EQ Music

EQ Music or EQ Music Blog (formerly Electroqueer.com) is an independent British music website and blog founded by American digital and music enthusiast Raj Rudolph.[1] Alternative names include EQ and EQ Music; the site supports new electronic pop artists alongside its music reviews, features, interviews and video previews. In 2007, with the addition of New Artists Editor Mandy Rogers, the site developed into a multi-author blog; in 2013, pop blogger Luis Gonzalez joined.

EQ Music
Type of site
Music blog, website
Available inEnglish
OwnerRaj Rudolph
Editors
  • Raj Rudolph
  • Mandy Rogers
  • Luis Gonzalez
URLwww.eqmusicblog.com
RegistrationNone
Launched2005 (2005)
Current statusOnline

In 2008, the EQ Music brand began to spoke into several entertainment related divisions including live showcasing, touring, record label and artist management; together, EQ Music's brands consolidate into a diverse international music media group.

History

In 2005, digital and music enthusiast Raj Rudolph launched Electroqueer.com as a blog focused on discovering and inspiring new talent in the pop and electronic genres of music. In 2008, EQ Music Live was formed, with the subsequent formation of the EQ Music Tour in 2011.

At the 2008 Weblog Awards, Electroqueer.com placed as finalist in the Best Music Blog category.[2] In 2010, Electroqueer.com changed its name, becoming EQ Music Blog. The following year, Welsh electropop duo Electrovamp won EQ Music Blog's theme song contest; the band's winning entry, "Electroqueer", became the site's official theme song and was featured on volume one of the This Beat Is Poptronik compilation album, curated by the blog.[3][4]

In 2012, EQ Music announced co-sponsorship from Gaydar Radio, Budweiser and Music Jobs Ltd for the inaugural Poptronik Festival held in Spain.[5][6]

In 2013, EQ Music launched its artist management division.[7] In 2015, the brand launched on Viber Public Chats, giving app users the ability to access the blogsite's music picks and recommendations via the platform's instant messaging and Voice over IP (VoIP) software.[8]

Writing style and criticism

At its heart, EQ Music Blog describes itself as "a fun place to discover new music, watch music videos and dig deeper into the lives of the people creating quality electronic pop music, written with a fun and constructive tone." The site's editorial views have been featured in British press (The Guardian, The Metro and The Daily Star).[9][10][11]

In 2009, Australian blogsite PopTrashAddicts accused EQ Music of spending most of its time copying content from other pop blogs; a view EQ called a good laugh.[12] In 2011, BBC News Online selected EQ Music's Raj Rudolph as an influential UK-based music editor and Sound of pundit, an accolade consecutively held since 2011–2015.[13][14][15]

Format

EQ Music Live

In 2008, EQ Music expanded its online artist promotion platform to include live music events showcasing both emerging and established pop and electronica artists.[16] In blogger Oli Freke's assessment of the launch night, he wrote "great atmosphere, great crowd and great start to a new electro night."[17]

EQ Music Live has celebrated residencies in Underbelly (Hoxton), Barcode (Soho) and Road Trip & The Workshop (Shorerditch).[18][19] Artists showcased include The Good Natured, Christian Burns, Graffiti6, Polly Scattergood, Parralox, Bright Light Bright Light and Simon Curtis.[19][20][21]

EQ Music Tour

On 4 August 2011, EQ Music announced its first North American Music Tour headlined by American electropop singer Adam Tyler.[22][23] The ten state, thirteen city US tour supported Tyler's debut album, Shattered Ice (2011).

Tour dates
Date City Venue
August 23, 2011 New York Splash Night Club
August 24, 2011 Chicago Spin Night Club
August 25, 2011 Cleveland Bounce Night Club
August 26, 2011 Pittsburgh Cruze Bar
August 27, 2011 Charlotte Charlotte Gay Pride
August 28, 2011 Nashville Play Night Club
August 31, 2011 Pensacola Emerald City Night Club
September 1, 2011 Atlanta Jungle Night Club
September 2, 2011 Tampa Honey Pot Night Club
September 3, 2011 Wilton Manors Bill's Filling Station
September 4, 2011 Houston Southbeach
September 7, 2011 Austin Charlie's Austin Night Club
September 8, 2011 San Francisco The Crib
September 9, 2011 San Diego Rich's Night Club
September 10, 2011 Las Vegas Krave Night Club

In November 2011, EQ Music sponsored Daniela Brooker as headliner for their second North American Music Tour.[24] Working in conjunction with Hard Rock Cafe on behalf of the American Cancer Society's global Pinktober breast cancer awareness campaign, the fifteenth date live music tour began in Philadelphia (October 17) and ended in Palm Springs (November 6).[25]

Poptronik albums and festival

In 2012, EQ Music launched the Poptronik brand which includes the This Beat Is Poptronik compilation series. On 16 April 2012, EQ Music in partnership with electropop dance label, Aztec Records released This Beat Is Poptronik - Volume One.[4][26] So So Gay Magazine's Greg White commented "great quality electro-pop is exactly what we find on this huge compilation."[27]

On 1 September 2012, Andy Bell, Fernando Garibay, Cazwell and Monarchy co-headlined EQ Music's inaugural two-day Poptronik Festival in Sitges, Spain. Gaydar Radioʼs Phil Marriott, Faithless percussionist Sudha Kheterpal and Scissor Sisters' Tour DJ – Sammy Jo were joined by a plethora of new and emerging electronic pop artists.[5][28][29]

On 27 August 2013 EQ Music released This Beat Is Poptronik - Volume Two under its own label.[30] The album featured Carmen Electra, Cherry Cherry Boom Boom, Frankmusik, Jessica Sutta (formerly of The Pussycat Dolls), Private, Max Barskih, Dangerous Muse and Jennifer Paige.

