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"This post was co-authored by Cameron Chapman, who writes a blog at Cameronchapman.com and is @cameron_chapman on Twitter, and Alec Feld, who authors a blog at alecfeld.com and is @alecfeld on Twitter.\nAs the industry changes, so have the methods by which music is promoted.  Traditional marketing is being replaced by artists and bands using social media sites like Twitter to engage fans, promote their work, and connect with others. The modern web and the future of the music industry seem almost inextricably intertwined in terms of marketing, listening, communicating, and purchasing. Twitter is one of the many ways for people to instantly and quickly communicate, and artists are taking advantage of its vast potential.\nIs your favorite artist tweeting? Here are over 100 musicians who tweet to keep fans and friends informed. Tell us about additional musicians you're following in the comments. \nA - C\n50 Cent - Rapper 50 Cent posts tons of links, retweets content (mostly about himself) and updates very regularly. He hardly follows anyone, so don't expect a return follow.\n\n\n\n\nAdam Goldstein - Adam Goldstein, better known as DJ AM, tweets mostly about his music. He also @replies and retweets plenty of content. He doesn't follow many people, though.\nAl Yankovic - Comedic singer Al Yankovic's tweets are usually funny, often giving some insight into his day-to-day life. He posts TwitPics pretty regularly, too.\nAlicia Keys - Keys tweets almost every day (sometimes multiple times), giving fans some insight into her daily life and what she's up to. She also tweets back and forth with friends and family members.\nAmanda Palmer - Amanda Palmer, lead singer, composer, and pianist with The Dresden Dolls, tweets constantly (sometimes with more than 20 updates a day) about her music and life. She posts TwitPics and links regularly, too.\nAmy Grant - Contemporary Christian singer-songwriter Amy Grant tweets regularly, sometimes @replying to other Twitterers, but mostly offering updates about her daily life.\n\n\n\n\nAshlee Simpson Wentz - While she doesn't tweet as often as her husband (Pete Wentz, below), Ashlee still tweets multiple times each day, often conversing with other Twitterers. She posts photos occasionally, though most of her tweets are parts of conversations.\nAshley Tisdale - Actress and singer-songwriter Ashley Tisdale tweets daily, with updates about her music and life, including regularly posting TwitPics of herself and her activities.\nBen Folds - Ben Folds of the Ben Folds Five tweets regularly and often posts TwitPics to show what he's up to. He doesn't follow many people, but it looks like he does pay attention to those who @reply to him and sometimes replies back.\nBen Kweller - Indie rock star Ben Kweller tweets often, talking to friends and giving fans an inside look into his personal life and adventures on tour, many times including photos and music clips.\nBilly Corgan - Billy Corgan, frontman for the Smashing Pumpkins (and the only remaining original member) and former leader of Zwan, tweets a few times a week. His tweets have little to do with his music on most occasions and tend to revolve around religion and personal improvement-type advice.\n\n\n\n\nBlitzen Trapper - Straight out of Portland, Oregon, country-come-rock band Blitzen Trapper tweets about upcoming shows and interviews, letting you know where you can hear more about the band and their music.\nBloc Party - British indie rock band Bloc Party often updates with links to images. The band sometimes challenges Twitterers to be the first to @reply to win free tickets to upcoming shows. Bloc Party donated music to Twitter\u2019s global charity, Twestival, raising money for charity: water. If you\u2019re a visual person, their tweets may hit the spot for you.\nBritney Spears - No introduction is needed for Britney. A victim of the recent Twitter hacks, Britney\u2019s Twitter is somewhat personal. The account is updated by her team with occasional tweets from the singer herself, signed \"-Britney\" and \"-Brit\".Calvin Harris - British singer-songwriter, electronic musician, and record producer Calvin Harris tweets about his music and appearances, as well as replying to many other Twitterers.Cary Brothers - American singer-songwriter and indie rocker Cary Brothers tweets about his music, his friends' music, and a bit about life in general. He generally doesn't return follows, but he does reply to other Twitterers.\n\n\nCassettes Won't Listen - Jason Drake's one man, Brooklyn-based project, Cassettes Won't Listen, tweets about his music, pop culture, and music in general. It looks like he return-follows most of his followers, too.Chris Cornell - Former Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell tweets about his daily life, his kids, and his music and posts TwitPics pretty regularly. He also tweets about upcoming shows and sometimes even runs informal contests to give away tickets to his shows.Coldplay - The British rock band posts updates about their music and performances. Some of their tweets are likely from assistants, but there are plenty signed by individual members of the band.Colin Meloy - A member of The Decemberists, Meloy tweets several times a day about music, food, life, and even some official Decemberists news and updates. If you enjoy perks such as Twitter-only presales, a follow might just be worth it.Collective Soul - This is the band's official Twitter page, but it looks like band members do the updates most of the time. They also return-follow all of their followers and often @reply and retweet content.