Marketing Your Music

Out with the old, in with the new. There are new rules to marketing in the music industry, and it's all about you.

Published on February 17, 2024 by Julie Tulayan

music informative marketing

4 min READ

How it used to be

A long time ago (and I apologize to the older generations reading this, it’s an exaggeration I promise), the road to becoming a music superstar was only something that worked in the movies. You had a few options depending on where you wanted to end up, or what you had. You could have recorded a demo song and worked and prayed to get it into the hands of some big-time producer that would take a chance on you. Or you can try to live your dreams out in a garage band that your parents would pray is just a phase. Then, there’s the secret third option: get on a singing/music competition and hope something comes out of it, even if you don’t win. Whichever route you pick, the goal is the same: get the attention of some big-time record label that takes its chances with you. We all know, however, that a lot of these stories don’t have happy endings. At least, not for us living in reality. I told you; stardom was only achievable with luck. I have good news, though; it’s not a long time ago anymore. It’s 2024, baby, and the world has changed quite a bit. With technology, your fame lies in your hands. All you have to do is work for it.

What’s Out

  • Relying on Big Labels: Previously, the only way you could get your face (and music) out in public was through a record label that would handle everything: music production, publishing, marketing, pr, and in worst cases, your whole life. If you were lucky enough to be signed to one of them, congrats. However, good luck maintaining your autonomy.
  • Heavy, clunky, hard to use technology: Buying expensive instruments or borrowing a recording studio is no longer a must for making music.
  • Radio and Album Promotion: People aren’t waiting for the next big song or artists to come on the radio, nor are we running to Target to buy the latest albums. We started turning to other platforms to not just listen to music but to also discover new music. While radio is still a valid platform, there are better opportunities to share new music elsewhere.

What’s In

  • Independent Artists: Music doesn’t have to be tied to a record label. You can create, publish, and promote your work all on your own thanks to new technology and access to the internet. No need to rely on some corporation milking your cash cow of talent.
  • Digital Audio Software: Music production has been condensed into singular pieces of software that can do all the work. Don’t know how to use it? The internet is littered with instructional and inspirational videos that will teach you how to get started.
  • Social Media Promotion: TikTok, YouTube, and other platforms are great ways to share your music, as well as your story. You don’t need to rely on someone else to make your promotional content; you can do it all on your own.
  • Streaming Services: You don’t have to publish and sell albums to get your music heard, nor do you have to try and get it on the radio. With streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, you can do all of that online.
  • Power of Multidirectional Influence: There is no one voice telling the public what’s in and what’s out. That power lies in multiple different voices of varying power. With the right voices in the right places, your music will be within earshot of the world.

The Future of Music is You?

The music industry, like every market, is ever changing with new technology and resources available to both companies and consumers. What was once a dream can now be a reality. No more hoping or praying you one day become famous. With some hard work and a little business guidance from a friend (me), you have everything you need to start your journey as a musician. Are you ready to answer the call?

References

Disctopia. (2023). How Technology Is Changing Music Promotion and Marketing. Retrieved from Disctopia: https://disctopia.com/how-technology-is-changing-music-promotion-and-marketing/#:~:text=Ability%20to%20Market%20and%20Sell,media%2C%20or%20music%20sharing%20platforms.

Forman-Katz, N. (2023, August 17). For National Radio Day, key facts about radio listeners and the radio industry in the U.S. Retrieved from Pew Research Center: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/08/17/for-national-radio-day-key-facts-about-radio-listeners-and-the-radio-industry-in-the-us/

Scott, D. M. (2022). The new rules of marketing & PR : how to use content marketing, podcasting, social media, AI, live video, and newsjacking to reach buyers directly (Eighth Edition). Wiley.