We blogged about this a few weeks ago and wanted to mention it again. Broadjam recently updated the profile menu on the member profile page. You can now use the floating menu (located at the bottom of your profile page) to access many of the features on Broadjam. The menu is separated into four sections: My Content, My Account, My Messages and My Broadjam. Here are a few of the features you can access:

My Content

• dd/Edit songs, photos, videos, etc.
• Edit your bio page

My Account

• Edit your username and password (under “Account”)
• Access your Hosting Admin (including your Sync button)
• Manage which licensing notifications you wish to receive (under “My Privacy”)
• View your Sales and Purchases pages

My Messages

• Check your mailbox
• View your connection requests

My Broadjam

• Renew/Upgrade your membership
• Access your previous licensing and contest submissions
• View previous music reviews

The floating menu makes Broadjam interface easier so you can have more time to make music!

Are you involved in Broadjam’s peer review system? You should be, especially if you’re also taking advantage of our music licensing opportunities. Once members submit a song to a licensing opportunity, they have the option to conduct peer reviews for other songs that have been submitted to the same opportunity. Members that complete at least two sets of peer reviews for an opportunity will be able to see the percentile ranking of the song they submitted.

In other words, if you complete the reviews, you can see for yourself how your song is ranking amongst other submissions. When opportunity providers are presented with the submissions, the songs will be ordered by the percentile rankings, but the providers will ultimately make the final decision. We encourage all of members to complete these reviews, but they are not required.

If you’d like to complete a peer review for a licensing opportunity, go the “My Submissions” page, find the opportunity you’re interested in and click the “Review” button on that line (note: if there is no review button, it means that this opportunity is no longer accepting reviews or that reviews have not opened yet).

Once you reach the “Review Opportunities” page, you’ll see that there are three anonymous songs listed at the top of the page. To complete the reviews, you just need to listen to all three of them and rank one as “Good,” one as “Better” and one as “Best.” Once that is done, just click the “Submit” button. And remember, in order to see your song’s percentile ranking, you need to complete at least two sets of reviews per song submission. When you repeat the process, you’ll be given a new set of songs to rank.

More info on music licensing can be found here. Again, these reviews are not required. This is simply another feature we have on Broadjam that allows members to get more involved in the process. Thanks for helping out!

The Hillbilly Hellcats won the 12/31 Weekend Quickie contest with their song “I’m a Bowler.” The group currently has two CD’s and one EP, all of which have had great international success. Their amusing lyrics are playful and rhythmic. In 2009, they experimented with a rockabilly/hip-hop EP, titled “Hollywood Heaven.”

The new Sonoma Wire Works Weekend Quickie Contest launches today! It will be open for submissions through Sunday, the 24rd at 12:00 PM Central. Reviews will then be open until the following Thursday, 12:00 PM Central. The winner will be announced on Friday.

World Help for Haiti is a global movement for performing musicians to ply their talents to benefit Haitian disaster relief efforts, now. All proceeds go directly to the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund, Bill Clinton’s Haiti Relief Fund, and the American Red Cross International Response Fund. If you’d like to help the people of Haiti and learn more about this organization, click here.

www.worldhelpforhaiti.org

Please consider donating a few CDs to help put “Instruments into Kids’ Hands.” Broadjam will be auctioning off gift baskets of donated CDs from our artists to raise funds for the Madison Area Music Awards Inc. (MAMAs) in Madison, Wisconsin. See www.themamas.org for more information on their mission of “Putting Instruments into Kids’ Hands.” We encourage Broadjam members around the world to consider donating a copy or two of your CD releases to this great charity. CDs must be received by March 1st, 2010. As always, we appreciate your support!

Please send copies of your CDs to:

CDs for Charity
c/o Broadjam Inc.
6401 Odana Rd.
Madison, WI 53719

Your donation to the MAMAs 501(c)(3) organization may also be considered tax deductible. Requests for a receipt of your donation can be sent to cdsforcharity@broadjam.com.

Congratulations to Andre Kerek for winning the 12/23 Weekend Quickie Contest with his song “A Midnight Lover.” This smooth love song is perfect for setting the mood of a romantic evening.

Thanks to everyone for their participation in the Weekend Quickie Contests. There will now be one weekend quickie contest per month during the second weekend of each month, so be on the lookout!

We recently made some upgrades to the website, including the profile menu bar that appears on each member’s profile. Members can now use the floating menu bar to access many of Broadjam’s features, including song, video and photo uploads. It is also the access point for editing your profile content, checking on your licensing submissions, syncing your hosting website, upgrading/renewing your membership and many other features.

The menu bar is located at the bottom of the profile page and allows quicker access to more menu items. Always feel free to contact us with any questions and we will be happy to help.