Watching yourself perform helps you improve in areas where you feel uncomfortable.

It’s a pretty accepted practice in almost every other field besides entertainment. Plenty of employees have 360-degree interviews, software developers have code review, and surgeons are not only heavily supervised but watch video to improve skills.

For those of you less familiar with sports, “game tape” is the process of reviewing any and every play available in order to learn what players did well, and what they failed to execute. You're watching yourself, your teammates, your opponents, closely so that you can prepare yourself with adjustments to make your performance more confident, agile, and fluid.

So, Why Not For Music?

So, why aren't we musicians applying the same rigor to our performances? Music may not be as critical as surgery for risk vs. reward, but it’s at least as important to me as football. We should be treating our stage performances the same way athletes treat their gametime performances.

For musicians, you're going to want to check whether you make weird faces during solos (sorry!); for singers, things might sound great in the moment but you might want to doublecheck whether your voice gets pitchy in the high notes; for bands, are you constantly moving around the stage and blocking one another from the crowd? A little choreography goes a long way!

Sure, it’s painful sometimes to watch yourself perform. But there is so much that can be improved with musical game tape: playing style, stage presence, between-song patter, volume control, to name a few.

And nobody likes hearing the sound of their own voice, but you still have to get used to how it sounds to others in a room. Even John Lennon didn’t love hearing his own voice.

But once a musician tells himself or herself that it’s part of their job, it gets easier.

At the highest levels, acts like Radiohead, Kanye West, Taylor Swift, and Beyoncé all make it a habit to watch their performances to sharpen their on-stage energy and precision.

In this post I’ll share some of my best pieces of advice for watching game tape, how to get started, why it's crucial, and how I even stepped up my own game by using video footage to isolate and fix certain issues.

+Read more: "Is “Shifting Focus” the Key to Playing With More Freedom on Stage?"

What You Can Learn From "Game Tape"

I've noticed that my band has been able to improve in the following areas, simply by watching ourselves on video and making an effort to develop these elements in rehearsal:

• Volume/live mix
• Between-song patter and banter
• Eye contact 
• Stage presence
• Onstage movement and stage spacing
• Do we look like they’re having fun?
• Speed – in the pocket?  Speeding up or slowing down?

And that's just the tip of the iceberg. You may notice different things yourself. Live performance is such a personally crafted endeavor.

But before you start video-taping your performances, a first step you can take is just to watch what other bands are doing when they perform on stage. What works for them? What looks rehearsed versus impromptu? What are they failing at?

And then when you perform, invite a trusted friend or fellow musician to watch your gig, give feedback and offer their thoughts as to where you might be able to improve. (For example, like how you squint hard when you sing a high note.)

How to Record Yourself Live

You do not need to be an expert video producer, or even spend money hiring one! Capturing usable video isn’t as hard as you might think.

Do you have some old smartphones that you don’t use as your primary phone anymore? Do a few of your friends have a phone (or camera) to donate? Any iPhone after the iPhone 11 is good and any after the iPhone 14 is great. Similarly, any Samsung Galaxy starting with the G20 or after is terrific.

The real secret weapon is a bendable phone tripod like this one.

When I bring three of these to a show and three old phones, they wrap around anything: Tree branches, table legs, mic stands, margarita glasses, etc. Just remember to press record before your set and you’re good to go. Easy.

As far as audio, try to talk to the sound engineer before the show about grabbing an audio recording directly from the mixing board. If that option is not available, there are several options for handheld Zoom and Tascam recorders for audio, all you need is a memory card. Or, finally, the audio from your iPhone recording should be just fine.

Remember, you're not necessarily prepping to "release" this as a live recording, this is just for home viewing purposes.

+Read more: "If You Don't Like Performing for 20 People..."

So, Which Questions Do I Ask Myself?

Question 1: How’s the Mix?

We take our mixes very seriously. We want to make sure everyone in the band can be heard clearly and having video evidence helps. We tend to try to micro-tweak each instrument’s EQ to its own strengths which creates separation while still being cohesive, but there can always be improvements.

If this isn't something you normally or naturally do, watching game tape can help you dial in amazing EQ settings every time.

Just remember, the mix is so important that it never becomes a “before and after” fix. It’s constant and always in need of tweaking when we got a new effect, try something new in the mix, and correct unintended consequences, etc. Every venue’s space still has to be accounted for.

Question 2: Am I Talking Too Much Between Songs?

The biggest thing I’ve learned in my career is when to talk and when to shut up.

You have no idea how much or how awkwardly little you talk until you watch yourself perform on video. Sometimes you'll find that 2 or 3 of you are talking at the same time, trying to be "witty" between songs, sometimes you just think you're being funny off the cuff but what the moment really calls for is authenticity and honesty.

If you're a solo artist, this can be even tougher to diagnose. There’s often a temptation to address the audience way too much when up there all by yourself. But try not to get bogged down by thinking it's embarrassing to talk to the crowd, it isn't. And it's part of the job so get used it now.

Question 3: Are We Engaging the Audience, or at Least Looking at Them?

Every band or artist, no matter the genre, has to engage on some direct level with their audience. It doesn't have to mean total eye contact all the time, you can maintain a moody distance, sure. But just make sure you're acknowledging their presence from time to time or folks will think they're mistakenly walked in on your private rehearsal.

Here's an example of my band playing a Peter Gabriel cover, and a chilly but frisky December audience shows a lot of the good and bad. What I immediately diagnose is that we’re looking down too much, although the performance isn't bad overall, because we're pretty locked in.

Take a look.

Question 4: Is The Band Having Fun?

This might be the most important evaluation of them all. And it can be the easiest to spot. My bands have always had a blast on stage, but sometimes when I watch the video I want to scream at myself, “Tell your face!”

Sometimes just opening your face up a bit and going big with your expressiveness and gestures goes a long way.

Question 5: Speeding Up or Slowing Down?

Every band can drift a bit — that's part of playing live so don't sweat it too much — but you'll notice rewatching game tape whether it becomes a problem.

Sometimes this happens due to the crowd's energy, or lack thereof. If the crowd is not engaged, you might overcompensate and play faster, or start playing down to a slower energy to match the room. In other circumstances, with a high-energy, dancing, shouting crowd your heart rate and adrenaline might make the band speed up way too much. It's subtle to spot sometimes, but worth keeping an eye out for when this is happening.

Here’s the show where I really saw my band speed up like we were on Fleetwood Mac levels of coke (we weren’t). Sure, it’s a frenetic original, but there’s a limit.

Closing Thoughts

All of us in music spend so much time on our craft:

• Meticulous hours spent songwriting.
• Practicing our instrument.
• Building an audience.
• Doing all of the social media dirtywork.
• Networking with other professionals. 
• Rehearsing.  

With all of that time we’re putting in, why leave anything on the field to chance?Working hard on everything else but not learning from your performances is like ending a drive on the opponent’s 2-yard-line.

I hope this post has helped open your eyes to what opening your eyes can do for your live performance skills development. Music is fun, but it’s your job. Employee review is a job requirement, not an option.

Good luck out there!

Independent artists can upload a song to the world in minutes. Getting a festival booker to answer an email? That can take years.

That imbalance is exactly where BandPitch — a new platform based out of Denmark — sees an opportunity.

Launched this week by the team behind VIP-Booking.com, the new platform is built around a simple idea: discovery is no longer the hard part — access is.

Artists can stream everywhere, post everywhere, promote everywhere. But the people who decide who gets booked, represented, and routed onto real tours still often sit behind a wall of cold emails and invisible networks. BandPitch has figured out how to make that wall a little softer.

