Madonna, Radiohead, Lady Gaga, OK Go, Kanye West, David Byrne…sure they have great talent but I am 100% sure that there are other people in the world who can sing like they do and even better. I mean yeah…they all have good voices but they’re rather easy to imitate compared to those with ultra great voices like Andrea Bocelli, et al. So what do these artists have? Why are they sooo damn successful in their career?
Surely it’s not just their voices. No. Of course, not. It’s because they are packaged and marketed well. When you hear the names of these artists- Lady Gaga, Madonna, Ok Go…images automatically populate in your head (except of course if you have zero media access).
If you are serious about your music career, you have to do more than just play good music. It’s a given that good music is the number one requirement for success but you should also know how to sell your music and yourself (the artist)in order to reach stardom.
Image and branding are very important for businesses and if you want to have a career in music, well you better treat your music (and your band/self) as a business. Here are some ways you can build your image:
Make a Catchy Album Packaging. Your album is one great marketing tool. It will be displayed in record stores, it will be displayed online, it will be in the shelves (or inside the bags) of your fans who purchased it. If you do not maximize the use of your album’s packaging, that just means you’re rich enough to let a good opportunity pass. The packaging of your album should reflect your personality. Same rule applies with your posters, giveaways, and merchandise.
Create a Fashion Statement. Do what Lady Gaga does and you’ll create a buzz. Hey, that rhymes! I do not mean you ride on an egg or wear elaborate costumes. Please. One Lady Gaga is enough. What I mean is that you should use your body as a tool for creating your brand/image. Wear something that represents you and your music. You can either hire a stylist or just do it yourself. Jason Mraz is known for his hat, KISS is known for their makeup…what do you want to be known for aside from your good music?
Website Layout should Reflect Your Style. More and more people are comfortable shopping and browsing stuff online than actually going to physical shops. Because of that, your online presence is very much important especially because you are an artist. Brainstorm with a very good art director on how your website should look like. The color scheme, the elements, the buttons, the type, the copy should reflect you.
Creating a brand for your band will not make you less of an artist. Hey, if you’re an artist you are an artist! Don’t worry about becoming “sell-out”, worry about not achieving your full potential because you have a closed mind. Good luck!
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