Monday, March 1, 2023
By Melody Ortiz
The methods local bands use to promote music has changed drastically over the past decade or so. Fifteen years ago, bands would make and hand out flyers or post them in coffee shops. They would also sell CDs outside shopping centers or at the end of their gigs. With the arrival of social media, promoting music has become easier and more accessible. While media has become an essential part of promoting in today’s music world, it’s good to keep a balance of old and new methods.
Platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube have become primary marketing means for aspiring musicians. They can create accounts to highlight their music, share upcoming gigs and talk to fans. They can also collaborate and network with other small artists, promoters and venues. This has made it easier for bands to reach out to a wider audience of people that wouldn’t have heard of their music otherwise.
Not only can bands promote their music because of social media, but they are also able to create and upload it. Platforms like SoundCloud and Bandcamp help bands share their work. This has made it possible for bands to distribute their music without having to depend on record labels or physical copies. This helps them use their funds on equipment and other things that can increase the quality of their music.
This doesn’t mean bands should stick solely to phone screens. Live performances not only allow you to connect with your fans on a personal level, but also help in building a loyal fan base. When you perform in front of a live audience, you can gauge their reaction to your music which can be helpful in understanding what works and what doesn’t. Performance is a big part of the music experience and doing so only in front of a phone can hinder the chance for growth. Plus, live gigs provide more opportunities to network.
Guitarist Paul Reyes-Aguayo and his drumming brother Austin have been playing music together since Paul was around 10 years old. They formed their band, Psycho Punx, about 15 years ago. Reyes-Aguayo has built a community with his fans through live performances and says that they have become more like family. He believes bands should grow with social media, yet also stick with old fashion ways of spreading the word.
Besides social media, Psycho Punx’s main way of advertising has been through word of mouth with the help of their family and loyal fans.
Speaking of fans, Jake Vasick is a friend and fan of local SoCal band, The Plumes. “I love live music,” he said. “I’ve been seeing shows since I was 16. I’m, like, 32 now.” Vasick said one way he’d find music when he was younger, was by attending the opening acts for bands he was already following.
“I would just always go back to a major festival lineup and that’s how I’d find new music to see,” he said. “I’d check out all the names at the bottom. They’re usually up and coming with great sounds and more interesting than like the headliners sometimes.”
Sam Alley, singer and guitarist of Sam Alley and The LAMP, pointed out that it has become crucial for musicians to gain popularity through social media. These days, if one wants to become a successful musician, they must also become a successful content creator (until they become big enough to hire someone to manage the socials for them).
“They want constant content,” said Alley. “[People on social media] kind of want you to be a content creator, as opposed to just using [a snippet] of your music to get them to your show and then give them a full presentation.” Fans now expect to see the behind-the-scenes footage and much more from their favorite musicians, which can slow down newer talents that try to keep up to stay relevant.
Today, musicians must gain skill in content creation the way athletes must gain skill in speaking to press as it becomes a big part of their career and duties. Alley also believes that the age of social media has both its pro and its cons. “There’s more tools now as far as getting your music out there goes,” he said. “But with that means there’s a lot of noise and a lot of competition.”
Reyes-Aguayo also agrees the competition that comes with social media can be hard on musicians. “There’s thousands and thousands of artists getting out there,” he said. “And with the click of a button, you can share yourself and have 20 million people see it tomorrow.”
The chances of a band making it big depends on many factors such as the quality of their music, their marketing and promotion, live performances and even pure luck. There’s no sure way to estimate the exact chances of a band becoming famous, but it is generally considered to be a highly competitive and challenging industry. However, as Reyes-Aguayo said, “Just because you’re not famous, doesn’t mean you’re not good.”
