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42 Comments
- kent1146, on 03/10/2009, -1/+116) Don't buddy up with the RIAA to sue them.
- goosman99, on 03/10/2009, -3/+11Right, because there are *no* musicians anywhere in the world writing songs good enough for you. Do you ever venture outside what is spoon fed to us by the entertainment conglomerates? That could be your problem.
There's ton after ton of great music out there if you just look around a little.
Lots of the bands are giving it away too. So you won't have to pay to sample all this great stuff. - JQP123, on 03/10/2009, -0/+7One tip for Musicians to Engage Their Fans
1) Become a student of Country Music --- study the industry, study the songwriters, the producers, the albums; study the artists, study the awards shiows, study the fans. Then you just might learn why Country Music sales haven't gone completely into the toilet with the rest of the music industry. You might understand why so many artists are trying to cross over into Country (Cheryl Crow, Darius Rucker, Bon Jovi, Kid Rock (aka Kid Country) and others). You might learn what a "meet and greet" is.
For the most part, Country fans buy albums because they *want to*, not because they don't know how to download. Yes, the bond between fan and artist is actually that strong. You see, most truly motivated country fans have actually had the privilege of meeting their favorite artists, shaking their hand, and hearing them address them by name. And this is done with full support and encouragement from the business side of the industry.
It's amazing how far that little bit of personal contact can go. - dgendreau, on 03/10/2009, -0/+5red... You keep using that word... I do not think it means what you think it means.
- chriscalifornia, on 03/31/2009, -3/+6#1-5: Respect internet users
- eltabarnaco, on 03/10/2009, -2/+5This personal relationship story is *****. It's an illusion. I HATE fans that think they know artists just because they red their bio. I'm 25 and when I was in high-school it was Manson fans that were doing it the most. "You don't know him, I DO. I've read everything about him, he's just like me". Wake the ***** up. It's exactly like Eminem. These artists like the fact that you appreciate their music but don't think for a second that you have a "special bond" with them just because you're one of the MILLIONS of people who's red their life story.
On the artist's side, if you want to get on your knees to have the most fans possible you goal isn't realy making music anymore, and your music is going to suffer from it. Trent Reznor is no longer making music in my view. He's more like a retired artist who's new goal is to stimulate people to become arists, which is fine and very noble, but the music he's making now is nothing like NIN. It's some vague examples of how to make music like NIN so people can work with it. Unless you've reached that point in your career, group-hugging and fan dedication is more like selling out for personal recognition and more attention. It's often hypocritical and based on self-interest. Bono anyone?
I say buy the music, enjoy it, get a ***** t-shirt if you realy need to, then get on with your life. I know it's part of a process of identification every teenager must go through but at some point exploiting it for personal gain is bad and it's making drones with absolutely no personality. - hamhat, on 03/10/2009, -0/+3I always figured that ***** as many chicks over the age of 21 while out on tour was a good way to 'get to know folks'.
I think we are going out on tour in about 4 weeks ;-). I want to hit Athens, Ga. but apparently we are heading the other way first (New Orleans, should be a blast).
There are lots of musicians out there who want/need ya to hear what they are doing, but since there are tens of thousands of them making music (good, bad and ugly) then how in the hell can you pick a new band to listen to? Word of mouth would be a decent way - if you friend (online or not) likes them, they might point out a new group to you.
Some musicians just hate computers/the interweb so trying to get a particular guitarist to sit on his ass and type up some thoughts/feelings....good luck on that! He wont even write his lyrics down (naw, I think he does but damn if I ever SEE him with any notes).
Folks will pay a few bucks for music - as long as its a live show and just rocks your ass into the ground (at least thats what I would cough up a few bucks to see).
An online presence is just 1 way out of about 15 that a musician should be promoting themselves. - Thebruce88, on 03/10/2009, -0/+3How is anyone digging this guy down? I listen to lots of great, well-composed, creative, emotional music, and very little of it is in the regular mainstream.
