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10 Ways for Unknown Musicians to Get the Word Out
When Clear Channel controls the radio and the monopoly newspaper doesn't like you, how do you win over new audiences? The good news: there are many, many ways. Here are ten of my favorites. 1. Approach a local college or alternative radio station or community access cable TV station with a programming idea, like a live songwriter showcase. Other musicians will want to be a part of your show, and you'll build an audience for your own music--and theirs. 2. Write CD or concert reviews for a local alternative (or mainstream) paper. 3. Give copies of your CD away to public radio and TV stations for their fund drive premiums. 4. Organize, publicize, and perform at charity events for your favorite causes. 5. Lead songwriting or performing workshops in the schools (these are usually paying gigs, and all the parents hear your name). Invite some of the kids to perform with you; they're sure to bring a bunch of relatives along who will pay for their tickets and maybe buy a CD. 6. Announce your gigs in every community calendar. Newspapers, magazines, radio stations, community web sites, cable TV stations--they all run event listings. Type out one paragraph that includes a tag line about what you do, such as "Sandy Songwriter, River City's 'Homegrown Bono,' will perform labor songs and love ballads at The Trombone Shop, 444 4th Street in Downtown River City, Wednesday, January 15, 7 p.m." If admission is free or there's a charity connection, say so. Include contact phone number and e-mail. 7. Find Internet discussion groups related to your cause. Whether it's immigration, voting reform, peace, safe energy, the right to choose...there will be discussion groups online. Post responses and include a "sig"--a short on-line business card. Use different sigs for different purposes. Here's one of mine (in a real e-mail, it would be single-spaced): __________________________ Shel Horowitz, mailto:shel@frugalfun.com, 800-683-WORD/413-586-2388 "I make the world INSIST on learning why YOU'RE special" News releases, brochures, newsletters, ad copy, web copy, resumes, etc. http://www.frugalmarketing.com * http://www.principledprofits.com _____________________________ 8. Set up a simple low-cost website. Include a couple of sound clips, pictures of you performing, a place for people to sign up for your fan newsletter, a link to your favorite musicians, and, of course, your tour schedule and gig availability. 9. Get exposure on other people's websites. Write CD reviews, endorse their music with a blurb, submit articles on the local music scene...and always include your contact information and a statement that encourages people to visit your site. 10. Use the letters columns. Call in to talk shows. Post messages to Web forums...in short, use every feedback tool you have to spread the word. Copywriter, marketing consultant, and speaker Shel Horowitz is the author of six books and publisher of five websites, five webzines and three ezines. His two most recent, Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First (http://www.principledprofits.com) and Grassroots Marketing: Getting Noticed in a Noisy World (http://www.frugalmarketing.com) have both won awards. He's currently engaged in a campaign to get 25,000 people to sign--and spread--the Business Ethics Pledge: http://www.principledprofits.com/25000influencers.html
MORE RESOURCES: Ranked: The World’s Richest Music Artists Visual Capitalist Jack White, singer, guitarist, record producer, Detroit native Detroit Free Press How a twangy country ballad captivated the nation The Washington Post Dolores Keane, Singer Known as the ‘Soul of Ireland,’ Dies at 72 The New York Times For Your Consideration: Running Without Music Autostraddle AI Music & Creators Conference Bennett College Album Review – The Droptines – “Drought Flower” - Saving Country Music Meet Tony Vick, Evanston’s musical polymath Evanston RoundTable Door County woman shares her love of horses and music with others Green Bay Press-Gazette Country music star on returning to road after health emergency: ‘Taking no prisoners’ - PennLive.com Brick Church Celebrates Good Friday with Music Crucifixion chelseanewsny.com Ashley Maher’s Music of Hope and Beauty World Music Central How the introspection of music works within shared spaces The Bowdoin Orient Who Is the Polka-Dot Band That Plays Virtuosic Rock? Angine de Poitrine. The New York Times More Than Music: How DJ iSizzle Is Turning Weddings Into Story-Driven Experiences Bold Journey Magazine TradeWinds responds to Country music fest controversy St Pete Catalyst Gnoss - Fresh Scottish Folk Fairbanks Daily News-Miner White Lake Chamber Music Festival Announces 2026 Season Shoreline Media Group Local benefit concert to raise funds for music educators BG Falcon Media Novelist/musician Thomas Meinecke will present music of Bix Beiderbecke at Davenport event OurQuadCities This Iranian music school was a haven for children. After an airstrike ‘there is nothing left’ - CNN Stewart Copeland brings The Police’s biggest hits to San Francisco — with a full orchestra sfchronicle.com 'Dreamgirls' 20th Anniversary Celebration Returns to Detroit Music Hall ClickOnDetroit | WDIV Local 4 Downtown Logan welcomes new music store after two-decade hiatus The Logan Banner Larry McCraw guides Mickee Faust Club's musical mayhem Tallahassee Democrat Do’s and Don’ts of Connecting Through Classical Music: An Autistic Perspective Autism Spectrum News Country music deaths in 2026: A look at those who have been lost lehighvalleylive NPCC Departments of Theatre and Music and North Platte Community Theatre Present “Next to Normal” North Platte Post Colton Corner: Combining talents in a musical setting Woodburn Independent Good Sports: North Valley track and field coach aims to make impact in both sports and music ABC30 Fresno Ella Langley Pulled Out All the Stops for Her “Choosin’ Texas” Music Video — and Fans Are Obsessed Country Living Musikfest named Best Music Festival in U.S. Times News Online EVIL MISTRESS: A Lifelong Affair with Music, Part Fourteen Pagosa Daily Post Four Music Mondays coming up this month at the RACC Rome Sentinel A Billy Strings Review That Isn’t Really About The Music [Videos] Live For Live Music Matthew’s Music Corner: 10 years since Prince passed away news-daily.com Music, laughs and chants at No Kings The Journal of the San Juan Islands Carl Walker Walker West Music Academy Legacy Twin Cities Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder The Analingus Triptych: The three songs Mozart wrote about eating ass dangerousminds.net LHS band wins best overall music program The Lewiston Tribune Free Music Friday: Jack Nelson KBTX News 3 Music Education faculty member a visiting scholar State University of New York at Fredonia Music is in the air: Downtown Live in Longview kicks off spring concert series Longview News-Journal U2, Anne Hathaway: 9 Songs We’re Talking About This Week The New York Times Melancholy Babies and Rosa Pullman play first free Twentynine Palms Music Series show tonight (4/4) Z107.7 FM Joshua Tree Texas Tech Music Professor Celebrates 60 Years of Service Texas Tech University Robert Plant, J. Roddy Walston and the magic of music Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal Music festival CBS6 Fox 59 |
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