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The music industry is evolving rapidly and… Wait! Have you ever thought about what the “music industry” means to you?
Regardless of the answer, it is vital to know about the modern music landscape since this knowledge determines the success of your career. Welcome to the new digital age!
In short, a successful music brand is composed of the following:
Regardless of the answer, it is vital to know about the modern music landscape since this knowledge determines the success of your career. Welcome to the new digital age!
In short, a successful music brand is composed of the following:
Artist’s personal brand
Visual content (photos, videos)
Public relations
Marketing and promotion (social media, newsletters, e-mailing)
Music creation, distribution, and promotion (singles, EPs, albums, etc.)
Touring
Monetization
Legal.
Everyone knows about these things. most indie artists (and even some larger acts) don’t know how to implement and manage them correctly.
The typical path of the beginner artist today looks like that:
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Wait and hope for popularity and huge revenues.
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Make several posts or try to secure some playlists.
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Create a “link for bio”.
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Upload it to popular streaming platforms.
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Write a song.
This game plan doesn’t work, and it won’t lead to the proper financial and social return for your work.
The true worth of your music and talent is massive, and the compensation is unequivocal. With current payout models from major streaming companies, you can rely on royalty payments only. With this model, you only earn a fraction of a cent every time your song is streamed. Here are the approximate payout sums for 1 million streams on the most popular services.
The true worth of your music and talent is massive, and the compensation is unequivocal. With current payout models from major streaming companies, you can rely on royalty payments only. With this model, you only earn a fraction of a cent every time your song is streamed. Here are the approximate payout sums for 1 million streams on the most popular services.
Pause the reading for a while and think of all the work you have to do to get 1 million streams for each song. Have you ever even came close to a million streams? Now check your possible revenue once more. Shouldn’t there should be a better business model?
We think so. That’s why we built Ryddm. We make huge revenue possible with direct subscriptions and donations from your fans. Below, we want to tell you about growing as an indie artist and encouraging more fans to pay for your music.
We think so. That’s why we built Ryddm. We make huge revenue possible with direct subscriptions and donations from your fans. Below, we want to tell you about growing as an indie artist and encouraging more fans to pay for your music.
The Importance of Personal Brand Building
Check your clothes, gadgets, or car… Why did you buy these things from that particular company? You may answer: “They make quality products!”.
That’s correct, but… There are thousands of clothing brands and hundreds of major tech and car companies. Each of them provides quality goods. Yet you will likely choose among 3-5 brands for each product.
There is only one reason – you trust the brand!
Trust builds loyalty and willingness to use the product. The same rule applies to the music industry. That is why you have to develop a strong personal brand.
Here are some tips for creating it:
That’s correct, but… There are thousands of clothing brands and hundreds of major tech and car companies. Each of them provides quality goods. Yet you will likely choose among 3-5 brands for each product.
There is only one reason – you trust the brand!
Trust builds loyalty and willingness to use the product. The same rule applies to the music industry. That is why you have to develop a strong personal brand.
Here are some tips for creating it:
Host Live performances if you have enough songs to engage more audience (even a short concert in a café can boost your brand).
Know your current and potential audience. The more you know, the easier it will be to reach the fans:
Think of your style, temperament, and then colors to create a brand association.
Ask yourself questions to create a brand identity.
What’s your style or edge? Are you a playful, serious and calm, or wild artist?
Do you have any unique life experiences (hard childhood, non-ordinary cultural heritage, etc.)?
Are you a self-taught musician or do you have a musical education?
Do you want to make great music only, or do you want to send a kind of message through every song/track?
How old are they and where do they live?
What are they excited about?
Where do they hang out?
How do they spend their free time?
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Big companies and celebrities hire teams for successful brand management. Do you have enough resources to do this? You are the lucky one if the answer is “yes!”. Independent artists often lack resources. However, they have tons of free tools (creating a website, using social media platforms, etc.). So, to build a strong artist’s brand, you have to show your life and experiences by developing strong and interesting content.
And, of course, you have to stay true.
And, of course, you have to stay true.
Content is KING
So, you’ve earned your first 100 fans. What’s next?
You may think of album recording, but it may be too early. Don’t rush to make music only. You have to understand one thing. You aren’t just a musician to your fans. You are a leader, coach, and motivator.
