How Independent Artists Can Get Their Music Heard by the Masses

If you’re an independent artist and have a passion for music, sharing your work with an audience is important.

18:44 17 December 2021

You’ll want as many people as possible to listen to your tracks, check out your other offerings, and stay tuned to what you put out. Building a fanbase takes time. However, once you use the right methods to get your music heard, this can help solidify a loyal following who will buy your records and see your shows.

 

Thanks to technology, you can record songs on your smartphone and put them on streaming platforms instantly. Whatever route you go down, here are some ways you can get your music heard by the masses in 2021.

 

Find Your Niche

 

While your music should be the one thing that does all the talking, you need to have something that separates you from other artists. Standing out from the crowd is essential in the music industry. If you’re trying to emulate other popular artists, consumers may see you as a carbon copy, which could turn them off. You need to find your niche and a unique selling point that lures people in.

 

Have a think about what makes you different from others. While it’s great to gain inspiration from those who have been in your shoes before, it’s wise to carve out your own destiny, which will make you more appealing to consumers. Your image means everything when it comes to getting your music heard, so take time in the development stages, otherwise, all your hard work may go to waste.

 

Establish a Social Media Presence

 

No matter what kind of independent artist you are, you must use social media platforms to connect with fans and get your music heard. Whether you use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or be down with the kids on TikTok, it’s your job to establish a social media presence. Being consistent with your content is a must, as fans will want to check out your pages and see something fresh.

 

With so much of your time focused on creating music, you may not have the time to be behind a computer screen day in day out, so it’s wise to schedule posts in advance. This means they can be posted when you’re out and about, which helps keep your profile lifted while giving you the chance to focus on other important aspects – making music!

 

Set Up a Website and Blog

 

As an independent artist, you’ll need to create a professional website and blog that outlines who you are, what your niche is, and give a backstory to your life. Once you set up a website and blog, make sure you include important information, such as a well-written bio, and any tour dates. Also, you should house your social media profile links so consumers can easily find out more about you.

 

Once you begin to build a following, you may wish to create merch that fans can purchase. Therefore, incorporating a merch store into your website will help you grow your brand. You should also include contact information that allows labels, industry professionals, and fellow musicians to reach out to you.

 

Create an Email List

 

If used correctly, email marketing can be a powerful way to broaden your fanbase and get people listening to your music. This is because just about everyone has an email address. Therefore, creating an email list and housing it on your social media platforms, website, and blog will mean you can send promotional content to those invested in your music. Whether you have a new song coming out, or you want to host a competition, you can directly contact your target audience with a click of a button.

 

When sending emails out to your fanbase, make sure you don’t overload their inboxes. While you may think you’re doing a good deed by keeping consumers updated, too many emails can be off-putting. Instead, you should only send out posts that are relevant to your music and are informative.

 

Conduct Promotional Outreach

 

Whether it’s music blogs, podcasts, publications, or radio stations, all four have established followings interested in music. This means you need to set aside time to contact these sectors, as they could be the ones who set you on the path to stardom. Should a popular music blog share your music, your fanbase could grow enormously overnight. Creating solid relationships with people in the music industry is a must, especially if you want to taste any kind of success.

 

It's advisable to put together a press release that you can send out to radio stations, blogs, and publications. This will set the scene for who you are, and what kind of artist you are. All contact information for these sectors should be on their website or social media profiles.

 

Play Live Gigs

 

If you ask any music artist what they love doing more than anything, the chances are they’ll say one thing – playing live gigs. Getting out on stage and performing your music to fans is a feeling like no other. Whether you’re playing a small club, theatre, or vast arena, bringing your music to life, and seeing people react to your songs can be an overwhelming feeling.

 

If you’ve released a body of work and find it’s gaining traction, you’ll need to learn how to plan a tour. The rule of thumb is to start small, especially if you are headlining your own tour. Pirate has a guide on how to plan a tour, which can be incredibly useful for independent artists. Once you’re on the road, Pirate has studios throughout the US and across the world that you can use to rehearse in or create new music.

 

Whatever genre of music you specialize in, without people hearing your songs, you won’t get very far. Once you utilize the tips above and get the wheels in motion, more and more people will be aware of your music, which will help you create a fanbase that sticks around and invests in your sound.