How Do You Break Into The Music Industry?

Breaking into the music industry is a dream that many artists have. Imagine getting up on stage in front of thousands of people, and performing a song that you’ve written and recorded? However, whilst you may count guitars instead of counting sheep at night, without a solid plan your music industry hopes will remain a pipe dream. But how do you reach the stardom that you want, and are there steps worth taking that will work out in your favour? In short, yes. We’ve noted down some of them here.

Do as many live shows as possible

One of the best ways to spark some interest in your music is to do as many live shows as you can. Even if you’re playing in bars with few attendees, you may perform in front of somebody who really likes your music, and tells their friends about it. This will increase both your streams on Spotify and your general audience in your local area and beyond, so see whether you can get some shows organized!

Get the right kit

You also want to make sure that you have the right kit. Artists and bands can’t get far without it.

When it comes to touring, good equipment is essential. For instance, the best drum machine for live performance is a world away from the world away from the worst.

While kit can be expensive, it is a worthwhile investment. Good instruments, mixer decks and speakers should last decades, even if you use them regularly.

Get your social media right

What’s the first thing that you do when you find a great new band? For most of us, it’s heading to their social media pages and giving them a quick like or follow, so that we a) remember what the name of the band actually is, and b) we can see any updates about their tours and latest releases. If you don’t establish yourself online as a band, then there is (unfortunately) every chance that people will forget about you!

Invest in some great PR

No artist or band gets very far without a great PR team. Music PR specialists can really help you to extend your reach, and they will promote your music at the right time, in the right places. Sure, you may think that you can do this yourself, but you’re not going to top Ariana Grande’s annual earnings without a little bit of help from the people who really know their stuff. Choose wisely!

Network, network, network

The music industry is all about networking. Knowing the right people who can offer you the right opportunities is key, and you don’t need to be naturally well-connected in order to do this. In fact, all you need to do is to go to events and gigs, and talk to people. Be honest with them, tell people what you want to do and listen to the advice that they have to give. This will benefit you greatly.

Be enthusiastic

Whilst it can seem like breaking into the industry is pretty much impossible, there are those who make it due to their perseverance and positivity. You could sit around believing that you’re never going to get what you want, but how is that going to help you? Instead, be positive and enthusiastic, and don’t let self-doubt get in the way. There is that chance that your band will be next to headline your favourite festival, so keep the faith.

Good luck breaking into the music industry!

About the author

There’s a lot of music out there - good music. At Essentially Pop our remit is that we cover music that deserves to be heard, with a particular focus on independent artists. That doesn't mean we won't cover your old favourites - rather we hope to give you some new favourites as well.

We no longer accept unpaid PR agency work. We believe the creative arts have value, and this includes writing. As always, we will write about artists who contact us - or who we contact - for free - but we can no longer work free of charge for PR agencies. We work hard, we put in a lot of hours writing, and we ask that you respect that. Contact us for our very reasonable rates.

Follow us on: Twitter, Google+, Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram, Myspace, Facebook, Spotify, Youtube. Drop us an email on hello@essesntiallypop.com

Leave a Reply