Local musicians often ask me how best to promote their music and bands. As a music business professional for the last twenty years, one would think I might have some advice on the topic. In reality, the answer to that question is very complex and ever changing. The face of artist representation and music distribution has morphed significantly over the last fifteen years.
When we launched our independent music label, Babyjane Records, back in 1997, the question was how to get distribution so that anyone could hear the great music we were producing. Online digital music was just ramping up, MySpace wasn’t around yet, and the Internet was just beginning to mark the change in how new music was discovered. The major labels were still in control of which artists were promoted and the A&R reps were still roaming the country looking in clubs and festivals for the next big act. We were producing physical CDs and struggling to find record distributors who were interested in small independent label releases, particularly ones that didn’t fit neatly into their dictated genre categories. It was not an easy task.
The new digital downloading age has changed all that. Many mainstream artists these days, like Colbie Caillat and Justin Bieber, are discovered online as a result of songs or videos they’ve posted on MySpace, YouTube and other websites. Recently at RMR we came across a good article regarding album production in EMusician, which we wanted to share with you. Check out the article here. The article talks about producing music for the new digital age.
For the past several years, we at RMR have been encouraging aspiring bands to consider the EP or single. It can be recorded economically at a professional facility where the high level of production will give the recording the best sound, and therefore the best chance of commercial success. Artists who want to record in a world-class facility, but lack the resources to cut an entire album, have a viable option. And they can spend less time stressing about a lot of songs at once. More focus on the individual song as a product of its own has merit.
Is luck and timing the biggest factor in being discovered and making it in the music industry? Maybe, but producing the absolute best quality recording of your music is a huge factor in catching the attention of those producers and label people looking for the next big act. Professionally produced music makes a difference. You may have one shot at that music industry person hearing your stuff, so make sure you record in a facility that can make you shine!
Post by Guila Chavez, Business Affairs Manager
