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How To Get Ahead And Win Fans In Music Today [VIDEO]

Win Fans

Most musicians are terrible music professionals, but with a few changes, anyone can make strides toward success.

There are great artists making music with the potential to change countless lives that will never be heard by anyone outside of their immediate circle. Is that because the industry doesn’t care about talent or that there are too many talented people trying to get ahead? NO! It’s because many musicians have no idea how to treat their career as a business, which is the only way most get ahead in music today.

For the sake of simplicity, let’s assume you have great songs. You won’t get anywhere without songs people want to hear, so if you’re reading this, I will you are a capable songwriter. You have to believe this as well, but we’ll get to that in a minute.

I spend a lot of time working with musicians who have all the pieces of a great career; they have a specific look, strong branding, memorable songs, and a fierce devotion to their craft. The problem is, those same artists cannot bring those pieces together in a meaningful way. I can’t fix that for them, but I can share the same advice I offer all of them:

You need a PLAN!

Most artists know where they want to go in their careers. They say things like, “We want to headline stadiums,” or “we want a platinum single.” Far fewer artists know how they’re going to reach those goals. Success in music requires planning, and that applies to all facets of your career. It would be best if you had a release plan, a promotional strategy, a social media plan, and a practice plan. What you’re going to do is not enough. You need to know how you’re going to get there, and the step you’ll take along the way. BE SPECIFIC.

Stop making excuses

We make excuses for everything. We want to promote ourselves, but we don’t have a budget. We want to have a cool logo, but we don’t know how to design things. We want to write a great melody, but our previous attempts fell flat.

Excuses are hurdles we put in front of ourselves to justify not working harder to achieve our dreams. They give us a reason to abandon our dreams and settle for less than we truly desire because we convince ourselves our goals are out of reach. That kind of thinking has ruined countless careers, and it will ruin yours too unless you make a change.

Starting today, commit to overcoming excuses. Work with a smaller budget, learn to design, write bad melodies until you find one that works, and do whatever else needs to happen so you can live your best life. Be the person you see yourself becoming rather than someone who gets defeated by walls they build in front of themselves. There is always a solution. It may not look or feel the way you thought it would, but that’s okay. Just keep going.

Focus on the fans that matter

Social numbers aren’t everything. Monthly Spotify Listeners do not determine your value as an artist. I’ve seen musicians with millions of digital followers play to empty rooms, and I’ve watched as complete unknowns sold-out places those so-called stars could never fill.

Digital stats don’t matter unless they translate to actual sales. One-thousand fans buying your album for $10 is worth more than 1,000,000 people streaming your new single and never listening to your music again.

Quality over quantity is key to building an audience. You need to stop worrying about the size of your fanbase and start concerning yourself with engaging your current fans in a meaningful way. Figure out the content your fans want to see, produce it regularly, and keep engaging with them as much as possible. Make them feel as if they’re indispensable to your career, and they will do everything they can to convert others to your fandom.

And above all else: Be yourself

Every notable entertainer today is viewed as being authentic. Their careers are made possible because fans believe they know the artist or group on a personal level. They feel like the talent’s best friend even though they’ve never met.

Being your true self is the only way to get ahead. You might be able to craft a hit song without putting yourself into the lyrics, but the success won’t feel as good or worthwhile if your soul isn’t in the product. You don’t want to end up on stage every night performing material you don’t care about, and your fans don’t want to pay to see that. Give the people the one thing only you can provide: Yourself.

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Should Coronavirus Delay Your Next Release? [VIDEO]

Several high-profile artists are delaying their upcoming releases in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic, but should indie artists follow their lead?

We are living in a new normal. How long we live in an industry without live music is anyone’s guess, and nobody knows exactly how to proceed in these uncertain times. Some high-profile talent is choosing to delay their upcoming releases, and others are choosing to forgo announcing their albums until the current wave of COVID-19 is over.

The reasons for these decisions are numerous because, like everything else in music, each career is different. But is delaying an upcoming release the best move for up and coming artists?

