Marketing Yourself As an Artist

The music industry is not what it used to be. There are so many artists out there now that it can get a little frustrating trying to stand out as an individual. But all hope is not lost because today there are many different ways to market yourself as an independent artist. Making yourself stand out is important if you want to reach a certain level of success in the music industry. Here are a few tips on how to get out there on your own.

The internet is probably one of the best platforms to start marketing yourself. You can literally reach out to millions of people around the world. Online promotion is one of many great ways to make your presence known worldwide. Your goal as an independent artist is to find different ways to build relationships with people and other artists on a large scale without the help of a major record label. You can do this by joining several social media websites such as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. Use these websites to promote your music, stay in contact with your supporters, build relationships, and much more. The opportunities are endless. Remember to stay patient when first joining these type of sites because things will most likely start off slow. But as long as you stay active, you will eventually start to see changes.

Rap forums and communities such as Soundclick, Reverb Nation, and Real Rap Talk are great for networking and establishing relationships with other artists and even producers. You can also use these forums to generate feedback from other people. Although constructive criticism is not needed for some artists, it can still be helpful in some cases.

Another important thing to remember is DO NOT spam other peoples' pages. Even though it may seem like an easy and quick way to get yourself out there, spamming will get you nowhere. It will actually do more damage to your reputation because a lot people find spam to be very annoying and unprofessional.

Even though the internet is a great tool for marketing yourself, don't use it as the only way to promote your music. If you live in a city that has a good local scene, then you should try to get involved with it much as you can. Attend concerts/performances, album release parties, and other social gatherings as often as possible so that you can network with others. While attending these events always have professional looking CDs, fliers, and/or business cards in hand. You never know who you will run into at these types of events. Getting involved in community service is another great way to build up your reputation. But don't just do it for the sole purpose of getting your music out. Do it because you actually care. Giving back should be a very important part of any artists' career.

I hope that I was able to help you see a few ways to get things going on your own. These are just some of the ways that you can market your own music. Always take the time out to find more ways and new strategies to promote yourself. You should never get too comfortable. I wish you the best of luck in your music career and all your future endeavors.

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Creating an Artist

Over the years the artist used to benefit from a music industry swelling with a backroom of talent. It was the creative infrastructure of the music industry and what I call 'The Engine Room.' It was where teamwork and collaborations were in abundance and where the road to success would begin.

When you signed to a record company it was just the beginning. It meant the start of a relationship and the better the relationship the greater the chance of success. It wasn't for the 'wannabes' desperate for instant fame, it was for those hungry for creative success. It was an industry that inspired people to succeed and took delight in guiding them through every part of the process. The pleasure was shared with everyone because everyone played an equal part. Today I don't think there's that unity anymore, there's a jungle mentality. Eat or be eaten, artist against record company. They, the record industry want a piece of every part of the pie, they want to share in all the available income streams. The royalties from the sale of records are no longer enough.

Today everyone working for a music company is scared of losing their jobs, they are frightened of taking risks. That has a domino effect and the artist in return, becomes scared of being dropped. It's supposed to be a risk business, that's what always made it exciting. The air of anticipation, the never quite knowing. It's supposed to be about taking chances and pushing out that little bit further. Sadly we lost our mavericks and we lost our risk takers, we lost the icons of the music industry. We lost our innovators and we lost our way. We are not creating artists who will stand the test of time, we are creating instant pop stars, people who will be here today and gone tomorrow. We aren't creating artists with any longevity, the type of act that gets better with time.

Relationships were everywhere, the artist with their manager, the manager with the label, the label with the publisher. The producer's relationship with the A and R manager and so it went on. The only thing that may have changed in the era of the 'instant' pop star is that the fan has a closer relationship with the artist. That in itself is good because the fan becomes someone who helps in the promotion. They like you, they tell their friends and your fan base begin to grow virally. Another positive in this is that this happens on a global scale, no longer are you dependent on just a regional breakout.

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360 Degree Contracts - Why It May Make Sense For The Artist!

360 Degree Contracts seem to always have 2 camps. Those who are in favour of it and those who think the labels are incapable of delivering such services and some people who just believe everything should remain the way it was.

In reality the 360 Degree Contract looks like a runaway train, only this one can hardly be stopped because it is being propelled by the environment; in this case the business environment. Going back to how things were in relation to the core operations of record companies has to be a thing of the past. Survival is crucial, understanding has increased, trust can be built and businesses need to focus on new opportunities.

So what about the artist - is a 360 Degree Contract good for them?

There are a few reasons why it could be good.

It spells bigger advances- In the past an artist who writes songs would have to go to a variety of places to get an income; namely the record companies and the publishers. But with the other potential income such as Live Music, Merchandise, Sponsorships etc. the artist can request a small nest egg in advances.
Management is central- In situations where an artist is only signed for a recording contract, there will be other people he/she would have to deal with. For example, although the artist may have a manager, touring is likely to be offered by a separate agent. Unlike in a 360 Degree Deal, you will have the same company coordinating the process and making it run smoother.
Economies of scale- Since many of the 360 Deals are based on profit sharing, the lower the cost the higher the percentage to the artist. A central management system will invariably reduce costs. It is hoped that this reduction can be a benefit to the artist who has given over a range of rights to the label. In simple terms, if an agent is in play there will be a cut to the person and that will be a deduction from the profits.
Fairer profit splits- In the old contracts unless the artist is selling millions of CDs the royalty was caped. 8-12% of retail was common. Under those contracts many artists could hardly survive. Now under the 360 Degree Contracts even some companies are given a 60:40 deal in favour of the artist.
It is now a partnership- The old model can sometimes feel like slavery or unfair. A 360 Degree Contract can be like a partnership because both parties are working towards the same end. It would be for the benefit of the artist to ensure great performances and good work ethic is injected into the programme so that greater rewards can be had.
Although artists must enter this contract with their eyes open so that the mistakes of the past are not repeated. The 360 Degrees Contract looks like the way forward for most people in the music business today.

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