RHEA MAHULE
PROMOTING YOUR MUSIC
in the Digital Era
Being a musician in the 21st century is a completely different
ballgame than it was back in the day, when there major labels
monopolized the business. Now, the internet has opened a
number of different avenues for musicians to independently
promote their music and get it out to the real world. Here are a
few ways to make sure that your music gets the exposure that
it deserves by taking advantage of all the means available to you.
1. Consistent online presence
A powerful strategy to succeed in promoting your music is to
be frequently visible on the internet. Whether it's releasing
new music, updating your fan base with recent developments
or announcing collaborations and upcoming shows, a
prominent online presence goes a long way and helps you stay
relevant. Interacting with your fans and responding to them
is very crucial as this creates a personal connect between the
musician and the audience.
2. Radio plays
The radio has been one of been one of the important factors
in deciding what the vast majority of the prospective audience
are going to be listening to. While this often lead s to a trend of
easily digestible and generic music being aired, it is undeniably
one of the best means to really get your music out there. Apart
from the usual city specific radios, the internet offers various
radio channels which can be accessed from around the globe.
This enables you to reach out to the right audience, even if
your music might be aimed at a specific section of listeners.
3. Features on different projects
Having your music featured on different commercial ventures
such as advertisements, television shows, short films and
webisodes, apart from being good business on its own, lets you
reach out to a completely untapped audience. For instance,
avid followers of a certain television series might be supporting
your music because it was featured on it.
YouTube is another great way to make your music accessible
to a wider audience.
5. Music Videos
A vast majority of the audience respond much better to music
when it is represented audio-visually. Not only does the
music have better context when it is paired with visuals, but
it naturally makes it more memorable and gives the listener
more reason to revisit your content. In some cases, the
audience might not be able to keep up or fully understand the
music and its nuances, and this is exactly where a video might
make things a lot more accessible.
6. Playing live shows
With all the digital music platforms available to us, a lot of us
have forgotten how important live music performances are. As
obvious as it may be, playing shows is the most crucial aspect
of promoting your music and getting it out there. There is no
alternative to proving yourself as a musician and performer
in front of an audience and earning their respect. Touring
and playing shows regularly are great ways to establish your
presence and is a good source of income once you've got a
foothold.
7. Collaborations
Collaborating with other artists and musicians enable you
to widen your audience. Having your name pop up on other
musicians' tracks will direct the attention of their fan base
to your music and vice-verse. Apart from expanding your
target audience, collaborations also allow you to get mutually
influenced and grow as a musician, and approach things with
a different point of view.
4. Using digital music platforms
Music platforms such as Spotify, Saavn, and iTunes provide an
instantaneous solution for you to be able to reach your audience
without the need for the meticulous process of physical music
distribution. Putting up an album or an EP up for streaming on
The
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