Artists like Devin Townsend, Sigh, Subterranean Masquerade, The Gutter Twins, Infected Mushroom, it's all great, you just need to look for it. - CressCrowbits, on 03/10/2009, -0/+36) Give up because no one paying for music any more.
- sgxyay, on 03/10/2009, -0/+2This article was extremely vague and obvious.
- JQP123, on 03/10/2009, -0/+2You just completely missed the point. I never said that you had to like country music or share the political views of selected artists. Love it or hate it, there is still a lot that the country music industry (and it is very much an industry) is doing right with regard to fan loyalty and engagement. For a musician in any genre, there is something to be learned from that if you can get beyond your own prejudice.
- sgxyay, on 03/10/2009, -0/+2Disagree. You need to have a large installed fanbase provided from the help of major labels in the 90's in order to be like Trent.
- JQP123, on 03/10/2009, -0/+2"Nobody really cares my friend."
Don't really care or don't really know? I expect that you are probably more representative of the collective opinion here --- folks whose inherent prejudice has prevented any sort of serious look at Country music. But my comment was aimed more at the musician looking to practice and improve his craft rather than the casual observer. - rickyrodd, on 03/10/2009, -2/+4As a struggling musician I love stories like this, although it'll still be a while before anything in this article could be useful to me.
- inactive, on 03/10/2009, -0/+2Tip 1: No musician should get advice from the ***** PBS.
- cshontz, on 03/10/2009, -4/+6Emulate Trent Reznor.
- greenvortex, on 03/10/2009, -0/+2Hand out diamond rings?
- zoodoo12, on 03/10/2009, -1/+2note to pop singers: You Are Not Musicians!
- IKORKYI, on 03/10/2009, -0/+1that would be a tip for fans to engage their musicians
how bout not sucking - RealmDown, on 03/10/2009, -7/+8They could start by writing some decent songs.
- fluidfoundation, on 03/10/2009, -1/+2I threw candy.
- inactive, on 03/10/2009, -0/+1I think it is different demographics. People who listen to country music are usually a bit more moralistic but teenagers listening to rap or heavy metal are cynical, have loyalty to nothing and are apathetic.
- sgxyay, on 03/10/2009, -0/+1The cool thing is how you aren't actually forced to follow them on twitter or subscribe to their newsletter. This stuff is easy to ignore.
If people want that level of connection, I give it to them. It's more exposure for me and more chances to spam people (who want it) when I have a new release. - dave122, on 03/10/2009, -1/+2#6 - don't put out ***** records.
- inactive, on 03/10/2009, -0/+1Do what rappers do, make it rain in the club and then accidentally shoot one of your fans for street cred.
- Platysquirrel, on 03/10/2009, -0/+1That because the article is titled wrong. The Article's title is actually 'Five Tips for Musicians to Engage Their Fans DIGITALLY'. It appears as though the submitter didn't find the word 'Digitally' necessary, even though that is the most important part.
- Groovesville, on 03/11/2009, -0/+1I tend to agree with the guy who is talking about country music. I think all of this made to wear music that has come out lacks some kind of identity. Even pop back in the day had an identity. It was about being an individual. I still embrace that.
B-Pan
Groovesville
www.myspace.com/steeldrumfunk - Samiyam, on 03/10/2009, -0/+1Probably the best way to engage fans is to meet them backstage at the Grammys.
- imronburgundy83, on 03/10/2009, -0/+1Haha, dugg for PBS.com
- Thebruce88, on 03/10/2009, -0/+1For what it's worth, keeping fans updated on touring, album progress, and stuff like that can't be anything but helpful to your career. It keeps people interested (you're feeding them new information), making sure that you don't just 'fade away' between albums.
Also, lots of good artists listen to music that many people haven't heard. If they update fans on what they're listening to, it helps those struggling artists not in the mainstream, and the fans discover more and more music, which is always a good thing in my opinion.
