Good Marketing Won't Stop People From Ignoring Your Music
Underdeveloped artists must stop wasting their time promoting music that isn't good enough yet.
Recording. Marketing. Distribution. Publicity. These are all roles that labels traditionally filled for their artists that most musicians now handle on their own or outsource directly.
You know what labels also used to do for artists? Artist development.
Artist development is fuzzy. It’s about writing better songs, putting on better shows, boiling down your message, and learning to communicate it so consistently that a clear and deeply felt imaginary world begins to form around you as an artist.
I see a dizzying number of artists online that are proficient but delivering what I’d describe as a B- level of product and message to their fans. They walk, they don’t run. They might pleasantly sigh, but they don’t scream. Their songs are good and completely not electrifying.
I have spoken to so many bands who come to me asking about how to elevate their careers to the next level, who haven’t figured out how to give their fans much of anything to believe in.
Take it from me, a former publicist. Marketers, publicists, social media ad platforms, all are happy to take your money. No publicity house in the world would survive if they only said yes to completely transcendent artists who are ready to blow up. What separates good publicists from shady ones is that the good ones only take on artists who have a shot at getting coverage and pass on artists who really have no chance.
Everyone knows that it’s unusual to be good enough to inspire rabid fandom. But there’s a fair chance that if you’re reading this, you believe you’re the exception. You might still believe that all your music needs is more exposure.
But if you can’t make a room full of 20 people lose their fucking minds, you’re just not good enough yet.
And no amount of getting good at the business, learning marketing hacks, dedicating yourself to making a million reels a day, is going to change that. In fact, focusing on marketing too early will deplete your energy, money, and most importantly, time that you absolutely need to dedicate to creating an incredible and compelling world around your music.
What to focus on instead:
Develop your craft until your live shows/albums are so good that people freak out.
Write all the time. Discard old songs and write better ones.
Experiment with your clothing. With your hair. What makes you feel electric?
Audit your name. Is it good enough or is it something you believe in?
Spend time alone.
Spend time soaking up the energy of your favorite artists. Learn from them.
What's the thing inside you that’s on fire that needs to get out?
What are its qualities? Is it sad? Angry? Sexy? Terrifying?
Maybe it wants to say something that the real you is too afraid to say in your real life.
Maybe it has a message that feels dangerous to stand behind.
I’ll do another post next week about how to manage fear of being seen and judged when embodying your artist message. I’d love to hear from you all about your questions and challenges on the road to becoming the artist you’re meant to be.
Love,
Cass
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