Ivana Dragila, Head of Communication & Relations says:

“Artists are no longer lacking exposure — they’re lacking access.”

Unlike platforms centered on playlist pitching or sync placements, BandPitch is focused entirely on building live music careers, which is why we here at Hypebot are such huge fans. Artists can create profiles, highlight their music and touring history, and browse relevant agents, managers, club buyers, and festival bookers for free. Paid tools unlock direct pitching features, giving artists a more structured way to introduce themselves to the people who can actually move a live career forward.

Built on the infrastructure of VIP-Booking.com, the platform launches with a network of more than 22,000 agents, managers, and bookers across 50-plus countries. That doesn’t guarantee a career breakthrough, of course — but it does replace some of the guesswork with actual pathways.

+Read more: "What Bands Should Always Do After a Gig"

The live business still runs on humans

Streaming can be automated. Touring cannot.

At some point, someone still has to say yes: yes to the opening slot, yes to the support run, yes to the festival booking, yes to taking a chance on an act that hasn’t fully broken yet. That’s why platforms like BandPitch matter.

Independent artists are often told to “build their audience” as if the rest will naturally follow. Sometimes it does. Often it doesn’t. Live music still depends on relationships, trust, and gatekeepers — some helpful, some frustrating, all real.

BandPitch doesn’t remove that reality, but it does acknowledge it honestly. It treats access as part of the job, not an invisible side quest artists are expected to solve alone. And in a touring economy where every show counts, clarity can be as valuable as opportunity itself.

How Artists Can Get Recommended More in ChatGPT and Claude

By Carlo Kiksen of The Fanbase Builder

Improving visibility for artists in ChatGPT's and Claude’s responses when people ask for music recommendations involves a combination of classic SEO, metadata optimization, and optimizing presence across sources that tools might reference.

Why It Matters

Music discovery happens through recommendations, and AI tools like ChatGPT Search and Claude Web Search are emerging as new recommendation channels.

As people turn to these AI assistants for music suggestions, it becomes more valuable for artists to understand how to optimize their presence for these platforms.

Traditionally, artists get recommended through:

• Word-of-mouth from friends and family.
• Venue and festival line-ups.
• Social media and influencer mentions and music usage.
• Algorithmic recommendations on streaming platforms.
• Google Search rankings.

Now people use AI search tools more as a replacement for Google Search (the official Chrome plugin changing the default search engine to ChatGPT Search has 3 million users), it’s plausible that listeners are increasingly asking ChatGPT and Claude questions like:

• “What are the best emerging indie artists?”
• "I'm looking for local new artists to listen to"
• “What artists play music like Fred Again..?”
• "I like techno. Who's playing this weekend in Madrid?”

Understanding how to improve visibility in AI search results offers artists a new avenue for discovery and potentially enhances their discoverability across all digital spaces.

+Read more: "Is Personalized Music Discovery Organic When It's Driven By AI?"

How It Works

Like traditional recommendation algorithms, AI search tools collect information from structured sources across the web. Here's how artists can optimize their presence to increase their chances of being recommended:

Optimize information everywhere ChatGPT looks.

Crawler bots pull data from trusted, structured, and relevant websites. Artists should establish a presence on structured platforms and databases to boost their visibility in ChatGPT and Claude.

• Ensure accurate listings on music databases like MusicBrainz, Discogs, AllMusic, RateYourMusic, AlbumOfTheYear, etc.
• Keep artist profiles on DSPs up to date (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music).
• Wikipedia inclusion significantly boosts AI recognition.

Leverage music press and blog coverage.

AI search tools learn from public media, it helps to get mentioned in press.

• Secure mentions in music publications and blogs that AI tools frequently reference.
• Submit music to Hype Machine-indexed blogs that track buzz across genres.
• Even smaller media placements in structured content help AI associate artist names with genres or moods.

Determine search keywords for the artist's brand and use them everywhere.

• Identify and consistently use keywords related to the artist's brand, genre, mood, scene, and similar artists. Use these keywords everywhere.
• Use descriptive language that matches how users might search (e.g., "mellow synth-pop like Beach House").

ChatGPT Search likes Reddit.

Reddit is structured and easy for machines to search.

• Encourage mentions in music-focused subreddits.
• Engage authentically rather than self-promoting.

Provide context to music and other content.

• Add annotated lyrics to Genius.
• Create detailed, keyword-rich descriptions for YouTube videos.
• Implement schema.org structured data on the artist's website to help AI understand content relationships.

Yes, But..

• Many tactics simultaneously improve traditional search engine ranking and recommendation algorithms. It’s not like we’re inventing the wheel here.
• I haven’t found data on music recommendations through ChatGPT. I’m sure it happens, but it isn’t easy to assess the current impact.
• Claude Web Search is not available at my location yet (despite being a paying customer). I could only test it in ChatGPT.
• This article provides a broad overview that requires more explanation on specific points (like the schema.org markup). I expect to dive into this in specific newsletter editions soon.
• AI search tools are evolving rapidly, and their reference sources and weighting may change

Artists could start by auditing their current presence on ChatGPT Search by asking them to search for their artist name.

+Read more: "How to Use AI to Book and Market Live Shows: a Musician's Guide"

Subscribe to The Fanbase Builder and join the hundreds of artists, creators, and music industry executives who receive it for free.

corto.alto is a musical project formed in Glasgow by multi-instrumentalist and composer Liam Shortall. His debut album Bad With Names was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize "Album Of The Year" 2024, and he's been riding a wave of attention in the jazz world, but also through collabs with singers and rappers, his music has begun to cross over into other live music spheres.

Now you can pretty much catch Liam and the corto.alto band anywhere on the planet, especially in 2026, a year which has seen the group rip up the road with their signature high-tempo breakbeats and distinctively arranged modern jazz instrumentals.

Having been on tour for much of 2026 already, corto.alto also recently released the collab track “WHODIS” with Chicago-based rapper Mick Jenkins, which follows other collabs with French-Senegalese singer anaiis, and pianist/producer Moses Yoofee. I wanted to ask Liam about this new track, and how he prepares for his touring activities.

Here's our conversation. Follow corto.alto on Bandsintown and catch him live on tour in 2026.

Hypebot: Hey Liam, thanks for taking the time to answer some questions. Congrats on “WHODIS,” that track is such a great combination of the jazz/breakbeat style you’re becoming known for, and what Mick does best in finding hidden grooves and flow. Tell me about this collab, how did it come about? 

Liam: "Thank you, it was a really great opportunity to work with Mick on this track. Mick’s always been a dream collab for me, I’ve been listening to his music since 2016 when I was just getting into production."

We reached out to Mick at the start of the year, as I had a couple of demos in mind for him. None of them were feeling right so I wrote the beat for 'WHODIS' and it clicked."

H: How did this track come together with you living in separate locations?

L: "I’m based in Scotland and Mick’s based in Chicago so getting a session in would have been logistically challenging, so we decided to do everything remotely and just send stuff back and forth. Although saying that, there weren’t any revisions and everything Mick sent was great."

So this one came together way quicker than my usual tracks."

H: Do composers think about “voice leading” when collabing with a rapper versus a traditional singer?

L: "I don’t really think of it in those terms — I’m really trying not to intellectualize stuff too much when I’m making music. But thinking about it now, you’re right, working with rappers I’m always way more focussed on rhythmic ideas than harmonic and melodic. But for me I’m just tryna make music that I wish someone else made."

