in place.”

STEP 2: OWN YOUR AUDIENCE
“Mark Zuckerberg doesn’t own it. Google doesn’t own it. ByteDance doesn’t own it. You own it.”

That’s Hyatt’s rally cry for independence.

Owning your audience means building and controlling your direct connections— email addresses, text lists, mailing lists— so no algorithm can take them away.

“It’s the not-sexy stuff,” Ariel laughs, “but it’s the difference between a rented audience and a real one.”

Tony chimes in:

“It’s what separates professionals from hopefuls. Pros build systems. Hopefuls chase virality.”

Try This Now

“You have to lay the buckets out to catch the rain,” Hyatt says.

STEP 3: EDUCATE YOUR FANS
Many fans genuinely believe that streaming helps artists in a big way. It doesn’t.

“Your audience may think streaming your song 25 times helps you. They don’t realize you make less than ten cents.”

One of Hyatt’s clients posted his Spotify Wrapped stats: 48,000 streams. He asked followers to guess his earnings. They guessed thousands. The real number: $150.

“People were shocked,” she recalls. “After that, they started buying merch and tickets. Once fans know the truth, they want to help.”

Transparency builds trust— and trust builds income.

STEP 4: BOND BEATS BUZZ
The entire industry is talking about Superfans.

Hyatt smiles:

“I’ve been saying this for 20 years. Since Kevin Kelly’s 1,000 True Fans came out, I haven’t changed my tune.”

Superfans are the backbone of sustainability. They buy, share, show up, and stay. And it takes roughly five touchpoints before a casual listener becomes one.

Consistency and care turn attention into affection.

“Moving your sign-up link to the top of your site isn’t enough,” Hyatt says. “You have to nurture relationships. Repetition builds recognition; recognition builds trust.”

Tony Says

“This is the real work— converting attention into affection.”

STEP 5: CHECK YOUR ALIGNMENT
Every post is part of your brand.

“If your voice is angry punk but your feed is cupcakes, something’s off,” Hyatt says.

“If your songs are tender and introspective but your posts are sarcastic memes, that’s confusing.”

Alignment across your music, message, and media creates trust. Every image, lyric, and caption should sound like it came from the same artist.

STEP 6: CAPTURE & CONVERT
Hyatt calls it Capture Bucketing— setting up clear, easy places where fans can opt in.

“Half the artist sites we review hide the email sign-up in the footer,” she sighs. “Fans won’t go hunting for it.”

Make joining simple. Reward the action. Then deliver value consistently— stories, insights, gratitude, exclusives.

STEP 7: REDEFINE SUCCESS METRICS

“Buzz is addictive. It’s like potato chips— you keep eating, but you’re never full.”

Hyatt’s seen it all: artists paying for fake followers or playlist streams from countries they’ll never tour.

“It looks great on paper and does nothing for your career.”

Measure what matters:

That’s bond. Everything else is noise.

STEP 8: MINDSET OVER MECHANICS

“No musician is looking for more to-dos,” Hyatt says. “They’re looking for clarity.”

Her Bond Funnel has ten stages, but you don’t need all ten. Sometimes one or two well-executed shifts— like finally building your list or re-framing your social voice— will transform your trajectory.

“It’s not about doing more. It’s about doing what matters.”

STEP 9: SATISFACTION IS THE GOAL
Hyatt wrote From Buzz to Bond after too many disheartened calls with artists who looked successful online but felt hollow inside.

“They had 100,000 followers and felt invisible.”

She wants artists to rediscover joy— through real connection.

“When someone writes to say your song got them through a hard day, that’s success. That’s the meal. Buzz is the snack.”

STEP 10: RECLAIM YOUR POWER
Van Veen closes the conversation with a truth every artist needs to hear:

“This isn’t about doing more— it’s about owning more. More of your data, your audience, your career.”

The tools have never been more available. What’s needed now is intention.

“Shift from getting attention to giving connection,” Hyatt says. “That’s the new music business.”

TrueFans AMP™ Takeaways 

Build Bonds, Not Buzz.
Likes fade. Relationships last.

Own Your Audience.
Email and text lists are gold. You control the connection.

Educate Your Fans.
They want to support you— but they need to know HOW.

Measure Meaning.
Streams and followers are vanity; sales and loyalty are value.

Stay Satisfied.
Connection is the cure for burnout.

Want More? 
Find From Buzz to Bond on Amazon and major booksellers— or download a free sample at cyberprmusic.com.

Watch the full 19-minute interview: “How to Build a Sustainable Music Career (with Ariel Hyatt of Cyber PR)”— click here to watch.