\n\n\nCounting Crows - Lead singer Adam Duritz updates from the road while the band is on tour. He tweets a few times each day, offering up information on their performances and his take on the cities they're visiting.D - H\nD.A. Wallach - One of the members of the band Chester French. He tweets about their music, tour dates, and random information about daily life. Updates come on a pretty consistent basis with a half-dozen or more tweets each day.Dananananaykroyd - This indie rock band from Glasgow, Scotland updates often, with some information on their shows and lots of idle chitchat. They reply to followers sometimes, though they don't generally return follows.Dandy Warhols - The group's manager updates regularly, discussing the group's music and what they're up to. Dave Matthews - Yep, this is the official Dave Matthews. Not the band, not commercialized updates, but the musician himself. Although he doesn\u2019t follow anyone sans Obama, CNN, and Brett Radin, Matthews still makes himself unbelievably social, with most of his tweets being replies to others. Sure, there are the occasional band updates, but Matthews\u2019 Twitter tends to be strictly social.David Usher - Former lead singer of Moist and now a solo artist, David Usher is a social Twitter user.  Usher also has a reputation for talking to other musicians and replying to them on the site. So if you\u2019re into being a fly on the wall for conversations between celebrities, Usher\u2019s page might just be your thing.\n\n\nDemi Lovato - Actress and singer-songwriter Demetria \"Demi\" Lovato tweets constantly with updates on her daily life, including regularly posting TwitPics. She frequently has conversations with other Twitterers but doesn't return-follow.Diddy - Rapper, actor, and entrepreneur (among other titles) Sean \"Diddy\" Combs tweets multiple times each day, offering fans a glimpse into his daily activities and personal life. The Donnas - LA-based all-girls band The Donnas tweet announcements of new merch, studio updates, reports and more. It should be noted that they do tweet themselves, and that their account isn\u2019t strictly promotional \u2014 all the better!Diplo - Philadelphia-based DJ Diplo, infamous for his work with M.I.A., introduces a different breed of celebrity Twitter users. His absolutely random, satirical, and just nonsensical tweets are the perfect brain teaser or picker-upper for those days that simply seem dull. Give him a follow if you enjoy Twitter arguments between DJs and musicians.Edward Droste - Grizzly Bear member Edward Droste also tweets one or two times a day, responding to users and keeping the world up to date on what he\u2019s doing. At a recent show, Twitter was called out from the crowd and mentioned on stage. Droste tweeted afterward, admitting his Twitter addiction.\n\n\nEminem - Eminem often posts TwitPics of himself and his surroundings. He also posts updates on shows, appearances, and his professional activities. He doesn't follow anyone, but he does seem to occasionally reply to followers.The Faint - Omaha punk rock quintet The Faint tweet almost every day, often with either updates on their music or replies to their followers. They follow almost everyone who follows them and reply quite often to their fans.Flosstradamus - Flosstradamus update with TwitPics, links, and random conversation. They tweet daily and sometimes reply to their followers and others. They don't return follows, though.Fred Durst - Musician-turned-director Fred Durst, well known for his band Limp Bizkit in the late 90s, tweets replies and comments, as well as the occasional link.Hadouken! - UK-based grime band Hadouken also uses Twitter, constantly updating with news, replies, small talk, questions, and comments. The bio says \u201Cwe update this ourselves\u201D \u2014 this isn't a major label marketing scheme;  it's the band members themselves attempting to reach out to users and fans.\n\n\nHotHotHeat - The Canadian rock band (currently touring with Bloc Party) definitely doesn\u2019t update too frequently. However, photo updates are posted every few days when active, and news regarding their upcoming album also gets tweeted often.Hypnogaja - Los Angeles-based rock band Hypnogaja regularly tweet about daily life and their music, post TwitPics, and engage with other Twitterers.I - K\nImogen Heap - Imogen Heap updates unbelievably frequently, usually every few hours. She\u2019s very active within the Twitter community and constantly responds to users. Heap posts general news and musings, a must follow for sure. Imogen Heap also donated songs to Twestival.Jamie Cullum - London-based Jamie Cullum often tweets about personal things like his favorite music or what he's thinking about while on tour.Japanther - Brooklyn indie noise rockers Japanther always update, though not always about news.  