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How To Make The Industry Care About Your Music [Video]

get your music on playlists

There are a million songs written about virtually every topic imaginable, so why should anyone care about your music? 

Music is all about who you know. If you don’t know anyone, like most people when they start, you better be good at making connections and selling yourself. It doesn’t matter if you’re pitching music or your talent as a professional—nobody will care unless you give them a reason to pay attention. Don’t know how? No worries. I can help.

There are countless ways to gain exposure in 2022, but most will agree that playlists are the primary way people discover new music. Be it through algorithmic selections like those curated by Spotify or the trusted taste of an influencer, placement on the right playlist can change any artist’s career overnight. 

But there’s a problem. Everyone who is anyone wants to be on playlists, and that means curators are inundated with requests for inclusion. The big-name talent often has little-to-no problems getting heard, but what about regular musicians? How can up-and-coming talent stand out from the overwhelming amount of competition?

Your story is unique, but you have to know how to sell your story for tastemakers to understand that.

Each day, in offices and remote workspaces around the globe, playlist curators and industry gatekeepers sift through countless songs from artists hoping they’ll give them one of the very limited spaces available on editorial playlists. Certain tastemakers specializing in mood-themed playlists may hear upwards of one hundred or more tracks with a similar theme or story in a single day.

If you want to be the ONE song that stands out from the competition, there are two factors you have to nail:

  1. The song needs to be GOOD. Obviously.
  2. You need to sell the heck out of that song.

Part one is up to you. As for part two:

The only thing separating your story of wanting to leave home and every other dreamer is how you sell it to someone else. 

Start by breaking your song down to the simplest description possible.

“My song is about growing up in a small town and waiting to escape.”

Great! We have a relatable perspective that millions, even billions, can easily recognize.

The only problem is—everyone has a song about wanting to leave their hometown.

If you want to attract playlist curators, tastemakers, or anyone, you need to be more specific. 

Let’s start with the “why” of it all. WHY do you want to leave your hometown? 

“My song is about growing up in a small town and waiting to escape because I have big dreams.”

That’s better. You’ve narrowed the target audience slightly, but you’ve also gotten closer to your true market.

Let’s add another detail, perhaps explore WHAT made us want to leave our hometown. Was it our family, the community, or something more existential? Maybe it’s all three!

“My song is about growing up in a conservative small town and how nobody, not even my family members, can relate to your ambitions of a life outside the village limits.”

The significance of your song and your perspective on life increases exponentially with each detail we add to our story. Those same details attract entertainment gatekeepers and inspire countless passive listeners to seek out more of your music. 

With a little effort, our song about growing up in a small town and waiting to escape can be sold as an epic tale of wanderlust and misadventure inspired by unfortunate yet relatable circumstances.

“My song is about growing up in a conservative small town and how nobody, not even my family members, can relate to your ambitions of a life outside the village limits. It’s about taking advantage of the opportunities presented to you and exploring them. Sometimes we will fail, but that’s okay because failure is part of the journey. What’s more important, to me, is that we try in the first place.”

A few things to keep in mind as you develop your selling power:

  1. You are already a storyteller. Your music proves that. Don’t let the lack of music cause you to lose confidence in yourself. The story you are telling is yours (or one you made up). Nobody can sell it better than you.
  2. Storytelling is a skill you never stop developing. It will take time to build great pitches, but it’s worth the effort.
  3. As you refine your story, always look for new angles to promote your single. Maybe the song elicits a very specific feeling or reaction from the listener. If so, there’s probably a playlist for that.
  4. Not all stories are created equal, and the same goes for the recipient. You may need to develop multiple pitches for a single song to maximize its reach. 

Playlisting is the way of the future. Taking time out of your schedule now to develop and refine your pitching skills will expedite the promotional process down the line. Best of luck, and if you have any questions, email james@haulix.com for advice.

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How TikTok Broke Music Marketing Forever [VIDEO]

TikTok has revolutionized the way artists promote themselves and engage with fans, but not every change has made marketing easier.

With over one billion downloads worldwide and an average monthly use time of well over an hour, TikTok is a remarkable global cultural force. Every day, millions of people upload countless videos covering all areas of creativity imaginable, and hundreds of millions more log on to see what has been made. It’s the greatest marketplace for ideas since Twitter, and anyone discussing music marketing in 2022 has not gone a day without thinking about TikTok for longer than they can remember.

