HOW TO BEST SUPPORT YOUR FAVORITE ARTIST
The music industry is not what it once was, and odds are, some of your favorite artists are fully independent and are no longer supported by a large resourceful infrastructure. So here's a little primer to help you help your favorite artist. The more support we receive from the community, the more of our time we can spend on our art.
The music industry is not what it once was, and odds are, some of your favorite artists are fully independent and are no longer supported by a large resourceful infrastructure. So here's a little primer to help you help your favorite artist. The more support we receive from the community, the more of our time we can spend on our art.
JOIN THE ARTIST'S EMAIL LIST & SOCIAL NETWORKS
Joining the artist's email list allows you to become a more engaged and active participant in the process. And, the easier it is for your favorite artist to reach you directly with show information and new album releases; the less time, money, and energy they'll need to spend to promote those events through less efficient "broadcast" means, like press and radio. Plus, there's a huge side benefit...you never have to say, "I wish I would have known you were in town."
ORGANIZE A CONCERT
ORGANIZE A CONCERT
Those who host concerts, and who work hard making them successful, and who honor the professionals who make a living playing music are the life blood of the music business. When you hire a professional musician for an event, you are hiring someone who knows how to entertain your audience, and who can be counted on to show up in a timely manner, sober, with the appropriate equipment and dress, and who will work hard for you. Professionals play for either a flat fee, the take from the door, or for a split of the house if it is a large enough venue, and if it is a concert that is open to the public.
ATTEND CONCERTS
This is where an artist makes a large portion of their living, from the money you graciously contribute when attending a concert. Consider your attendance to be a small bit of activism, your way of supporting a culture that is important to us all.
This is where an artist makes a large portion of their living, from the money you graciously contribute when attending a concert. Consider your attendance to be a small bit of activism, your way of supporting a culture that is important to us all.
BUY DIRECT FROM THE ARTIST
There are many places you can purchase your music online, all for basically the same price. The difference in the outlets is that they all pay the artists very different percentages. So where to buy? Purchase your music from the artist's website and merchandise table. The recording artist always benefits the most when you purchase their music directly from them. Most artists’ websites now even allow you to digitally download right from them directly.
SPREAD THE WORD
By forwarding announcements to friends and family on an artist's tour route, you become an invaluable assistance in the artist's ability to reach new listeners in new markets. It used to be the role of the labels to make new artists blink onto everyone's radar. They don't have the money to do that for many artists any more. So now it's the role of the community to spread the good word, in a grassroots manner. The email lists and the social networks are great and efficient tools at spreading the word. And it's gratifying to feel invested in "your" artist's growth and development, from the ground up.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO!
(Contributions by Danny Schmidt, Juni Fisher)
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO!
(Contributions by Danny Schmidt, Juni Fisher)