Want to bring your listeners on a journey? To send them on an adventure that goes deeper than bonus “behind the music” content? How about a multi-player RPG your fans can play together on Discord!?

That’s exactly what celebrated songwriter and Twitch livestreamer Emma McGann did with her newest album “The Monsterverse.” She created an immersive experience for fans that combined her recordings, videos created with 3D graphics, an RPG built using a Discord Bot, and more.

The Monsterverse takes “music promotion” to a whole new level. In this episode of the podcast, Emma tells how (and why) she constructed a whole world around her music.

 

If you’re releasing new music in 2023, of course you want it to “succeed” and reach as many listeners as possible!

But you’ll need much more than checklists and rote release strategies; making your music relevant in a world of infinite songs takes the right combination of good marketing mechanics AND exceptional tunes, videos, messaging, and more.

In this episode we’re gonna go deep and help you build a great foundation for any new singles or albums you release this year.

 

In some ways, 2022 felt like another year on pause. In other ways, the past 12 months passed in the blink of an eye. How did music trends (and the music industry) change this year? And what are our biggest predictions for music marketing, music creation, and music consumption in 2023?

 

 

TikTok is a powerful platform for music discovery; your songs and videos can reach the right new fans because of TikTok’s algorithm. But did you know it’s also one of the best places to find inspiration and showcase your  quirkiness.

TikTok travels at the speed of memes, and that means there’s a constant churn of humor, skits, trending audio, fun filters, and more. Conversations to join. Creative collaborations. Things to imitate or spin your own unique way. More than other entertainment or social apps for artists, TikTok frees you of always needing to be the prime instigator and driver of every piece of content.

In this episode we talk with multi-instrumentalist, TikTok connoisseur, and CD Baby’s social media expert Rachel Bearinger — all about the culture of TikTok, how to source inspo, stay organized on the app,  and keep up with the pace of a platform that thrives on memetic energy.

 

How does niche music reach millions on TikTok? In this discussion from 2022’s DIY Musician Conference, CD Baby’s Chris Robley spoke with Jeremy Carter-Gordon of the vocal group Windborne.

Not only have Windborne’s videos gone massively viral, but the group grew their TikTok audience while staying true to how they want to perform and represent their music.

In other words: Windborne didn’t work for TikTok. TikTok worked for them. And in this session, we break down the story, the strategy, and their editing and caption tricks. We also analyze fun example videos along the way!

 

Whether you’re new to music, new to town, or finally getting back out there after a break, it can be really beneficial to make solid connections in your own hometown before you try to conquer the world. How do you break into your local music scene and build a loyal audience?

 

 

Want to know how to make yourself more desirable, marketable, and overall employable as a side-person or session musician in today’s post-pandemic climate?

In this session from the 2022 DIY Musician Conference in Austin, TX, you’ll hear from Damon Grant (who has worked with Charlie Hunter, Madonna, and many more) and Stephen Bidwell (of Black Pumas), all about good preparation, the right tools, memorization hacks, professionalism, and heading off personality conflicts with artists, managers, or other players.

Though both presenters are percussionists, this conversation is relevant for any instrumentalist or vocalist who seeks to work in a supporting role, on tour or in the studio.

 

What ELSE do you need for a successful music release besides the mastered music files? A lot! Let’s talk through both the big-picture and nitty-gritty things you’ll want to prepare before you launch your next single or album into the world.

 

 

Let’s be honest, there are some things about being an independent musician that kinda suck. There are (at least) five common personal and professional struggles that go hand-in-hand with creative pursuits.

And in this episode we’re gonna gripe, we’re gonna reach collective catharsis, and then we’re gonna figure out how to move beyond the unique hurdles that musicians face.