By Colin 
Being an independent musician isn’t easy. The industry is stacked against you. You have to compete with thousands of other new artists, all hoping to make it big. Streamers like Spotify offer the worst deals, and media coverage, both online and offline, is limited. On top of that, you’ll likely battle your own mind and impostor syndrome, no matter how brilliant you are. Even the best musicians can struggle, and it may often feel like no one is listening to the music you’ve poured your heart into.
Our Mission: Helping You Succeed
We’re here to help. We’re putting together a series of articles aimed at giving musicians practical tips and advice. These insights will help you now and when you release your next track.
If you find this article useful, we’d appreciate a share on your socials. If not, we’d love your feedback on how to improve. Our goal is to make a difference and help as many artists as possible get the exposure they deserve. Much of the advice we’ll share comes from our experience as an outlet that promotes music.
Fans: Your Most Important Asset
If there’s one thing that will help you succeed, it’s your fans. Musicians who build a local following often find it easier to release their first music. This doesn’t mean it’s easy, but it definitely helps. Playing open mic events is a great way to start. Perform your music for people who might connect with it.
Research is key. There’s no point going to an open mic event that focuses on hard rock if your music is more guitar pop. You might need to travel to find the right audience, but it’s worth it. If even a dozen people look forward to your performances, you’re in a good place. Those people will bring their friends, expanding your audience further with each performance.
Focus on building a loyal following by interacting with those who love your music. If you can get 1,000 engaged fans who buy your merch or singles, you’re well on your way to a long-term music career.
Navigating Fan Interactions
Unfortunately, fan interaction can sometimes lead to less pleasant encounters. This is especially true for women in the industry. You may receive inappropriate messages or unsolicited pictures. The only way to avoid this is to limit how people can contact you, but that creates a barrier between you and your biggest supporters. If someone makes you uncomfortable, don’t hesitate to block them.
When to Start Promoting Your New Single
Opinions vary on when to start promoting a new single. Some suggest starting as early as six months before release, while others recommend not promoting at all before release. Neither approach is ideal. Promoting for six months means you can only focus on two releases a year. On the other hand, not promoting at all means missing out on early playlists and pre-saves, both crucial when starting out.
Our advice? Start promoting about one month before release. Begin by teasing your fans with snippets of audio or TikTok videos. Let them know something exciting is coming.
Creating a Promotion Plan
A good plan is to start teasing on the day you upload your music to streaming platforms. This should be no less than four weeks before the planned release date. After the first week of teasing, announce the release date and share your pre-save link. Then, spend the next three weeks on focused promotion.
Some industry “gurus” suggest that too much promotion can bore your audience. But for your fans, the opposite is true. They’ll love every snippet and interaction. The key is to share just enough of the single to get it stuck in their minds, without giving away too much before release.
Reaching Out to Publications
As soon as your track is uploaded for streaming, start emailing as many people as possible. Find outlets that cover music from up-and-coming artists. There are many sites and radio stations that work hard to promote new music. Some to consider include unsignedmusic.uk, Totally Music Official, Amazing Radio, Future Hits, and BBC Introducing. Don’t forget to include us in your publicity campaign!
Find their socials and send them a message, or email the appropriate contacts. Introduce yourself and share a link to your previous releases or the track you’re promoting. Make sure the track is private if you’re sharing it early. Now is also the time to start talking to radio stations about potential airplay.
Building Relationships with Media Outlets
Don’t wait until you’re ready to start getting pre-saves. Reach out to these outlets early and get them excited about your music. Not all outlets will respond, but don’t let that discourage you. Thousands of musicians are trying to do the same. If you find an outlet that responds, build a friendly relationship with them. They’ll be more likely to support you when it’s time to promote your music.
Timing Your Publicity Efforts
Some people aim for publicity on release day, but often that’s too late. To be considered for new music playlists, you need to get as many pre-saves as possible before release. Ideally, start your publicity campaign the day your pre-saves open. Too early, and people may lose interest. Too late, and you’ll only get a few pre-saves.
Collaborating with Media for Maximum Impact
From the perspective of a site like TuneFountain, it’s helpful if you give us a few days before pre-saves go live. This allows us to promote according to a schedule that maximizes your pre-save numbers. While we can’t speak for every outlet, most will need some lead time before your announcement. Embargoes are useful here—announce early to the media but set an embargo so they follow your timeline.
Crafting an Effective Press Release
A formal press release isn’t always necessary, but it can be helpful. A good press release should include the following:
- A bio for you or your band.
- Information about the track, EP, or album you’re promoting.
- Links to your social media profiles.
- A clear link to your pre-save.
- A link to a pre-release version of the track, preferably on Soundcloud.
- High-quality images, including the release artwork and press shots.
Press releases should be easy to access. While a nice image might look good, it’s a hassle for a journalist in a rush. PDFs are okay but can make extracting images and text difficult. A simple email press release with attachments is often the most useful. For a win-win, include a nicely formatted PDF as well.
Using Social Media to Amplify Your Reach
Social media is a powerful tool for spreading the word about your music. You’re likely already using platforms like TikTok and Instagram to share posts, stories, videos, and reels. Keep doing that. You can also reach out to publications on these platforms to see if they’ll share your content.
Our Instagram, for example, mostly reshared posts and stories from other artists. We encourage anyone to tag us in anything they want shared. As long as it’s not offensive, we’re happy to help by reposting to our stories and feeds.
Tagging Publications: A Word of Caution
While it’s tempting to tag multiple publications, it’s better to pick a few you really like. See if they’re willing to share your posts if tagged. Don’t expect them to share everything, but each new audience you reach increases your chances of gaining new followers.
Stay Persistent: Don’t Be Disheartened
Unless you’re extremely lucky, your first few singles might not get much coverage. But keep trying. Every new person who discovers and enjoys your music will likely go back and listen to your earlier releases. Share, share, share—and over time, you won’t need to rely solely on media coverage. Your own loyal followers will start sharing your music because they love it that much.
Building a Successful Independent Music Career
The independent music scene is full of amazing people. While media outlets can be helpful, they’re not the only way to succeed. Becoming a successful independent musician isn’t about Spotify streams; it’s about building a loyal following. Perform locally as often as you can. Find smaller festivals that champion new acts and seek a spot on their bill. Open-mic nights are also great for networking with other musicians.
The Label Dream: Rethinking Your Goals
While getting signed to a label might be your dream, it’s not always in your best interest. We’ll explore this topic in a future article, but for now, remember that becoming a self-supporting independent musician could be the most rewarding path you take. The music industry has changed massively in the last decade, and we’re here to help you navigate it.