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About Tony van Veen and DiskMakers 
Tony van Veen is CEO of Disc Makers, the legendary independent-artist manufacturer founded in 1946. From vinyl and CDs to digital distribution and education, Disc Makers has championed the Artists First Revolution for nearly eight decades. Tony’s Indie Music Minute videos and workshops empower musicians to control their art, audience, and income. discmakers.com

About Ariel Hyatt and Cyber PR Music 
Ariel Hyatt is the founder and CEO of Cyber PR Music, a digital strategy and artist-development agency helping artists thrive in the modern music landscape. A veteran publicist, speaker, and author of multiple books—including Music Success in 9 Weeks and From Buzz to Bond— Ariel’s mission is to replace empty hype with lasting connection. cyberprmusic.com

“Another great is gone. Bobby Hart, who along with Tommy Boyce, penned and produced some of the Monkees’ greatest hits not only made a vital contribution to the popular success of the Monkees, but even more importantly to the essence, the very spirit of the entire venture. His talent, charisma, good humor and calmness in the face of what at times was nothing less than a maniacal roller coaster ride often brought a sense of peace that heartened everyone around him. He was the stillness that is the eye of the hurricane.”
— Mickey Dolenz

For artists navigating the world of songwriting, production, and legacy-building, the life and work of Bobby Hart offers a master-class in how a writer can shape popular culture, influence peers, and create songs that outlast their era.

Early Life & Origins
Born Robert Luke Harshman on February 18, 1939 in Phoenix, Arizona, Bobby Hart was the son of a Pentecostal minister, grew up playing piano and organ in church, and—   after a stint in the U.S. Army— relocated to Los Angeles to pursue music full time. 

He eventually teamed up with fellow Songwriter Tommy Boyce; together they became the prolific writing + production duo known as Boyce & Hart. 

“We were just short-order cooks… whatever was needed and whenever it was needed.” 
— Bobby Hart

Breakthroughs & Songwriting Milestones
Hart’s writing résumé is remarkable: songs like Hurt So Bad (Little Anthony & the Imperials) became evergreen pop-and-R&B standards. But it was his work with Boyce — and especially with The Monkees— that cemented his place in pop history.

Key hits include:

Last Train to Clarksville (1966)— The Monkees debut single, hit No. 1 in the U.S. 
(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone—A harder-edged pop/garage rock anthem also for The Monkees. 
Valleri— A top-5 smash for The Monkees.
(Theme  from)  The  Monkees— The walk-in, iconic theme song for the TV-band phenomenon.

In his own words: 

“We were walking down the street… ‘Here we come, walkin’ down the street’— ’cause that’s what we were doing.”
— Bobby Hart on writing The Monkees theme.

And in an interview:

“I don’t know. It’s a strange phenomenon… to know that this music we wrote fifty years ago still has meaning and value to people today.” 

Production & Unique Sound
Hart (with Boyce) didn’t just write the songs— they produced them, often using their own band, the Candy Store Prophets, rather than the era’s usual session-musicians. That choice gave The Monkees’ early records a distinct “sounds like a band” feel, even within the manufactured-TV format. Their production approach emphasized hooks, song-architectures, and tight arrangements, yet maintained accessibility for the teenage audience of the day.

Commercial Impact & Legacy

Beyond Boyce & Hart, and their work with The Monkees, Hart had other forays:

Awards, Recognition & Influence
Hart was nominated for prestigious awards (including the Academy Award) for his songwriting. While he may not always be the household name his songs are, the influence is vast— his songwriting architectures have been referenced by many artists and pop Songwriters who seek to blend melody, hook and commercial uplift.

“I feel blessed when looking back at the times when I faced life‘s challenges with perseverance and optimism. Had I failed to get up and start again each time I stumbled, it’s a good bet I never would have reached even a small portion of my dreams.”
— Bobby Hart

Personal Life, Activism & Character
Hart’s journey included humble beginnings (church organist, soldier’s reserve), navigating the “song-factory” world of the Brill Building era, and then asserting a unique voice in the 1960s pop blitz. 

He has spoken about social causes: for example, he and Boyce supported lowering the voting age to 18 in the U.S., in the context of the Vietnam War— showing that beyond pop hooks, there was a social conscience.

Regarding his personal life: He married Mary Ann (his latter-day wife) and had two children; his roots in church music and gospel informed his craftsmanship.

Why his legacy matters for today’s Music Artists

Outro
For any singer, Songwriter, instrumentalist or band— the lesson from Bobby Hart’s career is: 

Write songs that are strong in melody and rhythm, insist on production that supports the song’s identity, collaborate smartly, and build with long-term value in view. 

Hart didn’t just chase trendiness; he built songs and sounds that continue to inspire.
As the music world reflects on his passing (September 10, 2025), his catalogue remains a rich resource— for hooks, for storytelling, for how to serve both the artist and the audience.

“Rest in peace to a songwriting giant. Bobby Hart’s melodies have sound-tracked generations— and will continue to do so.

“On behalf of all creators who believe in the power of melody, hook and heart: thank you, Bobby Hart. Your songs gave us purpose, place and space to dream.”

Production Lessons from Bobby Hart
How he made pop sparkle without losing soul

• Play your own tracks.
Boyce & Hart used their own band (The Candy Store Prophets). Lesson: know your sound, don’t outsource it.

• Keep it tight.
Hart’s productions were radio-ready in every bar. Compression, bright highs, and focused mids— made for AM radio clarity.

• The “sing-along” test.
Hart said if he couldn’t hum it after one listen, it wasn’t ready. Try that: record a rough take, step away, see what melody sticks in your head.