The band posts about recent and upcoming gigs, and their social lives. If you like the band, or can identify locally with Brooklyn, check it out.\n\n\nJason Mraz - Singer-songwriter Jason Mraz tweets a few times every day, sometimes posting links or TwitPics in addition to updates on his work and personal life.Jessica Simpson - Simpson's Twitter account is updated sporadically, sometimes with multiple tweets a day, other times with a few days passing between them. Her tweets often include TwitPics of herself and her day-to-day activities.Jewel - Singer/songwriter Jewel tweets mostly about her music, including updates on her upcoming album. It looks like she replies to some fans, even though she doesn't follow back.John Mayer - Mayer uses Twitter to communicate with his fans, as well as occasionally share and promote new music. Few music related updates will be found on Mayer\u2019s account, however, he likes to keep it strictly personal. You may even remember Twitter being implicated in Mayer's breakup with Jennifer Aniston. Be advised: long tweets in caps, links to TwitPic and profanity make regular appearances in his stream.John Roderick - Currently the lead singer of The Long Winter, Roderick has also been involved (either as a touring member or a guest musician) with Harvey Danger, Death Cab for Cutie, Nada Surf, and The Decemberists. A lot of his tweets are replies to others. He also updates about his music.\n\n\nJohn Vanderslice - John Vanderslice, who made a splash in the 90s with his song about Bill Gates, tweets about his shows and being on tour, his music, and his life. He hardly follows anyone, so don't expect a return follow or much conversation.Jonas Brothers - The Jonas Brothers seem to update collectively, with tweets about their music, shows, and appearances. They sometimes post TwitPics of themselves, both candid and at performances.Justin Timberlake - Timberlake's daily tweets often give links to his blog posts, though he also engages with his followers on occasion. Just don't expect him to follow you back.Katy Perry - Katy Perry tweets regularly, including updates about her tour dates and life on tour, and replies to others. Don't expect a follow back, though, as she hardly follows anyone.Keri Hilson - Recording artist Keri Hilson tweets nearly every day about her work and life, including TwitPics and occasional conversations with other Twitterers.\n\n\nKid Sister  - Hip-hop artist Kid Sister is both a Twitter and BlackBerry addict. The Chicago-based musician is entirely social, with nearly all of her updates being replies. If you\u2019re into communicating with your favorite musicians, click the follow button.Kimberly Cole - Singer-songwriter Kimberly Cole tweets daily about her personal life and her music. She doesn't return follow but it does look like she sometimes responds to fans.L - P\nLady Gaga - Singer and songwriter Lady Gaga (Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta) doesn't tweet often, but when she does she updates about her work and personal life. She rarely interacts with other Twitterers and doesn't appear to post photos or links. She is following more than 10% of her followers, though.Lenny Kravitz - Lenny Kravitz updates regularly, often tweeting multiple times each day. He posts links, TwitPics, concert information, and often tweets about touring, including some glimpses backstage. \n\n\nLil Wayne - Rapper Lil Wayne tweets about his music and work, along with posting TwitPics and links on a regular basis. He tweets most days, though sometimes takes a break for a day or two.Lily Allen - Pop and (former) TV star Lily Allen loves to procrastinate on Twitter. Follow this rising musician if you love pastries, rants, and ramblings on television and the weather \u2014 Allen tweets literally whatever is on her mind.Lisa Loeb - Singer-songwriter Lisa Loeb tweets about her music and daily life, updating often. She has almost two-thirds as many follows as she does followers but doesn't do @replies or otherwise engage with her fans very often.Little Boots - Electropop musician Little Boots (Victoria Hesketh) tweets about her life, music, and shows. She doesn't return-follow, but she does often @reply to followers and other Twitterers.Ludacris - Actor and rapper Ludacris tweets about his life and work. He posts photos, links, and occasionally retweets.\n\n\nMandy Moore - Mandy Moore's tweets run the gamut from updates on shows she's been to recently to what she's up to personally and professionally. She's relatively new to Twitter but updates regularly (at least once every day or two).Matisyahu - Hassidic reggae/pop/rock star Matisyahu is a fan of two things: Twitter and his BlackBerry. When used in conjunction, the two create a steady stream of updates about his music, video, and other media directly from the man himself. If you want to be the first to know about new tracks and quick last minute ticket opportunities, give a quick follow. Plus, he follows nearly everyone back.MC Hammer - Avid social media user MC Hammer is on Twitter, and his tweets are unexpectedly personal. From updates about his family to religion, Hammer covers all the bases for his fans.Mike Doughty - Indie-rock singer/songwriter Mike Doughty tweets about music \u2014 both his own and others' \u2014 and often replies to his followers and retweets content.Miley Cyrus - Singer and actress Miley Cyrus tweets constantly about her day-to-day activities, including photos and announcements of when she'll be doing live chats and appearances. She converses a bit with other Twitterers, but don't expect a return follow\u2014she only follows a few dozen people.