SEARCHING FOR SUCCESS IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS
Are you finding it difficult to gain any footing within the music industry? Well, you are not alone. Searching for success in the music business can be compared to searching for an invisible staircase with no idea where to even start looking for it. There seems to be a lot of barriers in your way, from not knowing the right people to not having the slightest clue what that first step should be. Here are some of the steps you can take to help break down these barriers.
Build Your Brand
If you don’t know who you are and what makes you different, how do you expect to be heard above the noise? WIth over 60,000 new songs being uploaded to Spotify every day, it’s imperative that you are not just following the latest trends in songwriting, production, graphic art, etc but finding a unique visual esthetic and artistic vibe to make you stand out. Digging deep into who you are and what makes you special will help define the collective “you” that fans will want to connect with. Think about what value you add to your listeners lives rather than wondering how you can get more people to hear your music. Decide what feeling a watcher or listener will get when they first experience “you”. Then make sure everything you do fits neatly in that brand definition. Make it unique. Make it “you”.
Create Quality Content
Beyond building a unique brand around your artist persona, make sure your content is high quality. These days, you can actually create high quality on a budget if you plan carefully. Content should not only be quality but also regularly released via social media. Content is everything from singles, lyric videos, acoustic versions, covers, live streaming, products you make (get creative! Do you crochet? Draw? Bake?) other branded merchandise sales, giveaways, contests, etc. (And hey, if you are getting into the DJ thing, be sure to check out Rega Turntables!)
Develop Your Craft
The comparison game might be the biggest enemy a musician and artist will ever have. Instead of focusing on being better than or settling for the lowest common denominator with your lyrics or songwriting, why not get as good as you can all around and not worry about what anyone else is doing. This means coaching sessions in voice and songwriting, working with mentors, getting live performance experience and feedback and so much more. Gaining experience can be quite difficult when you are first getting started but take opportunities to perform, collaborate and network as well as opportunities to be trained and stretched. Stretching you will make you better and being better (at all of it!) will increase your chances of success.
Don’t Put the Cart Before the Horse
I’ve written that phrase in so many articles that I’m sure you are sick of hearing it from me by now. But it’s so true! The impulse to jump into a studio as soon as you have written even half a song is so strong for all of us. We want that satisfaction of hearing our finished song play on Spotify so that all of our friends and family can be impressed. Your friends and family won’t tell you that you might not be ready to record. They won’t tell you if your song is only mediocre. Be sure to have patience and do things in the right order for your best chance at success.
