It’s crazy to see how much the music industry has evolved in just a couple of years.Â
I still remember when I started making music in my bedroom on a computer that was slower than my phone is now.
I still remember having to deal with selling vinyl copies… Reality check.
Since the industry has evolved so much and the world around it hasn’t been standing still either, I thought this would be a good time to stand still and have a look into the future to see how an artist can use all these new developments to build his career.
Music
Creating music still is the foundation of an artist’s career. With music, you’re not an artist. But the importance of music has decreased if you ask me. Back in the days (pre-social media), an artist didn’t have to worry that much about other things than making music. Being in the studio, creating new music was a top priority for an artist and I feel like those times have changed.
Right now, music still is important but it shouldn’t be your only main focus anymore.Â
Remember, a lot of things have changed and you have to adapt to survive.
Content
One of the things that should be your main focus for 2020 is creating content.
We live in a world where we spent most of our time online and when I say online, I mean social media networks. You know, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok… As an artist, you should represent yourself on those platforms. It is THE best way to connect with your audience and to build your brand.Â
These platforms are driven by content. By creating content you have the opportunity to reach your audience and show them who you are and what you stand for and the craziest thing is that you can reach any person on this planet from the chair in your home.
Photos and videos are a great way to show people who you are and what you’re doing in life. By posting content, you can take your audience onto your journey. Show them your struggles, celebrate your wins. By showing the ups and downs, you will start to create a deep connection with your audience and that is key to building a brand.
Creating content seems to be scary to most artists that I speak to but I want to let you know that if you stay close to your personality, you can never go wrong. Content only becomes scary if you put out lies or things that you don’t agree with. The closer you stick to your own values, the stronger and easier it will become.
What most artists seem to forget is that with your music you will be able to reach people and build a fanbase but content has the exact same effect. The only difference is that you won’t be able to put out three songs a day but you will be able to put out three photos or videos a day. If one of those pieces of content goes viral, you have the opportunity to build a fanbase.
That’s why content is so valuable and that’s why you should start posting as much as possible ASAP.
Consistency
Another thing is an important focus point for artists in 2020 is consistency. Consistency is key if you want to become successful in this industry.Â
You need to be consistent with releasing your music and posting content.
Releasing one song isn’t going to do much for you. Of course, you can always be lucky and that one track could end up being a hit but focussing on those chances isn’t a smart strategy if you ask me. Releasing a song every month will bring you more opportunities and those opportunities will give you a bigger chance of success. It will also help to feed your audience with new music each month which will keep you more relevant.
Posting consistently on a daily base is the key to building a fanbase. You want to be on top of mind with the people that follow you. Posting content every day will subconsciously keep your artist name and brand at the top of your follower’s mind and it will create awareness around your artist name.
Consistency is the key to growth.