Derek Sivers
book cover

Your Music and People

creative and considerate fame

a philosophy of getting your work to the world by being creative, considerate, resourceful, and connected

Every creator has the same problems with marketing.

Derek Sivers was a professional musician before he started a music distribution company that helped 150,000 musicians sell their music to over four million people. So after years of living the problems, he was able to learn the solutions.

“Your Music and People” shares a successful philosophy of getting your work to the world by being creative, considerate, resourceful, and connected.

It’s not just for musicians.

Though it uses music as the example, it is meant for any creator trying to reach people. Early readers called it one of the best books ever written on business marketing.

Example points include:

The first 10,000 early buyers of “Your Music and People” have posted hundreds of 5-star reviews at sive.rs/m — but it is now being released to a wider audience.

$15 : ebook, audiobook, and all digital formats forever
(epub, mobi, pdf, mp3, html, etc.)
$19 : paper book includes all digital formats
(really just $4 for the paper, so only $4 for each additional copy)
Print length: 132 pages
Publication date: 2020-06-18
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-98-857500-1
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-98-857505-6
Audiobook ISBN: 978-1-98-857598-8
Kindle ISBN: 978-1-98-857502-5

Listen to the audiobook:

Highlights:







Editorial Reviews

“This is one of the top two marketing books I own (and I've read hundreds of them).”
— Dan Sanchez, author of I Want to Be a Marketer When I Grow Up

“I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!! As a musician who finds spammy-sleazy-promotion repugnant, it was so refreshing to find an alternative perspective whereby marketing is ethical, creative, and be just as much an artform and service as the art itself. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Buy this book and bathe in its honesty, fun, and pragmatism.”
— Úna Ní Fhlannagáin, award-winning Irish harpist

“I’m not a musician. I’m a lawyer. I planned on sending this to my daughter, but before I mailed it, I skimmed a couple pages. I ended up reading the whole thing and taking a ton of notes. The lessons/concepts apply to what I do. It was unexpected, and very cool. Few lawyers have read this book, so I feel like I gained some new and rare insights. (I spend a lot of time looking for overlooked advantages in unexpected places.) I’ll be ordering some extra copies to give to my students.”
— Charlie Price

“I work in the music business, which is notorious for constantly changing. This book, however, will always be relevant! It explores the essential, eternal principles underlying the interaction between music and its listeners. It's a must-read advantage for anyone interested in music and how to share it, as well as for anyone interested in sharing any other form of creativity. Highly recommend!”
— Manny Vallarino

“I'm actually not a musician, but I do run my own business, and these tools apply to anyone seeking to understand how to effectively put themselves out there both honorably and confidently. If all people in business were considering these tools, not only would our unique gifts be more broadly shared, but our ways of sharing and earning income from that sharing would change the world for the better.”
— Kim Marie, coach, mentor

“This book is amazing. You start thinking it's going to be about the music industry, but it instead teaches you how to be a more creative artist when it comes to marketing, management, and taking care of your fans. There are big philosophies in this book that will shift your framework, as well as small tricks that you can apply right away. Definitely the best and most impactful book I've read on the music business.”
— Banner Driskell, film-maker, musician

“This is a book full of generosity, and describes marketing for what it is: creating curiosity and delight for your audience, caring for your fans, creating loyalty to and from your people, and doing your best work because you care.”
— Daniel Ciocîrlan, developer and best-selling instructor

“The unorthodox guide to creative success. Short anecdotes, parables, and concepts that help readers ask important questions about their creative journeys. Everything is simple, pragmatic, and straightforward, but also slightly unintuitive. It's a collection of the most uncommon expressions of common sense for creative people. I recommend it to anyone trying to carve out their niche in any creative field.”
— Erik Sabol

“Crucial insights for how to chart your own path in the world of business. Each page has actionable advice, which sometimes goes against the prevailing wisdom. Makes you question some of your closest-held beliefs about how business and marketing works. Anyone who is in business should read this book. Its genius-level advice coming from a guy who's actually done it, and knows what he's talking about.”
— Tom Stein, professor, Berklee College Of Music

“This is the first time I have stumbled upon someone who talks about business and growth in a different way. His ideas spring from deleting all the noise, and focusing on what truly maters. A noise-free, stoic minimalist, who can make life simple for you. If you need advice from a mature, experienced and caring person, who enjoys cutting off the fluff, this is the book to read.”
— Slavko Desik, international entrepreneur

“I'm not a musician. The last time I picked up a guitar was 20 years ago. But this is one of the best books on marketing I've ever read. Lots of digestible ideas and tips. Strategies, tactics, and habits that you can steal straight away. I listen to the audio book every couple of months (which is fantastic in itself!). Most engaging and human book on marketing that I've ever read!”
— Stefan Wilkerson, author, entrepreneur

“The best book I've read on business, much less the music business. I'm sure I will refer to it the rest of my life, whatever I'm doing. I find the ideas to be semi-radical, yet embracing. I feel I want to live up to it, yet am not fully sure what that would entail. Yet, I have already gotten so much from it that I am already using. I have bought extra copies so I can give them to my friends.”
— Marc Coleman, musician, author

“This book was a life changer for me. When it showed me that people in the music biz are people just like you and me, I had a mind shift. I learned so much from this little book. Many of the pages are dogeared and parts are underlined. It's a game changer for sure!”
— Lisa Yves Winner, jazz musician

“I have given out 3 copies of this book, and all responded to say how important and helpful it was to them. No other gifted book has returned such heartfelt appreciation.”
— Michael Kumm, engineer


hardcover Your Music and People paperback Your Music and People

Contents:

$15 : ebook, audiobook, and all digital formats forever
(epub, mobi, pdf, mp3, html, etc. No DRM.)
$19 : paper book includes all digital formats
(really just $4 for the paper, so only $4 for each additional copy)

Reviews: