JK2006 wrote:
Well it took forever to actually hear anything; no results on You Tube or My Space; finally heard a very ordinary track via Google.

Seems to me more effort was placed into getting a low chart placing than ensuring there were hits heard by millions.

Following this, how would you be promoting your music DIY these days... Apart from Myspace and Youtube of course.

With lack of mega funding and no radio support - how should bands of today be breaking onto the scene?

The most obvious one have your own website. Surely the first step in promoting yourself as a band that means business?

Google our name and our site comes up first followed by us on a BBC site, us on eFestivals, us on myspace, then we start appearing on the festival sites we're playing at ...

Rods wrote:
The most obvious one have your own website. Surely the first step in promoting yourself as a band that means business?

Google our name and our site comes up first followed by us on a BBC site, us on eFestivals, us on myspace, then we start appearing on the festival sites we're playing at ...

The slight problem with that is that you are only reaching the already converted, aren't you?

People who have never heard of your act will not be googling for it, will they?

Cushter i think first thing you do is decide what you want to do.

Different goals have different ways of getting there.
You can follow the Cushh approach and line up a heck of a lot of PAs and support slots and then use indiestore or artists-first to set up your 'pay by mobile phone' download store.

I have a couple of quick suggestions you can use:

Fan base generation:
Release a Net single (FREE). Give it away but use vouchers and only give it to registered members of your site. Also put ads on the site. Ignore those who will shoot you down about this. If people want freebies they must expect the inconvenience of Ads. They get that with telly. Run it in conjunction with
a competition of some sort and aim for a million downloads. Set up terms and conditions before you do this, that way fans know to expect ads from selected
'partners'. You should then recoup a few thousands.

Go for the Charts
Hits Hits Hits should be your goal and failing that
then go for the branding angle Cushh used. Read his post and go to his myspace and watch the videos.

Failing that the absolute cheapest and acheiveable marketing plan you can have is to run a 2 by 2 ad
campaign. 'Each one reach one' that kind of thing.

Worldwide PR
Sign up the following for radio press and PR.
www.radiowavemonitor.com and get internet radio stations to playlist you. Contact Kenny Love at www.mubiz.com. Check him out to see how good he is.
In the UK contact Tony at Manilla PR. They worked with Koopa.

Depending on what you want to achieve there are many
things you can do. Tailor it to suit YOU. Refuse to pay
ridiculous fees with no guarantees and if you are
broke do the Word of Mouth DIY campaign.

Phew now im off to finish my documentary

Yes and no MM.

If a band half catches my attention I google them and from there I can hopefully find out more. A bands website it their primary tool for promoting themselves you have to convert the consumers somewhere and then keep them so your website does both.

If I were Cushh I'd do it again. From nowhere to No 31 is a result.

Picking up on JK's problem...

....with Cushh and MySpace is the top graphic - it fills the entire browser - it was by accident I scrolled down and found the music (Still loading)

The first hits on YouTube don't show Cushh in a good light.

This may not have been what happened.

Other than that is was a good show. I think the song got to a fair chart position. It worked.

With a stronger song and the same determination and effort behind it there will be a Top 10 from people like Cushh.

I think we are getting a great box of helpful resources on how to release your music in this digital age.

One thing is missing and i think we need to have some serious a&r people with great ears to review our releases and at least help confirm what sort of track you have. Or are you all happy with a public forum like this for that ?

Possibly a members only site where only registered members can provide that crucial 3rd ear which producers and artists can accept or reject but at least have that option. What do you guys think ?

Also here is a website that offers worldwide radio promotion at a reasonably decent price
Radio Directx. The info looks good so far.

I often get my wrist slapped by Mrs Mart for giving too many business plans to a public forum, however I personally believe in the openess of the forum for the love of the music and to help others.

That said , you do have a point KZ, what does everybody else think about a members only forum?

Looped e-mails are often used anyway for new material.

I'm with you Mart...people have been very helpful and kind to me and I have no problems with sharing ideas and resources. The only thing I won't do is put something forward until I've given it a go since I could mislead people...especially those just starting out.

Talking of which Big End, go with Zooloo`s ringtone solution , it is better than the one I was about to use, even the whole tracks are easily downloadable to a mobile MP3 player via a text.