Tips For Launching Your First Indie Album

Today’s artist is in a whole new world when it comes to getting noticed by the record industry. Years ago, it was a matter of pounding the pavement getting the big labels to at least listen to a demo you produced and hoping that someone would like what you did enough to sign you on. Sometimes you’d get noticed in clubs and sometimes studio musicians would catch a lucky break when a big name they had the chance to work with noticed them and gave them their start.

Now, there is so much competition and a new way of getting noticed via the Internet that many musicians get their start by going indie. In fact, indie labels are popping up all over the world and launching your first indie album is becoming more and more commonplace. If you are looking to catch your first lucky break, here are a few tips for launching that first album indie.

Begin Promotion Well in Advance

Once you’ve laid down all your tracks and are just finalizing production, don’t jump into the foray until you’ve spent several months promoting your album. Unless you have already made a name for yourself in the music industry, you will need to focus on some heavy marketing so that people will listen.

Take Advantage of Social Media

Many of the artists who have hit the charts via the indie route have gotten their first real start on YouTube and other social sites. Facebook is also a place to gain tens of thousands of followers and once you’ve had a video production of one of your songs go viral, the world will already know your name.

Timing Bulk Production

Then there is the timing of bulk production to think about. Some artists recommend that you don’t begin bulk CD duplication until you have a substantial number of CDs pre-ordered. Others recommend that you have as many as you can afford professionally duplicated because you want to be ready as momentum builds. With the ease at which music can be digitally reproduced and a cost that is lower than ever in history, you can afford several thousand copies to hit the road running with, and often for less than you’d pay to sign a lease on a rental apartment!

The Importance of Press Releases

If you aren’t a well-known artist, press releases are a necessary prelude to launching that first indie album. Hire a professional writer who has expertise in press releases so that you can tell the world who you are and what you do. These will need to be written in such a way as to rank well with the search engines. After all, you want to get found, don’t you?

Prelaunch Distribution

One final tip would be to focus heavily on prelaunch distribution. Take the time to research major radio stations around the country within your genre and get copies of your music out to them. You never know when you might catch a lucky break, getting the attention of a popular DJ. The more you can get your music aired, the quicker fans will begin to recognize your name. In this industry, getting aired is everything!

From having the ability to submit mp3s of your music directly to the highly popular Pandora to producing a video or two for YouTube, make sure you spend ample time marketing prior to launching your indie album. And as one final but perhaps one of the most important tips you will ever receive, don’t forget to copyright your songs. This really should be one of the first things you do even before going into the studio, so if you haven’t already done so, get on it! Now you’re ready to launch. Have fun and enjoy the ride.

Tips For Launching Your First Indie Album