You’re trying to get lucky. And to do that, you’ve got to go where the people are, and that’s social media.<\/p>\n
Let’s leave aside the potential deleterious effects of social media, the bottom line is that’s where trends are started, where records are broken, where true fans live, and when you’re not on TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube, you’re almost out of the game. You’re relying on people being motivated enough to seek out your material on Spotify, et al. And that’s a two-step process, that involves people who are already fans. But in order to grow, you have to find new fans, how do you do this?<\/p>\n
For a while there, the industry was convinced that playlisting was the solution. Don’t hear much about that anymore. Turns out that’s not how active listeners listen. Fans pick and choose what they want to hear, those employing playlists are using them as background music or are casual fans of music, and you rely on active fans to build your career.<\/p>\n
It’s all about fans. Fans buy tickets, most casual listeners do not.<\/p>\n
Which is why you can be in the Spotify Top 50 and be able to sell out clubs at most. People are fans of the song, but not of you. How do you make them fans of you?<\/p>\n
First it starts with the music.<\/p>\n
Yes, a lot of young people are using digital tools to make their recordings, haven’t practiced long enough, but they sure do know how to market themselves online.<\/p>\n
Don’t confuse yourself with these people. You can be music first and survive on social media platforms, assuming your music is interesting and great, and most music is not!<\/p>\n
Let’s say you’re a virtuoso. If you’re not showing your playing on social media you’re operating with one hand tied behind your back. People are dying for this info, how you did it. Even people who are not players eat this stuff up. Give them what they want.<\/p>\n
And the dirty little secret of TikTok is your history is irrelevant. In other words, the algorithm will surface something from someone who had no prior success, who is brand new. So the opportunity is there.<\/p>\n
As for having your music ripped-off by creators online… This is the best thing that could ever happen to you. If someone is motivated to use your music, that means they like it so much they want to share it. And success today comes from sharing. And if you think every step in the process must be monetized, you don’t understand how the internet works. Many platforms started off free and built a fan base before they ever monetized, before they even had advertising, they realize critical mass is key.<\/p>\n
That’s what you’re looking for, critical mass.<\/p>\n
But there’s a caveat… Just because you do it, that does not mean you\u2019ll be successful. You could post ad infinitum on TikTok and still not go viral, break through. But if you don’t…<\/p>\n
You’ve got to be everywhere today, you’ve got to spray your message. There is not one single outlet that will guarantee success. Because not everybody is paying attention to one single outlet.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, you’re in control. If you think it’s the record company’s job to break you, you’re living in the last century. No, you must break YOURSELF! You are responsible. If the label knew how to do it they’d be minting new stars, which they are unable to do. They might get you on the radio, but who is listening to the radio? Or the aforementioned playlists?<\/p>\n
What you’re trying to do is start a conversation, create a chain, a link between people. You want one person to be so passionate about you and your music that they tell another person. That’s how you break today. And there are a zillion messages out there and to rise above you must be special.<\/p>\n
Oftentimes music is not enough. Just playing your guitar and singing your song. Sometimes that works, but you must see social media like video in the MTV era, a whole new avenue of creativity. Come on, video broke Duran Duran and Peter Gabriel went nuclear with an inventive video on “Sledgehammer.” The video didn’t detract from the music, it was additive to. The music was set in amber, the video was an addition.<\/p>\n
You do more than make music. You talk, you’re alive 24\/7, not only is that time inspiration for your music, but for creative clips too.<\/p>\n
Start by signing up for TikTok and Instagram Reels and spending hours on them, so the algorithm finds out what you like, so you discover great things yourself. Your music is informed by all your listening to records, same deal with visual clips. If you don’t know the landscape, you’re not going to be able to do anything great.<\/p>\n
As for those on TikTok…<\/p>\n
I saw Van Morrison, more than once. The last time I saw him he was reacting to fan blowback, the hate the internet is known for, he was apologizing as opposed to biting back. Van the Man had direct contact with the audience, that’s what the internet allows, and it is this direct contact that solidifies bonds and sells tickets.<\/p>\n
I mean I’m still talking about it, I can’t get over it. I know tons of Van Morrison stories, he’s notably irascible. But TikTok humanized him. That’s the modern paradigm, you’re no longer on a pedestal, rather you’re down in the pit with the people, who determine your career.<\/p>\n
And whatever you do, don’t beg.<\/p>\n
Joanna Stern has started a new site. and her first feature was an interview with Casey Neistat. If you don’t know who he is, that’s exactly the point. He’s made a living utilizing the internet tools, he may not be a star by the old metrics, but by the new ones, the only ones that count to people under forty, he’s a big swinging dick.<\/p>\n
Anyway, Joanna asked about asking for follows, likes and subscriptions and Casey said DON’T DO IT! First and foremost, it’s almost meaningless, it’s a manipulated statistic no one trusts, and your content needs to be so good that it engenders virality all by its lonesome. And just because someone subscribes, that does not mean they’re going to come back.<\/p>\n
This is the new world.<\/p>\n
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