The main struggle for an indie artist is often achieving visibility and success in a highly competitive music industry. People used to have to pay an incredible amount of money to rent a studio, pay an engineer, often hire session players, pay for a mixing engineer, mastering, cd replication, distribution, marketing, etc. Although that sounds like a huge pain in the bass, it also limited the amount of people putting out music. In other words, less competition. But with the creation of Logic and Protools, everyone that already has a computer is a couple hundred dollars away from having their own studio. Then streaming platforms replaced physical product so instead of hoping for a distribution deal, you can upload your own music via Distrokid. Marketing was also simplified thanks social media and Google. Although the music industry playing field has been leveled, there are still some challenges for the indie artists. Some of the specific challenges include:
Lack of Resources
Independent bands often have limited financial and marketing resources, which can make it difficult to promote their music and reach new audiences. There ARE some companies that can help indie artists with their marketing efforts for a very low marketing budget. Visit our indie music marketing page for more details.
Difficulty Getting Heard
With a massive amount of music being produced and released every day, it can be difficult for an independent band to stand out and get noticed by industry professionals and music fans. Independent bands are competing with both established artists and a vast pool of up-and-coming talent, making it a highly competitive industry.
Distribution and Monetization
Independent bands often face challenges when it comes to distributing their music and earning a living from their craft. It’s not an immediate fix but indie artists can submit their music to Spotify and YouTube Music playlists. We have an option for artists to submit their music to our playlists free on our Free Playlist Submission page.
Building a Fanbase
Building a loyal and dedicated fanbase takes time and effort.
Despite these challenges, many independent bands have been able to overcome these obstacles and find success by utilizing innovative marketing strategies, networking, and developing a unique sound and brand.
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