The answer isn’t that simple. Releasing music is easier now than ever, but the likelihood of a quick return on investment is low. There are also new hurdles to content creation, such as the inability to make elaborate videos or even schedule photo shoots. However, artists able to adapt to our new reality will find there is a lot of room for new music to break through and connect with a wide audience.

Think about it. When someone discovers a new song or artist during the pandemic, that listener now has something in their life to get them through these uncertain times. When the global economy reopens and live music returns, those artists whose work helped people are going to be the first musicians that listeners want to see.

Artists who wait until the fall are positioning themselves against a significant amount of competition. The demand for consumer attention and money is going to be at an all-time high later this year. Consumers may not have much to spend on much at the moment, but they do have plenty of time to listen and connect to an artist. Those who make the most of that opportunity are going to thrive when the industry reverts back to its (somewhat) normal operations.

In this episode of Music Biz, host James Shotwell explains the arguments for and against releasing music during the current pandemic, as well as how much or little those opinions should matter to independent artists.

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Three Music Industry Lies Artists Need To Stop Believing

There is a lot of great advice on succeeding in the music industry, but there are a lot of lies as well. Let’s take a moment to separate fact from fiction before someone steers your career in the wrong direction.

The only thing the music industry has more of than artists is people who think they can help artists succeed. We choose to believe anyone offering advice is doing so because they genuinely want to help others. After all, why would someone purposefully offer lousy advice that could be detrimental to another person’s career?

The problem with offering advice, especially in an industry like music, is how rare any path to success works more than once. Artistic pursuits are built mainly on originality and creativity, which is why artists who become game-changing superstars are so rare. Not everyone has a clear vision for their career, and far less possess the unbreakable spirit needed to risk everything long enough to establish themselves as an undeniable talent. There is a reason we only have one Taylor Swift, one Kiss, and one Elton John. All three are examples of talented musicians that blazed a path entirely their own that has been repeated countless times by gifted people who never took the extra step needed to separate themselves from the rest of those following the lead of those who came before.

Our goal with this blog has always been to keep things as simple as possible. We would never advise you to copy another artist’s career because the likelihood that lightning strikes twice is incredibly low. We choose to focus on establishing a foundation for success with essential marketing and business knowledge in the hope it empowers your creative expression. We cannot make you a star, and anyone who is claiming they can is most likely selling you a lie.

With that in mind, here are three common lies sold to musicians on the rise all around the world. These ideas are discussed at conferences, on podcasts, and through blogs (un)like this one regularly, which is why so many foolishly believe they offer some magical solution to becoming a star. But trust us: No such magic exists.

“All you need is one great song.”

When people originally started telling artists that they only needed one great song, they were probably telling the truth. Before computers and the internet empowered anyone with a melody in their head to quickly release music, one great song could land you a record deal and number one single. If that single sold well, the success of your one great song could propel you into the music hierarchy long enough to make a little money, buy a house, and more or less sustain yourself until people came to their senses. The 1980s and 1990s were filled with musicians who blew up from a single song and never duplicated their success, but those instances became far less frequent with the rise of internet culture.

These days, one great song is all you needed to get started. One great song can turn heads and raise awareness for your music, but it is rarely enough to make you a star. Even Lil Nas X, who came out of nowhere with “Old Town Road” in 2019, needed several remixes of his hit to propel the song to its record-breaking streaks atop the Billboard charts. He also followed that song with “Panini,” which also performed incredibly well (aided, at least in part, by its own series of high-profile remixes).

The reason one great song isn’t enough is due to the marketplace. There is so much music being released all the time by artists from every corner of the planet that one song very rarely can establish a career. There will always be outliers, of course, but believing your song will make you one of the exceptions to the rule is a recipe for disaster. You need more than one great song. It would be best if you as had as many great songs as you can possibly write.

“You need to be on every social media platform.”

We have written extensively about the problems social media can create for artists. Social media is a time-consuming monster that must be fed frequently with original thoughts and ideas that may or may not convince someone to follow you. In the event you do earn a new follower, there is still no promise that an individual will become a financial supporter of your music or even become a fan of your creative output.

