Are you holding your own music back?  Whenever we hear an artist rationalize why they haven't achieved a certain level of success, it often seems like they're getting in their own way due to some outdated beliefs or faulty priorities. And this has nothing to do with the quality of the music. Sometimes people with amazing songs aren't reaching the audiences they could because they're holding too tightly to ideas that no longer serve them. Is it time to embrace new tools, trends, and mindsets? Time to abandon some stale modes of thinking? In this episode, we'll discuss five things we should all let go of!

331: 5 Things Musicians Should Leave Behind in 2023

There's too much music out there now for an average listener to care about YOUR SONGS just because they're available on streaming platforms.  That's why you need to create anticipation BEFORE your new music launches. In this episode we'll discuss how to do exactly that, drawing lessons from artists such as Walk Off the Earth, Emma McGann, and Ellie Dixon.

#330: 10 Ways to Build Anticipation for Your Music

Would you rather earn a living from your music or gain massive reach on social and streaming?  Of course those two things don't HAVE to be at odds, but when you're towards the beginning of your music career, it helps to focus on one top priority.  There isn't a correct goal; it'll differ depending on your interests and talents. But how you allocate your time and budget will change based on the priority: paid or famous?   In this episode, we discuss those differences.

#329: Releasing Music: Paid or Famous?

Everyone is talking about A.I. — or "artificial intelligence" — and the impact it will have on musicians and artists. Will advanced machine-learning and information synthesis help usher in a new era of creativity, or could artificial intelligence destroy the music industry (on its way to destroying humanity?)

#328: A.I. and Music - Why Musicians Should Care!

For independent artists, the most reliable way to earn a living from music isn't streaming, social monetization, or even lucrative opportunities in sync licensing. It's merch sales!  In this episode, Dave Cool of Bandzoogle talks about creating merch items your fans will love, how to make effective offers, and using the best tools for selling online.

#327: The Key to Making More Money from Your Music

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. 

#326: Gamifying Your Music Promotion Using Discord

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. 

#325: Releasing Music in 2023

n 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? 

#324: Music Predictions for 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. 

#323: Talkin' TikTok Trends - How to Use Them for Your Music Promo

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! 

BONUS EPISODE: Viral Success for Niche Music - How TikTok Worked for Windborne

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?

#322: Breaking Into Your Local Music Scene

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. 

BONUS EPISODE: Get the Gig, Keep the Gig!

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.

#321: Everything After the Music: What Else You'll Need to Succeed

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. 

#320: The 5 Hardest Things About Being an Independent Musician

Imagine a terrifying world where you're an... independent musician. Boo!  In this spooky Halloween-themed episode, Kevin and Chris talk about musician horror stories — both the kind that are common amongst DIY artists and a few uncommonly strange, scary, and disastrous stories submitted by listeners. 

#319: Musician Horror Stories

How did an artist who'd been told NO by everyone in the industry blaze her own path to success using TikTok? In this episode, Britnee Kellogg reveals the details behind her massive achievement, sharing the whole story of how she went from 0 to 1,000,000 TikTok followers in a short amount of time. Whether you're a TikTok pro or total novice, this interview should both inform and inspire!

#318: Getting 1,000,000 Followers on TikTok

When recording artists are just starting out, they often overcomplicate things that are simple, and underestimate things that will be difficult. This confusion might just be a matter of inexperience, and the artists will learn as they go. But sometimes that confusion is actually caused by well-meaning industry "veterans" stepping in too soon to give poorly-timed (and often intimidating) advice.  In this episode we'll set the record straight and tell new artists what they should ACTUALLY prioritize when they're getting ready to release music for the first time.

#317: 8 Things New Artists Get Wrong

No matter what genre of music you make, TikTok is one of your biggest opportunities for finding fans and building an audience today. If you still feel like you're sitting on the sidelines while the rest of the music industry rushes headlong into TikTok, this is the episode for you — a broad overview of TikTok for musicians. Kevin and Chris describe what makes TikTok unique in the social media landscape, how the algorithm surfaces content, a few tricks for driving TikTok engagement, and much more. Plus listener feedback!

#316: Musician's Guide to TikTok

One of our most frequently asked questions is “How can I promote my music?” In the era of limitless opportunities for music promotion on social media, through email and with new formats like short-form video, it can be difficult to know where to start.That’s why we compiled this list of 50 promo ideas and crammed it all into 50 minutes!

#315: 50 Promo Ideas in 50 Minutes

If you think you need to spend thousands of dollars shooting a professional looking music video just to get people to watch, think again! Short-form video platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels and trusty standbys like YouTube have made it easier than ever for indie artists to reach new fans with quick, affordable videos. In this live podcast recording from the 2022 DIY Musician Conference, Kevin and Chris explain how to make music videos without breaking your wallet or testing your patience. 

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