Music, Marketing & Musicians

As an artist it is important to make sure you are marketing your music, but as an independent artist, it is especially important. Your fans may just be local, or maybe you haven’t developed a following yet; either way, your marketing strategy should be well developed and thought of as an essential part of your plan to reach success.

If you are wondering where to start and what do as part of your marketing plan here are some tips from the Green Buzz Agency regarding music, marketing and musicians. 

1.     Define your brand: Is your branding clear and consistent? Make sure that who you are and what you are promoting correlate with each other. You don’t want to confuse people and make them wonder about whether or not you are genuine. You want to be clear, consistent and professional across all on and offline platforms. Define who you are and your intended target audience with as much detail as possible. You have to go to your fans and not expect them to come to you.

2.     Collect ‘currency”: Currency in the music industry is defined as email addresses, cell phone numbers and zip codes and collecting it whenever and wherever possible will give you a route to reach your fans.  Email is one of the most effective ways to reach your fans.  Fanbridge.com and mailchimp.com are two great sources for reaching your fans through a newsletter.

3.     Create a website: Having a website is a way to show your fans and potential fans that you have reached a level of success and professionalism. It shows that you are serious and will be your online site that you can control without just depending on social media. Provide links to all your online sites on each site.

4.     Prioritize quality over quantity: Connecting with fans on a personal basic should be your highest priority. Respond and interact with them whenever you can. This will help create loyalty from your fans.

5.    Be media ready: Have both digital and physical copies of your songs. While fans may prefer to download your music for its convenience, journalists may still prefer a physical copy. Soundcloud is a great sight for offering your music digitally.

6.    Don’t forget about offline marketing: Live performances and interacting with fans at shows are great ways to market your brand outside of the internet.

7.    Know your rights: Know the ways that you can earn money on and offline.

8.    Be creative, be personal: Asking your fans for their input in your creative process can be effective. It makes them feel like they are a part of your team and that they matter to you, creating a loyal fan base and word-of-mouth marketing.

There are so many musicians out there trying to get noticed and signed. You have to do everything you can to stand out and be ahead of the game, and that’s where music marketing comes in. Having good music also helps!

The Highly Anticipated Tupac Shakur Biopic

Courtesy of Fansided.com

If you are a fan of the late and very great rapper (like I am) then you were VERY happy to hear that filmmaker John Singleton will be writing, directing, and producing the biopic for Tupac. Finally! According to Rolling Stone Singleton is working on the screenplay and expects to start production this summer. Tupac was one of Singleton’s friends and wants to tell his story in a powerful way because he believes that it is important to our generation. The film will focus on Tupac’s rise to fame and lead to his murder back in 1996.

The one question on everyone’s mind in regards to the film is who will play Tupac? The actor of this lead role has not been casted yet. Many ideas about what actors should get this role has been speculated and fans of Tupac has been anxious to see who this actor will be. Yahoo released a list of their suggested actors that include Columbus Short, Michael B. Jordan, Brandon T. Jones, Chadwick Boseman, and Anthony Mackie. Out of their list, I would have to give it to Michael B. Jordan. I don’t think any of them look enough like Tupac, nor would they be able to capture his essence and demeanor. Mackie played Tupac in the Biggie biopic, Notorious and I was not impressed with his performance. I think that maybe they should just find a brand new, up and coming actor who could effectively play the role.

Tupac is still one of my favorite rappers today. His talents were beyond his lyrical skills. Tupac was a skilled actor, acting in movies that include Poetic Justice starring Janet Jackson, Juice, and Gang Related. He was involved in many philanthropic efforts like reaching out to a young dying who was a fan and putting together a benefit concert to help out a non-profit organization. He also wrote poetry. After his death, a book of poems titled The Rose That Grew From Concrete was released showcasing his handwritten version along with a typed version.