Experimenting with social media is the best method of participation. Launch accounts on any platforms that interest, but do not allow yourself to believe existing on social media is a necessity. The only place you need to be is where your fans already are, and the only people you need to worry about entertaining are the people already invested in your music. If you can get your current fans to engage with your tweets, new followers and fans will come in time. If your fans aren’t present or don’t participate, then getting people unfamiliar with your work will be incredibly difficult.

If something doesn’t work, delete your account and move on. You don’t have the time to be creating content for platforms that do not help your bottom line.

“You need to tour.”

Let’s get one thing straight: You don’t need to do anything that doesn’t make sense for your career. If you prefer releasing singles, then you shouldn’t worry about creating an album. If you prefer to record every instrument yourself with the help of a laptop, then you shouldn’t worry about building a band. If you have no interest in touring or it doesn’t make sense financially to hit the road, then you have no obligation to do so.

Will your fans always love your choices? Probably not. Will they respect you for taking care of yourself and consistently engaging with them, however, you are able? Absolutely.

Touring can be incredibly lucrative. Touring can also create a lot of debt. Make sure going on the road is right for you before you begin booking shows. If the numbers don’t add up or you don’t feel ready for it, then you have no obligation to tour.

Never let anyone tell you there is only one way to succeed. There are countless ways to excel in the music business, including numerous methods that have yet to be discovered. The best path anyone can take is the one that makes the most sense to them. That way, even if things don’t work out, you did things your way, and that’s more than many creatives can claim.

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How Musicians Can Get Ahead on Black Friday

Consumers love to spend money the day after Thanksgiving, so why don’t more artists take advantage of Black Friday?

Black Friday is practically a holiday in the United States. Every year, millions of consumers flood stores and online retailers in search of deals to purchase the stuff they have always wanted (as well as a few gifts) at discounted prices. It is an event unlike any other, and there is no reason musicians should miss out on the fun.

Musicians don’t like to hear this, but your music is a business. Just like any brick and mortar operation, you need customers (aka fans) to spend money to support your dreams. Since Black Friday is all about supporting the businesses you love, artists need to get with the times and promote themselves around this special day.

From promotion and pricing to less direct means of raising awareness and engagement, the latest episode of Music Biz will tell you everything you need to make the most of Black Friday in 2019 and beyond. Much like the holidays themselves, participation is not about stuff as much as it is the motivation behind the things we share. Check it out:

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Three No-Cost Ideas For Better Music Marketing

Music marketing is just as important today as the songs themselves.

There are countless ways to promote your music today. From social media posts and traditional print advertising to pop-up shops, video streams, song premieres, and more, there have never been as many ways to share your art as there are right now.

For the most part, this is good news. Artists are free to promote themselves how they see fit. Music Marketing is a ‘create your own adventure’ scenario that is unlike anything the entertainment industry has seen before. However, many artists are still missing out on simple, cost-effective promotional methods that are proven to make a significant impact on their bottom line. Here are three:

Make the most of your cover photos.

Reach is a struggle on all social media platforms, and that is something that shows no signs of improving anytime soon. Facebook and Twitter offer an olive branch to musicians with cover photos, which sit atop every profile and allow for a large, wide image. Many artists see these rectangular spaces as a place to add aesthetically-pleasing images or new band photos, which can be lovely, but they are much more powerful than many assume.

Fans news and old want to know what you’re doing next. The hope is that your latest developments appear on their timelines, but that is increasingly not the case for most. Most fans know the best way to learn what is new and coming soon is by visiting their favorite musician’s social media pages, which is why you need to utilize the cover photo space for promotional purposes. The last thing anyone wants to do is scroll and search for information that should be readily available. Use your cover photo to share whatever is most important right now, from tour dates to song releases. Be shameless about it. The easier it is to stay up to date with your activity, the more likely consumers will be to support you.

A great example of using cover photos to convey important information.

Maximize the content opportunities found in life on the road.

Touring was once viewed as something artists dreamed of becoming popular enough to do regularly. While that is still a dream for many, going on tour is now an essential part of most musicians’ lives. The vast majority of talent today spends far more time promoting their work on the road than they do making music. It’s a grind, but it’s a worthwhile one for those passionate about the work of being a professional musician.

