Seize The Day
We currently exist, live, play, work, operate (insert relevant verb here) in an era where information and opportunities are more accessible than ever before. One needs only to have the desire, focus, vision and drive to get up and get things going. Let’s focus here on the music industry (as I usually do). Gone are the days of that wonderful major label deal where the label gives you a shitload of money to produce and market your album and recoup said money from your album sales, leaving you to enjoy the fruits of stardom, i.e. tour money & merchandising! The internet basically killed all of that and now the remaining majors are throwing around 360 deals i.e. say goodbye to a chunk of that tour money and merchandising. However, as we said before, options abound. Remaining independent is easier than it used to be due to a plethora of online marketing and distribution tools available. Let’s think about this for a sec.
Buy Some Beats, Find a Studio and Get Started!
Let’s say you’re a rapper and a good one. You either have a good in house producer, make beats yourself or you buy beats online, since that is a viable, prudent and affordable option for upcoming and independent artists. You also may hire a good but affordable graphic designer (and perhaps a photographer) to handle any artwork you may need. So you’ve got your material, good promotional graphics and pics, some of the hottest and freshest rap beats and (hopefully) you found an affordable studio or even put together your own home studio (we are assuming here that you have an alternate source of income and have been using your money wisely towards your passion). You’ve finished your first mixtape/EP and you want to get it out to your growing list of fans. Here are some steps you should take next:
- If you haven’t by this point, which means you’ve got some catching up to do, set up a simple website to showcase your music and other wares if applicable, capture fan emails and post show dates.
- Be active on Youtube. It doesn’t have to always be some hot HD music video like you’re single handedly trying to shut down Vevo. Simple viral vids showing your vibe, chronicling your journey as an artist or just silly shit, will engage and grow your audience and keep them interested in YOU not just what you say on your songs. In doing this you are building a brand. You are becoming a figure that your fans are feeling like they are getting to know. Someone they can relate to and this is GOLDEN.
- Be active on social media. Tweet about shit you’re into, post on your Facebook page, flood your Instagram with performance pics or even update your WordPress blog. This all ties in with building your brand and keeping your audience locked in to your world.
- Create an account with a reputable digital distribution medium. It is now easier than ever to upload your music and promotional material, confirm your settings and have your provider send your songs out to be sold on iTunes, Amazon MP3, Spotify and a wide range of other services.
Don’t Wait! Sell You Music Online Now!
The key is to combine your branding and promotion with the use of these digital distribution services. Make the people love you and then point them to where they can buy your music. This is what’s so great about being independent in today’s market. The mechanisms which used to be the sole realm of the major labels can now be used by pretty much anyone. One distribution service I highly recommend is SongCast. SongCast will send your music to iTunes, AmazonMP3, Google Play, Spotify, Rhapsody, Emusic, and MediaNet, give you access to access to iTunes Daily Trending Reports, free UPC and ISRC codes, a free Music Page for Facebook and the best things is you get to keep 100% of your royalties. What you pay for the service is USD$19.99 per album plus USD$5.99 monthly. Check them out for yourself here:
http://www.songcastmusic.com/affiliate/sc.php?id=7251
Go ahead and decide what type of artist you want to be. You can sit around and hope someone discovers you and signs you, controls you and exploits you or you can get your own movement moving and start making your own money. Selling out clubs every weekend and making a comfy living doing what you truly love is way better than sitting there wishing you were the next Jay-Z or Kendrick Lamar.