\n\n\nMoby - Musician, DJ and singer/songwriter Moby (Richard Melville Hall) tweets a few times a day, offering updates on his music and performances. He sometimes posts links to interviews and other articles, too.Muse - Unlike many other (popular) and well known bands, Muse actually runs their own Twitter account, frequently updating with photos and other little snippets of news that might not be found anywhere else as quickly. The band enjoys integrating photos with news, so for those out there who are purely visual people and love Muse, a follow may be necessary.Neil Diamond - Pop legend Neil Diamond tweets somewhat irregularly, but his tweets are generally worth reading. He often posts TwitPics and @replies to other Twitterers. He doesn't follow anyone, so don't expect a return-follow.Nick Cannon - Actor, television personality and rapper Nick Cannon tweets pretty much every day, giving updates on his work and personal life and providing commentary on various topics.Passion Pit - Electronic band Passion Pit updates often about their shows and music, along with posting TwitPics pretty regularly. They don't return follow but they do occasionally @reply.\n\n\nPete Wentz - Wentz is the bassist of Fall Out Boy and is married to Ashlee Simpson. He's incredibly active on Twitter, often engaging in long conversations with other (mostly famous) Twitterers. He doesn't follow many people, though, so don't expect a follow back.Pete Yorn - Like John Mayer, Pete Yorn posts and tweets himself, and constantly asks his followers questions. Interaction and bits of news are the pros of following Yorn, as well as a closer view of his life outside of recording and performing.Pink - Pink's tweets give a ton of insight into what her daily life is really like, offering up information on what she's reading, doing, seeing, and listening to. She tweets prolifically, often updating a dozen times a day.Q - S\nQ-Tip - Queens-based rapper and producer Q-Tip, formerly of the group A Tribe Called Quest, keeps his Twitter strictly personal, and updates almost non-stop some days. For a committed user and talented musician, give him a follow.Questo - The Twitter feed of Ahmir Thompson, better known as Questo of The Roots. He tweets consistently, with a dozen or more tweets on most days. Updates include information about The Roots' nightly performances as the house band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and personal, day-to-day bits.\n\n\nRancid - While they don't update terribly often (every day or two), the Rancid Twitter feed gives great, personalized updates on their shows and events. They don't follow any of their fans back, and it doesn't look like they do much in the way of replies, but it's still a great place to get some insider info on this legendary punk band.Rev Run - Rev Run (also known as DJ Run or Joey Simmons), one of the founding members of Run-D.M.C., tweets a few times each day, offering up primarily inspirational tweets to his followers.Rise Against - American punk-rockers Rise Against often post TwitPics of themselves and their shows, along with updates on their music, shows, and touring. They don't follow anyone, though, and rarely engage with other Twitterers.Rob Thomas - Matchbox Twenty's Rob Thomas tweets constantly, updating fans on his daily life, his music, and often conversing with his followers and other Twitter users. He also usually tweets a \"song of the day,\" covering a wide spectrum of different artists.Roger McGuinn - Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Roger McGuinn tweets about his music, upcoming shows, and some videos and links. It looks like he follows back some of his followers, but not many. He does do @replies, though.\n\n\nSamantha Ronson - DJ and singer-songwriter Samantha Ronson carries on tons of conversations with other Twitterers in addition to posting about her daily activities and personal life, as well as occasional TwitPics.Sara Bareilles - Sara doesn't update very often, but her tweets are more conversational than many artists'. Her tweets sometimes include links or TwitPics of herself, lending some authenticity.Sebastian Bach - Sebastian Bach, the former frontman for Skid Row, tweets about his music and his shows. He also tweets updates from his blog and engages with a lot of his followers.Silversun Pickups - Los Angeles-based indie-rock band Silversun Pickups tweet tons of TwitPics from backstage at their concerts, along with updates on their shows and appearances.Slash - Former lead guitarist for Guns N Roses and current lead guitarist for Velvet Revolver, Slash's tweets mostly focus on his music and what the band is up to. He sometimes posts TwitPics of himself and others, too.