The Difference a Referral Can Make

There are millions of artists all over the world trying to make it in the music industry. It’s perceived that becoming a household name is as easy as uploading a YouTube video of yourself singing. However, many of those struggling artists can probably attest to the fact that this is not the case.

There are many contributing factors that play a role in increasing the popularity of an artist. While look, style, and sound are the major pieces that make up an artist, an often overlooked piece of the puzzle is the live performance. I hate to be a buzz kill, but you don’t have fame and fortune handed to you because you can post a video of yourself singing online.

With competition increasing, it is important to focus on live performances and promotion now more than ever. Whether playing in coffee shops, bars, or stadiums, spreading the word about a gig is one important key to promotions. But as with any industry it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.

Building up a following of fans is important and an easy way to do that is by getting the artist booked with other similar bands. Of course this is really no new information in promoting. Many bands and artists have skyrocketed their career by opening for well-known artists, but new bands too often overlook it. Another equally important opportunity to look for as a promoter are plugs from more well known artists. This is one of the best ways for future fans to find out about an artist and there have been multiple examples of this recently in the industry.

Most people probably wouldn’t have the catchy “Call Me Maybe” song stuck in their head all day if it wasn’t for Justin Bieber. Not only did he support her through twitter, but he and his friends also made a YouTube video that has had over 43 million views. Additionally, without Taylor Swift and Adele it’s hard to say when The Civil Wars’ career would have taken off. While they may have surfaced to stardom on their own accord, without the support of Taylor and Adele it’s likely they would still be somewhat unknown rather than a grammy winner.

The success of these artists and others like them just goes to show the difference a referral can make. 

- Lisa -