Sadly, far too many artists on the road today fail to take advantage of the content opportunities made possible by tour life. The allure of the music business is the idea that anyone can use their creativity to make friends and see the world. Your fans want to experience life through your eyes because they know deep down that they may never do the things you’re doing. Let people into your world with a constant flow of content produced on the road. The places you’re going, the places you’ve been, and everything that happens in between should be up for grabs. Pull back the curtains and let people get to know the real you by showing them what it takes to share your creativity with the world.

Start a podcast.

We have written about this in the past, but every musician should have a podcast. Engagement is the name of the game in music promotion, and nothing helps artists directly engage their audience in a meaningful manner as podcasts. It’s the only media format where people can sit and listen to the people they admire for an extended period without hearing a journalist or other personality guide a conversation. Podcasts can be about anything you want, but they should aspire to let people better know you and your interests. If that means you discuss the music, great! If you talk about something else that may or may not influence your creativity, that’s cool too. Be yourself and your fans, as well as people who discover your broadcasts, will be happy.

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The Top Priority For All New Artists

Every artist has a unique journey to success in the music industry, but they should all start with the same goal.

Now is the best time ever to start a music career. The opportunities for exposure and success are at an all-time high, and virtually everyone can begin making money for their creative output as soon as it’s uploaded to the internet. Artists have never been as empowered to express themselves as they are right now, and that has made music as a whole far more interesting.

But regardless of who you are and the kind of music you seek to create, the goal of every musician starting today should be the same: Growth.

Jesse Cannon, music producer and author of numerous books geared at helping musicians succeed, says all new artists should prioritize growth until they have at least 20,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.

Why Spotify? If you asked a few years back, Cannon would have said the goal growth on Facebook or Twitter. Online metrics matter significantly in the industry, and having a sizable audience on any platform is a clear sign to the industry at large that people care about what you’re doing.

These days, however, Spotify is the most sought-after platform for strong performance stats. After all, the streaming giant is where digital engagement transforms into money. Every stream on Spotify counts towards an artist’s income. When labels, management, and the like are looking for new talent, Spotify is the place most turn to gauge an artist’s value.

When asked for more information, Cannon said 20,000 was indicative of an artist having “buzz beyond those of us who talk about [music] all day.” Meaning, an artist with a large Spotify following confirms the general public has discovered and taken an interest in their music. There are many artists that critics and industry professionals love who may never reach a following that large, so it’s important — from a business standpoint — to know music consumers are embracing someone.

Cannon further suggested that artists should avoid releasing or working on albums until they hit the 20,000 listener goal. Until that time, Cannon recommends releasing singles regularly. Consistently giving people a new reason to care or give you a chance is a proven tactic for developing an audience. Until people are willing to wait for something that could take a long time to complete, stick with singles as a means of showcasing your talent.

Careers are built on fans. In the age of the internet, engaging with listeners is incredibly easy. You can tweet at people, post to Facebook, share stories on Instagram, create videos for YouTube, and maintain a mailing list, among other things, without spending a dime. Growth on any platform is excellent, but growth on Spotify makes a difference that other digital communities cannot. Focus your efforts, build a community, and in time you will have the audience needed to support a full-time career.

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What Artists Can Learn From Lizzo’s Success [VIDEO]

Lizzo is perhaps the most successful artist of 2019. Achieving that feat did not happen overnight, but her approach can work for anyone’s career.

No one is having a year like the one Lizzo is experiencing right now. From a successful album to sold-out tour dates, festival appearances, song placements, and more, no one has done a better job of being a constant figure in pop culture this year. Lizzo has the kind of career every musician hopes for, and today we’re exploring how she made it happen (before a label was involved).

Lizzo is not an overnight sensation or some flash in the pan talent. The success Lizzo is experiencing in 2019 is the result of a decade spent working hard in the shadows of mainstream music. Her biggest hits, “Truth Hurts” and “Good As Hell,” have been available online for years. Critics have been predicting her stardom since 2016, but convincing the masses took time and commitment to a message that has become the talk of every conversation in pop music.

