... is now a 100 year old practice. There are many recorded periods with their own shortcomings and strengths to learn and borrow from. My approach was focused on challenging search engines, while also leaning into the flexible nature of the english language. Something that would feel good to say out loud. Something that works in the context of a feature for recordings. Something abstract enough to still resonate in an EDM context, but would not hurt my chances writing for metal or pop or jazz.

I will provide a few methods I have observed performing well on a national level as well as examples that fail to get shows just off of their name alone.

Brand Identity

Pride. Purpose. Glue.
What value does the imagery have to the artist? What is the broad significance of this imagery to fans? Can a stranger look at each album or show flyer and say "Yes, this is the same person"? Eptic is the king of this. Character imagery was there at the from the very start. The "Overlord" album had unique cell shaded boss characters to represent each single on the album. This motif carries on today with stunning 3D and hand drawn visuals from fans and the creator himself. That kind of visual cohesion would not be present without a desire to look some way.

Is visual media not your vibe? Hire someone who would be offended by that notion. Someone who, in spite of everything, does art in that you and only you would fund for life.

Doing your own art? Start right with my free templates and move your way out

Pros:

1. Special characters look distinct on paper.
4. I got nothin. You're on your own.

Cons:

1. The search term is too saturated to build an identity off of.
2. You will be unsearchable for years without copious advertising spend. 0 exceptions.
3. Listeners may struggle to interpret what vowel or consonant the special characters replace.
   ex. akvma, SZA, crokd (sorry, not sorry)

Common words and names are just bad. Avoid them.

DJs and cover bands are in a unique position. Their product is convenience. These groups have no stake in the musical climate and do not contribute to recorded music in any capacity. By that metric, they are allowed to recycle the same 50 names. Sauce. Akira. Destroyer. Who cares. Do not justify or pay any mind to this class of entertainers. Let them do their thing so you can do yours without compromise.

When it comes to stage personas for writers, the above applies. Special characters are not a solution. Adding a specific order in which your slashes and exclamation points need to be typed guarantees you will not be found by anyone other than your friends and family.

It is worth noting that no one has died from reserving styling for their logo only.

Search Engine Optimization

Fact:
There is no such thing as an SEO expert.

Search Engine Optimization, like most things in life, follows the 80/20 rule. So long as your name and content is placed in relevant locations and websites, your music will populate search results more frequently than your peers. The only way to truly improve your SEO score is with time and quantity.

Some people like instruction so this would be a good set of dos.

Optional, but highly valuable - Have a website. Not so optional - have a P.R.O. to represent your works. These guys are non-profit organizations who collect royalties on an international level. All PROs have jurisdiction in certain countries under specific collection agencies. This is not the same

Best practice for keywords is to search the words you wish to use. The first word of a string will contain the most content applicable searches.

Promotion - Music

Here is a rapid fire before we get into the technical aspects.

• Have an ad-free platform for streaming that does not require login to access.
• Make all mp3s free. Only charge for lossless files. DJs are free advertising.
• Provide enjoyable music on repeat visits rather than forcing a download gate.
• Own a contact book. Tiktok can die. Instagram is borrowed. A phone or email list is permanent.
• A stream is an insight. Streaming demographics are gold.
• URLs should be consistent. @ already taken? Fight for it.

Having someone remember your name is far more valuable than a large number of investors who will are more focused on the potential of your success. They're not listening and they surely are not watching. This "demographic" often consists of producers.

If not our idols or fellow creators, who do we target?
Look no further than DJs. Those of us who have mastered production(years 5+) will be able to provide value. Offering unreleased songs may feel stupid the first few times. Wait until they're all finished and copywritten if you make these genres: riddim | tearout | drum & bass | house. They are prone to theft due to their reliance on trend hopping and listener expectations. People who are a bit weirder, say make stuff that is generally difficult to appreciate or so absurd that it stands out, will have an easier time testifying in a legal battle prior to song theft.

