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5 Ways Indie Artists Can Build a Loyal Audience in 2026
Building a loyal audience is one of the toughest challenges for independent musicians today. Great music is essential, but it isn’t enough on its own. You also need intentional strategies to attract, connect with, and retain fans who will stick with you beyond a single release. This post distills key ideas from the article How […]
How to Get Your Song to 1,000 Streams: A Practical Music Marketing Action Plan
One thousand streams isn’t a magic number, but it is a useful one. For independent artists, it represents momentum. It means your song is being heard, tested in the real world, and starting to move beyond friends and family. More importantly, it forces you to stop thinking in vague terms like “promotion” and start thinking […]
What Independent Artists Are Doing to Succeed Right Now (According To CD Baby)
Building a sustainable music career today has less to do with chasing viral moments and more to do with consistent habits, clear thinking, and owning your relationship with your audience. A recent article published on DIY Musician by CD Baby gathered advice from independent artists who are actively navigating today’s music business landscape. Their insights […]
5 Proven Revenue Streams That Keep Independent Music Venues Profitable (Beyond Ticket Sales)
Independent music venues are a vital part of the music economy and culture, but in 2026 they’re facing financial pressure from rising costs, unpredictable artist fees, and the limits of relying mostly on ticket sales. Staying open year after year means thinking beyond door revenue and building diversified income streams that keep operations healthy even […]
How to Promote Your Music After Releasing a Vinyl or CD — A Summary
The world of music promotion has shifted dramatically over the last decade. Even with vinyl and CDs experiencing a renewed interest among fans and collectors, artists can’t rely only on physical product to get heard. This article from the DiscMakers blog called “How To Promote Your Music After Releasing A Vinyl Or CD” makes it […]
10 Musicianship Goals Worth Keeping in 2026
The start of a new year tends to push musicians toward visible goals. More gigs. More releases. More followers. More momentum. Those things matter. But they only work when there’s something solid underneath them. In the music business, musicianship isn’t separate from career sustainability. It’s the foundation that determines how prepared you are, how reliable […]
How Musicians Actually Get Discovered in 2026 (And Why the Old Rules No Longer Apply)
For years, musicians were sold the same dream: get lucky, go viral, get “discovered,” and everything changes overnight. A single song. A single moment. A lightning strike. That story no longer matches reality. A recent Hypebot article, “How Musicians Get Discovered in 2026: A Realistic Playbook That Actually Works,” offers a refreshingly grounded look at […]
Turning Listeners into Fans: What It Really Takes
If you’re a songwriter or artist wondering how to convert casual listeners into people who buy your merch, show up to your shows, and champion your music, the article What Makes a Listener a Fan? from the ReverbNation blog is worth your time. It breaks down the transformation from “just heard one track” to “yes, […]
Crowdfunding in 2025: Why the Landscape Has Changed
If you’re a musician thinking of launching a crowdfunding campaign, the article Strategies for Crowdfunding Your Music on the ReverbNation blog is worth a read. It cuts to the heart of what’s shifted in the crowdfunding world and offers practical advice on how to adapt. Here’s a detailed summary of the key points, followed by […]
Unlocking the Power of Album Variants: A Fresh Take on Release Strategy
If you’ve ever dropped an album and wondered, “How can I make sure this thing keeps moving beyond week one?” then this post is for you. I recently came across a smart piece from RouteNote titled “The era of album variants: How artists can maximise every album release”. It got me thinking about how we […]