I do agree though, that when bands let you in on their every thought and every action, that gets pretty ***** old. The fact that anyone gives a ***** about what someone else ate for breakfast (unless it was a pretty crazy breakfast that could be exploited for humorous purposes) blows my mind. - DaryLintheDark, on 07/06/2009, -0/+1i agree with you about the respectability of country music and it's fans......
right up until the release of that (s)hit single "tequila makes her clothes fall off" which marks the turning point and downfall of the quality/credibility of country music.
add to that big & rich and any other country act who are desperately trying to be countrified rap-stars and i have little to no respect for the genre anymore.
bring back the good old days... - JQP123, on 03/10/2009, -0/+1"... have loyalty to nothing and are apathetic."
Not even to the music that defines their apathetic lives? I'm sure demographics play a part but it is not the whole story.
For example, one of the first things you discover upon closer inspection of country is that the industry has somewhat higher standards for what is actually marketable. By this I mean that most country artists don't put 3 decent songs and a bunch of filler material on an album. That would be an insult to their fans and they (and their industry) fully understand that the last thing they want is cynical, apathetic fans. At some point; because of the way the industry works, they're going to be face to face with their fans.
Country music is one big symbiotic feedback loop ... much more so than most other genres in my opinion. There are certain boundaries that neither fan nor artist cross due to nothing more than mutual respect. - astroslut, on 03/10/2009, -0/+1Article synopsis:
Use the internet.
There, I saved you 5 pointless minutes. - DaryLintheDark, on 07/06/2009, -0/+1IMO bands should try to go back to that untouchable status.
back in the heyday of rock and roll, musicians didn't put out overproduced music that they thought would appeal to millions and make them money, they made music that THEY liked, and infused it with passion and personality. They didn't give a ***** about what people thought, it was about the music, and that's what makes it so damn good, and ultimately timeless. it's that the music was made by real people to satisfy what they thought was good music, then, go figure, the rest of the world agreed with them.
as opposed to now, where a bands first album is usually the best, because it's done with the bands interests in mind, then they get signed and the execs dip their fingers in the mixture to turn the music into what THEY think the public wants to hear.
but as with everything that gets turned into a business, money takes precedence over the product that garnered the interest in the first place. - gabbagabba, on 03/11/2009, -1/+2Or go on sites like digg, and in your comments provide links to your band
Like so:
www.myspace.com/rotmmusic - sorenchr, on 03/10/2009, -1/+1Here's some country music for ya'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmKgITJejfg - doostak, on 03/10/2009, -1/+1agree
- Papamalo, on 06/25/2009, -0/+0Tip #1:
Don't let anyone, anywhere, at any time, define you, your music, your life path or your forward progress.
I could provide dozens of tips here that have helped me make money, and reach what could be called "my fan base" (I hate that term) but the reality is that "the Music business", is a business, and business is only limited, by creativity, resources, effort, and commitment. Yes, ask questions. yes, use technology, yes join with other bands and promote your won shows, ad No, don't expect for someone (a record company to come and take you by the hand and lead you to the promised land. they have never done that and they never will.
But you can do it for yourself if your tough, lucky, smart, and can constantly learn new things.
Tip #2: never listen to haters.
There it is.
"The gigwarrior" - gomband, on 03/11/2009, -0/+0It's a lot easier to engage with fans in person. I recon the internet a good way to find contacts & get your name out there to a few more people but live shows are definetly the best way to get your music out there if you know what your doin!
- sorenchr, on 03/10/2009, -2/+1You see how your initial comment only has +2 diggs? Nobody really cares my friend.
- sorenchr, on 03/10/2009, -2/+1Hold up you are going to fast.
- williepepper, on 03/10/2009, -1/+0How about play something I'll listen to.
And then give it away for free.
If I like it I'll allow more of it on my computer.
If I really like it I'll go to a concert or buy some of your crap to support you.
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