With a DIY ethos you can really make things happen in the music industry. There are countless examples of bands who do not wait for things to happen for them, they take control of their own careers and future.

Hopefully, you see your band as a micro industry, and understand the consequent implications of this. Your job as a band is to create cool & current music, polish your live show and increase your audience size.

If you are confident about your musical output – the next step is the marketing of it.  Marketing is integral to the music industry. It accounts for a $1.7 Billion annual spend across the sector. Now, what does that mean for you?

Traditionally, this is where your label would kick in. To increase the reach of your music, a label uses a team of PR agents, digital marketing experts, social media gurus, pluggers and traditional marketing specialists. It’s a complicated business which doesn’t always have clear lines of cause and effect.

As a DIY artist, you will not have the same team as a major label – however you’ll have your band and you need to assign them marketing roles that play to their strengths. You also need to be realistic about your team’s available time, and what can be achieved.

An important aspect of a release campaign, that ultimately falls to the traditional and digital marketer, is securing attention from press, radio and blogs. This in turn increases your potential audience engagement. Looking specifically at blogs, each have their own preferred genres, which attracts their following and reach.  Remember, securing a blog is not the be all and end all, however, they are an important part of a campaign. Plus, a good review is always beneficial for band morale.

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Here is a curated list of blogs to get you started;

Stereo fox

Genre: Not specific

Indie Music Home

Genre: Indie /Alternative

Louder than war

Genre: Punk / Metal / Rock

The Line of Best fit

Genre: Alternative / Indie

Hear Ya

Genre: Indie / Rock / Folk / Pop

Indie88

Genre: Indie / Rock / Alternative

Tiny Mix Tapes

Genre: All

Gorilla Vs Bear

Genre: All

Velvet Independent

Genre: Electronic

Wolf in a Suit

Genre: Indie Pop & Rock

We All Really Want Some

Genre: All

Purple Melon Mu

Genre: Pop

I Heard A Whisper

Genre: Electronic

Drunken WereWolf

Genre: All

The Unsigned Guide

Genre: All

Pitchfork

Genre: All

A&R Factory

Genre: Various

All Music

Genre: Various

Aquarium Drunkard

Genre: Electronic

Amby

Genre: Indie / Commercial

Your EDM

Genre: Electronic

Acid Stag

Genre: Various

Upcoming Hip Hop

Genre: Hip Hop

GigList

Genre: Various

Alfitude

Genre: Various

If you're interested in learning more and are serious about progressing in your career as a musician, please join us at WaterBear HQ for an Open Day or Order a Prospectus.