A celebrity! They will be interested to know more about you and interact with you.
We bet you’ve heard the phrase “to get a million fans, shake a million hands”. That's a good idea, but… Would you be able to do this often, after reaching 100 fans or more? Moreover, can you gather even 100 fans at one place for free? Probably not at an early stage. Yet, there is an opportunity to create any content and convert these fans to “super fans”.
Super fans are willing to support your efforts, show up for you, and spend money on your work and :
You may think of album recording, but it may be too early. Don’t rush to make music only. You have to understand one thing. You aren’t just a musician to your fans. You are a leader, coach, and motivator.
A celebrity! They will be interested to know more about you and interact with you.
We bet you’ve heard the phrase “to get a million fans, shake a million hands”. That's a good idea, but… Would you be able to do this often, after reaching 100 fans or more? Moreover, can you gather even 100 fans at one place for free? Probably not at an early stage. Yet, there is an opportunity to create any content and convert these fans to “super fans”.
Super fans are willing to support your efforts, show up for you, and spend money on your work and :
Working on a new single? Create a video snippet
Woke up early for a morning run? Make a short video of your training routine
Your most embarrassing moment on stage? Tell this via “stories”
Content is KING! Create as much interesting content as you can about your personal life.
The purpose is to show that you are an (extra)ordinary person with the same issues and responsibilities.
Firstly, you will become closer to your audience.
Secondly, you will encourage them to interact via comments and direct messages.
Mind that your fans want much content from you since you are a super talented icon!
The purpose is to show that you are an (extra)ordinary person with the same issues and responsibilities.
Firstly, you will become closer to your audience.
Secondly, you will encourage them to interact via comments and direct messages.
Mind that your fans want much content from you since you are a super talented icon!
Make Music a Part of Your Brand
We bet that you know how to write a killer song and album. We have no doubts you understand music theory. Yet, you are not the only one. Why do some excellent musicians become famous artists, while the others may stay anonymous even having better skills?
Here we want to show an example. It’s likely that you’ve heard of the superstar Machine Gun Kelly. He was a famous hip-hop star during the last decade. In 2018 he had a beef with Eminem, and many fans said that Eminem won the beef. However, Colson named the “Killshot” just a “Legshot” and continued the career.
In 2019 he dropped the album “Hotel Diablo” which hit 5th place on Billboard 200. In 2020 he released an alternative album called “Tickets To My Downfall”. He switched his style up almost entirely. In 2021 MGK won iHeartRadio ‘s Best Alternative Album award for it. Then he started a small tour to thank his fans for supporting him. Just check some photos from his rooftop concert on Venice Beach.
Here we want to show an example. It’s likely that you’ve heard of the superstar Machine Gun Kelly. He was a famous hip-hop star during the last decade. In 2018 he had a beef with Eminem, and many fans said that Eminem won the beef. However, Colson named the “Killshot” just a “Legshot” and continued the career.
In 2019 he dropped the album “Hotel Diablo” which hit 5th place on Billboard 200. In 2020 he released an alternative album called “Tickets To My Downfall”. He switched his style up almost entirely. In 2021 MGK won iHeartRadio ‘s Best Alternative Album award for it. Then he started a small tour to thank his fans for supporting him. Just check some photos from his rooftop concert on Venice Beach.
Now, try to guess the secret to his popularity…
The first reason is: he is “true”. He had a hard childhood since his mother left the family and his father was unemployed. Yet, he doesn’t forget his path and performs to the fullest for his fans. He still holds free concerts to give thanks for supporting him.
The second reason is: he trusts his fans. Check these photos from the Lollapalooza festival.
The first reason is: he is “true”. He had a hard childhood since his mother left the family and his father was unemployed. Yet, he doesn’t forget his path and performs to the fullest for his fans. He still holds free concerts to give thanks for supporting him.
The second reason is: he trusts his fans. Check these photos from the Lollapalooza festival.
He can dive into the crowd or just become wild and climb on the rigging above his fans. Although he has bodyguards, he knows that his fans will not harm him.
Such things are part of his artist’s brand. He doesn’t give up on them and even sings about them almost in every song.
He abides by his principles:
Such things are part of his artist’s brand. He doesn’t give up on them and even sings about them almost in every song.
He abides by his principles:
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Stay close to fans.