• Don’t over-polish.
Their early Monkees sessions had real grit— slightly rough guitars, imperfect yet alive vocals. Hart believed too clean kills connection.

• Write for voice + groove.
He often started from rhythm— a snapping finger, a walking line. The feel led the melody.

in partnership with Symphonic

• Feature Article— How to Use Crowdfunding to Launch Your Next Project by Randi Zimmerman of Symphonic. (Condensed for TrueFans AMP™)

Funding your next record, video, or tour can feel impossible when you’re doing it all yourself. But crowdfunding— done right— is more than a money-grab. It’s a way to let your fans invest in your creative journey and deepen their connection to you.

Pick the Right Platform
Each platform has its vibe:

Ask yourself: Do I need a single push or ongoing support? That answer determines your best fit.

Set Realistic Goals
Break every cost down— studio, video, artwork, shipping, and platform fees— so supporters see where their money goes. Transparency builds trust. If fans know exactly what they’re funding, they’re far more likely to back you.

Tell a Compelling Story
Your campaign story is your heartbeat. Be authentic. A short video— showing your personality, excitement, and behind-the-scenes moments— beats paragraphs of text. 

Don’t act desperate. 
Be passionate. 

Invite people to believe in what you’re creating.

Offer Rewards That Matter
Give fans reasons to participate at every level. Think:

Just don’t overpromise. Delivering late (or not at all) can crush trust.

Market Smart
Crowdfunding only works if people know about it. Use your email list (still the most reliable fan-connection tool), social media teasers, countdowns, and shareable graphics to build momentum. Tell stories, not sales pitches— enthusiasm wins hearts faster than hard asks.

Stay Engaged
Keep fans updated throughout. Celebrate milestones. Thank contributors publicly. Ask for small input— like merch designs or lyric choices— to make them feel part of your process. Transparency, gratitude, and communication turn backers into True Fans who’ll stick with you for the long haul.

the Bottom of the Bottom Line
Crowdfunding isn’t just about raising cash— it’s about raising connection. Done right, it becomes part of your Artist-First journey: empowering your fans to help make your next big moment possible.

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Read the full post with examples and deeper guidance at blog.symphonic.com

About the Author
Randi Zimmerman is a writer, musician, and Senior Content Manager at Symphonic, where she shares real-world strategies to help independent artists grow their careers sustainably.

About Symphonic
Symphonic Distribution is a global music-tech company that empowers artists and labels with digital distribution, marketing, rights management, and funding tools. Learn more at symphonic.com.

• PS from PS— TrueFans CONNECT™ by Paul Saunders
This one’s personal.

For two+ years, I’ve been living, breathing, building, breaking, fixing, testing, and re-testing what I believe is the most important breakthrough for Music Artists in decades.

It’s called TrueFans Connect™, and it’s finally ready.

I wish I could tell you it was easy. It wasn’t. From banking regulations to location tech that just wouldn’t sync, to arguments over whether “tip” was even the right word, legally— every obstacle that could appear, did. Even last week during a final test, one tiny glitch surfaced while everything else worked perfectly. (Cue forehead slap.) But that’s how real innovation happens: one solved problem at a time.

And this one? This changes everything.

Why This Matters For You
Every artist knows the moment: the set ends, the crowd feels it, and for one heartbeat everyone wants to connect. The artist gives everything— and fans want to give something back. But until now, there’s been no simple, seamless way to do it.

TrueFans Connect™ fixes that.

No app to download.
Easy QR code to scan.
No delay between love and support.

A fan goes to TrueFansConnect.com anytime during your show, and because the system knows exactly where they are, your profile appears automatically. One tap, and you’re supported— instantly. The money goes straight into your account. You keep 80%.

That’s Right Now Money.

And when that fan supports you, their name and contact stay with you— not with some platform that rents you your own audience. That’s Fans Forever.

Why I’m Recommending It (With My Whole Heart)
I’ve seen too many brilliant artists walk away because the money math didn’t work. Streaming pennies. Unpaid gigs. Endless hustle. TrueFans Connect™ changes that math— and more importantly, it changes the relationship between artist and fan.

This is the first system built FOR you, not from you.

No one’s taking your data. No one’s hoarding your earnings.

You perform. Fans connect. You get paid. Immediately.

It’s simple because the complexity is invisible. Behind that one clean URL are two years of problem-solving, partnerships, and persistence— but what you’ll feel is ease, fairness, and connection.

The Artist-First Revolution Begins Here
TrueFans Connect™ isn’t another platform promising disruption. It’s the working proof that the Artist-First Revolution is real.

Artists create the value.
Artists should keep the value.
Finally— now— they can.

If you’ve ever counted coins from a tip jar, checked a streaming dashboard with a sigh, or wondered if anyone out there really gets what you do— this is for you.

Go to TrueFansConnect.com

Sign up in minutes.
Start earning Right Now Money.
Start building Fans Forever.

It’s Time. Big time. Past time.

Until we speak again

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And PLEASE, if you've got any Singer Songwriter friends, pass the AMP on, because... It’s Time... for a Change. Big Time. Past Time...