Getting Your Career in Music Started: A Guide

Thanks to YouTube, music streaming platforms, and social media, a career in music is becoming an increasingly popular – and doable – choice for lots of people. However, getting yourself noticed by the right people as a professional musician is never an easy process, whether you play an instrument or sing. However, the good news for aspiring professional musicians is that the internet has made it easier than ever for you to connect with the right people and make sure that your music reaches a wider audience. If your ultimate career goal is to be successful when it comes to your music, it’s important to start out by taking the time to get a better understanding of the modern music industry and how to be successful in it. To get your music noticed by the right people and improve your chance of getting the deals that will shape your music career, there are several things to do. 

Be Proactive

Your music is never going to get noticed if you don’t put it out there. You need to be proactive and jump at any chance to play your music for others whenever you can. Take as many opportunities as you can get; now isn’t a time to be picky when it comes to performing or even playing your music to your friends and family as you simply never know where it could lead. 

Take Gig Opportunities

When you’re at the start of your career in music, chances are that the gig opportunities you are going to get aren’t going to be anything massive. However, smaller gigs and shows, along with the supporting artist section at the beginning of a gig from a bigger artist, are often frequented by music professionals and record labels who are looking out for the best new talent with the biggest potential, so taking that small gig at a pub near you might be more significant than it first seems. 

Record Professionally

Investing in a professional recording space to make your music can make all the difference to your final sound and make it easier for you to get your music noticed by uploading it to streaming sites and giving it to people to play. Professionally recorded music is always going to sound much better than music you’ve recorded using your equipment at home, and the best part is that you can find recording studios that you can hire for just the amount of time you need them. Pirate.com offers recording studios around the world, and their website has a wealth of information on how to start making music that you might find useful. If you want to know how to start making music and be successful, they can help you every step of the way. 

Upload Your Music to Spotify

Today, most people listen to music through streaming apps like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. To get your music heard, it’s important to upload it to these apps which, thankfully, is fairly easy to do and usually free. Spotify is the most popular music streaming app out there, so it’s an important first choice if you are wondering which streaming app you should head to first to get your music online and out there. Many decision-makers in the music industry will listen to Spotify playlists regularly to find new and upcoming artists, so uploading your music here could be the pivotal step that changes your career. 

Work with Bloggers

While blogging might not be as popular as it was in the past, there are several music blogs and sites out there that can help you take your career in music to the next level. Many music blogs have gotten big over the years and are a great place for people who want to find new music and artists to listen to, so getting yourself featured on one of these sites can be an ideal way to boost your musical career. However, bear in mind that this will take some work on your part; you’ll need to be proactive when it comes to reaching out these bloggers and building relationships with them – don’t expect them to come to you. 

Get Your Music on the Radio

Every day, thousands of people listen to local radio stations while commuting to and from work, while working, or as background noise while at home. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that getting your music featured on the radio can be an ideal way to get a boost for your music career. The best part is that many smaller local radio stations are not hugely fussy about the music that they play, and many are actively looking for new and upcoming artists from the local area that they can support. Put a demo CD together and send it to your local radio station to see if they would be interested in including some of your music on their shows. Some radio stations today even have shows that are dedicated to playing music from new artists, which are worth looking into. 

Attend Music Events

Attending music and other industry events is another great way to get yourself out there – not only just your music, but also yourself as a professional and a performer. At industry events, you will often be able to network with artists, other music professionals, and fans, making this a great opportunity to meet influential people from the industry and potentially even meet somebody who might be able to help you take your career to the next level. Be proactive when it comes to networking and building your professional network, just like you would in another professional career where who you know can be just as, if not more important than what you know. 

A career in music might seem like a dream, but with the right amount of work and dedication, you can turn this into your reality. If you’ve always wanted to be a professional artist and are good at what you do, keep the above tips in mind to get your hard work noticed. 

Photo by Lechon Kirb on Unsplash