Over the last several weeks a number of high-profile artists have begun publicly complaining about demands from their labels to create TikTok content. The controversy reached a boiling point when Halsey shared a clip of an as-of-yet untitled new track with a message alleging her label was essentially holding her music hostage until she could create a viral moment on the platform. The pop musician then doubled down on her allegations by sharing a second video where a man can be heard explaining that the best way to begin teasing the single would be to share it on TikTok. Both clips remain online as of this posting.

TikTok’s influence on music is undeniable. Since Lil Nas X and “Old Town Road” took off in the early months of the app’s stateside debut virtually every label on the planet has held meetings on help embracing the video-sharing platform may help their roster. In 2021, more than 75 musicians who charted on Billboard for the first time got their start by being discovered on TikTok, and many more artists credit the platform for helping them achieve their first song with over one-million streams. 

But there is a dark side to TikTok and its influence on the industry. Namely, the platform has made it easier than ever to play with objective reality. Viewers no longer know whether the artist complaining about their label is doing so organically or because someone in a marketing department thinks people love artists that hate their labels. Is the girl you see performing a demo in her bedroom actually an unknown talent, or is she already signed to a manager and publisher? Does authenticity even matter, and if so, how do you convey it?

These are just a few questions marketers and artists alike are now asking themselves. In the latest Music Biz update, host James Shotwell examines how we reached this point and what actions artists should take in response. Through numerous examples, James explains how misdirection and deception have fueled an age of discovery where every success story has another, often far less surprising, truth behind it.

Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.

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Five Uncomfortable Truths About Music Discovery

Every platform wants to help with music discovery, but what does that mean? Let’s discuss the reality behind music’s buzziest term.

Every artist I meet dreams of being discovered. They imagine themselves receiving a phone call or a direct message from someone in a position of influence with money and power who offers them whatever they want to create their art. It’s the same fantasy held by every musician and creative since the dawn of time, and despite our best efforts to streamline the process, discovery remains a dream for many.

But what is music discovery? In the simplest terms, discovery refers to finding and/or hearing an artist for the first time. It refers to the moment an artist goes from being a complete unknown to someone the listener may later recognize. The moment of discovery is when connections are made, fandoms launch, and artists first begin to see the fruit of their label. 

In 2022, there are more ways to discover music than ever. Listeners can utilize multiple streaming platforms, dive into artists’ playlists, enjoy algorithmic internet radio, find songs playing in public via Shazam, and—as always—exchange mixes with their closest friends. That doesn’t account for countless music blogs and publications, charts, and other social metrics one could use to learn who is hot in entertainment right now.

As the avenues for music discovery have increased and the barriers to accessing music decreased, the number of artists vying for your attention has reached an all-time high. That in itself isn’t bad. Everyone who desires to make and promote music should be able to do so easily. However, the impact of that demand for attention on consumers is something we still don’t fully understand.

Think about it for a second. As a consumer, you always want to find the next great thing. It’s instinctual. We cannot help being this way. It doesn’t matter if we’re discussing restaurants or bathroom cleaners; people want the best. The same is true in music. We love the artists we love and have preferences, but a part of us is always looking for the next song or album or person or group that can make us feel alive all over again. 

So, consumers want the next thing great song or artist as fast as possible, and more artists than ever are promoting more songs than ever to meet that demand. What could go wrong?

In short, burnout. On both ends.

Artists are becoming so conditioned to the constant churn of the modern industry that they abandon material almost as soon as it is released. It’s as if the three-to-six-month promotional cycle that precedes an album’s release is the only push the songs will receive outside of the artist’s subsequent touring. When those shows end, they will release more music, and it too will be largely forgotten in a few months.

Meanwhile, listeners look to playlists such as Spotify’s New Music Friday and Discover Weekly as the go-to destinations for new music. If an artist doesn’t make it into one of the very limited spots on this list, they have to hope an influencer with a decent playlist following or a massive brand uses their song. Otherwise, it’s up to fate and luck and whatever good word-of-mouth that artist has been able to build.

But that is an incomplete picture of discovery.

Music discovery extends far beyond release week. The long tail of music promotion is never-ending, and the proof is everywhere. Catalog streams are on the rise, as are catalog sales. Industry professionals realize that all material has value in the digital age, and they are scrambling to find ways to promote the content they’d previously left to rust.

Before you fall victim to thinking your opportunity to be discovered has already come and gone, please remember these five cold hard truths about music discovery.

