Street Team ChartBlog...HO!
There comes a time in the life of any music-related endeavour when an artist has to make a choice. You can either allow your brilliant and inspired work to reach people in a free, organic fashion, via word-of-mouth recommendations between close friends, and haphazard discoveries on MySpace, or you can take the short-cut, and employ the services of one of popular music's most interesting (and slightly frightening) organisations...the street team.
For those of you who haven't come across this particular piece of inspired marketing for new bands, a street team is the name given to fans of a musical act - often a new band or singer, sometimes an entire genre of music - who have volunteered to spread the word to their friends, school and wider community, often getting support from street team organisations, who give them badges, stickers, CDs and flyers to hand out. They also measure the success of the members of the team, often setting them little tasks to do when a new single or album comes out. Like giving out flyers, or putting up information on websites.
That's right, it's a bit like joining a fan club, and a bit like joining the Brownies.
You can see what the benefits are for street team members, a sense of shared passion with other fans, a way of paying back the band or singer who've brought so much joy to their lives. And you can see what the benefits are for the record company too, a free army who will spread the word and ask nothing in return apart from some free bits and bobs here and there, and the chance to meet the band in question, or order concert tickets ahead of the common herd.
Regular ChartBlog readers, or Team ChartBlog as we are about to become, will remember that certain street teams can be VERY protective of their artists. A fact which only came to light when the McFly street team offered ChartBlog out for a fight over the How To Destroy cartoon we put up about the band. Check the comments, it got pretty intense for a while there...
So, it got me to thinking...what's going to happen when we annoy another street team? I mean let's face it, the chances are pretty high, right? Every week ChartBlog kills off at least one major pop act, and then there's all the reviews and whatnot. Sooner or later, a challenge is going to be made, and we won't be able to back down. We need to be ready for POP WAR.
Which leads me to Team ChartBlog. What we need to create is a team of devoted fans who are willing to step up and do battle to protect the finest pop blog on the internet (called ChartBlog), and who will work tirelessly, for almost no reward, in order to promote the good name of ChartBlog across the land, and beyond.
I've already created some amazing gifts, look. There's the Armband Van Halen badge at the top there, the Lyriscope cloth patch, and look! A lovely pre-scuffed ChartBlog sticker you can make by just printing the picture out on some sticky paper and then cutting around it and then sticking it on something (or sellotaping it...the cutting out bit is probably still a good idea).
Or, if you're an inventive or arty type of person, maybe you could make your own stickers, or print out some of the How To Destroy things...I mean you're really at liberty to think of whatever you want to do, and then do it. Don't wait for our say-so, you let your creative side go HOG WILD, OK? It's almost as if we here at ChartBlog are too lazy to come up with anything ourselves...
But, as this is a totally legitimate Street Team - and in NO WAY an attempt to gather a volunteer army, ready to protect me if I get scared - I'm going to need some proof that you are all acting in accordance with the Team ChartBlog Commandments...which are as follows:
TEAM CHARTBLOG COMMANDMENTS
1: Thou shalt talk about ChartBlog in a loud and annoying voice at least twice a week. In public.
2: Thou shalt link to ChartBlog on thy MyBoFace pages and in thy blogs. A LOT.
3: Thou shalt always carry a sticker of ChartBlog on something thy owneth. Unless it hath fallen off.
4: Thou shalt order thy friends to read ChartBlog every day, unless they don't really like music, or ChartBlog, or don't want to, or thou art really unpopular.
5: Thou shalt make little flyers about ChartBlog, with the web address on them, and leave them in public places for people to see. Thou shalt not do LOADS though, as that would be environmentally unsound. Thinking about it, thou shalt do four at the most, as this is ChartBlog's lucky number.
6: When ChartBlog's good name is threatened by other street teams, thou shalt run to ChartBlog's aid, possibly waving with hastily-made weapons that thou hast found upon the ground, such as a stick, an old newspaper, or a baguette.
8: Thou shalt not demand to know where 7: has gone.
9: Thou shalt report back to ChartBlog, upon this very page, with news of the good work thou hast done in ChartBlog's name...DAILY. The term 'good work' can be used just to mean following the other commandments, but if thou wishest to help an elderly lady across the road with her shopping, and then to say these actions are in ChartBlog's name, this would be good too.
7: It is here. Art thou happy?
10: Thou shalt not complain if thy efforts are basically unrewarded, beyond a brief message of thanks from ChartBlog itself. ChartBlog is very caring and supportive, but also a little bit sleepy from time to time. Thou shalt respect this ABOVE ALL.
So, you've read the rules, you know what it's about, all you need to do is sign up using the comments box below. WHO'S WITH ME?
hello?
Comments
Can i join the street team? I've already MADE my friends read chartblog, and, er, I read chartblog, and its my homepage. And i have made a chartblog sticker for my bag. Sort of.
[Really? Tell us more! - Fraser]
OOOh i'll do it. Kinda just did... I love this place. I read it all the time just never actually comment.
You guys are kinda insane but in a great way.
[Welcome Hannah! Your street team job shall be to comment more. We need your input! - Fraser]
May I have the honour of the first comment, hereby signing up to Street Team ChartBlog , even though I hath not done anything yet?
Lol. I might make chartblog flyers and stick them in 4 of the toilet cubicles at school. anyway...count me in! i said about a chartblog street team a while ago. anyway...so...like...yeah. see ya everyone!
