Media in the Music Industry

Social media is very important in the music industry today. Without it, not as many artists would be listened to or discovered. Media helps fans connect to their favorite musicians and helps musicians promote their music. Sites like Twitter, Instagram, SoundCloud and YouTube show fans what musicians are up to, sometimes helping them to seem more relatable to real life. This is an important aspect since fans like to be in the know on people they are interested in.

During the past semester, I created a Twitter account and started to use it relating to my singer-songwriter music. It has become helpful in promoting myself in the music industry, following fellow classmates, famous musicians, music management businesses and more. I have gained other singer-songwriter followers which is nice since we can promote each other’s music. I have also used Twitter to promote original songs, open mic nights in town, the WLCI Media Group at Hocking and local bands in the area. It has been a great tool for breaking into the local music scene, as shown here in the following photo.

This spring I have written and recorded my first jazz-style song at school. I used Instagram to post photos of the process. Most photos are of the recording process, setting up microphones and sitting in the studio adjusting levels. The photo at the top of this blog was very popular on Instagram and I have gained music-based followers because of it. Instagram is quite fun to use because it not only allows you to promote yourself but you can have fun taking and editing photos. The process is something I enjoy and have fun sharing my recording shenanigans in the studio with the world.

For the media class I took this semester, we had to use YouTube to post some videos we worked on. One in particular was a PSA video. My group decided to do an anti-smoking video. It already has 114 views. I had never used YouTube for videos I had made before. It is interesting to look at the analytics and see who is viewing your video. The PSA has been watched most in Germany but has also been viewed in Brazil and Japan. It is fascinating you can reach people across the globe using YouTube. I plan to upload original songs and music videos this summer and see what happens.

Lastly, for class I created this website. At first I was not sure I would like it but after the design was done, I knew I would keep using it. I have made a media page where I plan to post original songs, covers, projects, etc. It is definitely nice having my own space to promote myself. This website is handy since it is free and easy to use.

Social media can be overwhelming to keep up with so you have to pick and choose which sites suit you. I will continue to use Twitter and Instagram but as I record more songs in the coming months, I will add YouTube and SoundCloud. I am quite excited to have learned more about these sites and how to promote myself as a musician. I look forward to reaching out to people across the globe with music and projects I have worked on.