1. Discovery Takes Time.

How many tweets do you see on a given day? If not tweets, how about Instagram stories? You probably don’t know the answer, and neither do I, but we can estimate it’s a lot. We flip by dozens or even hundreds of updates every day from friends and strangers alike, but how many can you remember? I’m willing to bet the answer is not that many.

The digital age has programmed us to believe that momentary, flash in the pan success can be leveraged into a career. We think that all we need is one good tweet or post or song or TikTok to take before everything is gravy for the foreseeable future. While there may be some truth in certain rare cases, it is far from the norm.

Let’s pretend a new listener hears your song via their Discovery Weekly playlist, which is algorithmically generated by Spotify based on a user’s previous consumption. That first listen is of the utmost importance. It has to grab their attention and hold it long enough to make them look at who is behind it. That alone can plant the seed of fandom, but it may still be weeks or months, or even years from development. 

Winning fans in 2022 is an ongoing effort in engagement that spans virtually every aspect of your career. You might send a great tweet that leads to 100 new followers. Of those, maybe half will click a link to your next single. Perhaps one-third of those that click will listen to the full song and—if you’re lucky—check out other music. This process repeats with every tweet, post, and TikTok you share. It happens with every gig you play, song you release, and behind-the-scenes photograph that makes its way online. The process is never-ending, and you never know how far along someone is in their journey. All you can do is stay on the path.

2. Discovery is not linear.

The first time you hear a song is rarely the moment you become a fan of the artist behind it. Fandom is something deeper than general admiration, and again, it takes time to develop. I may like your song the first time I hear it, but it could take years for me to hear another track or see you live. 

Many artists get frustrated with the way social media has busied their schedules. Rather than focusing on songwriting and performance, most artists now also need to consider marketing, branding, etc. What these artists don’t realize is that message they share and any piece of content they create is a reminder to everyone who ever heard their name in passing that they exist. Like Billboards, the stuff you put into the world does as much to introduce you to people as it reminds them you exist. Your next tweet might remind someone you have an album out. It sounds crazy, but it’s true!

3. Going viral isn’t enough.

I hear from musicians every week who dream of going viral. “If I can get that kind of attention,” they tell me, “I won’t let anyone down!”

Anyone can go viral. It may not seem that way right now, but it’s true. Platforms like TikTok recognize the value in catapulting random accounts into the spotlight, and they’re engineering their algorithms to look for opportunities to highlight otherwise unknown creators. 

That said, going viral probably won’t change your life. You may get a boost in streams and general meetings with labels or management, but unless you’re prepared to respond to your viral moment most of the hype will come and go before you can blink. The boost in streams will be nice, no doubt, but it won’t last.

4. Consistency Matters

Getting people to notice you takes at least three things:

  • Quality content (photos, videos, tweets, etc.)
  • Catchy Songs
  • A consistent presence

Making quality content is as easy as logging online in today’s world. There are hundreds of sites that will tell you what to post, when to post, and they can even help you post it. 

Catchy songs are slightly more difficult, but technology has advanced to such a point that recording your track can be done from virtually anywhere. 

Consistency is a skill that only time can develop. Making one great piece of content is hard. Making one-hundred pieces of content is equally hard, but there are tricks you’ll learn to simplify the process.

For those getting started, don’t rush anything. Release one song at a time to maximize the value of that track. Create lyric videos, music videos, alternate music videos, behind-the-music vignettes, behind-the-scenes photos, lyric sheets, and anything else you can think of to make people look at your music. 

Through it all, remain consistent. If you’re going to share photos, make sure they look good. Double-check that your videos are always exporting in 1080p or higher. Check your grammar. Etc. Etc. Etc.

5. Algorithms are your friend, not your foe.

In a world where artists fight to make people believe a song is worth more than $0.004 per stream, it’s easy to understand why many take issue with streaming services and the algorithmic recommendation engines behind them. However, I think that mindset blinds us to the unique opportunity of the modern age. Everything is everywhere, and almost everyone has access to it all the time. The distance between learning of an artist and consuming everything they’ve made is almost nonexistent.

Nobody has time to sort through everything, and most wouldn’t know how if they did. Algorithms help us cut through the noise to find music closely resembling what we already enjoy. Whether it’s recommending you to three or three thousand people doesn’t matter as much as the fact it’s recommending you at all. Streaming services could easily charge for that kind of exposure. Instead, they understand the value in discovery, even if they don’t care to admit it. 

