Band Music

Getting Your Music Heard: A Self Publishers Guide

It’s never been easier to record and publish music and that’s the problem. The inboxes of publishing labels are stuffed with demos and most of them are never even going to get opened. Anyone and everyone can record some beats in their bedroom and anyone is. So how do you get your music heard?

Well don’t despair, it’s never been easy. If you want an object lesson in how a massive talent can get completely over looked then watch Searching for Sugar Man. Enjoy what you are doing. Have faith in what you are doing and don’t give up. If you believe that your music will give pleasure to other people, then stick at it and don’t let rejection put you off.

Play the long game

Just because you’ve emailed a label your tracks it doesn’t mean you’re going to be a star overnight. You need to keep getting your music out there, but you also need to keep developing your music. Never wait around to be noticed, keep moving.

Do your homework

Yes, you want as much exposure as you can get but blanket bombing doesn’t work. If a label sees that your demo has been sent to a hundred other people they’re not even going to bother to give it a listen. To them you’re just a time waster. So make sure you know that the label you’re mailing is an appropriate choice for your music.

Send bloggers your music

These people are huge social influencers and they love to share stuff. Unlike music labels they might not be inundated with music demos and if you send them some interesting bio and maybe a little gift then they might just give you a listen. After that it’s up to your music to work its magic.

Use a music licensing company

Beatpick.com has been running for about six years and hosts over thirty thousand tracks. If they accept your music it will then become available on the platform for film, TV and advertising. They will even pitch your music for you, press CDs and DVDs and sell downloadable versions of LPs. Artists get 50% of earnings and 100% of backend royalties. Little known music producer Zen Foo, a student at the LSE, was picked up by HungryHouse from this site, so clearly, it works.

Put your music out there

Ways to publish your music on the internet are multiplying all the time. It’s worth devoting some of your time to researching what’s new so that you can get in on the ground floor, but here’s some of what’s around at the moment: Wix Music enables you to create your own music website and spread it over 120 of the most popular music channels. If you’re looking to promote live performance, then you should check out Bandsintown and Songkick. And of course, let’s not forget old favourites like YouTube and Reddit.

Inspired? You should be.

Band Music
Band Music

Post Author: Harvey Dyer