"I’m just tryna make music that I wish someone else made."

H: How do the arrangements change when you adapt them to the live stage?

L: "When I’m producing music I’m never really thinking ‘How are we gonna make this work live?’ I’m always confident that we’ll be able to figure it out later, no matter what challenges that might bring. But to answer your question, yes we add vamps and solos and we very much do come to it with a Jazz mindset, keeping things free and open so it’s different every show."

H: And in that vein, does it change whether you’re playing a jazz club versus a festival stage? 

L: "In terms of how the music changes in different settings, I suppose it does. Live music is such a back and forth between the audience and the band. So if we’re in a more festival/big club setting maybe the show goes in a different direction to how it would in say a seated Jazz club."

H: What’s the toughest piece to play live with the touring ensemble? 

L: "There’s nothing in the set that’s particularly harder than anything else. We’re touring all of the time so you get so used to playing everything and you get used to it. But I suppose the challenges come with being in the right mindset, making sure everyone in the band is engaged with what each other is playing, regardless of which track you happen to be playing at that moment."

H: What’s something you’ve learned about leadership by spending time on the road? 

L: "Everyone I work with I’ve been long-time friends before I started this project. So the leadership thing is mostly making sure we’re organized enough to stop problems before they happen on the road."

H: Is touring hard on the body for you? What do you usually do to keep in shape or stay healthy? 

L: "For me the hardest thing about touring is the lack of sleep, so I really try to prioritize that. If we have a few hours before or after soundcheck I’ll usually go back to the hotel to get some sleep in. Besides this it’s trying to be selective about which gigs you’re gonna party after, and making sure there’s no 4am flight the next day."

"There’s nothing else like connecting with people in a live setting."

H: Do you think touring is essential for artists today trying to build sustainable careers in music?

L: "Yeah definitely. It feels more important now than ever before. So much of the way people connect with music is online, but I believe real connection with your audiences happens in venues/festivals. There’s nothing else like connecting with people in a live setting."

It’s been pretty smooth-sailing for us so far. (Touch wood.) It’s always a really nice surprise going to festivals and meeting some of your favourite artists backstage."

H: On that note, who are some artists you’ve seen play live recently that have blown you away? 

L: "We played at the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury last summer and Ca7riel and Paco Amoroso were on after us. They blew my mind. Also shout out to Hiatus Kaiyote and Moses Yoofee Trio, they’re always so incredible to watch live."

Aaaaaaalso I saw Geese in Idaho and they were sick."

H: What’s your favorite post-concert food to eat? 

L: "Probably the second half of whatever I ate before soundcheck, microwaved up."

corto.alto 2026 Tour Dates

APR 25 — Weiden in der Oberpfalz, Germany @ Pop-Up Club "Die Sünde"
APR 26 — Cologne, Germany @ Stadtgarten
APR 27 — Berlin, Germany @ Gretchen
JUL 07 — Denver, CO @ Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom & Cervantes' Other Side
OCT 20 — Barcelona, Spain @ Piñata Barcelona

Canadian live music doesn’t just need more artists, it needs more people willing to book them.

That’s the bigger story behind FACTOR’s newly announced $2 million investment into the live music sector, aimed at supporting Canadian-owned promoters and festivals through its returning Promoter Program and new Festival Program.

For artists, venues, promoters, and the people actually keeping local scenes alive, this is really about infrastructure. The programs are designed to share investment risk with companies that have a proven track record of presenting Canadian artists and keeping diverse Canadian voices at the center of live music.

FACTOR says the goal is to “strengthen cultural sovereignty” by investing in the businesses that shape who gets on stage — and who gets discovered. Guidelines for both programs will be released April 30, with applications due June 11.

Meg Symsyk, President & CEO of FACTOR says:

“At a time of rising costs and increased competition from foreign-owned companies, this support will enable our promoters and festivals to continue bringing Canadian artists to stages across the country and marketing those performances effectively, helping artists grow their audiences and careers.”

The Canadian Live Music Association also framed the announcement in broader terms. Interim Executive Director Maddy Oliver called promoters and presenters “the purveyors of Canada’s cultural sovereignty,” arguing that investment in these businesses directly creates more opportunities for homegrown artists.

+Read more: "Fall Out Boy x Wells Fargo? Small Venues, Hear Me Out..."

Why this matters for independent artists

We talk constantly about supporting independent artists — but too often, that conversation stops at recording grants, playlist access, or social media strategy. Songs don’t tour themselves.

Artists need promoters willing to take risks, festivals willing to book developing acts, and independent venues willing to give emerging talent real stage time. When those businesses are squeezed by rising costs, market consolidation, and competition from larger foreign-owned players, artists feel it immediately.

That’s what makes this announcement important: it targets the middle layer of the ecosystem.

Instead of only funding the artist after the music is made, FACTOR is investing in the people who create the opportunities in the first place. The promoters choosing openers. The festivals deciding whether to book local talent. The teams marketing shows in secondary markets where scenes are built, not inherited.

Especially right now — when conversations around ticketing monopolies, venue closures, and live music consolidation continue to dominate the industry — supporting independent live infrastructure feels less like cultural policy and more like survival strategy.

Local scenes don’t happen by accident

Canada has often understood something the broader music business forgets: if you want a healthy music middle class, you can’t just fund recordings.

You have to fund the stage. That means independent promoters. Regional festivals. Small venues. The people building audiences before algorithms ever get involved.

FACTOR is a private, non-profit funding body providing investment support to the Canadian-owned music industry.

It’s been another massive ten days for the music business. From the Bandsintown and Amazon Music deal, to the FTC finally taking a swing at deceptive pricing, the "agentic AI" revolution hitting the DIY booking scene, and more the industry moves fast.

Here is a new Hypebot Bottom Line on the stories shaping the new music business and your career this week.

Bridging the Stream-to-Stage Gap

The Story: Amazon Music and Bandsintown Partner to Turn Streamers Into Concertgoers - Amazon Music has officially integrated Bandsintown data, putting live dates directly in front of fans while they listen. This follows similar moves by Spotify and Apple Music, effectively ending the era of "I didn't know they were in town."

The Bottom Line: By automating the connection between a fan's streaming habits and the box office, this seamless pipeline benefits independent and major artists alike. It turns passive listening into an active opportunity for the venues and festivals that host them.

Ethics of the T-Shirt

The Story: The 2026 Musician’s Guide to Responsible Merch - A new report from REVERB and Green Music Australia reveals that 78% of fans are willing to pay more for sustainable merch. With apparel accounting for 10% of global emissions, the "merch table" is becoming a frontline for climate action.

The Bottom Line: This isn't just about "feeling good"—it's about verified transparency. To avoid the "greenwashing" trap and build real trust, artists need to look for specific certifications like GOTS and Fair Trade. Your fans are paying attention to the tag.

Spotify x NIVA: Boosting the "Certified Independent" Seal

The Story: Spotify and NIVA Team to Amplify Independent Music Venues - A new strategic partnership will prioritize independent stages in Spotify’s Live Events Feed, using the "Certified Live Independent" seal to help fans find authentic spaces.

The Bottom Line: The path from a local stage to a global playlist is becoming more integrated. For venues, the goal is simple: selling more tickets on the platform where fans are already listening.

AI Is Booking & Marketing Shows

The Story: How to Use AI to Book and Market Live Shows - New "Agentic AI" tools are helping DIY artists find talent buyers, route gas-efficient tours, and launch hyper-local ad campaigns in seconds.

