It is incredible not just how much the Internet has changed and evolved over the last decade, but also how much the Internet has changed and evolved our lives. The Internet has helped bring us together and share our talents with the world. One of my favorite examples of this is through the emergence of underground music through social media and blogging.
Social media and blogs now have a direct impact on the music industry. Take Pitchfork.com for example. Since its humble beginnings back in ’95, the Chicago based website has revolutionized how people intake music and has changed how many people even buy music. Nowadays, an album review on Pitchfork can literally make or break bands. With an average of 1.9 million unique readers a month, Pitchfork’s coveted "Best New Music" badge will almost guarantee you a tour while a low score will likely leave you with boxes full of your own LPs in your basement. Pitchfork has become one of the main sources not only for just music consumers but also for distributors, record labels and promoters.
And Pitchfork is just the godfather of a plethora of blogs that are scattered all over the Internet, many of which have been picked up by Pitchfork to form new blogs, such as the newly released Pitchfork sister site, Altered Zones. Altered Zones ventures from the mainstream waves that P4k picks up and focuses on underground music, written by a collective of more obscure, yet nearly as influential, independent music bloggers such as Gorilla Vs. Bear.
So, what’s a band to do if they want to get on these blogs?
Good thing I’ve got some tips for you!
Even those of us who aren’t musicians can still utilize these websites to enhance our lives. No matter what kind of art you’re trying to share, social media and blogging can extend your reach. And for those of us who weren’t in band or the Picassos of art class, these websites make it incredibly easy to find and keep up with artists you’re interested in. Find and download new music on Hype Machine, follow your favorite film director on Twitter or post your favorite photographer’s pictures on your Tumblr. The Internet is an amazing place for creators and enthusiasts to come together to benefit from one another and spread happiness through creating and experiencing art together in our communities.
Bandcamp
Bandcamp offers bands a way to sell their music and promote it with their platform that includes embeddable media players.
Blog Search Engines
Blog searches allow you to find all your favorite bands on the web and who’s talking about them. These are my favorites:
Twitter is great because you can follow your genre’s influencers, build a fan base, promote your personal brand, find new artists to collaborate with and with every @reply, you’re basically getting your fans to promote for you!
Blogs
Although Tumblr is an excellent way to start out as a newbie, here are some other popular blogging platforms that can help you maximize your time online by getting personal with your fan base and offering exclusive content to pump up your traffic:
Facebook is the most accessible website because let’s be honest, most people have a Facebook! So get on there and create a Fan Page so people can start liking it now!
Foursquare
Foursquare is a location logging website that allows people to "check in" to different establishments and it shares the information with their network. A cool way to promote concerts is to offer merchandise discounts for people who check in on Foursquare.
At the end of the day, the most important resource is yourself! Anyone can promote with social media as long as you have the passion for your art and the patience to not only find your community on the net, but to also navigate it using the endless tools available to you.
This series was inspired by the All-ages Movement Project, winner of the Pepsi Refresh Project, and their intent is to make all-ages music happen in every town. To learn more about the Pepsi Refresh Project, visit www.refresheverything.com.
its pretty much cool. thanks..