How a solo artist can sell and promote their album?

  • Thread starter Thread starter monkeymanx
  • Start date Start date
M

monkeymanx

New member
Does anybody have some good insight on this? I'm working on my solo album which is coming along here... I have a soundclick site and a myspace(newly created) for it.

It's easier with my actual band because we play shows and such so we can sell discs at the shows and what not... But being a one man opertation I obviously don't have that option.

Also, is it even worth selling your own solo album? Do people buy them? Would I be better off just giving away my first solo album via download or something? My main objective is getting the music out there because I think it is something worth listening too. This is the only reason I would even suggest a freebie download version of my first solo release.

Me personally, I've bought other people's bands and solo albums. Well, the ones I liked and such. But I'm wondering if non musician people, the normal listeners purchase any of the "underground" style releases...
 
i do it , its hard, and there will be days when you think you just want to hang it up, but you cant, you have to keep pushing forward. i do a ton of promoting locally, anywhere i find a bulletin board i post up info about my music with links to my myspace and soundclick pages, i take my cds to local music shops where they set them up to sell for me, and i have a snocap account where i sell music online through my online store, ... also, i try to book as many shows as possible, , even though my music on the cds are layered up with various instruments, people still really like hearing someone sit there with nothing but a guitar and their voice, i think they see a certain honesty in that, and it makes me want to keep doing it... its going to be hard, but in the end it will all be worth it. besides, playing solo makes you a better musician in general.
 
I spend a few hours everyday promoting my music jst like he said...
I sold maybe 5 albums and 30 songs like this.

Shows is where the money is 15 mins on the mic is equal to 40 hours online.
Sold around 100 cds like this and I only get to shows maybe once a month so around 10 every show.

In person walk around with a cd be like you check me out blah blah blah.
This works good too Sold around another 100 like this.

Marketing is all about being creative stickers, decals, flyers, ads, commercials, radio, You have to catch someones eye maybe its a graphic maybe a slogan.
 
cross promotion is also a good one - although i have yet to set it off personally, i know of artists that agree to promote each other off and on line . . .
 
I think one way to go about promoting your music to start is, in whatever channels you go through, don't charge a fee. You aren't going to make tons of cash either way, and a lot more people are going to be apt to download a song or take along a CD after the show if they don't have to muster up the cash or go through the online checkout process.

I don't think its even the spending of the money, I think its just the convenience - I know I will more likely download someone's music from this site to critique / help out with a problem if I don't have to sign up for a free account before I have access to the content. Same goes for cash-only CD selling at shows - the 3-5 bucks you'll be charging isn't what I'd be put out by, its the fact that I don't usually carry cash, and a lot of friends of mine do the same.

If its really just about getting the music out there, then put it out there. As for where to actually push it, I don't know. I have the same problem myself as someone who plays by themself, but playing gigs seems to be the best way. I don't find the time to play locally all that often, so I haven't been able to gauge the response, but a lot of people agree on this point (and it seems pretty obvious - stick yourself in front of people, they will listen :)) Good luck!
 
pretend you're a band, think about it, it works - promote yourself like a full band
 
a27thletter said:
i do it , its hard, and there will be days when you think you just want to hang it up, but you cant, you have to keep pushing forward. i do a ton of promoting locally, anywhere i find a bulletin board i post up info about my music with links to my myspace and soundclick pages, i take my cds to local music shops where they set them up to sell for me, and i have a snocap account where i sell music online through my online store, ... also, i try to book as many shows as possible, , even though my music on the cds are layered up with various instruments, people still really like hearing someone sit there with nothing but a guitar and their voice, i think they see a certain honesty in that, and it makes me want to keep doing it... its going to be hard, but in the end it will all be worth it. besides, playing solo makes you a better musician in general.
Click to expand...
good stuff, a lot of space in there, that's pretty darn rare.
 
What kind of music do you play?

I've stated this before on another thread and I will say it again. It really depends on the type of music you play. If you play some type of music where you are singing into a microphone, generally, people want to see you perform. When they see you perform, they can relate to you and develop a connection to your work. Thus, you are more likely to sell a CD.

However, if you play more dance oriented or Ambient electronic music, most of which have no vocals, than you're better off spending your time promoting your music online. I know musical groups in eastern Europe and Russia who make a living selling, not CDs, but downloads they've recorded in home studios. Most of their fans don't even know what they look like because these musicians don't have a reason to leave their studios.

Mind you, it takes a long, long time to build that kind of fan base on the web but it's possible for that style of music.
 
are you still with the band? can't u do a solo song of your in the process of performing with the band? seems like you and your band should be working together on this project - even if its your solo cd - there should be at least one song that features the entire band or select members . .. therfore you could still rely on their personal stake in helping to promote you . .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top