Emma Radebaugh
It isn’t easy to write a great piece of music, but it can feel even more difficult to convince people to listen. Once your track is mixed and mastered, what can you do next? From playing live shows to creating with Songly and even building an email list, here’s what you need to know to get your music heard.
Play Live Shows
With the COVID-19 pandemic winding down and vaccination numbers trending upward, live gigs are a possibility once more. The best part about live shows is that they allow you to offer your music to an audience full of people passionate enough to come out in support of local artists. Try playing different cities and towns to spread your sound out as far as possible.
As you grow in popularity, try contacting larger touring acts when they play shows in your area. You never know—they may be looking for an opener!
Make New Friends
All creative fields require a bit of networking to find success, and musicianship is no different. After every live show, try to interface with other bands and their fans. Many industries thrive on “knowing a guy,” so make sure you know as many people as possible. The more friends you make, the more likely it is that someone big will get the chance to hear your music and help you kickstart your career.
Create an Email List
Successful musicians these days almost always have a thriving online presence. Unfortunately for songwriters starting out, it’s tough to convince people to search your website in the first place. Consider giving away something for free, like an exclusive track, to entice people to sign up for your mailing list.
Once you have their email address, you’re golden. Send a message once a month or every other week to let your growing fanbase know where you’ll be playing, where they can find your music, and how things are going with your career.
It’s tricky to find ways to stand out in a sea of other musicians, but now that you know what you need to get your music heard, you should have much more luck!