\n\n\nSneaky Sound System - Sydney-based Sneaky Sound System are using Twitter to share their love of music and playing gigs. The dance group posts news, @replies to fans, and provides some commentary about their music. If you\u2019re a fan, the account is worth a follow.Snoop Dogg - This account appears to be updated at least some of the time by Snoop Dogg himself. Tweets about concert dates, when he's appearing live on Ustream and just general conversation are all included.Solange Knowles - Singer-songwriter Solange Knowles, sister to Beyonce, tweets about music, movies, and her blog. She also replies to tons of other Twitterers, though she doesn't follow very many.Sonic Youth - A mix of promotional and personal tweets, posted by multiple people (with individual tweets being specified by initials), the band\u2019s Twitter is great for those who want to be up to date (in all ways) on the band's goings on.Soulja Boy - Rapper and record producer Soulja Boy (DeAndre Ramone Way) tweets about his music and life, including links to his live Ustream broadcasts. He doesn't return follows and doesn't seem to converse with his followers (or many other Twitterers) very often, though.\n\n\nSoulwax - This Dutch DJ\u2019s Twitter page is full of quick updates and up-to-the-minute music and video releases. The music master also gives advice on what new music to check out and listen to, and his favorite new videos and songs.Stereophonics - Run by the guys themselves, Stereophonics\u2019 Twitter page is full of both useful and useless information. Although it contains some news regarding the band, many updates concern the members\u2019 personal lives and answers to the eternal Twitter question: \u201Cwhat are they doing?\"The Streets - UK garage star Mike Skinner is constantly updating from his iPhone. If you\u2019re a fan of personal, self-run Twitter accounts that aren\u2019t used for self promotion, and love to find out what\u2019s going on in stars\u2019 personal lives, following Skinner might just be the answer.The Subways - English alt-rock band The Subways tweet about their music and shows, and often @reply to other Twitterers, though don't follow many in return.T - Z\nTaylor Swift - Country singer Taylor Swift tweets sporadically, sometimes updating multiple times in a single day and other times skipping a couple of days completely. But her updates give a glimpse into her daily life, including what's going on backstage, her music, and her personal life. She doesn't return follow but she does seem to engage with other Twitterers.\n\n\nThe Teenagers - French band The Teenagers, one of the most prominent emerging bands of 2007 and 2008, combine both personal and promotional elements for their Twitter account.Tokyo Police Club - Canadian indie-rockers Tokyo Police Club tweet about their music, shows and appearances, and life in general. They reply to followers pretty regularly and also post TwitPics often.Trent Reznor - The guy behind Nine Inch Nails, Trent Reznor uses Twitter to communicate with his fans. Almost like a fan forum, Reznor takes hold of the large Twitter population and asks questions and receives advice from fans. This is unsurprising, considering Reznor\u2019s open support of electronic communities.Trey Songz - Recording artist, producer and actor Trey Songz tweets a few times a day, offering updates on his work and conversing with tons of other Twitterers. He also posts TwitPics and links.Usher Raymond - Recording artist and actor Usher Raymond is relatively new to Twitter. He updates often, though not every day, and his tweets cover his life and his music. He often converses with other Twitterers.\n\n\nWeezer - Whether you're a devoted fan or just looking to catch up with one of the hottest bands of the 90s (who are still going strong), give Weezer a follow. The account, which was once purely news and nothing personal, has changed. The band now replies to users and talks about subjects other than music.Wyclef Jean - Former Fugees member and multi-platinum-selling musician Wyclef Jean tweets often, conversing with other Twitter users, posting links, and otherwise updating about his daily activities and work. He recently spoke at the 140 Character Conference, a conference in New York City entirely devoted to Twitter, about how technology is changing people's lives and the music industry.Zoe Keating - Cellist and composer Zoe Keating tweets about her music and often engages in conversations with other Twitterers. She also posts links and retweets content.Other Musicians\nThere are thousands of musicians on Twitter, from major label stars to small indie bands.  We've focused this list on some of the essential follows for music fans, but there are many more that music aficionados should consider following.  MuseBin has a great Twitter music aggregator that brings together tweets from a large number of bands, while the Twellow directory lists tens of thousands of bands and artists.  Also check out the huge list of musicians on Twitter, actively maintained by music fan Gabriel Nijmeh.More music resources from Mashable:\n\n- Social Music: Top 5 Music Recommendation Services- Social Music: Top 5 Sites to Build a Playlist- 18 of the Best Music Tumblelogs- HOW TO: Use Social Media for Sharing Music- 16 Great Music Add-Ons for Firefox\n\nImage courtesy of iStockphoto, Jan_Kowalski"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2009/07/08/twitter-musicians/>