There was a time when an aspiring musician believed the path to success began with being discovered. You recorded a demo, performed wherever you could, handed music to the right people and hoped that one powerful executive would hear something special.
The entertainment industry has changed.
Today, musicians have access to recording technology, digital distribution, social media, streaming platforms, websites, email marketing, advertising systems, analytics, video platforms and direct-to-consumer commerce that previous generations could only dream about.
That does not mean success is easy.
It means the artist has more responsibility.
Independent musicians have to stop thinking exclusively like recording artists and begin thinking like owners of intellectual property, brands and small entertainment companies.
Stop Waiting for Permission
One of the most dangerous habits an independent artist can develop is waiting.
Waiting for a manager.
Waiting for a record label.
Waiting for a playlist.
Waiting for a promoter.
Waiting for a celebrity repost.
Waiting for somebody with more power to validate the music.
While you’re waiting, another artist is building.
The modern independent musician should ask a different question:
What can I control today?
You can control the quality of your music.
You can control your visual presentation.
You can control how frequently you create content.
You can control whether you build a website.
You can control whether you collect fan emails.
You can control whether you study your analytics.
You can control how professionally you communicate.
You can control your release schedule.
You can control how much you learn about publishing, royalties, licensing and intellectual property.
That is where independence begins.
Build Infrastructure Before Popularity
A lot of artists want millions of listeners before building the infrastructure required to benefit from those listeners.
Imagine receiving a million views tomorrow.
Where are those people going?
Can they join your mailing list?
Can they purchase merchandise?
Can they find your complete catalog?
Can they book you?
Can journalists find your biography and photographs?
Can promoters locate professional contact information?
Can fans receive future announcements directly from you?
Attention without infrastructure can disappear as quickly as it arrives.
Build the machine before expecting massive traffic.
The Five Foundations of a DIY Music Career
Every developing artist should begin with five basic foundations.
1. Product
The music has to compete.
Marketing cannot permanently compensate for music that audiences don’t want to hear.
2. Brand
Your name, photographs, artwork, colors, story, message and presentation should begin forming a recognizable identity.
3. Distribution
Your music needs an organized method of reaching legitimate digital platforms and consumers.
4. Marketing
People cannot support something they do not know exists.
5. Data
You should understand where your listeners are located, which songs perform best, what content creates engagement and where your traffic originates.
When these five pieces begin working together, you are no longer randomly releasing songs.
You are building a system.
Create a Home Base
Social media is extremely valuable, but your social profile should not be your entire business.
Algorithms change.
Accounts can lose reach.
Platforms rise and fall.
Build a professional website or another controlled digital destination where supporters can discover your music, biography, videos, merchandise, upcoming appearances and contact information.
Most importantly, start building an email database.
Ten thousand genuine subscribers who voluntarily want communication from you can be more valuable than a much larger passive following you cannot directly reach.
Think Campaign, Not Upload
Uploading a song is not the same thing as releasing a record professionally.
Every important release should have three stages:
Pre-Release
Create awareness before the song arrives.
Develop artwork, teasers, short videos, photographs, press materials, landing pages and outreach lists.
Release
Coordinate your strongest promotional activity around the release.
Publish content, communicate with supporters, activate collaborators and direct attention toward clear destinations.
Post-Release
Do not abandon a song seven days after releasing it.
Create additional videos.
Tell stories about the record.
Release performance footage.
Pitch interviews.
Develop remixes when appropriate.
Create behind-the-scenes content.
A strong song can produce months of marketing material.
Build Relationships Before You Need Them
Do not contact everyone in the entertainment business only when you need something.
Support journalists.
Meet DJs.
Build relationships with producers.
Interact with photographers.
Know venue operators.
Connect with other musicians.
Respect engineers.
Learn from entertainment attorneys and business professionals.
Relationships built around mutual respect are stronger than relationships created through desperation.
Learn the Business Behind the Music
A musician who does not understand business can generate attention while somebody else generates the wealth.
Learn the basic language of:
Copyright.
Master ownership.
Publishing.
Performance royalties.
Mechanical royalties.
Licensing.
Distribution.
Contracts.
Recoupment.
Metadata.
Trademarks.
Split sheets.
Business entities.
You do not have to become an attorney or accountant.
You do need enough knowledge to recognize when you need professional advice.
MR. DOPE CHEF MOGUL TIP
Don’t build your career around getting discovered. Build something powerful enough that the industry eventually has to discover what you’ve already created.
IMPLEMENTATION CHECKLIST
Before releasing your next record:
- Establish your artist identity.
- Organize professional photographs.
- Create a biography.
- Build an electronic press kit.
- Establish your website or official landing page.
- Begin collecting emails.
- Prepare your distribution.
- Verify your credits and metadata.
- Create at least 30 pieces of supporting content.
- Build a media and playlist outreach list.
- Establish measurable campaign goals.
- Review your analytics after release.
Independent does not mean alone.
Independent means understanding your value, building leverage and making informed decisions about who participates in your business.
Stop waiting to be chosen. Start building something worth choosing.