BONUS EPISODE: The Future of DIY
After 15 years of hosting this podcast, Kevin Breuner has moved on to the next adventure in his music career — but the DIY Musician Podcast will continue! What’s going to change? What’s going to…
#289: 10 creative challenges to get you out of your songwriting rut
Writer’s block happens to everyone, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t frustrating when you’re trying to create and coming up blank. If you’ve found yourself in a songwriting slump, try these fun challenges to dig…
#288: Is social media dead for musicians?
When it comes to sustaining your music career, is social media… Dead? Dying? A zombie? Still the greatest tool we have, even though it’s killing our souls one post or doomscroll at a time? In…
#287: The new rules for cover art
Contrary to the old idiom, people DO judge a book by its cover. And the same goes for music. If your release’s cover artwork is blurry, unnecessarily cluttered or just downright ugly, it could put…
#286: Music predictions for 2022
Given that there’s no ONE path to success these days, CD Baby has made sure to empower artists in a myriad of ways: digital music revenue, publishing administration, sync licensing, physical manufacturing and distribution, social…
#285: What independent musicians can learn from The Beatles’ Get Back
It may feel like there are few applicable lessons to learn from the unrivaled career of The Beatles. They were icons. They were giants. They were… mere mortals? Yep. Humans, just like the rest of…
#284: Releasing music for the first time
Are you planning to release your first song? Or… your first song in a while? There is a lot you’ll encounter along the way that might be new to you. Let’s talk about all the…
#283 – Bryan Ewald: Artist endorsements and diversifying revenue
Even megastars “piece it together.” Ticket sales, merch, streaming, publishing, appearances, sponsorships, the list goes on. But how can a DIY musician earn a living via a diversified revenue stream that includes production, session work,…
#282: Band Vs. Solo Artist – How You Make Decisions
One decision, whether to go solo or work with a group, can have a huge impact on how you make, market, and monetize your music. In this episode, Kevin and Chris talk through some of…
#281: E-commerce 101 for musicians
What separates full-time from part-time musicians often comes down to merch sales — not just at gigs, but ONLINE too. Do you have YOUR e-commerce game dialed in? Are you profitably selling shirts, hats, CDs, vinyl,…
#280: Jackie Venson – Adapting for success
In this episode, which was recorded at the 2021 virtual DIY Musician Conference, Jackie Venson details how she adapted for continued success during the uncertain times brought on by the pandemic. Not only has she…
#279: Productivity hacks for musicians
As a DIY artist, you need to manage every aspect of your music creation and marketing. At the same time, your audience’s attention span is shortening, so you feel the pressure to be MORE productive…
#278: 10 music videos you should be making right now
As a musician today, your VIDEO presence is likely what has the most impact on your ability to reach new listeners and engage your fans. So you need a steady flow of good video content….
#277: Tips for getting back on the stage in 2021
Are you ready, like REALLY ready, for the return of live gigs? In this episode, Kevin and Chris talk about what artists should (and shouldn’t) be doing to make the most of the return to…
#276: How I grew my Spotify monthly listeners over 2,000%!
Growth on Spotify. We all want it. And there are a hundred online courses teaching you how to run PAID traffic to boost your streams. But Siren and the Sea grew their monthly listeners on…
#275: How you know when you’re ready?
DIY musicians don’t actually want to do it all themselves. Nor should they! BUT… there’s a right time and wrong time to grow your team, take a big risk, or attempt the next big thing….
#274: Create the perfect release plan
We have big dreams whenever we releases new music — more fans, more money, more recognition. But there’s a difference between a goal and a wish. In this episode, Kevin and Chris provide a detailed framework…
#273: 6 Music Trends that are wasting your time
As musicians, our most valuable resource is time. Yet we often spend that time on things that don’t matter. Or that won’t help us achieve our actual goals of growing and engaging with our fanbase….
#272: The state of music streaming
The State of Streaming: CD Baby artist’s revenue increased 26% in 2020 over the previous year. What music platforms drove the most revenue? What does today’s fractured listening environment mean for your music promotion? In…
#271: Musicians guide to YouTube
Can musicians succeed on YouTube if they’re not “YouTubers?” Yes, though there are many lessons musicians should learn from creators who use YouTube as it’s intended — managing a video channel with consistent programming. In this…
#270: What every artist is asking
Every musician’s path is unique, but a lot of times we’re all wondering the same thing. How to reach new listeners during a pandemic? How to make sure our single releases build towards the album?…
#269: Getting your music promotion in order for 2021
It’s a new year with many challenges still facing artist as they try to connect with music fans during a global pandemic. Take heart! Indie artists have always lead the charge when it comes to…
#268: How to release your music in 2021
The way artists release music completely changed in 2020. As we approach 2021, artists are asking what is the right balance between singles and albums? How do you target and engage new listeners in the…
DIY Musician Stories #8 : Madisen Ward
In this episode Montse chats with musician Madisen Ward of the folky-blues-roots duo Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear. Madisen tells us about his “Quarentunesâ€, how he built his artist team, on writing, starting a podcast,…
#267: Cheryl B. Engelhardt – Organizing your fans to reach a goal
Whether you’re launching a new album, promoting a livestream, or trying to shoot for something bigger like a Grammy nomination, getting your fans onboard can be a challenge. In this episode you’ll hear how Cheryl…
DIY Musician Stories #7 : Sally & George
In this episode Montse chats with Shelby Means and Joel Timmons of the folk-rock duo Sally & George. They are independent artists releasing an album during the pandemic and they tell us all about that…