Once you’ve finished recording your new album or single there is still some work to do in order to get the release over the finish line. In this episode, Kevin and Chris discuss all the final pieces and bits of information needed to ensure success in the distribution process. Plus, we answer listener calls, emails, and tweets!

The way musicians — heck, the way ANYONE uses Instagram today — is very different from how we used it years ago. Whether you’ve been marketing your music on Instagram for years or you’re brand new to the platform and have no idea what “Instagram Stories” even are, this episode will help you get the most engagement (and fun) from your efforts. Plus, Kevin and Chris answer listener calls.

Whether you were at the 2018 DIY Musician Conference in Nashville, missed out, or didn’t even know it existed, Kevin and Chris talk about 8 lessons learned at the event, and how they apply to today’s independent musician. Plus, a few thanks and listener emails.

Let’s get beyond the basics of Spotify playlists. How do you determine which playlists will actually make a difference for your career? How do you find them, hunt down the contact info of the curator (without being a creeper), and make an effective pitch? In this episode, Part 2 of our “Truth About Spotify Playlists” series, Kevin and Chris answer all those questions and more.

Rethinking everything you know about Spotify playlists means you have to revisit your assumptions. In this first of a two-part series, Kevin and Chris talk through the foundations of a playlisting strategy, touching upon a few common misunderstandings, and a few commonly missed opportunities.

There are a million ways to promote a new release. In this episode, Kevin and Chris discuss some of the things they’ve tried with their new music to reach listeners and amplify that interaction — from proven promo strategies to untapped press opportunities. Also, lots of listener calls and questions.

Hear Smalltown Poets’ new album here: https://smalltown-poets.lnk.to/6KpRmWE

Hear Chris Robley’s latest single here: https://chrisrobley.lnk.to/letyougo

The old ways and myths are strong. And many musicians are still making important decisions for their careers based on outdated practices and false assumptions. In this episode, taped in front of a live audience during Music Biz 2018 in Nashville, Kevin and Chris talk about everything you need to forget about the music industry.

Are you use Pandora AMP? It’s a no-brainer; DIY musicians should absolutely take advantage of these powerful (free) features of Pandora’s streaming service, particularly the Artist Audio Messages and Featured Track tools. In this episode, Kevin interviews Heather Ellis of the Pandora AMP team to explore how AMP and Next Big Sound can be used to support the release of singles and albums, tours, music promotion initiatives, and more.

The Pandora Amp Playbook is HERE.

If you’re like most artists, you’ve been collecting fan emails to build that coveted email list. However, once you build that list, it’s hard to figure out what to send so your emails continue to feel fresh and useful to the people who subscribe. On this episode of the podcast, Cheryl Engelhardt is going to walk us through the writing and automating 30 emails so you can create a vibrant email program with very little ongoing maintenance. You can find out more about Cheryl’s work at http://cbemusic.com.

As musicians, we work hard to get press coverage. But when the moment arrives, we sometimes squander the opportunity, or worse, let it go completely off the rails. In this episode, Kevin and Chris discuss five surefire ways to ruin a press opportunity or interview. Oh, and how NOT to ruin your moment in the spotlight too!

Independent musicians today have LESS time and MORE responsibilities. Plus, we can waste a lot of hours just daydreaming. How do you juggle all the DIY tasks without dropping the ball or wandering off track? In this episode Kevin talks with Suzanne of Rockstar Advocate about time-management strategies, finding a place of efficiency that balances creativity and business concerns, and more.

Artists that create original music will make more money from on-demand streaming over the next five years. In this episode, Kevin and Chris discuss two recent wins for songwriters in the world of music streaming: a huge hike in interactive mechanical royalty rates, and the addition of songwriter and producer credits in Spotify’s track-level metadata. Plus, lots of great listener calls and emails.

Show.co’s music marketing tools make it easy for you to create online campaigns that will get your fans to take specific actions. But the effectiveness of these tools is directly related to the thought and creativity you put into your campaigns. In this episode, Kevin and Chris tell you how to get the most out of your online music marketing efforts. Plus, HUGE (but reassuring) news about Facebook and YouTube monetization.

Getting gigs and building out a tour is always a challenge for indie musicians. In this episode, Craig Grossman talks about how to utilize three proven methods for networking, contacting venues, and closing bookings. This episode, which was recorded at the 2017 DIY Musician Conference, will also teach you how to organize all the data once your dates are set, so you can successfully execute your tour!

What opportunities and challenges lie ahead for independent musicians in 2018, and what lessons can they carry forward from the past year? In this episode, Kevin and Chris do some soul searching, and a little industry analysis, to ask questions about where DIY artists stand right now. Plus, a bunch of great listener calls and emails.

Want to know how to grow your YouTube channel and increase audience interaction? In this session recorded at the 2017 DIY Musician Conference, YouTube’s Ted Kartzman chats with Hip Hop artist Illmac to break down the steps Illmac took to truly own his audience on YouTube.

Releasing singles is arguably more important for artists today than any time since the 1960s. But is there a RIGHT way to release a single?  In this episode, Chris and Kevin talk about five key strategic concepts you should apply to the launch of any single. Plus, some great listener calls.

Our publishing split sheet can be downloaded HERE.

The Music Ally article mentioned about Spotify is HERE.

It’s not too late for your music to get a bump from the holiday season’s dependable spike in streaming, YouTube, and music-buying activity. Are you and your songs ready? In this episode, Kevin and Chris run down a list of both standard and unusual holiday promotion tips for your music — plus, a discussion about release strategies in the streaming age and a bunch of great listener calls.

Streaming success often involves bucking conventional music industry wisdom. Are bad habits holding you back on Spotify? In this episode, Chris and Kevin talk about common areas where artists are either missing opportunities or shooting themselves in the foot. Plus, they answer lots of listener calls.

The Spotify article mentioned in the news section can be found HERE.

The tools are there for you to monetize with Live Streaming! See what Dawn Beyer did to make over $74,000 in one year using FB Live and how you can too. Walk away with a clear understanding of how to use the tools to better engage and monetize your audience. You will also learn how to use Instagram Live and Periscope to broaden your reach. This session will be broadcast live on Facebook and you will see the response in real time.

There’s a big difference between making your music available and making your music connect. Thousands of new albums and singles are being “released” every day. But how do you make sure YOUR NEXT RELEASE will make an impact? In this discussion, you’ll hear from CD Baby’s Patrick Griffin, Anna Held, Ben Hubbird, and Chris Robley about what they see working (and failing) with the hundreds of new releases they help distribute every day. You’ll walk away knowing how to best prepare your music for a successful launch, and where to avoid catastrophic mistakes.