What do you do to promote your music?
Awhile back, an old friend of mine wrote to me and asked for advice on promoting his band. I wrote him a long email, which appears below, detailing all (or almost all) of the main things I do to promote my music. I'm always looking for new and different ways to spread the word about my stuff, but I don't ignore the traditional methods such as through entertainment lawyers, managers, agents, and personal contact.
I'd like to hear what some of you have been doing to promote your music, and share ideas. Teach me a new trick! And if any non-musicians happen to read this, and think they have a great way to promote music and get it heard, please feel free to comment.
And here's that email which outlines what I already do:
I've been a member of TAXI for a few years now, and I've made some really good contacts through them. If you're not familiar with them, they do independent A&R, running music industry listings which you can submit to. They pre-screen your music, and if they deem it worthy, they forward it on. You almost always get a critique of your music with each submission. Some people get critiques that don't say what they wish they did, and which aren't sugar-coated. You can choose to ignore the critiques, but they can be very constructive.
Through them, I signed a few publishing deals with some American companies that specialize in film/TV music. One of those companies, Crucial Music, has gotten me a few choice placements. They accept unsolicited material through their website, www.crucialmusic.com, and they are always looking for new stuff. The deal is non-exclusive, and binding for 3 years, but you keep ownership of all your stuff, and they only get royalties on the placements they get for you.
You could try some radio promotion - I know a good company.
I also had some success at garageband.com. They have an ongoing chart and contest, and one of my songs has placed particularly high, and from that I've had interest from entertainment lawyers, and music supervisors. Some people have been signed from that site. They also hook you up with iLike.com, which is a social networking music site where I've gained new fans.
I've also made my music safe for podcasts, so that podcasters can play it without fear. There's good promo there, and I can point you in the direction of a couple of good ones.
I also have my music up on Last.fm, which is a cool site.
Sonicbids has some cool listings, and you can set up a good electronic press kit. I've had some success there with Coca-cola myTracks, and song contests and things.
Myspace feels like it has reached saturation. So many bands, all with a kajillion friends, too much noise, not enough action.
SonyBMG UK has done away with accepting physical demos, and has setup a blog at http://ar.sony.vox.com/. Here I've had unprecedented access to real A&R staff. Create a blog and share your stuff - ask them to listen, and they will. Mine's at freddynet.vox.com.
Oh, and if you join TAXI, they give a free conference in L.A. every fall, and that's a great thing to go to if you can swing it. That's really about the people you can meet there.
Of course, so much of this stuff costs money, but at least it's a tax writeoff. Hopefully this helps!
Comments
BTW - I've had to buy you another Irn Bru to keep in the fridge for when you pop over; the last one went past its sell-by date an I don't want to poison an up-and-coming star, especially one with a fetish for hugging trees dressed as a bear ;-)
There's plenty of social network sites but the problem is there is to many people on them now especially myspace so it's becoming harder and harder for people to use myspace to promote themselves unless myspace lists them as an unassigned artist.
I still think the best way to get noticed is to do local gigs in pubs and clubs and if your good enough it will lead to doing bigger gigs and getting invited to perform at places outside of your local area and the more gigs your doing and the higher profile they are the better the chances you have of been signed up.
1) all the usual suspects on the web. This has exposed my music to literally ten's if not hundreds of thousands of people.
2) college radio- reach the hip and trendy
3) I tried commercial radio through a promoter and got med-heavey rotation on some stations, but found out the minute you stop paying, they stop playing. a money pit.
4)listening stations in record indie record stores.
5) magnet music magazine sampler.
6)I have some TV placement lined up, would love to have a film placement. got an offer once before, but they wanted to much of the publishing.
7) play live. play out as much as you can. leave your own city.(I'm not as good at getting out as I used to be, but still love it)
The people at Taxi have been so helpful. They are good at what they do.
From my experience of releasing EP's and albums in the past it differs whether I'm in a band or doing things as a solo artist. In band situations, if everyone pulls there weight, a lot can get done rather quickly to generate a buzz on your local scene.
However, as a solo artist, I have found it incredibly difficult to do things independently. As mentioned before, there is so so much to do, and so much of it relies on having good contacts in the industry. If I have any advice at all, it's get a good manager behind you with good links that genuinely has the same vision as you. Research similar artists to yourself, find out who manages them and approach them. It can't hurt to ask x AH x