Ever notice your favorite music magazines disappearing from the store shelves as of late? The print industry has seen better days. It’s safe to say at this point that it is well on it’s way out. Every month, more and more magazines are switching to online formats or folding completely. Does this mean there are less places to get your band exposed? Definitely not. In fact, nowadays there are more websites, blogs and zines than ever covering independent music. They have just shifted their focus and adapted to modern demands – they’ve set up shop online; solely online in most cases. The ones that haven’t folded yet will do so within a few years.
Music promotion should not be a mystery. It’s all about building relationships and keeping them, whether in print or online. Remember to treat the press as individuals and keep it simple.
Try searching Hype Machine for artists who sound similar to your band. For example, if you play in a progressive metal band, you can search “Opeth”, “Tool”, or “Mastodon”. You’ll find a list of music blogs that have recently posted music from the artist or band. Contact each blog individually, with personalized comments on their blog. Remember, they put effort into their writing just the same as you put effort into your music. Recognizing their efforts in a personal and genuine way seperates you from the thousands of bands simply demanding “Check out my band!”
You’d be surprised how much it will help, and your press section will start to look like the Rotten Tomatoes page for The Dark Knight – provided you’ve got the goods, of course!
For more tips and tricks of the trade, you can pick up “Your Band Is A Virus– Behind-The-Scenes And Viral Marketing For The Independent Musician” at www.yourbandisavirus.com.