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Never backstab your family
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Stay true to your friends
Colson sends these messages from one song to another. Every listener can find him or herself in MGK’s lyrics. He writes about his real life, not lying to himself and his fans.
Make music, stay true. Put your personal experience into your lyrics and music. In this case, your fans will trust you more. They will support you on Ryddm and contribute to your financial success!
Make music, stay true. Put your personal experience into your lyrics and music. In this case, your fans will trust you more. They will support you on Ryddm and contribute to your financial success!
Learn the Marketing Basics
The most common mistake of independent artists is neglecting marketing principles. Here you have to learn how to promote yourself properly and constantly. Let’s imagine that you are releasing a new single. There should be three promotion stages:
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Before the release.
In the first stage, you have to build up the suspense, which can be:
- Posting a snippet;
- Revealing your emotions and feelings about the track;
- Showing some videos of creating the song/track.
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Good Support
In the second stage, you have to be almost a “virus”:
- Create a video for promoting on stories;
- Make a post on social media, telling the idea of the track, write a press release and publish it;
- Encourage your friends and loyal fans to repost the song on their social media.
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Individual Approach
Finally, after releasing, you have to retain the interest:
- Show statistics;
- Make more reposts from your fans;
- Tell your feelings after the track release;
- Always give thanks for the support.
Check to see what other larger artists are doing around the time of a release. They use similar tactics every time after releasing a new song or track. A smart marketing strategy will reap tremendous benefits.
Firstly, create more videos. Videos engage more audience, so it is vital to bet on them. You may wonder about the types of videos you should post. We're gonna say… Even not “we”, but fans will say “post-everything”. They like to see more. Your aim is only to divide content into exclusive and free.
The free content is about ordinary things, like waking up, going out with your dog etc. Other words, everything that happens in your routine life.
While exclusive content is something off the record:
Secondly, be anytime and anywhere. The information flow is infinite nowadays. One week of silence may be enough for new listeners to forget about an artist. Show up! You are not obliged to write an album every month.
Yet you need to “be on the screens” every day:
Firstly, create more videos. Videos engage more audience, so it is vital to bet on them. You may wonder about the types of videos you should post. We're gonna say… Even not “we”, but fans will say “post-everything”. They like to see more. Your aim is only to divide content into exclusive and free.
The free content is about ordinary things, like waking up, going out with your dog etc. Other words, everything that happens in your routine life.
While exclusive content is something off the record:
- Photos and videos from private parties;
- “Behind the scenes” episodes;
- Studio-quality content;
- Others.
Secondly, be anytime and anywhere. The information flow is infinite nowadays. One week of silence may be enough for new listeners to forget about an artist. Show up! You are not obliged to write an album every month.
Yet you need to “be on the screens” every day:
- Give interviews;
- Participate in podcasts;
- Post your content;
- Party.
Such things will encourage people to speak about you more. Therefore, your brand awareness will grow.
Thirdly, bet on offline public relations. You are almost “no-name” if you try to promote yourself online only. Get out there and meet people, talk about your music and even show some skills. A surprise but well-organized life performance is a “precise hit” to encourage people to talk about a rising star
Thirdly, bet on offline public relations. You are almost “no-name” if you try to promote yourself online only. Get out there and meet people, talk about your music and even show some skills. A surprise but well-organized life performance is a “precise hit” to encourage people to talk about a rising star
Monetization & Payouts
Time to talk about earnings. Take a look at all the paths you have to pass to build a successful career as a professional musician. Is it worth “real revenue”? Of course, yes! As we have mentioned, the royalty concept is unfair for musicians. Ryddm established a direct fan subscription and donation-based business model.
Your fans pay you each month to have access to all of your premium content.
They also can donate for single posts and tracks.
Music makes our lives better, and it should be valued accordingly.. With our concept, you have a greater potential to earn more since every new fan can bring a subscription fee every month.
Be a Part of the Music Industry with Ryddm
The music industry is evolving dashingly, and today everyone can build a successful career independently. We strive to help indie artists!
We want you to showcase your talent to the whole world. That is why we created an all-in-one platform. From music uploading to marketing and monetization – everything is just in one app! Start thriving through music right now!
We want you to showcase your talent to the whole world. That is why we created an all-in-one platform. From music uploading to marketing and monetization – everything is just in one app! Start thriving through music right now!
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