The Bottom Line: The business side of being an artist is becoming more automated. By stacking tools like Booking-Agent.io and Symphony OS, independent musicians can spend more time being artists and less time sending an endless stream of blind emails.

Listen on your favorite podcast platform.

Subscribe to the Your Morning Coffee newsletter here.

YMC Special Episode — April 23, 2026

On this week’s episode of the Your Morning Coffee podcast, your hosts Jay Gilbert and Mike Etchart chat about these timely music industry stories:

• A Conversation With RIAA Chairman and CEO Mitch Glazier.

In his 25 years at the RIAA, Glazier has played a vital role in the music industry's transition to streaming and "anywhere, anytime" access to music. Mitch has worked on every major copyright bill considered in the past three decades. They discuss the state of the music business in the US with a focus on the policies, issues and opportunities with A.I. Plus, don't forget to take the YMC Industry Survey!

Listen right here:

Subscribe to the Your Morning Coffee newsletter here.

FIND MORE CURATED MUSIC BUSINESS AND INDIE

PODCAST EPISODES HERE

Direct-to-fan platforms have long promised stronger artist-to-fan relationships — but most still require artists to operate inside someone else’s ecosystem. Openstage wants to change that with the launch of Fanbase API, a new toolkit designed to let artists build fully custom fan experiences using their own fan data.

Fanbase API allows artists to create branded fan apps, gamified communities, membership hubs, and even interactive digital worlds — all on their own domain, with full control over design, fan data, and monetization.

Instead of plugging into a pre-built platform, artists can create experiences that feel native to their own identity: a veritable fan club with rewards tied to concert attendance and streaming, an album-release scavenger hunt, or a private community where access levels evolve based on engagement.

Rob Abelow, Chief Product Officer of Openstage, says:

“Artists aren’t just musicians, they’re world-builders...”

Abelow goes on to say that: "They define the aesthetic, the community, and the experience fans step into. Fanbase API is the infrastructure to make that world real and owned. Your fans log in to your world, not someone else’s. Their data belongs to you. And the more they engage, anywhere, the smarter and more personal that world becomes. This is what it means to truly own your fan relationships."

The first high-profile examples are already live.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by YBHQ (@yungbludhq)

Yungblud recently launched YBHQ, a custom fan community platform built for founding members of his audience. Fans earn rewards, access, and status through participation, all within a platform designed entirely in his own visual language.

Meanwhile, Gorillaz used the API to relaunch Kong Studios, their long-running virtual world concept. Fans check in through the fictional receptionist Rosemary, unlock access through “Kong Cards,” and move through an experience that feels like an extension of the band’s creative universe rather than a separate app.

+Read more: "Streams Don’t Build Careers: Fans Do"

Okay, But What Do I Care?

The biggest takeaway here isn’t the celebrity launch partners — it’s that the infrastructure is becoming available for everyone to make good on a new format for digital fan engagement.

Independent artists are increasingly being warned of the dangers of not “owning our audiences” via social media — because most tools still mean renting access through platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Patreon, or Discord. Fanbase API wants to shift the model: artist-owned ecosystems where fan relationships, data, and monetization all stay closer to home.

That matters because fan data is becoming one of the most valuable assets an artist can have. Knowing who buys tickets, who streams most often, who brings friends, and who consistently shows up can shape everything from touring strategy to merch drops to release campaigns.

Not every independent artist needs to build a virtual gameplay world like Gorillaz. But building direct fan portals instead of relying entirely on rented platforms is becoming a more accessible endeavor by the day.

+Read more: "Christine Osazuwa on Owning Your Data, Michelle Obama, & Inclusion in Music"

"We do not own our audiences on social media. We rent them. And the landlord can change the locks whenever they want."

By Harrison Songolo (Xkaii), Founder of Th3Circle

Social media sells creators the same lie over and over again: build a following, and that following is yours.

We see the numbers, 100,000 followers, 500,000, a million, and we believe those people are waiting to hear from us. They are not. They are waiting for an algorithm to decide whether they ever see us again.

We do not own our audiences on social media. We rent them. And the landlord can change the locks whenever they want.

That journey of realization for me began with the release of my song "Breakout" at the end of 2023. At the time, I thought it would be my signature song, the one that would define me as an indie rock and alt-pop artist. This song is about staying true to my beliefs, even when the world told me to give up. I wrote it while the world felt particularly broken around me. Social issues, personal challenges, all of it feeding into the music.

Yet, I was set up to believe that it would bring change. Here's why.

At the time of the song's release, I had close to a million followers across my social platforms. I still do. I had amassed 650,000 followers on TikTok alone. I had posted every single day for the past seven years.

I assumed my followers had seen the song and simply didn't care. My covers of other artists' songs had garnered tens of thousands of views, with fans commenting that my voice makes them cry or that they start their mornings with my page. So I posted "Breakout."

1,000 views. Hmm... I posted another edit. 300 views. I tried again with a new rendition of the hook. 5,000 views, the best-performing version, and it took months to get there. All of this with close to a million followers.

Then I looked at where the views were actually coming from. While the song was getting views, almost none of them were from my followers. Only 0.03% of the views came from the people who had chosen to follow me. Fewer than 300 people saw the song I had poured my life into.

The illusion was broken.  

Meanwhile, my fans commented on my covers of other songs, saying things like, "Where have you been? I haven't seen you in months," or "I thought you stopped posting," when I had posted every single day for the past seven years. These numbers were vanity metrics that I had accumulated while building my social media profiles; but they did not accurately represent the individuals who were genuinely fans of my musical content.

I am not the only creator who has learned this lesson. Studies have shown that the average organic reach on platforms like Facebook and Instagram has fallen below 5%, meaning that for every 100 people who follow a creator, fewer than five will ever see what they post.

The agreement that I thought I made with social media platforms was that I would produce the content, build a following, and then reach out to that following to build my career as a musical artist. The real agreement is that I produce the content, I attract the viewers, and the platform decides whether my own followers ever see any of it. 

"That is not an audience. That is 'a locked room' I find myself standing in front of."

If I attempted to message every single follower on any of my platforms, I would be promptly shut out of my accounts for being labeled a spammer.

I cannot email my own followers. I cannot text them. I cannot export a list of the people who chose to hear from me. The platform holds every relationship I built, and it will never hand them over, because doing so would give creators too much power and not enough reason to keep posting.

That is not an audience. That is "a locked room" I find myself standing in front of.

A few months ago, my grandfather passed away in Rhode Island, where I grew up after moving from Zambia when I was young. I could not afford to travel to attend his funeral. I had nearly a million followers and could not put together enough for a plane ticket to say goodbye.

My income from TikTok's Creator Rewards Program collapsed after a platform update. My payouts barely covered rent. I went from $3,000 to $4,000 a month to $50.

Something broke in me. Not into pieces, but open. The old deal was never coming back. I needed to build something new.

I learned how to code over the following months, and I eventually created a platform called Th3Circle. At first, I built the website just for myself, a place to share my music directly with the fans who actually cared — but I soon realized that every other independent creator I knew was dealing with the same frustrations with social media. So I decided to open it up to others.

The premise is simple: creators should own a direct line to their fans. 

An email list. A fan page. Something no platform can throttle or take away. Use social media for what it is actually good at: discovery. Let new people find you there, but do not make it your home. 

Instead, direct those who find you to something you control. Once you have something to share, send it to everyone. Not some of them. Not whoever the algorithm selects. Everyone. A whole-list blast. A direct message to one fan. No intermediary deciding who sees it.

