learn How to succeed as an artist

[2024 Guide] How To Succeed As An Artist [Top 5 Fundamentals]

Going into the music industry is a long and exciting endeavor. This will be one of the most fun times in your life, as well as one of the most difficult. There are a lot of different things that you can expect along the way with some of these being good and some being bad. How hard can it be to succeed as an artist in the music industry?

It is my opinion that heading into the industry is a great decision, but one that needs to be done in a smart way. There will be a lot of important decisions that you make coming up that influence your career in ways you wouldn’t expect. Alright, let’s learn how one can become a successful music artist

1) Practice Writing Songs

How To Succeed As An Artist - Practice Writing Songs

How To Succeed As An Artist – Practice Writing Songs

This is really a no brainer, but let me explain why I believe songs to be so important. There is a huge difference between writing your first song and your 100’th. The lessons you learn from songwriting are lessons you really only learn from writing a bunch of different songs.

In the beginning, bands are still finding themselves and finding their sound. If every band just proceeded forward with the first few songs they wrote as a band, it would be a scary thought.

You will think along your journey that you’re ready probably sooner than you might be.

I know that when I first started playing in a band, we immediately wanted to start playing shows and trying to progress to the next level. When I look back, we learned so much over time and got way better as musicians and writers.

Sometimes having the time to develop is very important.

When writing a bunch of songs, don’t get discouraged. It’s easy to get discouraged along the way, but you just have to keep cranking them out. Once you have written the right songs, I recommend finding a manager who believes in what you’re doing as a band or artist.

2) Find a Manager

How To Succeed As An Artist - what do music managers do

How To Succeed As An Artist – What Do Music Managers Do

Your manager is going to be your most important relationship in music. They have the power to take you to the next level – if they know what they’re doing. Managers will be with you through everything, but there are a few things you should keep in mind with them.

Your manager should be well connected and be able to educate you on the industry and truly guide you in the right direction. A lot of managers are out there that don’t really know what they’re doing.

If you go with the wrong one, it could really hurt you in the long run by either holding you back or getting you into a bad deal.

A manager should understand your creative direction and encourage you to create what you desire while at the same time challenging you to do your homework and know your genre. It will be a long ride, and you will definitely find yourself in disagreements with your manager; you just have to decide if they have your best interest.

If they genuinely have your best interest, then you are in good hands.

You should feel confident in your manager to know what you’re trying to accomplish and how to accomplish it. They should be up to date with what’s going in your genre at all times and also be able to provide you with opportunities that help you grow along the way.

3) Be Ready To Grind If You Want To Succeed As An Artist

Secrets to succeed as an artist

How To Succeed As An Artist – Be Ready To Grind

When starting out as a band, you will most likely need to have a job that gets you by. A popular choice is serving tables or bartending. You need something where you can make enough money to live on, but still, dedicate a ton of time to the music.

I truly believe that music comes down to hard work. Obviously, talent and skill can take you far, but the hard work that you put in is what takes you where you need to be.

You have to be willing to sacrifice a lot of time and sleep in the music industry.

This is easily one of the most stressful industries to go into and especially in the beginning. You will find yourself thinking that every new show is your next big break and that every opportunity is going to be what gets you discovered.

It doesn’t really work like that. It takes hard work, time, and patience.

If you can land a reputable manager, that is an excellent sign. Managers quite often decline to work with artists, unless they genuinely believe in them. Getting people to believe in you is going to be super important in your journey, and one thing that is easy to believe in is hard work. And it’s a lot easier if you have some skills!

4) Find A Producer And Save Up Money

Find a music producer to succeed as an Artist

How To Succeed As An Artist – Look For a Music Producer

Unless someone in your band has years upon years of producing; I recommend finding a great producer and saving up. Not only do you get a great, polished product from recording with a great producer; you also gain experience. Learn from them in as many ways as you can.

I recommend trying to get in with a producer who knows the game exceptionally well and is up and coming.

Producers will often time have managers contact info, and it’s beneficial to them to help you out. The producer that my band went to when we were starting out was one of the best things that happen to our band.

We learned pretty much everything in the beginning about the music industry from him, and he completely lit a fire under us. Surrounding yourself with the right individuals is a must in this industry.

5) Learn How To Use Spotify For Artist

How To Succeed As An Artist - Learn How To Use Spotify For Artists

How To Succeed As An Artist – Learn How To Use Spotify For Artists

Learn Spotify and how to use the artist app. This music platform is the beginning musicians best friend as it is the current best way to break through into the industry. Listening to music and staying current should be something you are frequently doing. This does not mean to blend in; I think blending in is the only sure way to fail.

However, knowing where music is at will help with creating something that is unique, yet similar.

I would recommend to artists who are new to wait until they have high-quality songs. Make sure that your songs sound like the songs you listen to. If they don’t, figure out a way to get the quality there. You can’t take shortcuts in this industry because there are so many other artists out there who won’t.

Once you have a great sounding song, go to Spotify with it and try to build some hype around it. This can take months. The one thing you can do to hurt yourself is to just keep releasing a new song every single week.

You can oversaturate the market and your fans.

I think a good way to go is about every 2 months to try and release a new song and push it hard. Getting on a playlist in Spotify is huge, and this is a great way to do it.

Lastly, make sure your friends are saving the songs on Spotify. They check to see the percentage of saves, and this is what ultimately playlists your songs.