In these internet-driven times of social media trends and viral moments, there are more opportunities for new artists to share their music than ever before. The barriers to entry are as low as having a cell phone and a social media account, but all this extra noise also makes it harder to get heard.
Connecting with real people and achieving longevity is another matter altogether, and requires teamwork, patience, self-belief, no small sprinkling of luck, and many, many hours of hard work. The path to success isn't easy and nothing is guaranteed, but this is a good place to start. From the Pigeons & Planes team and some industry experts, here is some of our most valuable advice for new artists.
Connecting with real people and achieving longevity is another matter altogether, and requires teamwork, patience, self-belief, no small sprinkling of luck, and many, many hours of hard work. The path to success isn't easy and nothing is guaranteed, but this is a good place to start. From the Pigeons & Planes team and some industry experts, here is some of our most valuable advice for new artists.
Don't ever lose sight of the music, but do read your SoundCloud comments and check your social media accounts to see what your fans respond most actively to. See which songs get the most plays and try to gauge why. See where people are playing your music and if you start touring, target those towns and cities. Try to figure out who you want to reach, and how to best reach them. At the end of the day, the more you know, the better you can prepare for success. Know your audience.
Speaking on the genius Rae Sremmurd campaign that helped drive "Black Beatles" to the No. 1 song in the country, Interscope's Gunner Safron explained, "The general idea is taking the approach of new songs, new artists, music in general, and marketing it almost as if I was a music supervisor. Really just trying to pinpoint an audience and figuring out what’s going to drive the music to that audience. It’s different for every artist, and you have to tailor that approach to each one."
Build the right team around you.
“While it is not impossible to be successful without a strong team, especially with the power the internet has shown insofar as 'star-making'—if you truly want to pursue music as a career, not a job, you must be hyper aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the people you surround yourself with. A strong partnership and relationship with your manager, agent, lawyer, label or otherwise, requires having goals that are pragmatic, practical, and in line with the expectations of the rest of your team. This alignment can make or break your early success as a new artist in the modern music industry.”—Az Cohen, A&R, 300 Entertainment
Build the right team around you.
“While it is not impossible to be successful without a strong team, especially with the power the internet has shown insofar as 'star-making'—if you truly want to pursue music as a career, not a job, you must be hyper aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the people you surround yourself with. A strong partnership and relationship with your manager, agent, lawyer, label or otherwise, requires having goals that are pragmatic, practical, and in line with the expectations of the rest of your team. This alignment can make or break your early success as a new artist in the modern music industry.”—Az Cohen, A&R, 300 Entertainment
NO ONE IS SUPPOSED TO DO IT ALL ON THEIR OWN.—CHRIS CAJOLEAS
"Align yourself with people you can have honest conversations with. We all need someone to tell us when something isn't good, or to kick us in the ass when we think the work is done—and it's never done. Trust your team and make sure everyone knows their roles, understands those roles, and executes them. No one is supposed to do it all on their own. Take time to learn the business of music, and what it means to create assets and leverage them for your benefit. Music is a very small piece of the music business."—Chris Cajoleas, Manager, Swmmng
Don’t follow trends.
It’s easy to sound of-the-moment and capitalize on trends. This won’t lead to a lasting career. Every year, there are a handful of artists who come along at exactly the right moment and make music that fits in perfectly with whatever else is going on at the time. These songs are usually quickly rising hits. A few years later, the artists are often gone, and so are the trends.
"Align yourself with people you can have honest conversations with. We all need someone to tell us when something isn't good, or to kick us in the ass when we think the work is done—and it's never done. Trust your team and make sure everyone knows their roles, understands those roles, and executes them. No one is supposed to do it all on their own. Take time to learn the business of music, and what it means to create assets and leverage them for your benefit. Music is a very small piece of the music business."—Chris Cajoleas, Manager, Swmmng
Don’t follow trends.
It’s easy to sound of-the-moment and capitalize on trends. This won’t lead to a lasting career. Every year, there are a handful of artists who come along at exactly the right moment and make music that fits in perfectly with whatever else is going on at the time. These songs are usually quickly rising hits. A few years later, the artists are often gone, and so are the trends.
Yes, Drake might be able to incorporate styles from around the world into his music and turn those influences into huge pop hits, but you are (probably) not Drake. Jumping on a new wave and dropping music in a new style every other week is not the best way to build a loyal fan base. Be an artist who sets the trends, stays ahead of the curve, and becomes a leader. You need to do more than just fit in.
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