Try reframing your relationship with algorithms like this:

Every day, at all hours, there are computers worldwide working to match people with songs they might enjoy. Those machines promote you while you eat, sleep, shower, and go to the movies. They do not take holidays or weekends off, and they never have to leave early for a dentist appointment. Algorithms work for you even when you’re not working on music at all, and honestly, who or what else in your life can claim the same? Nothing!

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5 Lessons From The Pandemic That Artists Need To Remember

The pandemic still isn’t over, but life is beginning to feel somewhat normal, so let’s make sure we don’t forget everything we learned over the last two years.

Life is returning to normal. At least, life is beginning to look a lot like it did before the COVID-19 pandemic brought global economies to their knees and forced everyone to stay away from everyone else. As vaccination rates rise and more data becomes available about the spread of the novel coronavirus, artists and fans are finally reuniting. There are, however, several lessons from the last two years that artists should carry with them.

There is no point in working yourself to death. Take breaks.

Whether we’re talking about touring or creative exercises, artists itching to get “back into the swing of things” would be wise to remember fans’ devotion over the last two years. Many artists saw their audiences grow through basic marketing techniques without touring. Artists and industry professionals alike learned that it is possible to develop a career without spending 200+ days a year touring or incurring the mental/physical hardships that accompany life on the go.

Remember how you kept fans engaged with your music over the last twenty-four months as you look to book future tours. Think about the conversations you had and the memories you made while the so-called “traditional industry” was on a break. You don’t have to fall back into old industry habits to succeed. The last year provided you with the opportunity to find new ways to sustain your career. Stick with them.

Just because you’re ready to tour doesn’t mean your audience will be at the show.

The vast majority of music fans have already returned to live music. They’ve gathered in venues, sometimes in masks, and felt that exciting-yet-awkward discomfort of being surrounded by complete strangers. They may have panicked once or twice as they remembered how people shunned such behaviors for the last two years, but most are happy to be back.

Still, some are staying home. Governments and cultures may be insisting people act as if everything is normal, but millions of immunocompromised people are still at risk. People are still scared.

Additionally, many people who enjoy your music do not live where you can tour. These individuals have spent the last two years with the same amount of access to you as everyone else, which strengthened their connection to your music. If you let that engagement lapse, their passion for your music may dwindle.

As we head back out into the world, please make it a point to continue engaging with fans who can only connect with you through the internet. You may need to brainstorm ways to maintain that connection, but those efforts will be worthwhile. Your digital audience can be the best ambassadors for your music or the most outspoken. Nurture that relationship without demanding they risk their lives, and they will thank you for it.

Still sitting on a COVID song? Still writing about the pandemic? Stop it. Shelve it. Put it away.

Many artists spent the last two years writing and recording new material. Nobody can blame a musician for being influenced by the surreal state of existence, but that does not mean that the masses are prepared for COVID-related songs or albums. Much like how many years need to pass before Hollywood produces a movie about a significant historical event, listeners need time to process and recover from COVID before they’ll be interested in seeing it dissected through art. We all spent the last year thinking about the pandemic, and many people would like a break. Don’t be the artist that tries to unite us through reflections on something we’re all still experiencing. Instead, find a personal angle to detail your experiences and build your material from there. What happened to YOU in the last two years? How did YOUR relationships change? What made the previous year unique for YOU, and what did YOU learn from it?

Livestream Events Are Here To Stay

Networking Matters.

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How Undeath Is Resurrecting American Death Metal [Video]

Undeath vocalist Alex Jones appears in the latest Music Biz ‘Fast Five’ interview to discuss music promotion, branding, and more.

When was the last time you heard people talking about death metal? I don’t mean you and your friends hanging around chatting. I’m asking when, if ever, you can recall hearing death metal disgust in the wild? The genre has been around for decades, yet I’m willing to bet you don’t often hear it discussed.

American death metal is in the midst of a revival, unlike anything the genre has seen in decades. Determining why this is happening or how it came to be is anyone’s guess, but there is a new wave of fans and musicians fiercely passionate about music, art, and everything in between. These individuals and groups are ushering in a new era of death metal that is more inclusive, exciting, and fun. It’s serious music that doesn’t always take itself too seriously, and perhaps no group better personifies this idea right now than New York band Undeath.