Currently, I also mix audio for other artists, edit videos, and substitute teach in my local school district. All of this keeps me fed financially. However, it keeps me further from my true vocation of making my music, for my community of fans. This sacrifice is the hidden cost of being an independent artist in today's industry. Every independent artist is forced to become a full-time promoter for the very platforms that refuse to show their music to their own fans.

Since I opened up Th3Circle to my music fans in early March, nearly 400 people have joined my email list. That is a fraction of my TikTok following. But I can reach every single one of those people whenever I want. No algorithm filters them out. And no platform can ever take that away from me.

If you are an independent musician or creator reading this, do not stop using social media; but use it for discovery only. And stop measuring your career by a number you do not control.

Ask yourself this: if every social media platform disappeared tonight, how many of your followers could you reach tomorrow?

That number is your real audience. Everything else is rented.

Harrison Songolo (Xkaii) is a musician from San Francisco, born in Zambia and raised in Rhode Island. He is the founder of Th3Circle, a platform that allows creators to connect directly with their fans without the use of algorithms.

Live Nation Earnings Call and $30 Ticket Promo

In it's first report to investors since being found guilty of maintaining monopoly power in ticketing, concert promotion and amphitheater operations, Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) will release its first quarter 2026 financial results on Tuesday, May 5, 2026.

Michael Rapino, Live Nation President and CEO, will host a teleconference at 2PM PT / 5PM ET to discuss the company’s financial performance and operational outlook.

From April 29 through May 5, fans can purchase $30 tickets to see hundreds of Live Nation shows at venues of all sizes—from clubs and theaters to amphitheaters and arenas, with artists including: 5 Seconds of Summer, Empire of the Sun, The Fray, Goo Goo Dolls, James Taylor, Kesha, Kid Cudi, Luke Bryan, mgk. NE-YO & AKON, The Pussycat Dolls, Tim McGraw and many more.

Live Nation All Access members get early access to the offer, beginning April 23 through April 28. Membership is free, easy to join, and unlocks exclusive presale opportunities throughout the year.   Visit LiveNation.com/SummerofLive to learn more.

Peachtree Expands Live Team

Peachtree Entertainment has announced the addition of two industry veterans to its team: Aaron Siuda as SVP Marketing, and Andrew Hingley, as VP of Artist Relations and Development further strengthening Peachtree’s infrastructure as the company continues to scale its national footprint.

Siuda served as the SVP of Regional Marketing for Live Nation where he led a team of marketers across the country. Hingley joins Peachtree was a Talent Buyer for Live Nation in Atlanta for 10 years and has owned the legendary live music venue Eddie’s Attic for 15 years.

Concert Stuff Group Adds Chief Growth Officer

Concert Stuff Group (CSG), a provider of solutions for the live entertainment industry, has appointed Kyle W. Jones as Chief Growth Officer. He will oversee all business development activity across CSG and its family of partner companies.

Most recently, Jones was President of Pioneer Production Transport.

TickPick Acquires Momento

Ticket marketplace TickPick has acquired Momento. The Memento app turns digital tickets into “Momentos” combining photos, videos and other context to create a personal archive of experiences that can be shared, revisited and used to track attendance stats as a fan. Since launching in 2023, more than 20 million tickets have been turned into Momentos on the app. 

This is the second acquisition TickPick has made since raising $250 million in 2024, following its acquisition of Fanimal last year.

Bandsintown + Apple Music

Starting today, concert listings from Bandsintown will begin to appear on Amazon Music artist profiles.

Much like Bandsintown's distribution partnerships with Spotify, Apple Music, Apple Maps, Shazam, YouTube, YouTube Music, Google and others, the Amazon Music integration effectively turns passive listening into an active opportunity for concert discovery and ticket sales. [MORE]

Moby Donates 100% Of Coachella Profits

Moby will donate 100% of profits from his performances at Coachella to a selection of leading animal rights organizations:

• Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
• Mercy For Animals
• The Humane League
• Direct Action Everywhere

Get all the latest Music Industry & Live Music News updated continuously from across the web under the Hypebot Industry News tab here.

Music & AI: What Happens When Quality Is No Longer a Differentiator?

By Tatiana Cirisano of MIDiA Research Blog

For most of recorded music history, quality was scarce. Recording, producing, and distributing a song that sounded “good” required significant investments of time, money, and skill, along with access to gatekeepers, who carefully filtered what entered the system. The belief has long been that even in a saturated market like today’s, quality ultimately dictates success – hence the saying that:

“Marketing a great song is easy, but marketing a good song is impossible.” 

While “quality” is slippery to define, one thing is inarguable: Generative and assistive AI tools are now making it much easier for more people to create music that is not only listenable, but catchy, repeatable, and – dare we say – sometimes even beautiful. 

This is not just about casual consumers generating passable songs, but also serious artists using AI tools to write better lyrics, invent catchier hooks, and generally achieve their visions faster. For the first time, the industry is reckoning with the question: what does success look like when quality is no longer a scarce resource?

This question and others will be untangled at MIDiA’s April 28 webinar on The State of AI and Music. For now, here’s a glance into our crystal ball.

Squeezing the middle

In consumer products, the commoditization of quality tends to squeeze out the middle. The strategist Leland Maschmeyer recently detailed the impacts on the fashion industry in his excellent essay “Dollar Store or Dior.” In this environment, companies win by either scaling cheap products (often by owning the means of production and distribution) or by building enough cultural value to charge a premium (as in the case of luxury brands).

The most apt analogy to the music industry is the sync market, which is bifurcating between AI-generated production music and iconic catalogue – squeezing a middle traditionally occupied by smaller bands and work-for-hire artists. Meanwhile on streaming services, perhaps the two markets faring best are functional background music on the low end and superstar catalogue on the high end – again, squeezing the long tail and mid-tier.

Connection > Consumption

Yet even before the AI disruption, the hardest part about building a music career wasn’t making great music – it was getting heard. AI isn’t creating a new problem so much as deepening an existing one, and the path forward is the same as before: artists succeed by connecting to listeners on an identity level that goes beyond the sound of their music. 

A growing number of acts (especially those in the squeezed middle) are eschewing the streaming volume game entirely, opting to build core fanbases through live shows and mp3 downloads. Hotline TNT, Sade Olutola, and Sturgill Simpson’s new moniker, Johnny Blue Skies, are just a few recent examples.

AI and bringing back “weird”

The impacts of technological developments on art aren’t always obvious or immediate. Music streaming may have helped more obscure, niche artists reach listeners – but at the same time, it has incentivized sounding like what is already popular, as this is the fastest way to ride the algorithmic wave. AI is often accused of making music overly formulaic, but streaming and the production line approach taken to building hits arguably did it first.

Yet AI could now shift the tide, in a way that makes music more diverse and interesting, not less. If popular music is easily imitable, artists are incentivised to constantly evolve and be as inimitable as possible. With “quality” no longer scarce, there may also come a new appetite for, well, weirdness (the peculiarly popular, polka-dotted math rock band Angine de Poitrine may be onto something after all). 

Take writing as an example: With chatbots now on-hand to deliver expertly-written prose, people are beginning to include small imperfections in their emails and other writing on purpose as a way to signal that a human, not a language learning model, is at the other end. There is a potential future where AI makes music wonderfully weirder, and that may be just what music needs.

Register here for MIDiA’s April 28 webinar on The State of AI and Music, a free virtual event on April 28 at 4:00pm BST | 11:00am EST | 8:00am PST.