You cannot duplicate Lizzo’s success by copying her style or sound. People will no doubt attempt this, but in doing so they are revealing a fundamental misunderstanding of her career. Lizzo is a leader. She is giving people something they cannot get anywhere else, and she is doing so in a way that is undeniably authentic.

In this episode of Music Biz, host James Shotwell breaks down four key lessons artists should learn from watching Lizzo succeed. These points can improve your career by setting you on a path for success that will develop in time. Check it out:

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Two Big Mistakes Musicians Make When Contacting Tastemakers

Overcoming the biggest hurdle in DIY music promotion requires a little thing called human decency. 

Music tastemakers are some of the busiest people in the entertainment industry. Even the smallest publications receive dozens of requests per day for coverage. Bigger outlets, as well as widely-recognized writers, may receive more than one-thousand emails any given week. The majority of the time, outlets and writers are busy dealing with established talent and music that is quickly gaining momentum online. Those able and willing to cover lesser-known acts only have a finite amount of time for discovery, which is why making a positive and immediate impact on anyone you pitch is essential for your success.

We write a lot of blogs offering advice for reaching tastemakers. We have even gone so far as to create contact lists to help people reach playlist curators. However, no matter how much we write and discuss music promotion, industry influencers continue to complain about up and coming artists’ lack of preparation and respect. People at all level of the industry often contact us with concerns that people are nowhere near as passionate about professionalism as they are becoming successful, and that — for most — is a huge red flag. 

With that in mind, here are the two complaints we receive most often, as well as advice on how to avoid further frustrating music writers, podcasters, and YouTubers in the future.

Know your audience.

Very few tastemakers have influence over every area of music. There are exceptions, such as The Needle Drop, but most critics and influences earn their positions in the industry by specializing in certain areas of music. 

The same goes for publications. Pitchfork may cover more music than anyone has time to listen to, but there isn’t one person doing all the work behind the scenes. Pitchforks, as well as most music publications, rely on teams of people — each with their own specialties — to curate content people should experience. 

Few things will get your pitch for coverage denied or overlooked faster than failing to understand what the person you’re contacting covers. This is especially with playlists, which can be extremely specific in terms of the music they’re looking to features. When artists begin flooding tastemakers with material outside their coverage area it only serves to frustrate influencers and lower their interest in music discovery altogether. 

It’s hard enough for up and coming artists to get attention today without having to compete with people who spam critics because they were too lazy to research the people they were contacting. Don’t contribute to the problem of over-saturation. Research every person and publication before reaching out. Be sure your email is going to someone or someplace that values the type of music you create. Otherwise, you’re just wasting everyone’s time, including your own.

Make it personal.

There is no Mr. Pitchfork or Ms. Rolling Stone. However, without fail, artists constantly spam inboxes of publications and writers without addressing the people on the receiving end. 

Worse still is the large number of artists who write a single draft of a pitch letter that they then copy and paste to all press contacts with zero personalization. 

A good rule of thumb for promoting your music is to make every piece of outreach as personal as the music you’re trying to share. Your songs mean everything to you. They are a representation of who you are what you wish to share with the world. Your promotional materials are an extension of that representation. 

It’s perfectly acceptable to create a pitch template for promoting your music that shares the same basic information with everyone you contact. However, that template should be a starting point for messages and not the entire message. Your outreach should aspire to make everyone feel as if you want them to hear your music more than anyone else in the world. Let them know you admire their work and that you understand what they are passionate about in music. Talk to them as if you’re trying to make a new best friend. 

Nobody wants to feel like they’re being asked for a favor by a stranger who has no interest in who they are, how they’re feeling, or what they’re trying to do with their own career. Make people feel special. 

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How to Throw Multiple Listening Parties for $100 or Less [VIDEO]

Listening parties can engage fans, grow your community, and raise awareness about your next release like nothing else in music.

There is no promotional event as incredible as a listening party. For an hour or more, fans gather together to experience the latest release from their favorite artist. The energy and excitement in these gatherings are electric. Everyone there is present because the artist’s catalog does something for them that nothing else in music or beyond can duplicate. Listening parties are a celebration of music’s power to move people, and you deserve to have them for your next release.

