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Kenny Love
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How to Bake a Music Career Cake ©2005 Kenny Love
Of all the clients whom I have represented in promotion and publicity through
the years, unfortunately, many have
not had all their proverbial career
'ducks lined in a row'. As such, and based in part on this factor, many
clients'
music did not obtain the status that it so richly
deserved.
Consequently, prior to working with them, I attempted
to explain (and, to a number of deaf ears) that achieving a
truly
successful music career, in both notoriety and financially, is much like
baking a scrumptious, mouth-
watering cake.
To really create a
great-tasting cake, consider that it requires the following ingredients as a
minimum; flour,
eggs, water, milk, baking soda, icing and, possibly,
nuts of some sort. Now, that's a total of seven
ingredients.
Similarly, a music career requires (and demands)
multiple ingredients as well if it is to be a success, such as;
radio
airplay, press coverage, live performances, radio interviews, print
feature interviews, music reviews.
The reasons (I feel) that many
independent artists fall short of obtaining major success in today's
industry, particularly, since the operational expenses of the industry are at
their most minimal ever in the history of the industry, is a combination
of a lack of efficient planning and a lack of proper selective marketing
elements.
For instance, when releasing their new music, most recording
artists have only radio promotion as a forethought for exposing their
releases, although it is the most difficult for them to both obtain and
maintain on their own. Distribution seems to run a distant second
while print media publicity is, practically, never considered.
While
no musician has the power of an android to stay awake twenty-four hours and
concentrate all his waking
hours on marketing, the truth is, it takes more
than radio promotion to make a release a well rounded success.
So,
let's review the ingredients necessary in order to bake a tasty music career
'cake'.
Ingredient 1: Radio Promotion:
Obviously, it goes without
saying that radio promotion (broadcast, Internet, satellite and otherwise)
is, by far and
still, one of the most important avenues to bring
exposure of your music to the masses. And, it is still easiest to
realize
airplay fastest on college, public and community stations.
Ingredient
2: Press/Print Media Coverage
However, if you only concentrate on radio
promotion, you are leaving a significant media loophole if you are not
also approaching the print media in the radio stations' areas that are
giving you airplay. Because radio stations can be, to a degree, influenced by
what is presented in its local print media.
And, the reverse is true
as well, in that area print media will give more serious consideration of a
feature interview
or music review if it is aware that your music is also
being aired on its area stations.
Ingredient 3: Live
Performances
Live performances in your radio and print media areas
are another strong aspect, and such performances are vital in order to
capitalize on and support radio and print media efforts, as well as add
additional income.
In attempting to get media coverage, it has
become increasingly important for print media that artists are
performing
in the media's area, particularly if there is no existing radio airplay,
before print media will grant
coverage.
And, while I don't necessarily
agree with print media's policy on this, especially, since readers can now
easily
purchase music online, they are, indeed, the 'gatekeepers' to print
access whose rules we must abide
by if we are to work with
them.
Ingredient 4: Video Promotion
While once a luxury only major
label artists could afford, not only has video production become an
affordable reality for independent artists as well, but it is now also a
vital necessity. In fact, if you are still not incorporating your singles
into video, you are shortchanging yourself 'out the gate'.
As for the
affordability and ease of getting your singles produced on video, be sure to
read a previous B# article
titled, "How to Get State-of-the-Art Video Singles
Cheap," which is Message #125.
Ingredient 5: Distribution
It
still amazes me how (and why) independent artists will release new music, and
even send it out to stations and
print media, nationally and even worldwide,
with absolutely no distribution set up, neither online nor
offline.
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With these artists, I
have to wonder if their
music careers are simply hobbies. However, in
my experience, most recording artists have either themselves invested
money in both production and manufacturing, or
someone has invested such for
them.
Therefore, it is only financially logical that a recoupment and,
hopefully, profit would be expected. However, if you have had bad experiences
with offline distributors through
attempting to get your music placed with
them for retail sales, might I introduce you to a couple of distributors
that you may find feasible?
The Orchard
(http://www.theorchard.com)
New Artist
Direct
(http://www.newartistdirect.com)
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For instance....
In fact, I was just on the phone earlier with
a clueless manager who is representing an artist, and tried
to make an
impression by stating that he was getting worldwide airplay for his artist. I
asked him how many
stations that included, and he said...
"Oh, we're
on 3 or 4 stations...one station in Spain, and the rest, here (U.
S.)."
I recanted, "Just because you have airplay on a station in
Spain, and three other U. S. stations, does not equal worldwide
airplay."
He responded, "You're right...you're absolutely
right."
I feel sorry for the artist because, in speaking with
her "manager," I realized that she has placed her career
in someone else's
hands who probably knows far less than she does. Sadly, she is a great artist
who isn't
aware of it. I also once represented a major label artist who
was in this same situation.
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Again,
success as an artist within the Music industry is not based on one single big
thing (radio promotion), however, is based on a number of little things
occurring simultaneously to bring about one great big
(hopefully)
successful result.
Therefore, the best rule of thumb is to
create a plan on paper by listing each of the above areas, then
implementing
a small portion of them on a daily basis. Much like
mutual fund investments, your risk will then be made minimal while, at the
same time, getting you noticed in wider areas. And, that is how you bake
your own successful music
career 'cake'.
Kenny Love is president of MuBiz.com, a multi-service music
firm providing radio promotion, media publicity, and music business and career services for independent
musicians.
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