Want the latest entertainment research and insights directly to your inbox? Our newsletter has you covered, click here to subscribe.

TuneCore has rolled out a new way for independent artists to tie their music directly to environmental impact. Through a partnership with EarthPercent and the Sounds Right initiative, artists can now donate a portion of their streaming revenue to global conservation efforts — simply by adding “NATURE” as a collaborator on a release.

Announced at the International Music Summit in Ibiza, the initiative — called “Give Nature A Split” — channels royalties into Indigenous and community-led environmental projects across regions like the Amazon, Congo Basin, and the Colombian Andes, with more ocean-focused efforts planned for 2026.

The mechanics are intentionally simple: artists choose a percentage of their royalties to split, and those funds are automatically directed to the Sounds Right Fund via EarthPercent. No additional admin, no new platform — just a tweak to how credits are assigned.

The move also comes with a financial commitment from TuneCore itself, which pledged £10,000 to EarthPercent, matched to £20,000 through the nonprofit’s “Big Give” campaign.

Why this matters for independent artists

For years, artists have used their platforms to advocate for causes — but translating that advocacy into measurable impact hasn’t always been straightforward. This initiative lowers the barrier significantly. Instead of organizing fundraisers or merch campaigns, artists can now embed philanthropy directly into their release strategy.

It also reflects a broader shift in how music is positioned in the cultural economy. As conversations around sustainability and climate responsibility intensify — especially within live music and touring — tools like this allow independent artists to participate without needing scale, sponsorship, or label infrastructure.

There’s also a subtle but important signal here: distribution platforms are starting to evolve beyond just monetization and discovery. By enabling revenue routing toward causes, they’re becoming part of a wider ecosystem that connects music, identity, and values.

Whether widely adopted or used by a niche group of artists, “Give Nature A Split” points to a future where releasing music isn’t just about earning or exposure — but about directing impact.

Check it out at: https://www.tunecore.com/givenatureasplit

Artist advances are no longer just for major label artists whose music charts even before it's released.

In fact, it's always been lower-earning artists who really need the power of an advance to create aspirational work, artists who don't have access to easy borrowed capital from a gatekeeping third party. Now we can firmly say that financial assistance, in the form of "royalty financing," is here.

Sound Royalties is a company founded on the principle mission of providing creative-friendly funding solutions for the music industry, in which artists do not ever need to give up ownership of their copyright. That said, while this is built on servicing artists at all income levels, top charting artists like Lil Wayne, DJ Khaled, Sonia Leigh, and Wyclef Jean have all leant their support of Sound Royalties for helping to reshape the landscape around funding to better suit working musicians' and songwriters' needs.

I talk to Sound Royalties' CEO and Founder Alex Heiche about how he sees the music industry landscape today and why this is the perfect time for this catalyst to exist.

Here's our conversation.

Hypebot: For those who don’t know, what is “Royalty Financing?”

Alex: "Royalty financing is a funding model that gives artists, songwriters, and producers access to money so they can further pursue music careers and business ventures — and in the case of our Sound Royalties business model, they can do this without giving up ownership of their copyrights."

Royalty payments are fundamental to any music creative – but those payments can often be delayed or don’t provide the upfront capital required to invest back into a project, album, or overall career. By providing flexible advances based on royalty streams, we allow creatives to unlock the value of their royalties, while retaining full control of their creative decisions, their catalog and overall IP. Advances are different from loans in that they do not carry an interest rate and do not require personal guarantees, financial statements, or credit checks."

Instead, the repayment is structured as fixed payments over a fixed time period, made on a declining annual basis, with all terms agreed with the creator at the outset. We understand that creators have different business plans, priorities, and income profiles, so each advance is structured according to the performance of the royalties, and the personalized goals of the creator."

When Sound Royalties was founded more than ten years ago, the idea of offering financing without taking copyrights or claiming a percentage of future royalties was still new, and somewhat “unheard of.” But over the past decade, our approach sparked a shift in the industry. What was once uncommon, has been adopted by music professionals as a strategic way for creators to invest in their momentum and build sustainable careers."

Today’s creators want to balance independence and ownership, while still leveraging essential tools like marketing, global distribution, radio promotion, sync pitching, and creative strategy. That’s where Sound Royalties fits. You steer the journey, while getting the fuel to grow on your terms."

Brent Faiyaz is a perfect example. Early on, he didn’t come to us for millions, just enough to have the financial backing needed for his Sonder Son tour in 2018. That step helped fuel his music career, now surpassing four billion streams, the launch of his own independent label, and a top‑two Billboard album. That’s what can happen when artists get support without giving up control."

"We allow creatives to unlock the value of their royalties, while retaining full control of their creative decisions, their catalog and overall IP. Advances are different from loans in that they do not carry an interest rate and do not require personal guarantees, financial statements, or credit checks."

H: How does Royalty Financing help preserve the value of an artist's catalog?

A: "Royalty financing allows artist to retain full control of their copyrights, long‑term earning power and strategic value of their catalog."

A music creative might decide to sell their catalog for several reasons – to fund a new venture, estate planning, or personal reasons – but it's so important creatives do so when the time is right for them, and not because they feel they have no other options. Because there are other options."

Royalty financing provides another route; one that allows them to access the money they are wanting at a given time. Whether it’s creating new music, touring, marketing, or investing in strategies to expand their audience, those activities will contribute to the growth of their brand and career, steadily increasing the catalog’s value over time."

Preserving ownership also means artists maintain full creative and business control: they decide how their music is used, when to license it, and whether to sell it later for a potentially higher valuation. By keeping these options open, royalty financing not only protects the current value of a catalog, but positions it for stronger opportunities in the future."

H: Sound Royalties also offers Tour Financing. We all know about the rising costs of touring — how can this really help artists looking to get out on the road more?

A: "The price of touring has increased exponentially in recent years and artists have been hit hard with the pressure of rising production, rehearsal, visa and travel costs."

Our concert touring advances work very much like our traditional royalty‑based advances, but they’re customized specifically around touring income. A performer with a tour agreement from a major promoter can access our funding and use it to support their tour. This could be to build and rehearse their show, invest in production, hire the team they need, or cover all the upfront expenses that hit long before a performer takes the stage."

Alejandra Guzmán is a great example. Accessing upfront capital for the Perrísimas tour gave her the flexibility to create the high-quality show she wanted to deliver. That’s exactly what this program is designed to do - give artists the ability to focus on the art and the experience - not the financial strain."

H: How did you get involved in this personally, what’s your background?

A: "Before launching Sound Royalties, I spent decades working in finance. But I’ve always had a special interest in music – something that traces back to playing the saxophone as a kid and dreaming of being in a band. While working in finance I began to explore the music industry and how it worked, and in that exploration period I had the privilege of connecting with GRAMMY‑winning songwriters, platinum-selling artists, and respected executives."

Those experiences gave me a deep understanding of both the financial challenges creators face and the enormous value of protecting their rights."

That realization became the foundation for Sound Royalties. I saw an opening to make a positive impact. Banks at the time didn’t understand a creative’s unusual income patterns, and as a result many creatives were left without traditional financial options. I had feet in both worlds and saw the opportunity to bring them together. Since then, we’ve supported thousands of creators across over 30 countries and have recently expanded into both financing for YouTube creators and TV production."

I’m still a vocal advocate for creatives and this is what drives Sound Royalties to this day. As a company our focus is on building strong, long-lasting relationships with the creatives that use our service. We genuinely want to help and that’s why our services are tailored specifically to each person to ensure they get the right support for them."