After bursting onto the international stage with 2020’s Lesions Of A Different Kind, Undeath quickly ascended through the metal underground with propulsive jams that expertly blend ultraviolent lyricism with equally brutal musicianship. The band toured as much as the pandemic allowed but spent most of their time crafting the material that would carry them into the next chapter of their career.

That album, It’s Time…To Rise From The Grave, hits shelves this April with a cacophony of heavy themes and sounds sure to please and disturb in equal measure. It’s a fitting continuation for Undeath and one that leaves plenty of room for the band to explore on future releases.

In this Music Biz update, host James Shotwell chats with Undeath vocalist Alex Jones for the latest edition of our ‘Fast Five’ interview series. Jones speaks about music promotion, artist branding, merchandising, and more as a timer counts down. There’s even some discussion about the state of death metal today. Check it out:

Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.

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How Simple Plan Built A Pop-Punk Legacy [Interview]

Simple Plan drummer Chuck Comeau chats with Music Biz host James Shotwell about the secret to his band’s longevity in this brisk, five-minute interview.

Pop-punk is not a genre ruled by legacy acts. Pop-punk is for the youth, or at least, that’s what people once thought. When the genre went mainstream in the early 2000s, industry analysts and critics assumed that tastes would change as people age. Two decades later, people who fell in love with bands like blink-182 and Green Day while still in middle school are now parents sharing those records with their children.

In other words, you make teens become adults, but you can’t make people stop liking pop-punk.

Simple Plan is one of the very few pop-punk acts that have remained active and together for more than a decade. Over twenty years into their career, the band continues to release music and tour the world. Their video for their latest single, “Ruin My Life,” has accrued more than 1.3 million views in its first three weeks of release.

They are lifers in the truest sense, and today, we’re going to learn how that happened. In this video, Simple Plan drummer Chuck Comeau chats about his band’s legacy and the secret to their success with Music Biz host James Shotwell as part of our ongoing five-minute interview series.

Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.

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An Introvert’s Guide To Music Networking [Video]

If the idea of talking to strangers scares you, don’t worry. The Music Biz team is here to build your confidence and improve your networking skills.

Music is all about who you know. You can be the most talented artist in the world, but you won’t get anywhere without a network of supporters and peers. So, what do you do if you don’t know anyone? Well—this video is for you.

Hello again everyone, and welcome back to Music Biz, our ongoing video series on everything related to life in the music industry. I’m your host James Shotwell, and today we’re going to discuss networking, which is really just a fancy way of saying relationship building. The music industry runs on relationships. Luck and talent are still prerequisites for success, of course, but knowing the right people can certainly streamline your rise through the musical ranks. 

On the surface, networking seems simple. All you have to do is talk to people. You do that all the time, every day of your life. But something about the idea of networking seems to make people nervous. I know far more artists who are shy off stage than those who embody the free spirit they convey on stage.

This Music Biz update will review practical steps every introvert can take to build their network, make meaningful connections, and gain the confidence needed to become a new music leader. Check it out:

Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.

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The Only Music Industry Advice You Need

Applying marketing tips and tricks will help your career, but the best music industry advice anyone can offer has nothing to with promotion.

A few years ago, I worked with an up-and-coming artist that I believed could be the next big name in alternative music. The artist only had a few songs out when we first met, so I was fortunate enough to be working alongside them as they prepared the release of their first proper EP. We spent a ton of money on branding, packaging, designs, and three great music videos. We had everything we needed to make the record successful on paper, but I could not stop fighting this feeling that I wasn’t ready enough.

I began sending the songs to my friends in the music industry. As much as I wanted to know they liked the music, I was more concerned with whether or not they thought it was as good as I did. I feared that I overestimated the band’s quality based on personal preferences. I didn’t want to invest much time and energy into a project that I thought would take the world by storm, only to see it fizzle out.

One of the people I contacted, A publicist at a famous punk label, hit me with a response that I did not anticipate. They said:

“It’s good, James. But you should know by now that being good doesn’t matter. Most artists are good. Some may even argue that most artists are great to the people that like what they create. Even being great is not enough. We sign artists that we believe are great only to see them fall flat on the public stage. Talent alone is no longer enough, and it probably never was in the first place.“

They continued:

“The only way this project becomes what you want it to be is if you do everything possible to make it that. You and the artist you’re working with need to plan and commit to doing everything in your power to make this release a success. You will need to make sacrifices. You will need to spend late nights and early mornings replying to messages and sending new ones. You will probably need to spend a little money on advertising. The band will need to perform often, and they will need to maintain constant contact with their audience. You need to be creating content, scheduling content, and posting content regularly. You need an email list. It would be best if you had all of these things, and doing every single one still won’t guarantee that this will become what you want. Breaking through on any level in this industry is a mix of preparation and luck. Sometimes, people succeed without planning, and it goes poorly. The people who succeed and then continue having success are the ones who prepared themselves for the moment when they were allowed to show the world who they could become. They did all the things I’ve outlined here and probably more, all on the hope and the far-fetched chance that they would be the next group or solo performer that the world wants to embrace.”

