Regardless of whether you are an emerging recording artist or a grizzled veteran, marketing your music is a critical part of your success as an artist. With the digital medium available to new recording artists, and a little creativity, you can do quite a lot by yourself without the need to hire (and pay) someone else. This is especially true if you are trying to do your marketing on a shoestring budget.
Our friends, Elysium Calling have done a lot on a shoe string budget. I've watched their work emerge. From the beginning, they set up and used their website as a crucial online place to drive fans. They also use word of mouth within the NCFC, which is an example of 'viral marketing'. The final thing is the hard work of gigging every weekend and having CD's for sale.
I've also noticed the lack of good Native American Flute music on iTunes. I have asked some of the major NAF recording artists why they aren't selling their music on iTunes. One response that I got was: "iTunes isn't hitting the market that buys my music...". WHAT? First of all, iPod/iTunes has more than a 70% market share of the digital music market. Secondly, in my view, there is a market on iTunes, because 1) there aren't very many NAF artists listing their music (the market is unsaturated) 2) a large percentage of iTunes users who are 30 and 40 somethings (like me) who aren't buying HipHop or Pop music, which means that they are looking for alternatives.
For more information
Bob Baker now publishes a blog and a podcast Buzzfactor with some excellent tidbits of information about marketing your music. Bob's New Years Eve post lists his top 10 music blog posts for 2005.
Bob is the author of the book Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook which is a great handbook of 'do it yourself' marketing tips for emerging artists.
David Hooper also has a has a blog on music promotion with some good information.
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