The Score Magazine - Archive April 2016 issue! | Page 33

SHUBHAM GOYAL
artwork, comics, write ups, videos, interactions and merchandise. A
survey reports that about 85% of the Internet users in India surf the
web (read social network) several times a day. That, in itself is a huge
potential market for the musician. Instead of them watching the cute
cat video, you have to get them listening to your music!
Get creative and get personal. The next best thing we like or hate about
musicians (after their music) is their life choices. Keep up an active
Instagram account, keep posting social opinions, and reply to feedback
as much as you can. Keep posting to keep being on the news feed. It
is worth noting that organically reaching out through social media is
times more effective than paid advertisement. A little virtual legwork
and you not only save a lot of money but also reach out in a much more
efficient way.
Newsletters are something bands in India rarely get at, but it is a great
way to promote music. Your timely newsletter keeps you connected
with your fans, even during those low periods when you’re not touring
or writing. Also, it serves as a great way to get to know your fans and
get feedback.
Sometimes, being mainstream also helps. Do covers once in a while. It
shows your inspirations, hugely increases your market and reflects the
kind of music you like to listen to. YouTube has some great artists who
started off with playing covers.
Radios, newspapers, magazines:
The All India Radio is the only channel that reaches out to the maximum
number of people. Play a radio show, and you never know who might
be listening to it. When releasing any single, or album, make sure to
arrange for a radio show, with live snippets from the song.
A feature in a good magazine goes a long way to not only make your
release official, but also provide it with substantial credibility.
Being Creative
It is second nature to artists, but it is worth stressing upon. You don’t
want your new music to be sounding like someone else’s. Similarly,
every new release needs a unique strategy. It is like promoting a brand
where you have to outline your USPs. You need to strive to be and do
different. Colossal Figures, a Delhi based band used drives instead
of CDs to sell their music. Kelis, an American artist actually put her
culinary talents to use and started a food truck to promote her album
‘Food’.
Better being no musician at all, than one who is unappreciated. But that
need not be the case. With the right marketing at the right time, your
music can easily reach the audience it deserves.
The
Score Magazine
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