Some may read this advice and feel defeated. We all like to believe that things will go your way if you do everything right. That may be true for many things in life, but it is never the case with the music industry. Countless performers believe they deserve to be the next big thing. Most of them are doing everything in their power to position themselves for success. They are reading articles like this, watching videos, attending conferences, reading books, consuming podcasts, and constantly working on their craft. They are spending untold money to create the highest quality content possible. I would argue that most believe success is right around the corner, and in a way, it is, but they never know which corner.

You see, what my friend was trying to tell me and what I now know to be true about the music business is that the best any of us can hope to achieve is to position ourselves for success. We have to do the work hoping that one day the rest of the world takes notice while accepting that such a day may never come. It’s not a matter of “hope for the best and prepare for the worst.” Artists should “Prepare for the best and the worst.”

When I work with artists now, I always have them create a list of goals that get increasingly small. Most have big ambitions, like reaching number one on the charts or selling out a large venue. That kind of success is excellent and entirely possible for many talented people, but there are countless smaller steps you must take to reach that point. Rather than focusing on the big goals, I like to work on the little ones and slowly build up momentum for my artists. We work on hitting the next listener milestone on Spotify, the next follower goal on social media, and writing the next great song. We focus on the little things that position us for big success, and while the process takes time, it’s far more rewarding than holding out for overnight success.

Can you be the most prominent artist on the planet? Sure. Is it possible for you to sell out a stadium tour? Maybe. I believe you can take your career as far as it can go in the music industry as long as you do everything in your power to make it great. It’s not about doing one thing well or acting as if you deserve to be a rockstar. Those who reach the highest echelon of success do so by constantly refining their craft. They focus on the minutia of entertainment, and they find joy in doing the work. That approach is the only one that can lead to long-term success. Everything else is scattershot, messy, and headed for disaster.

Everyone needs friends that will tell them the truth. It would be best to have people in your corner who will say something to you when you are wrong or less than average. People who will fight for you, criticize you, and uplift you when the time is right. You cannot buy that kind of reality check. Only authentic friendships provide the type of clarity you need so that you understand whether or not you’re on the right path. Even then, you alone can decide what to do next.

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Five Important Questions Artists Should Ask Before SXSW 2022

The return of SXSW is right around the corner. Are you prepared? These questions will reveal the truth!

After two long years away, SXSW is returning to the streets of Austin, TX, this March for a long-awaited reunion with the global music community. While the wildly popular event will continue to offer online participation opportunities, the world’s largest gathering of musicians and music professionals is ready to usher in a new, in-person age. How many will attend this year’s event remains unclear, but thousands are expected.

Whether this is your first or fifteenth SXSW, there is never a good reason to descend on the streets of Austin without first having a plan. Traveling to SXSW is expensive, so you want to be sure you’re getting the most out of your time and finances. It’s easy to spend a week in Texas going broke and come home with nothing to show (aside from sunburn and a hangover). You and your career deserve better, so if you’re going to make the journey to Austin, you better ask yourself these questions first:

Whether this is your first or fifteenth SXSW, there is never a good reason to descend on the streets of Austin without first having a plan. Traveling to SXSW is expensive, so you want to be sure you’re getting the most out of your time and finances. It’s easy to spend a week in Texas going broke and come home with nothing to show (aside from sunburn and a hangover). You and your career deserve better, so if you’re going to make the journey to Austin, you better ask yourself these questions first:

1. Do you know your travel plans and budget for the week?

Budgeting and planning a trip can be a headache, which is why many people choose to procrastinate nailing down the details of any journey until the last possible moment. If you want to make this SXSW the most successful it can possibly be you need to know your plan of attack as soon as possible. Book a flight (while you still can), lock in your lodging, and discuss amongst everyone coming with what your daily budget will be. Many events offer free food and drink, but those seeking water or actual meals will need cash to satiate their cravings.

