Indie Bands, Don't Sign with a Label
If you're in a band or a solo artist playing the local music scene, of even if you tour regionally or nationally, but aren't signed to a major label, this post is for you. If you're pressed for time, just check out the Dick Dale interview referenced at the bottom of this post.
Continue playing live and use the internet and related social networking and media to your advantage. If a major label approaches you for a deal, my recommendation is: don't accept it. If you're big enough for a label to be interested, then you've already made it. Keep doing everything independently and keep all your own profits. Most bands that sign with major labels won't make any money -- the label will get it all. Plus they'll own the rights to the music. In this modern world there are a ton of ways for indie artists to make their own money without a label. The one thing a label can get you is publicity, but you can do that yourself, too. And you can do it for free -- it just takes time.
Most decently successful local bands by now know the power of online networks like MySpace. Local bands can have fans worldwide by investing some time into a good MySpace page. You can sell you CD's as well as shirts and other merch online just as you would at a gig. And you get to keep all the revenue. And you answer to nobody but yourselves. Your art is yours.
People that listen to music don't care about your label. A label can get you airtime, though -- often through payola (which does still exist). However, a bunch of radio stations have "local music" shows on which they showcase local acts. Check out the websites of local stations to see how to get on one of these. Maybe check with the venues you play at to see if they can put some of your music in a radio spot advertising an upcoming gig.
Most of the following advice works for anyone trying to use the internet for marketing in the web 2.0 era, but specifically for musicians:
Use MySpace. It's probably the best social network for local bands (because it has the crowds -- it's by no means a quality site otherwise). Embed your music (at least samples) into the page. Tell the crowds at your shows about your myspace page and include it on your marketing materials (posters, etc.).
new content: Add new content to your myspace page and/or your other blogs you may have. This will improve your site ranking with search engines and get people to come back to your site(s). Also, as with any other kind of blogging, it will make it more likely that other bloggers and social media people will end up linking to you.
The idea is to grow your community -- whether online or not. As you can afford to (time or money), play gigs in other big cities in the region.
Advertising: get your gigs listed on local events calendars -- in print and online. Submit your gig information to sites like pollstar.com.
Make sure to interact with your community. If someone comments about your band, in any social network, comment back. If they tell you about their band, check them out and let them know if you like them. They'll then be more likely to come to your next show or link to your site(s) because there's a personal connection. You're always more likely to check out a local act if you personally know someone in the band. Run "ego searches" on your band to see who's talking about you. If you're mentioned in a blog, make your own post and link back to that blogger. Make a comment to the blogger's post and thank them for the link -- assuming the reference is positive. If the reference isn't positive, maybe you can still start a dialog with the author and convert him. As you write new content, link to other bands' sites or blogs. Then they may link back to you. And don't think of it as being in competition with these other bands. Because people don't buy only one album and call it good. They want to find all the music they like. If someone buys an album from a band that's like yours, they're likely to buy your album too.
In addition to all the social networking you can get into, I would recommend online sales/distributions services that can sell your songs via the internet to the worldwide audience. The biggest one the comes to mind is cdBaby. I'd check the terms of use of such sites to make sure that you're not locking yourself into an exclusive deal, though. You'll want to be able to sell through as many channels as possible. Another service is Magnatune. Users of that service pay what they feel the music is worth, but there's a set minimum, I think.
Dick Dale gave an excellent interview a while back where he agrees with me about staying away from the labels. He instead recommends being a good business person and retaining the rights to your music. Credit: the interview was done by TommyLiberto.
Who's in those photos? It's a local band in Des Moines called Only.
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