Some bits and boops from pieces I’ve posted over on my Ko-Fi page:
But if you want new people to hear your music, push your music. Not everyone who visits your social media profile is a fan just yet.
Embed the audio right onto social media. Upload a 10-15 second clip. Often. Then, include a link to hear the full song, preferably where they can also purchase it.
Audio First
I made a video describing how to gift someone an album on Bandcamp:
Wrote a bit about hyping your music beyond a commodity item,
You’re not selling MP3s, just like not you’re not selling eggs in the dairy aisle. No one remembers a carton of eggs, but people get lyrics and band logos tattooed on their bodies.
Honor Your Music
Then wrote a bit about the “pre-release” stage of putting out music, or a fundraiser, and the importance of gathering emails,
Just like handing out flyers to shows back in the day, you should be getting an email address.
Announce your thing, and include a “call to action.” Give people who really care about your thing a link to click, and ask for an email address.
Get Some Emails
I’ve been involved in this “online music” thing for 20 years now, and if you count all the years of playing in bands, traveling to shows, and hanging out with musicians, make it 30 years. But I’ll say this – anyone who says they have THE answer is still full of shit.
Things move at the speed of light, but I know two things:
Write good songs.
Have fans.
I know, sounds stupid simple, but it’s all that fucking matters.
Don’t get me wrong, a “good song” doesn’t mean just something that’s performed at halftime at the Super Bowl. If you like it, that’s a good song.
And if a few other people like it, well, I 1000% believe a few more people would like it, too. It’s a matter of getting it out there, which is where so much of the struggle is these days.
Just posting “NEW SONG” on Twitter once, on a Tuesday at 2:38pm doesn’t cut it (unless you’re Radiohead).