H: What do artists typically do with the financing they get through Sound Royalties?

A: "A lot of creators put that funding straight back into their work. Sometimes they use it to make and release new music, helping them to cover recording costs, paying collaborators, mixing and mastering services. They also use it to finance the promotion of their releases — marketing, video shoots, digital campaigns, playlisting or PR, or for touring — as we have already discussed."

Many music producers have chosen to come to us to finance building out their own music studio, whether private or commercial. For some, it’s about growing their team and treating their career like a business: bringing on a manager, creative director, publicist, or social strategist."

Other creators use the support to invest in bigger long‑term projects, such as starting a label or investing in a project outside music, such as film, fashion or beauty, which opens up more opportunities for them down the line. And sometimes, life just happens. Funding can bridge financial gaps and support artists in times of change."

In short, artists use Sound Royalties financing in bespoke agreements, but it almost always comes down to giving themselves more freedom."

"Business and art don’t have to be in conflict – they can actually feed into each other when you approach them intentionally."

H: If this model is the wave of the future, what does that mean the industry looks like in your future?

A: "I don’t only see this model as the future; I see it as the present. We’re seeing a real shift in how creators think about money, ownership, and control."

The most famous example of this is Taylor Swift. When she announced seven years ago, she was planning to re-record her first six albums after being denied the chance to buy her masters, it brought a lot of attention to the issues around ownership and copyrights in the music industry. Something that many people, including young artists, were not aware of."

Now, more and more artists are taking note and making educated decisions about the long-term ownership and control of their music."

Artists today want flexibility, transparency and most importantly, they want to stay independent while still having the resources to operate at a high level. Royalty financing fits perfectly into that future, because it lets artists keep their copyrights and still get the financial support to create, tour, and scale."

Our model didn’t create that shift; it grew out of it. We simply built a solution that supports what artists were already demanding."

H: Music from international markets is growing globally, but this is paired with limited access to capital and industry infrastructure. How is Sound Royalties engaging with artists and communities in these emerging markets to support sustainable growth while safeguarding their rights?

A: "We are seeing an increasing number of artists interested in our services in international markets, which has driven our expansion into the European and Latin America markets."

One of the challenges in these markets is that success can often come before infrastructure and financial options. Audiences and streaming numbers grow rapidly, but access to capital, education, and trusted partners doesn’t always keep pace, which is where we can help."

Equally critical is education and transparency around rights. We place a strong emphasis on helping artists understand the value of their catalogs, how royalties flow globally, and what protections are available to them. Protecting IP is about empowering creators to make informed decisions as their music travels across borders and platforms."

As we continue expanding our reach, we’re focused on building trusted, long-term relationships within these communities — working alongside local partners, managers, and advisors who understand the cultural and business nuances of each market. Our goal is to ensure that artists in high growth regions aren’t just participating in the global music economy, but truly benefiting from it on their own terms."

H: Hot take: Are musicians naturally bad with money?

A: "No! Musicians are not naturally bad with money. The reality is that the industry can be complicated for creators to understand and manage the various incomes streams. And that's why having strong partners you can trust (like managers, collection societies and Sound Royalties) is so important."

There is the pressure to invest in your own growth without the safety nets other industries take for granted, so it’s no surprise that many artists feel like they’re constantly playing catch‑up. That’s not a personal flaw — it’s a structural problem."

From what I’ve seen, working with thousands of artists, songwriters, and producers, creators are often fantastic entrepreneurs. Think about Rihanna with Fenty, Jimmy Buffett with Margaritaville, Jay-Z with Roc Nation, or Selena Gomez with Rare Beauty. When creators have access to capital in the same way as other businesses, they can plan around real numbers and make smart, strategic moves."

Musicians deserve better tools and better partners. That’s a big part of why Sound Royalties exists. We’re here to level the playing field so creators can make decisions from a place of knowledge and empowerment; not pressure or panic. When artists have that, they thrive."

"Live music is so special because it’s a real physical experience, whether it’s feeling the vibration of the bass or the collective experience the whole audience feels; it’s the music that brings everyone in the together."

H: Do you have any advice for artists looking to invest in the sustainability of their careers while they’re still independent?

A: "Business and art don’t have to be in conflict – they can actually feed into each other when you approach them intentionally."

• Firstly, ownership is the foundation of long‑term sustainability. When you control your music rights, you continue to receive income from those rights long after the moment you create them. Even if you partner with labels, distributors, or publishers down the line, entering those conversations with ownership puts you in a stronger negotiating position."
• Second, understand your revenue streams. Even a basic understanding of how royalties flow from streaming, performance, mechanical and sync, puts you in a stronger position. When artists understand where their money comes from, they can make smarter choices."
• Third, use capital strategically, not reactively. Many artists wait until they’re exhausted creatively or financially before seeking support. But sustainability comes from planning ahead. When you leverage financing at the right moment, especially financing that doesn’t cost you your rights, you can accelerate your growth instead of scrambling to stay afloat."
• Finally, play the long game. A sustainable career isn’t built off a single release or viral moment. It’s built on consistency, community, ownership, and smart financial decisions."

H: What was the last great live concert you saw?

A: "Seeing Grammy-winning CeCe Winans perform at the Grand Ole Opry was incredibly special. I live in Nashville, so I’m lucky to have access to great live music any night of the week, but experiencing it in such a historic venue always feels different. You can’t help thinking about all the legends who’ve stood on that stage before."

Live music is so special because it’s a real physical experience, whether it’s feeling the vibration of the bass or the collective experience the whole audience feels; it’s the music that brings everyone in the together."

I’m grateful that through Sound Royalties I can play a little part in making that happen."

H: I whole-heartedly agree with that statement about live music. It's just like Olivia Newton-John said, "let's get physical!" Thanks Alex.

By Angela Tyler of Muddy Paw PR

Coming up in the industry, there wasn’t anything I said "no" to. If an artist asked me for help with their bio, I was in. If they wanted advice on pulling more people into a show, I found a way to be knowledgeable about that. I maintained a strict DIY or die ethos, and that served me well as I grew my business and made connections.

But the thing is, somewhere along the way we get burnt out. We stop saying "yes." And we fall behind.

But there’s an advantage that indie artists have over the majors and it’s not being deployed nearly enough. Here’s the secret: marketing wise, we can do anything we want with very little consequence — and we get to have fun doing it. 

When you’re an indie, it’s easy to focus on the struggles, and that’s valid. But there’s so many positive aspects to not having to play by anyone else’s rules, and that can be seen in the way you show up, attract a new fanbase, market your music, and invite them into your world each and every day.

And one of the most efficient, often overlooked and even lucrative ways to do that? Brand partnerships.

While you might think that these partnerships are reserved for huge artists partnering with household names, partnering with local and small regional brands even if you’re a brand new artist is 100% possible. Here’s how to get started.

Identify Your Brand

Ah, the fun part! First, you need to know what your brand is.

• Ask yourself what you like/dislike about other artists. Do you love that they have wild shows or do you prefer something more intimate? Do you like that they’re super vulnerable online or do you find yourself connecting with the more mysterious ones?
• Now that you’ve done that with artists, repeat with brands. What brands do you feel a sense of loyalty to and why? Example: I’m loyal to a certain notebook brand because I like the way their copy and aesthetic me feel: Serious, but creative. Studious, but filled with wonder. 
• Pay attention to the aesthetics you’re drawn to. Do you like vivid colors or muted ones? Do you prefer ads that are in your face or more subtle? Do you like cozy things or high-adrenaline things? If you need a hint, look at the media you tend to consume.

