Mind Your Music Business: Getting More People To Hear Your Music

(Photo by Kevin Francis)

You put your heart and soul into these lyrics, you’ve recorded the music you’ve got the tunes mixed and mastered. Come release day, everything goes live and you share it to your Facebook account....now what?  So many artists release fantastic musical projects just to see them flatline with little to no views, streams or engagement. We’ve compiled a list of tips and ideas to get attention and how to continue momentum for the unsigned and low (no) budget artists.

Play Live!

Live performances often generate media coverage, including radio, interviews, and social media posts. This exposure can attract new listeners who might not have discovered the artist and encourage them to check out the music before they buy a ticket. Live performances also create a special bond with an audience on a personal level. The energy, emotion, and interaction in a live setting can create a strong connection between the performer and the audience. This connection can turn casual listeners into devoted fans and supporters.

Music Videos

With music coming out so consistently due to the easy access of recording equipment, visuals are a great way to help break through the static. Music videos can enhance your storytelling and engage audiences in a different way. If you release the music video after the release of the song it could bump streams and attention after the initial release excitement. There are lots of ways to get creative with a cell phone and even a simple and creative lyric video can strengthen the emotional connection between you and listeners. 

Online Forums

For many indie artists touring isn’t always a financially feasible way to promote their music. Sites like Facebook and Reddit can be ways to find an online community for your music and potential listeners with little to no upfront cost. Features like “groups” on Facebook and “sub-reddits” on Reddit can have topics and themes that are specific to your music. Try searching around for groups that match your genre and or genre to post your music.

Radio/TV

Radio can be an overlooked and forgotten way to expand your audience. College and public radio stations have a history for playing local and up and coming artists. A quick Google search for stations in your region can be an easy way to find stations and their formatting for submissions. 

Presale

Doing a presale is a cool way to remind your current fans that you’ve got some new music coming out and gain the interest of potential fans as well. Some artists have coupled the presale purchase with exclusive merch items like hats and beer koozies to start generating income before the release. 

Photos/Album Art

A picture is worth a thousand words but could a great picture be worth a thousand streams? Breathtaking album art or some high quality high res photos go a long way when it comes to grabbing attention. If you have a new project coming out, taking some nice new photos can go a long way. Do something creative that’s going to be eye catching like a new haircut, hair color, or piercing - i.d.k., get crazy!

Album or track art can be another great way to grab some attention and collab with an artist for some more cross promotion. You can also collab with a local or big time photographer or artist for some more cross promotion. 

Bonus! Plan ahead!

Get a physical or digital calendar to schedule your marketing strategies ahead of time to avoid burnout.