When I started Topline Music, I wanted to encourage as many people as possible to listen to the music on the Topline Music website. Afterall, the idea was, and still is, to promote the music and license the music tracks for all media use. So, writing and compiling favourites at Topline Music was a priority and the way I could encourage potential clients, visitors, sound supervisors, producers to choose appropriate music for their productions.

But I quickly realised that ignoring the streaming platforms was a mistake.

So, I decided to release the first batch of Topline Collections so they could be found there in addition to listening on the website.

I wasn’t sure if this was a good idea as it didn’t directly promote the website or the licensing of the music therein. But no matter, up they went.

First, I uploaded thirty-three Collections (albums in old money) to see what reaction I would get from a new brand and a large number of individual tracks. Fortunately they started getting played and featuring on various playlists. I then created another nine Collections which were shorter, more like Eps, that simply demonstrated the style and mood of each Collection with a vague hope that this would lead the listeners to the website where a fuller and more detailed version awaited them.

For me this is a good plan. Not only have I got music on Topline that provides an easy and seamless method of licensing tracks for any use, but by having the Topline Collection extensively accessible out there in Streaming-World with now over 40 Collections, the hope is that this will promote new visitors to the website and in time new licenses being bought.

Here are a few of my personal favourites:

Blues and Schmooze. A lovely selection of Blues and relaxing grooves featuring some amazing guitarists and live bands.

Drumology. The clue is in the title and features tracks centred around drums and percussion. Some grooves and others cinematic and atmospheric. At Topline-Music this collection contains eight tracks whereas the streaming version has our favourite five tracks.

Acoustic Strums. Featuring some gorgeous and well-intentioned acoustic guitar pieces. Here as with all the tracks on Topline, we have additional mixes for every piece that offer amazing choice, more texture, colour and underscore options.

String Assembly. Featuring the amazing Graham Preskett on violin and mandolin, we have here a string-fest of beauty and precision with special attention paid again to the many additional mixes provides that include other parts from the original mix.

Papa Jem Songs 1. These are songs, with lyrics and additional mixes as instrumentals and backing tracks. My daughter Jem Cooke and I spend some time writing, recording and touring and here at Topline we have four dedicated Collections that include great remixes of our song catalogue featured on albums:  I am Jem Cooke and Limited Edition.

Underscore. This Collection does what it says on the tin and includes underscores, simple pads and atmospheric grooves. Perfect for discrete subliminal soundtrack or documentary feature here and there.

Trash Blues. Written and produced with the lovely Matt Hay, these tracks are somewhat Off the Wall and in places completely weird, but all based around the familiar blues format. Lovely stuff and worth just a listen wherever you choose to stream.

I think for all of us it is a case of uphill streaming especially if you’re looking to make anything resembling a living out of your royalties. But keep going, persevere, write continuously and protect your copyright. And let everyone know where they can find you!

I’m here and will be for the foreseeable future.

To find any of the Collections on the streaming platforms, simply search for Topline Collections or Dave Cooke and up they will pop.