[Ah yes, I should've said, this is actually ALL Rachel's idea (that's PBG's real name). Round of applause for PBG, please... - Fraser]
count me in too please :D
i make my friends read CB, i talk about it and i have a link to it from my myspace in my music section.
and ill do the other stuff too, the flyers and stuff :)
woop woop!
what shall i do coz lodes of boys fancy me at schook?
[Make them all read ChartBlog every day. Then you may rest. - Fraser]
Well, obviously I may not have the honour of the first comment etc...
Sarah and Hannah's comments weren't there, when I made mine, honest!!! Hmph!
My only problem is that ChartBlog is Popjustice Lite for people who haven't found out about Popjustice yet. So I think I'll restrain my excitement and withhold my offer of becoming a member of the street team. It would be a bit like trading Madonna for Mad Donna.
[If anyone out there HASN'T found out about Popjustice yet, there's been a link to them down the right hand side of this blog since it started. Olivieira is right, just like Madonna, it used to be quite good. - Fraser]
Hmm...does Popjustice have a street team? This is very provoking talk...are they mad enough to want to fight?!
Count me in damnit.
I luuurrve to lurk the blog.
I'll be the kid who sits on her arse and talks loudly about ChartBlog on the way to college on the train.
[How could we refuse? You're IN - Fraser]
We are different from Popjustice in that we are so hardcore we update at the weekends, Oliveira. Also, we don't have an office.
I think my mum reads my reviews, if that counts. :D
I think it's safe to say that I will do just about anything for an Armband Van Halen badge.
As I'm over six feet tall, bewhiskered and heavily tattooed, I would like to volunteer for the job of scaring any whey faced emo kids who come wandering by badmouthing Team ChartBlog.
Although, to be fair, I'd do that for free.
And if you really do have some business you need "taken care of", I know people. I'm fae Leith.
[We've got a minder! The first step into Beyonce territory. I'm so proud! - Fraser]
Popjustice just doesn't feel very poppy.. it feels more mean, really and I don't like that.
It's like when the pixies take over fairy land and turn wishes into a business instead of being fun about it.
.. seriously.. has no one seen that fairly odd parents episode??!
way weird.
I'll be in the CB street team anyway, if I may. I'll be the one that references it in conversation and then acts annoyed when people ask me to explain what it is :P
Popjustice AND Chartblog are among my top friends on my Myspace. Does that count? :D
[I don't really want to start a war between CB and PJ, that was Oliveira. I'm fairly sure the internet is nearly big enough for both of us. - Fraser]
the chartblog sticker i have made for my bag consists of "chartblog" written in green felt pen, on a sticky label. And as a Chartblog street team member, i have carried out rule 5, and have left fliers with the web adress on my kitchen table. is that OK?
[Currently you are THE QUEEN of TEAM CHARTBLOG. Unless there were more than 4 flyers, natch. - Fraser]
what shall i do coz lodes of boys fancy me at schook?
Can I join too - I'm officially the Queen's mum on chartblog. I promise to take the 4 flyers to work.
[Of course. ChartBlog is an equal opportunities street team, we are unbound by prejudice of any kind. Oh, except we don't like rocksnobs. Welcome! - Fraser]
it wasn't ALL my idea...and i feel really bad now cause I wasn't saying that to get some recognition...I seem really vain and attention-seeking now,don't i?
sorry!
xxxxx
[Wow. I did NOT expect that compliment to backfire like that. I was just trying to give you credit for a good idea there, Peeb. I didn't think you were ASKING for it. Honest. - Fraser]
my mums in too :) she still says its poo :S you get what i mean right?
[Yes. She thinks ChartBlog is poo...SOB! - Fraser]
thats not quite what i meant.. hmm.. dont cry! :(
[*sniiiiff!* well OK then... - Fraser]
Count me in, finally I have something in my life worth living for!
There is one small problem though, I am a member of the Linkin Park Street Team. Do I have to severe my ties with them in order to join the CBST (Chart Blog Street Team)?
It might be good having someone on the inside?
Also, what is all this talk of Popjustice? Blasphemy!
[Quite right too. You're welcome to join, you can be the CBST double-agent. We're recruiting quite a team here! - Fraser]
A double agent? Sweet, I can't thank you enough! Do I get any cool gadgets?
[You can have all the cool gadgets you like, providing you make them yourself. - Fraser]
Thanks! I've just made myself some X-Ray specs out of some used plastic cups and some card. . . they don't really work though. I will have to have a rethink.
I wasn't blaming you, Fraser. I just didn't want it to sound like I was rooting for credit. sorry. so, yeah, anyway.....I was talking about chartblog really loud yesterday in a public place (well, my classroom) and my teacher gave me evils. :( oh well. And I'm gonna leave 4 flyers around my school somewhere, maybe in the toilet cubicles. And I've ordered my friends to read chartblog. Unfortunately, they either laughed as if i was weird (which i am) or gave me evils and said 'who do you think you are to order me around? my mom? no way!' so i asked politely and they were more than happy to oblige. :) yay
XXXXX
[Good work, Team Member PBG. And an important lesson in manners for us all there. Team ChartBlog, take note! - Fraser]
Can I Join Teh Street Team?
I Did,Afterall,Photograph Madina Lake For You =]
x
[Of course. Abide by all the rules and you're in! - Fraser]