Being a musician in the 21st century is a completely different ballgame than it was back in the day, when there major labels monopolized the business. Now, the internet has opened a number of different avenues for musicians to independently promote their music and get it out to the real world. Here are a few ways to make sure that your music gets the exposure that it deserves by taking advantage of all the means available to you.
Consistent online presence
A powerful strategy to succeed in promoting your music is to be frequently visible on the internet. Whether it’s releasing new music, updating your fan base with recent developments or announcing collaborations and upcoming shows, a prominent online presence goes a long way and helps you stay relevant. Interacting with your fans and responding to them is very crucial as this creates a personal connect between the musician and the audience.
Radio plays
The radio has been one of been one of the important factors in deciding what the vast majority of the prospective audience are going to be listening to. While this often leads to a trend of easily digestible and generic music being aired, it is undeniably one of the best means to really get your music out there. Apart from the usual city specific radios, the internet offers various radio channels which can be accessed from around the globe. This enables you to reach out to the right audience, even if your music might be aimed at a specific section of listeners.
Features on different projects
Having your music featured on different commercial ventures such as advertisements, television shows, short films and webisodes, apart from being good business on its own, lets you reach out to a completely untapped audience. For instance, avid followers of a certain television series might be supporting your music because it was featured on it.
Using digital music platforms
Music platforms such as Spotify, Saavn, and iTunes provide an instantaneous solution for you to be able to reach your audience without the need for the meticulous process of physical music distribution. Putting up an album or an EP up for streaming on YouTube is another great way to make your music accessible to a wider audience.
Music Videos
A vast majority of the audience respond much better to music when it is represented audio-visually. Not only does the music have better context when it is paired with visuals, but it naturally makes it more memorable and gives the listener more reason to revisit your content. In some cases, the audience might not be able to keep up or fully understand the music and its nuances, and this is exactly where a video might make things a lot more accessible.
Playing live shows
With all the digital music platforms available to us, a lot of us have forgotten how important live music performances are. As obvious as it may be, playing shows is the most crucial aspect of promoting your music and getting it out there. There is no alternative to proving yourself as a musician and performer in front of an audience and earning their respect. Touring and playing shows regularly are great ways to establish your presence and is a good source of income once you’ve got a foothold.
Collaborations
Collaborating with other artists and musicians enable you to widen your audience. Having your name pop up on other musicians’ tracks will direct the attention of their fan base to your music and vice-verse. Apart from expanding your target audience, collaborations also allow you to get mutually influenced and grow as a musician, and approach things with a different point of view.
This article was featured in our January 2018 issue: http://bit.ly/2Bvoqfm
