Today’s music industry is spinning in circles over what direction it should heading. So, how does a budding musician really make it in the music industry when all the rules are changing? The industry is afraid of losing control and money, but at the same time understands that the only way to make money is to connect with fans. Some are predicting that the golden era of music is coming to a close and musicians will not be able to make their living with their tunes for much longer. Whatever the future holds for the music industry, there are some ways to ensure success right now.

Artists can no longer wait on a contract or record label to build their fan base. In fact, those who play the waiting game are missing out on opportunities to expand their reach. Start out small and steady, introducing people to your music everywhere you go. Do not just do the traditional gigs but get creative and use all types of approaches to reach potential listeners. One of the more unconventional ways to market these days is to give away some of your music for free. “Lil Wayne gave his music away for over a year before releasing his album. He worked first to build a connection with his fan-base before asking for any money.”1 The great thing about music fans is that once they discover you and decide they like what they hear, they will do free marketing for you as-long as you stay true & loyal to your fans.

Once there is an audience, the next thing is to keep their attention. The industry is always changing and while listeners might love an artist’s work, they are looking for the next great thing. Musicians need to find creative ways to keep the public engaged. Make it easy by getting their permission to market to them. An email mailing list is the perfect way to do that. Keep an updated website with varied content like information, videos, a blog, etc. If the content is not regularly updated, fans will have no reason to follow what an artist is up to.

Of course, investing time in all of these things keeps an artist from their music and other creative endeavors. Both quantity and quality are essential components when it comes to music. Artists cannot afford to be distracted with other aspects of the business. While many like to do everything themselves, it is wiser to delegate technical and marketing tasks to someone else. If an artist is tight on money, consider hiring an experienced person who wants to work from home or a college student looking for experience.

For those lucky enough to get a record deal, it is not the time to sit back and let the label be responsible for everything. In fact, the more hands-on and financial control an artist has over their own product, the more creative control they can demand. Handing over all control is not a beneficial brand strategy. “More and more veterans of the major-label system will attest to the estimate that, for every 10 bands a big company signs, they intend to put their resources behind only one.”2 Artists need to be proactive and resourceful. It never hurts to do more marketing and finding creative ways to expand their fan-base outside of what the recording company is doing.

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Author: En Derin