3 clicks or less. Ever notice how social media platforms will open a "Container" for off-platform media? Opening soundcloud from a mobile device on ANY app other than a web browser is brutal. I hate doing it. Download gates make fans feel the same way. Many artists and agencies argue that gates worked for them. The gates work in spite of damage done to their reputation.

Treat listeners with respect. They are the ones suffering from amatuers destroying their email inbox and turning their DMs into a paiger over a T-shirt drop. Guy with 5k on soundcloud - merch is not an emergency. The correct approach is to build trust in one's brand, much like In N Out has provided trust in their limited menu. Have both time and quality under your belt anmd the results will pour in.

Losing followers is not a measure of failure. Petty influencers recognize that you are not building their fanbase. The goal was never to be a billboard but now that they've removed themselves, they no longer get handouts when so and so looks in your follows for other friends. Listeners will pull them back in like clockwork.

Most are a joke. Many are explicitly evil. Few labels balance the idea of investing with equitable business practices.
Picking one that's right for you will take a lot of research. Lets pick out the scams. Elaboration below.

1. 50% splits.
   They're fronting promotion and art or you're retaining all royalties. Walk away from anyone who disagrees.
2. Sign a contract or provide one.
   Legally binding agreements are made the second money is involved. Check /Resources for templates.
3. Low streams
   Stream bots are frowned upon, but only for the poor. Move on.
4. 
   

Some people will say I'm being unfair. The label built a community. They have thousands of followers. They are the promotion. And by that logic, they are the music too. They made that song you submitted? No. They learned music production? No. They get 50% of your lifetime income? NO. I have proposed alternatives in the past. Pay for the art. Take a 10% cut when I'm paying to advertise your label. Lock in a 5-10% cut after x-amount of time. There is no room for friendship in a publishing deal. Too many of these guys will trade artists in for a quick buck.

Promotion - Shows

You didnt start djing because you knew how to advertise. You didnt start because you were a good writer. You spin music because its fun and it feels good to be seen.

Ignore everyone who says to make music to score bookings. Your strength is your down time. Spend it on breaking wokflows or creating unique transitions that exhaust all the fx tools on the controller. The music is made to be played. The DAW on the other hand demands time. Writing at a professional level is similar to orchestrating for a large band. This 20-60 hour void is enough to dissolve any and all existing relationships with promoters.

Lets talk tradeoffs. There are DJs in your city playing Blackbox, Mission, The Armory, etc. They cannot work a DAW. That's the opportunity that being available affords you. These people are legendary performers and they will not be remembered outside their hometown because what is there to remember? Its all other people's music. Just remember that a lot of people make the transition so they can have an official booking on a tour and they never see the other side.

Don't chase bookings. They will come. The early stage is expensive because saying yes to every local will cost studio time. Saying yes to out of state shows will cost around $200-800 per "Big Break". The mindset is entitlement. X live's in Y city so they can come to Z show. The few event companies that become the next Disco Donnie or Insomniac are not asking producers to buy tickets to join their pyramid scheme. I know because I have worked with them. Start saying no.

Have some fundementals.
How much time can you sacrifice on the daily? How much of youre income is expendable? Are you showcasing originals as an opener for 200 cap shows? Pick the biggest daggers and throw them in the garbage. For me, money is the most flexible. I have not had it for most of my life. Having more would not make me happy. My boundaries come from the fact that I do not enjoy performing. I get miserable anxiety from crowds. I play out to advertise my music and only when it will build my EPK. Staying home is how I make time to develop my skillset and complete new songs.

Collaboration is a silver bullet when it comes to cracking open new markets. Producers share lineups because their sounds are aligned. Writing songs together can happen prior to or after the lineup is set. Once a song is complete, listeners and promoters have no say in acknowledging the artists as a packaged deal. Both of our names are on that song every time it pops up on TikTok or Instagram reels. Having trouble working on a song with someone? Don't sweat it. Every handful of artists that fall through the cracks usually ends up stagnating in one way or another.