All of this gives you an idea of what kind of brand you’re trying to cultivate. So, take your time with this one. Don’t rush it.

And if you need a little inspiration, I think Bad Bunny at the Superbowl is an incredible example of a surprising, yet ultimately brilliant collaboration and messaging. There’s also Lizzo and Fabletics.

As someone who has been unapologetic in standing up to body shaming, and has made it her mission to ensure women feel good in their bodies, the partnership made perfect sense. It was a perfect compliment to the message she’d already been sharing with fans through her music. 

But, as we said, those are big artists with big brand contracts. The next step is to take your potential and look “local” for it. Read on!

+Read more: "What Music Means for Wellness Brands"

Make a List of Local Brands You Admire

If you’re new to brand partnerships, it’s best to start out with some smaller companies that are still in the early stages, especially if that’s where you are as well. There is so much gold to be panned in your own backyard. As you grow and create more and more opportunities for the brands you work with, you can start to reach out to bigger brands.

So start small. Initially, just start making a list of any local brands you can think of. Once you start brainstorming, you’ll be surprised at how many different ideas you have and the way each is shaped by your vision.

That coffee shop may be great for an open mic and a latte named after your new song; the art gallery could be just right for a press-only acoustic show; and the local clothing spot making waves is another potential win for your merch table.

If you need a little help, try searching online and on social media.

1. Look on Instagram to sort results by location. You’ll often find brands tagging the city you live in. And sometimes a brand will like one of your photos if you’ve tagged the location (which sends a message, hint hint!).
2. Hashtags are another great way to find and target local or indie brands. #BostonBusiness, #BestofCleveland, #Chicagoindie and you can even get more specific. 
3. Search local photographers and their shoot locations. They’re often shooting in unique locations that are often small-business friendly.
4. When you’ve exhausted social media, start to search places in your area by the city or town you’re in with different keywords such as “Boston local coffee shops” or “Burlington thrift store.” This is how I ended up facilitating a partnership between my artist and a Lisbon coffee shop, all the way from my home in Boston!
5. Check out local flea markets and street fairs. Even if it’s not in season, you can look up lists of vendors and those that have participated. I know that in Boston, we have at least 30+ local brands at every single one of the markets and it’s a great place to start.
6. Ask around. Your friends and family are probably the best place to start! Make posts on social media asking for people’s favorite indie brand. You may even find some outside your local area!

These are just a few ideas. The more you start thinking about it, the more you’ll see these opportunities popping up!

+Read more: "Softside's Erin Singleton on the New Era of Fan-Powered Merch"

Tell the Brands Exactly What They Get From Working With You

With brand partnerships, and really, any partnership, you want to make the yes as easy as possible, so it’s best not to leave too much to the imagination. Keep your pitch short, keep it personalized (detail why you like the brand and think you’d be a great fit to work together), and give specifics on how you see the partnership working. 

The point here is to pique their interest in a project without asking them to spend time developing it. Don't wait around for brands to call you, be proactive. You can suggest that:

• They use your song in an IG Reel about (a topic that aligns with your brand and theirs),
• You wear their shirt in an upcoming video shoot, and then mention and link to it,
• You use their product in a music video or post,
• You donate your time to an upcoming event or auction in exchange for your songs on their event playlist or brochure,
• You do a performance residency at their space, in return for a product or special being named after you. (For example: a local brewery and one of the beers gets named after your band or one of your songs.)

If you have a stronger following or an existing relationship you can also approach brands about sponsoring an entire tour, a record release show, or some other opportunity where you are provided monetary compensation for their name appearing in front of a wider audience.

Try to really tailor what you’re doing to that specific brand. There might be some overlap but for the most part, they should feel like working with you is a unique opportunity. If they feel like you’re copy and pasting the same email to one hundred different places just like them, the offer feels less compelling.

+Read more: "How Come Nobody Ever Talks About 'Casual Fans?'"

Final Thoughts

Brand partnerships are an incredibly lucrative way for bands to grow their audience, and even if you’re new to it, I highly recommend taking the time to just begin to brainstorm different brand partnerships for now, as well as some to work towards over the next year or so. It’s honestly such a fun way to grow together and a great way to mix things up. Not to mention the content and social proof it gives for social media!

Don’t forget to think outside the box with these partnerships as well. If you see a brand that makes sense for the audience you’re trying to reach or the message you’re trying to convey, go for it! Over time, you’ll continue to grow, and you’ll be seeing partnerships everywhere you look.

Angela Tyler is the founder of Muddy Paw PR, where her artists have seen placement on American Songwriter, Earmilk, and more, as well as the Vice President of the A&R Foundation, a non-profit that provides independent musicians and creative arts businesses with tools, resources, and education on entrepreneurship.

The line between where fans listen to music and where they see it live just got thinner. A new Bandsintown and Amazon Music global collaboration integrates live event discovery directly into the streaming experience.

Starting today, concert listings from Bandsintown will begin to appear on Amazon Music artist profiles. The integration will be fully live across iOS and Android this spring, covering users across all subscription tiers and regions.

"Live music is one of the most powerful ways fans connect with the artists they love - something we've seen firsthand through the livestream performances we've brought to fans worldwide,” says Karolina Joynathsing, Director of Business Development, Amazon Music.

Much like Bandsintown's distribution partnerships with Spotify, Apple Music, Apple Maps, Shazam, YouTube, YouTube Music, Google and others, the Amazon Music integration effectively turns passive listening into an active opportunity for concert discovery and ticket sales.

“Artists win when fans can find their concerts just as easily as they find their music," says Fabrice Sergent, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Bandsintown. "Live shows drive artists' careers because of the remarkable experience they bring to fans and we make promoting them effortless. Being listed once on Bandsintown automatically reaches core audiences everywhere and now powering concert listings on Amazon Music will extend artists' reach to even more fans worldwide.”

Concerts posted on Bandsintown now reach more than 4 billion monthly active users across platforms, all at no cost.

Why This Matters for Artists

For the 700,000+ musicians using Bandsintown for Artists, this integration is a massive win for visibility. Here is how the workflow changes:

• Automatic Syncing: Once an artist connects their Amazon Music profile via the Bandsintown for Artists dashboard, tour dates will sync automatically whenever events are published or edited. Artists and their teams can get started here.
• Direct Path to Purchase: Fans on Amazon Music are directed to Bandsintown to purchase tickets, creating a seamless journey from "I love this song" to "I’m going to the show".
• Fans will also receive push notifications when artists they follow are playing nearby.
• The concert date integration builds on a previous collaboration that brought artist merchandise via Amazon into the Bandsintown platform.

By adding live dates to merch and music, Amazon Music is positioning itself as a comprehensive hub where fans can stream tracks, catch exclusive livestreams, shop for merch, and discover upcoming tours all in one place.

Impact on Venues and Promoters

The benefits of the Bandsintown and Amazon partnership aren't limited to musicians.

Venues, festivals, and promoters who subscribe to Bandsintown Pro will also see their events featured on Amazon Music. This provides a powerful new channel for local promoters to reach fans who are actively engaging with an artist's catalog in their specific territory.

Hypebot's Bottom Line

By automating the connection between a fan’s streaming habits and the box office, the new Amazon Music integration allows Bandsintown to provide "effortless" tour promotion.

Like Bandsintown's other streaming integrations, this seamless pipeline benefits independent and major artists alike, along with the venues and festivals that host them.