12/08/2017
Getting Your Music Heard
Let’s face it, there’s a lot of music out there. It can be difficult to cut through all the noise and get your music heard by potential fans. The good news is, there are more people listening to music than ever before in history. This is mostly thanks to streaming audio and the proliferation of smart phones to almost every corner of the globe over the last decade. So where do you start to get your sounds out to the world?
Start with yourself. If you’re not in love with your own music, chances are no one else will be either. This may sound egotistical, but you really must be your first fan. If you aren’t head over heals for your own music, go back to the drawing board and write something new that really moves you personally.
Share your music with close friends. Ask for their honest opinion of your music. Now this may be difficult because they may not want to hurt your feelings but if they really are your friends, they will be brutally honest. If your friends truly do love your music, ask them to share it with their friends who might also enjoy it. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. You absolutely cannot do this on your own.
Get your music professionally recorded, mixed and mastered. There’s nothing wrong with recording a demo on your laptop to get an idea of the direction of your music, but when it comes to music that’s going to be released to the world, leave it to the professionals. A great production team will allow your artistic vision to be seen in the best light possible.
Play shows. Possibly the best way to get your music heard is to play live. If people really like your show they will personally ask you where they can purchase/stream your music. Don’t know how to get shows? Go to events with music similar to yours and talk to the bands/artists. Become their friend and maybe they will ask you to play at their next show.
Upload your music to as many streaming and download services as possible. This includes SoundCloud, Spotify, iTunes, YouTube, Google Play, Bandcamp, etc. The more places your music is, the more chances of it being heard. Some services like iTunes require you to go through a distributor like TuneCore to be included.
Put together a press release. This is a formal declaration of the music you are releasing. This includes a description of the music, album art, tour dates, contact info, etc. Here is a guide to creating a professional press release: thebalance.com/album-press-release-template-2460717
Establish a consistent social media presence. Don’t just post about your music but post often about other relevant topics and events your audience may be interested in. If you have multiple people in your group, assign each person a different social media platform to cover as much ground as possible.
Submit your music to blogs. Keep in mind these blogs get hundreds of submissions every day so make sure your music is ready to cut through the noise. There are a ton of music blogs out there but here is a short list to get you started. Make sure to read each websites guidelines for submission.
aquariumdrunkard.com, consequenceofsound.net, drownedinsound.com, factmag.com, gorillavsbear.net, highclouds.org, indiemusicfilter.com, indieshuffle.com, kingsofar.com, knoxroad.com, themusicninja.com, potholesinmyblog.com
Hire a publicist. A publicist will have established contacts with media outlets. This is a huge advantage from cold calls and emails. They help you write a press release, get reviews, interviews and quite frankly, make you look way more legitamate.
Although the music industry is not what it used to be and probably never will be again, there are plenty of opportunities to get your music heard and yes, eventually make money. Thanks to the internet and globalization, there is a market for every kind of music, it just might not be in your home town.
Feel free to contact us at TapwaterProductions.com/Contact with any questions or to get you music professionally recorded, mixed or mastered.
