what languages should you promote your band in?

[jrt12]

i thought this would be a good place to ask this, as we have such an international group here. i'm considering having mailing list newsletters translated into 1 or 2 other languages to cater to international fans more. besides spanish, what one or two other languages would get the messaging across to the most people aroudn the world. i know mandarin is the most spoken language, but thats in a very concentrated region. i dont know much about europe though. are there one or two languages that help cross all borders there? is it even necessary? or should i be an arrogant american and just expect everyone to read english?

 

[pipaguapique]

or should i be an arrogant american and just expect everyone to read english?

yep...

just look at all famous Swedish, Finland, Chinese bands they never use anything else than English, unless it's a local thing their doing.

at these times, just about everyone should understand English.

that's my very honest mexican opinion hommie.

 

[AudioPhile777]

English, yo. I wouldn't worry about any other languages, but if you insist, you could always include a google translate link in the newsletter.

translate.google.com

 

[jrt12]

yep...

just look at all famous Swedish, Finland, Chinese bands they never use anything else than English, unless it's a local thing their doing.

ah, very good point. didn't think about that. i'm really not looking to create more work for myself, but just thinking of about making things as accessible as possible.

 

[guitarguru777]

Billy Milano Said It Best

 

[ahjteam]

English and local.

 

[smy1]

I am German, but I use english only. Everyone understands it, really. Just like Jules says in Pulp Fiction "English Motherfucker, Do You Speak It?"

 

[Suicide_As_Alibi]

Yeah, in most countries the lingua franca is English. Just be aware that in some places (East Asia especially), they quite often have trouble with English grammar, so if your make sure everything is written clearly and in relatively simple terms if it's going to be used in that neck of the woods. Long, pointless lists of adjectives about how your band is big, epic, amazing, complex, dark, brooding, brutal, menacing, intricate and incredible will be completely lost - especially slang terms like "brutal", which will be taken literally and they'll think you mindlessly attack people.

The next most useful language is French, as most Spanish/Portuguese/Italian speakers can make moderate sense of it, but that's next to useless in Asia.

If people are bilingual, their second language is almost certainly French if it's not English.

Steve

 

[AboutBlank]

Imo I think english is the way to go, but:
If you follow economical aspects think about writing in german because Germany is the second biggest exchange in the world(for music).

But its needless imo.
Just a thought...

 

[Jevil]

Spanish and English. These are the most extended languages all over the world, not French.

Chinese is the most spoken just because the demography. But you won't sell a copy there!


In case it is Epic Power Metal, you can also add Elfic.

 

[Erik Monsonis]

I only promote my stuff in English, even when I could easily do it in English/Spanish/Portuguese and even Hungarian to some extent, but fuck it...
Even my recording clients that are spanish contact me through my all-English MySpace...

 

[jrt12]

thanks for all the feedback, and esp for the european perspective. and its nice to know i wont have to go thru the extra work of finding people to translate. great points about choosing the adjectives i use btw, the brutal example made me lolz. when i write copy for the project, i do tend to be more artistic and i should probably limit that and keep things more simple in the newsletter. thanks!

 

[Proggm]

English, Spanish and Japanese. The japanese music market is very big (and they SUCK at english), don't underestimate it!

 

[LeSedna]

If you music is a minimum melodical, I'd think like Proggm : the japanese market is quite open. There are some bands or general artists that work well there, whereas they would have never guessed it at first.

 

[HeadCrusher]

[...]Germany is the second biggest exchange in the world(for music).

Is it? I thought UK was the second with Germany being only third or even fourth (not sure about Japan's ranking).

 

[AboutBlank]

Is it? I thought UK was the second with Germany being only third or even fourth (not sure about Japan's ranking).

at least 2 years ago, when I had my annual examination(gema stuff/ labels and stuff like that...)

 

[Matula]

If your band if from Latin America, stick with spanish. If it's from elsewhere, english. Natural culture is a bitch when it comes to translate.. Two good examples comes to mind: Baron rojo, Volumen Brutal, a classic, but in english just awfull. David Lee Roth, Eat Em' And Smile, in spanish is just a joke.

 

[cococo]

If your band if from Latin America, stick with spanish. If it's from elsewhere, english. Natural culture is a bitch when it comes to translate.. Two good examples comes to mind: Baron rojo, Volumen Brutal, a classic, but in english just awfull. David Lee Roth, Eat Em' And Smile, in spanish is just a joke.

+1

"Cometelos y sonrie"

 

[DanLights]

English kills all, Spanish if you're specially concentrating on Latin America or Spain.

Or this haha

In case it is Epic Power Metal, you can also add Elfic.

 

[colonel kurtz]

English kills all, Spanish if you're specially concentrating on Latin America or Spain.

Or this haha

that, and death metal just sounds especially wicked in spanish!

*rocks brujeria*