Important Advice Concerning Mixtapes
Jesse Atkinson, CEO of Urban Threshold and Founder of the A & R Power Summit, shares some great advice for artists releasing mixtapes. The original post can be found HERE.
Presently the Mixtape market is very over saturated. There are too many mixtape projects being released freely into the marketplace without any defined purpose or mission. The end result is nothing but clutter!
There are several important factors you must consider before releasing a mixtape.
Firstly, make sure the mixtape is recorded properly, mixed down correctly and sounds crisp.
Equally important, make sure your mixtape content, cover and concept are unique to stand apart from the competition. Strive to make a "Classic" mixtape not a "Clutter" mixtape. Don't just make "clutter" music that you give away for free to clutter the marketplace. Make "Classic" music with passion and feeling that music aficionados can appreciate.
Don't Get Caught up in the "Mixtape Madness." Don't release your 3rd free mixtape in 3 months if you haven't properly promoted the first two.
Most indie Hip Hop artists release a mixtape without even promoting it. Some rappers spend thousands of dollars to get a "big name" DJ to host their mixtape and then spend zero dollars marketing it.
Develop a strategy to make people excited about downloading it. Create Hype about your mixtape before releasing it. Send out press releases, do giveaways, get reviews on it, do radio interviews, etc.
Before dropping a mixtape, release a single and develop it virally. Inform the public that this is the 1st single from the upcoming mixtape. A week or two before releasing your mixtape, do a couple of mixtape release parties and invite the press, fans and DJ's. Perform a couple of songs from it.
To promote the mixtape, use a small budget to sponsor local events. Advertise with your local internet radio shows that support your music.
And don't just spend money on a so called Mixtape Marketing company. Work the project yourself as well. Make your fans part of the experience!
Put a snippet of a bonus single on your free mixtape and then sell that bonus single in its entirety on Itunes. Additionally, make a music video of the bonus single, put it on Youtube and advertise that it's a bonus single from your mixtape.
Also try to Do something different with your mixtape like tie it in to your favorite charity whereby you can get awareness for the charity as well.
If you're going to pay a so called big name DJ to host your mixtape, then try to have an agreement which stipulates that the DJ has to promote the project as well.
Now that your free mixtape has been downloaded "5000" or more times, what's next? That's what you should be asking yourself. (Movement Calculations)
The purpose of giving away free music is to advertise your brand for opportunities that make money like paid live shows, endorsements, merchandise sales etc.
If you don't have a follow up plan to generate money from your "Free Mixtape", then you're just wasting your time. Monetize your Movement!
The little bit of advice I just gave on "Mixtapes" is priceless! I hope it helps so that we can get rid of some of this clutter of free Mixtapes that are put into the marketplace without any Rhyme or Reason.. SMH
Presently the Mixtape market is very over saturated. There are too many mixtape projects being released freely into the marketplace without any defined purpose or mission. The end result is nothing but clutter!
There are several important factors you must consider before releasing a mixtape.
Firstly, make sure the mixtape is recorded properly, mixed down correctly and sounds crisp.
Equally important, make sure your mixtape content, cover and concept are unique to stand apart from the competition. Strive to make a "Classic" mixtape not a "Clutter" mixtape. Don't just make "clutter" music that you give away for free to clutter the marketplace. Make "Classic" music with passion and feeling that music aficionados can appreciate.
Don't Get Caught up in the "Mixtape Madness." Don't release your 3rd free mixtape in 3 months if you haven't properly promoted the first two.
Most indie Hip Hop artists release a mixtape without even promoting it. Some rappers spend thousands of dollars to get a "big name" DJ to host their mixtape and then spend zero dollars marketing it.
Develop a strategy to make people excited about downloading it. Create Hype about your mixtape before releasing it. Send out press releases, do giveaways, get reviews on it, do radio interviews, etc.
Before dropping a mixtape, release a single and develop it virally. Inform the public that this is the 1st single from the upcoming mixtape. A week or two before releasing your mixtape, do a couple of mixtape release parties and invite the press, fans and DJ's. Perform a couple of songs from it.
To promote the mixtape, use a small budget to sponsor local events. Advertise with your local internet radio shows that support your music.
And don't just spend money on a so called Mixtape Marketing company. Work the project yourself as well. Make your fans part of the experience!
Put a snippet of a bonus single on your free mixtape and then sell that bonus single in its entirety on Itunes. Additionally, make a music video of the bonus single, put it on Youtube and advertise that it's a bonus single from your mixtape.
Also try to Do something different with your mixtape like tie it in to your favorite charity whereby you can get awareness for the charity as well.
If you're going to pay a so called big name DJ to host your mixtape, then try to have an agreement which stipulates that the DJ has to promote the project as well.
Now that your free mixtape has been downloaded "5000" or more times, what's next? That's what you should be asking yourself. (Movement Calculations)
The purpose of giving away free music is to advertise your brand for opportunities that make money like paid live shows, endorsements, merchandise sales etc.
If you don't have a follow up plan to generate money from your "Free Mixtape", then you're just wasting your time. Monetize your Movement!
The little bit of advice I just gave on "Mixtapes" is priceless! I hope it helps so that we can get rid of some of this clutter of free Mixtapes that are put into the marketplace without any Rhyme or Reason.. SMH
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