But there is a problem. Historically speaking, listening parties are often considered an expensive affair. You have to rent a space, be it a bar or venue, promote the event, create and distribute marketing materials, and perhaps pay for refreshments. Fans have often had to pay for the experience as well, be it through tickets or drinks.

We have a solution. For less than $100, you can plan and execute numerous listening parties all over the world on the same night. We can walk you through everything you need, but it’s up to you to find an audience. The plan below will only work if you have devoted fans who want to see you succeed. If you have those, then follow these steps to create an event no one will forget:

First off, you need to communicate with your fans. Whether this is accomplished through a newsletter or private Facebook group for key followers doesn’t really matter. Tell your audience you are seeking devoted fans willing and able to host small get together for your upcoming release. The only requirements they need to meet are a location for the event, the ability to host the event when you plan for it to take place, a computer, and speakers capable of playing music loud enough for everyone to hear your music. Be selective with your choices. The fans you choose will be representing you and your music for the duration of the event.

Haulix is the platform you will use to share your music with party hosts.

Next, you need a Haulix account. Haulix is the industry standard for music promotion, and right now they are offering one month of service free to everyone who signs up. Visit the Haulix website, pick a plan that works for you (we recommend Beast Mode to begin), and complete your registration. Haulix is the platform you will use to discreetly share your new music with listening party hosts. The service also allows you to control the number of times the music can be played, when people have access to music, and more.

The Promos screen is where you upload your music.

Once your Haulix account is activated, you will need to add your music to the service. Log in to your account and click the Promos tab at the top of the screen. Create a new promo with the music you plan to share through your listening parties. Be sure to add artwork, release information, and any other details you feel fans should know.

After your music is uploaded, begin creating introduction clips for your listening parties. Audio or video introductions are acceptable, but video content adds a personal touch. You may even want to make different videos for each event. That allows you the opportunity to specifically address each crowd by mentioning their cities or states, which again, helps create a connection with those in attendance. You can add the videos to your Haulix promo or upload them to YouTube (leaving them unlisted).

Promo invitations grant party hosts access to your music.

With all your materials complete, deliver the videos and event details to each listening party host with personalized messaging that reinforces dates, times, and any other particulars. Then you need to use Haulix to invite your hosts to engage with the materials you uploaded. You can find a step-by-step guide for sharing music on Haulix using the company’s help site.

After the event, be sure to send thank you notes to the hosts and any attendees. Personalize the messages to ensure people know you appreciate the work and time they dedicated to promoting your work. You should also consider revoking access to the materials through Haulix to ensure the album or single does not leak in advance of its release.

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The Importance of Merch Sales in Music Today [VIDEO]

With streaming music replacing physical media sales more and more, artists are increasingly dependant on merch sales to stay afloat.

It is no secret that streaming royalties pay artists far less than traditional album sales. The top-paying music services give artists about $0.006 per song stream. Spotify, which is the most popular subscription service, pays roughly half that amount.

Last week, UK metalcore group While She Sleeps made headlines around the world by releasing merchandise that explicitly aired their frustrations with streaming royalties. The shirt in question reads, “One t-shirt is the equivalent to 5000 streams on Spotify. 76% of all music in 2019 is streamed and not bought physically or digitally. Band merchandise is the most direct way of supporting an artist.”

While She Sleeps is not wrong. In today’s music business, merchandise sales matter more than ever. An artist who is capable of moving huge volumes of merch can turn industry heads faster than an artist with a viral single because executives know merchandise sales are where the most money is being made in 2019.

But how does an artist sell merchandise? There is more competition than ever for listeners’ attention, which means there is increased competition for their financial support. There are also no shortcuts to selling large amounts of merchandise. That said, there are ways artists can position themselves for success, which is what we’re going to discuss today.

In this episode of Music Biz 101, host James Shotwell details the increasing importance of merchandising in artists’ careers. He also offers advice for creating merch your fans will want to buy, complete with examples from artists with immensely dedicated followers.

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