In 2014, the label released Adam Tyler's Shattered Ice (Deluxe Edition) and Naommon's single, "Beginning Everyday".[31][32]

Artist management

In 2013, EQ Music launched its artist management operation and currently represents Australian electronic pop duo Parralox, Latin artist Ryan Adamés from Los Angeles, singer-songwriter Francine from London, New York based alternative pop artist Daniel Robinson and EDM prodigy Mi Disguise from Los Angeles.[7][33]

Accolades
  • Electroqueer.com ranked fifth amongst Top 10 finalists of the 2008 Weblog Awards for Best Music Blog.[2]
  • EQ Music Blog founder Raj Rudolph was a guest panellist at the first ever LGBT Winter Music Conference 2013.[34][35]
  • EQ Music Blog ranked amongst Top 100 Music Blogs of 2015.[36]
  • EQ Music Blog founder Raj Rudolph was consecutively selected to BBC News Online's Sound of pundit list of influential online music editors between 2011 and 2015.[13][14][37]

References
  1. "Raj Rudolph". LinkedIn. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  2. Kevin, Aylward (31 December 2008). "Best Music Blog". 2008.weblogawards.org. Archived from the original on January 17, 2009. Retrieved 2 June 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. "Announcing The Winner Of The 2011 EQ Music Theme Song Community Project – Electrovamp!". EQMusicBlog.com. 2 February 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  4. "This Beat Is Poptronik – Volume One". iTunes Store. 16 April 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  5. "Poptronik Festival 2012 – With headliners Kazaky, Monarchy and Martika". UK.music-jobs.com. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  6. "Sitges Poptronik Festival 2014". Sitgesevents.com. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  7. "NEWMUSIC: PARRALOX & RYAN ADAMÉS – "SILENT MORNING"". Mrwillwong.com. 1 May 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2015. Electroqueer officially has branched into Artist Management over in the UK
  8. "EQ Music on Viber Public Chats". Viber. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  9. Cullen, Jack (18 January 2011). "Is there only One Direction for G-A-Y?". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  10. "Lady Gaga hailed as 'new Queen of Pop' after triumphant O2 gig". The Metro. March 2010. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  11. "Wolf 'attacked' at Madonna show". The Daily Star. 6 January 2009. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  12. "EQ Wins Worst Music Blog From Pop Trash Addicts!". EQMusicBlog.com. 10 January 2009. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  13. "Sound of 2011: Pundits". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  14. "Sound of 2015: Pundits". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  15. "Sound of 2012: Pundits". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  16. "Scene: Electroqueers" (PDF). Out in the City (21): 80. 1 September 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  17. Freke, Oli (20 June 2008). "EQ1 @ Barcode". Sounddesignarticles.wordpress.com. Retrieved 9 June 2015. I concur with his assessment of the evening; great atmosphere, great crowd and great start to a new electro night.
  18. "EQ Music Live Presents: Dangerous Muse". DangerousMuse.brownpapertickets.com. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  19. "EQ Live Surprise Secret Show @ The Workshop with The Good Natured & Bim". Heyevent.com. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  20. "EQ Music Live Presents: Polly Scattergood Plus Support". RoadTripBar.com. 7 February 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  21. "EQ Live Presents Simon Curtis, Andrea Lewis & Ro Danishei". HeyEvent.com. 14 May 2011. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  22. "ANNOUNCEMENT: First Ever EQ MUSIC TOUR featuring Adam Tyler Kicks Off In New York City on August 23rd – Full Tour Dates Revealed". EQMusicBlog.com. 4 August 2011. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  23. "EQ Music Tour featuring Adam Tyler". HeyEvent.com. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  24. "Daniela Brooker To Headline Pinktober/EQ Music Tour". Broadwayworld.com. 17 October 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  25. "Pinktober at Hard Rock Cafe". Downtownstl.org. 28 October 2011. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  26. "This Beat Is Poptronik – Volume One". AztecRecords.com. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  27. Greg, White (21 May 2012). "ALBUM REVIEW: VARIOUS ARTISTS – THIS BEAT IS POPTRONIK: VOLUME ONE". SoSoGay.co.uk. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  28. "Poptronik Festival - Sitges at Sitges Beach". Resident advisor. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  29. "Poptronik Festival Sitges". BoomSitges.com. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  30. "This Beat Is Poptronik – Volume Two". iTunes Store. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  31. "Shattered Ice (Deluxe Edition)". iTunes Store. 10 June 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  32. "Beginning Everyday". iTunes Store. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  33. "EQ Music Artists". EQMusicBlog.com. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  34. Woo, Jen (8 March 2013). "Winter Music Conference to have first ever LGBT panel". Dot429.com. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  35. "WMC 2013 SCHEDULE". WinterMusicConference.com. 15 March 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  36. Popejoy, Sarah (2 February 2015). "Musicians Empowered". BuildingABrandOnline.com. Archived from the original on 27 May 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  37. "Sound of 2013: Pundits". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
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