Beyond budgeting financially, you will also want to begin discussing how you plan to use your time in the city of Austin. Create a calendar, fill in every event you need to attend, and then review the list and slim it down until only the essential events remain. Once that is complete, work together with your band members and anyone else going to Austin with you to devise ways to promote your music and any performances you may have during the week. Assign each other tasks and brainstorm various approaches you can take to gain the public’s attention.

2. Speaking of promotion, how are you going to get the word out about your music?

Over 1000 artists perform during the week of SXSW, and more than 90% will walk away without seeing any change in their careers. We could go back and forth about the reason for this, but more often than not, it boils down to how much attention the individual act can bring to themselves during the week. If your promotion plan is social media updates and handbills, you probably will not see a tremendous impact on your career trajectory following the festival. If, however, you begin researching innovative marketing techniques for 2019 and apply them to your efforts in Austin, the sky is the limit. Creativity is key to success, and when you’re surrounded by literally thousands of creative people, it takes something extra special to stand out from the herd. Do not let your art become part of the majority.

3. Are you focusing on your efforts on quality or quantity?

Some bands believe the key to being noticed at SXSW is to play as many shows as humanly possible, but the real way to take your career to the next level is far simpler: Connect with the audience. Whether you play one show or ten, it only takes one person with the right connections to notice your music for your career to change overnight. Do not stress over the number of gigs you have or the time allotted, but instead, focus on delivering the highest caliber performance possible when the time comes. Remember: It only takes one person to change your world.

4. What are you doing right now to promote your time in SXSW?

Every successful marketing campaign begins long before the thing being promoted takes place.

The entire list of artists showcasing at official SXSW events was recently released, which means everyone with a publicist on their team is already at least one email into their promotional efforts for Austin. As an independent artist with few festival appearances under your belt, it would be a good idea to begin promoting and otherwise advertising your presence at SXSW as soon as possible. Reach out to bloggers, share your latest music, and let them know you would love to meet up if they’re coming to SXSW. You don’t need to sell them right away, but you should at least make them aware of your plans. It won’t be long until publications begin compiling the ‘must-see’ bands of SXSW, and with a little luck, your group could make the cut. Click here for some additional tips on contacting members of the press.

5. What goals do you have for SXSW?

Before heading to SXSW, the worst thing you could do is to tell yourself that one trip to Austin will change your life forever. We’re not saying such things will not happen because they most definitely could, but the odds are incredibly stacked against you. Set achievable goals that will help you further your efforts in the long run instead of focusing on short-term success. If you want to play to 50 people, do whatever you can to bring 50 people to your show. If you’re going to find a manager, order business cards and make plans to network whenever time allows.

SXSW works for those who know how to work it, and the first step to doing that is understanding you get out of your efforts what you put in. Those who do the work necessary to play at their absolute best and go out of their way to be creative with marketing are going to get further than the band with great hooks and zero following. It’s that simple.

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The Problem With Facebook Ads [VIDEO]

Social media advertising was once the way of the future, but recent changes have thrown the industry into a tailspin that artists should avoid at all costs.

Everywhere you look, marketers are telling businesses and freelancers that social media advertising is the future. “Use Facebook ads,” they say. “Everyone is on Facebook!” After all, no other ad platform allows harnessing the power of the internet’s best tracking tools to promote the song you wrote in your childhood bedroom.

But if we’re being honest, we all know social media advertising is a lie. Advertising implies that the point of the message is to reach people who are otherwise unaware of your existence. Social media advertising does accomplish that, but its core purpose—at least on Facebook and Instagram—is to charge brands and creators for access to their fans.

Want to reach 100% of your audience without spending a dime? Click here.

On average, a post made from a Facebook page will reach slightly more than 5% of its total following. That percentage does not account for people outside the page’s following who may see the post, which can vary greatly depending on the engagement. If creators wish to reach the other 95%, Meta says you must pay for reach, and that’s the catch-22 that everyone in entertainment has been fighting against for over a decade.

Now, there’s a new monster on the horizon. As Music Biz host James Shotwell explains in this video, Facebook has an Apple problem. Recent updates to Apple’s security features have given users the ability to stop advertisers from tracking them, throwing the Facebook ad algorithm into a tailspin. As the company scrambles for solutions, its stock is plummeting, and anyone still advertising is finding their marketing spend reaches fewer people than ever.

Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.

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