5 Ways to Get Your Music Noticed
If you’re a musician with aspirations to either make it big or simply make a comfortable living from it, you know that very few people are truly shot to superstardom. It happens on occasion with the contestants from the many musical competition shows these days but, even then, many of those people spent years in their pursuit. It takes a lot of blood, sweat, and tears but if this is your passion, you know it’s worth it. And what most of it comes down to is getting the exposure you need to be successful. Need some inspo in this arena? Read on for five ways to get your music noticed.
- Get Help
You rock at bass guitar. Your vocals are nearly flawless. You even flirt with playing a bit of piano. But you know what you’re likely not an expert in? Publicity. That’s why if it’s even close to financially possible, go with an expert. You don’t have to hire the number one publicist in music but you do need to find someone with experience in getting musicians where they need to be in the world of entertainment. What good is your music doing if no one that can do anything with it ever gets his or her hands on it? From marketing efforts and press releases to manager meetings and press junkets, publicity is the key to getting the exposure you need. As this article by Music Radar notes, “Get yourself a manager or a PR company. Both will spin stories for the media and both will cost, but you gotta have faith.”
- Make a Video
If you grew up in the age of MTV, you might be tempted to think that music videos are no longer a thing. You’ve probably turned on the network only to see spoiled teenagers being thrown lavish birthday parties or a bunch of random strangers living together in the middle of a city. Even though MTV’s mission has changed, music videos can still be the key to getting your music out there. Anyone with an ounce of marketing knowledge knows that videos are often the key to making social media posts go viral. Remember OK Go’s video that was done on a treadmill? Of course you do, because it was nothing short of brilliant. See what we mean?
- Be Controversial
Think of some of the biggest names in music and they have likely caused controversy at one point or another … getting tongues wagging through the use of shock tactics. Whether it was Lady Gaga’s infamous meat dress, Taylor Swift’s recent stand in politics and her stand against Spotify, or Madonna’s many, many stunts during live events, these are things that have had people talking for years afterwards. Of course, what you really just want is for someone to notice your music, but perhaps you need them to notice something else first. Trying to make it in the dog-eat-dog world of music is no time to be too shy or proud to make some waves.
- Give in to Giveaways … At Least At First
You’re obviously not going to be successful in the music industry if you give everything away for free. But if you’re in the stage of trying to get noticed, this is a necessary evil. Get anyone and everyone to listen to your stuff, which often means giving it out for free. Offer to play at any events that are even remotely high profile. Remember, if you do things right, this won’t be forever. You will make music but you have to get your music noticed first. Also, become a patron of the arts outside of music, as networking is always the name of the game.
- Intensify Your Performances
Everyone loves a nice, intimate unplugged show here and there. More often than not, though, if people are paying to see your show, that’s just what they want … a show. You don’t have to hang from ropes a la P!nk or bite the head off a live rat like Ozzy, but you do want to make sure your stage presence is up to snuff. Add visuals by learning how to make a music visualizer. Know your brand or persona and stick to that while also pushing the boundaries. If you can play that guitar with your teeth, go for it. You want people to be talking about your live performances for weeks—if not months or years—to come. Watch as many other performances around you so that you can get inspiration.
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No one who has created a successful music career has maintained a low profile. In order to jumpstart career, you must get your music noticed. If you feel that you still need to learn more about music, you may search for organizations that provide online music education to aspiring artists. Then try any or all of these methods with any amount of diligence and your career will surely get a major boost.