Published on March 10th, 2023
Who hasn’t dreamed of making it big in the music industry? From learning how to upload music to Spotify to being featured in a sold-out show, there’s a lot of hard work that goes into entertainment success. While there is no roadmap to follow, there are certain steps you can take to make the journey a bit easier. Here are five ways that may improve the chances of seeing your name up in lights!
1. Publish Online
No matter what kind of career path you’re looking to follow in the music industry, putting your work on a virtual distribution platform will help it get the recognition it deserves. Whether it’s a song you’ve written and recorded yourself or a track of samples you’ve mixed, knowing how to upload music to Spotify is a great skill that shows off your talents. It’s also an excellent way to develop a following.
Some burgeoning artists long to craft contracts with big-name record labels, but sending in demo tapes doesn’t always get you the best feedback. By turning to a wide audience on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, and other distribution platforms, you can experiment with different styles and get real-time reactions from fans. This can help you create a solid brand based on what performs well on these platforms.
2. Finding Your Passion
When you’re preparing to upload your music to Spotify, pay attention to which aspect you enjoyed most about the experience. You might find a new aspect of the music industry that you’re passionate about. Some of the exciting careers you can explore in the field include:
- Recording Engineer
- Song Writer
- Producer
- Session Musician
- Tour Manager
- Booking Agent
- Music Publicist
The beginning of your career is the best time to experiment. Where you initially may have thought songwriting was the career you favored, it may turn out that mixing samples into a cohesive and well-flowing track is where your true passions lie!
3. Working With Others
It can be difficult to tackle a big job all by yourself, especially when you’re the new kid on the block. Working with other established musicians can open a lot of doors, exposing you to people and situations you might never have come across otherwise. Collaborating with other artists could mean working together on a song, or staging an event that promotes both of your music.
Another great way to garner attention and learn tricks of the trade is by finding a mentor. Someone who has already been through the difficult steps may understand your situation. While you may be struggling to upload music to Spotify, they may know how to facilitate the process and offer additional insight to make your uploads more visible. Their advice comes from experience, allowing you to avoid some of the pitfalls that they may have fallen into.
4. Building A Brand
There is one thing that most entertainers have in common: personality. In the music industry, how you present yourself is just as important as the art you create. This kind of presence illustrates your brand to others, alongside your ethics within the industry itself and how you deal with controversy within it. For example, Tones and I, the hit Australian songwriter and performer, built her brand on the basis of independence and self-worth.
“…As a female in the music industry from Australia, I felt I had to prove myself that my success was my own,” she stated in a recent interview, “I didn’t want to look back and think that I couldn’t have done it on my own.” Today, Tones and I has a branding that shows off her strength as an independent female musician and acts as a role model for anyone looking to excel in the music biz.
5. Hard Work and Determination
There are a lot of people who think that the only way to find success in the music industry is if they have natural talent. It’s easy to assume that huge stars ease themselves into their music, writing freely and magically mixing tracks and mastering albums. In truth, few artists will say they were handed their fame. Just as with any career, you have to work hard to succeed.
Making it big doesn’t happen overnight, especially not without sweat and tears. Many fledgling musicians don’t even get paid for their work at first, using gigs and recordings as opportunities to let their work speak for themselves. Find your passion and hone your craft. That’s the kind of success that’s highly respected in the industry.
The Break In Breakdown
The most important aspect of finding success with music is knowing it takes time. It’s important to stay strong if things don’t start happening right away. Remember the passion that started your journey in the first place, using that to fuel your determination. Keep uploading music to Spotify and moving forward with your plan. Before you know it, all of that hard work will pay off when you finally get your big break!
