Independent musicians had to deal with a challenge last year – live music, gigs, concerts, and performances as a whole were completely shut down, and many still have not returned. Artists soon pivoted their businesses towards more digital and virtual opportunities for their music to continue to be played and heard.

There are multiple ways to promote your music online. We have compiled the best breakdown of virtual opportunities to help you share your music below. Many of these opportunities for musicians can turn into a new business venture, creating a sustainable future.

Submit To Music Blogs And Websites 

Believe it or not, many musically focused blogs love to feature new and emerging artists. Many blogs like to create news around new music, and there are multiple blogs out there for you to choose from based on genre, location, and more.

HighClouds is one such blog that likes to dub itself as promotional for all music. Originally it was an online radio station, but their blog now focuses on multiple new album and EP reviews for new music in all genres. Submithub is another industry-standard site for submitting music by independent artists to various blogs and music channels.

You can work to create a website about you or your band to promote your music. But chances are, especially as a new music artist, you probably won’t see a lot of traffic. Researching into some other popular music websites where they take on new music for submission is a way to start so you can drive more traffic to your own site.

Music is 4 Lovers plays host to various mixes showcasing independent artists, including their newly launched Solstream Events. Solstream broadcasts video live stream performances from San Diego’s house and techno scene.

Bandcamp 

Bandcamp is geared explicitly towards attracting both fans and musical artists. It promotes free streaming and financial support of independent musicians. When submitting music, you can also create a shop for fans to buy merchandise like mugs, shirts, and the like, which also puts some extra money into your pocket.

The only catch with Bandcamp is that the site is tailored to specific demographics. If you don’t have the type of music that can grab attention quickly, it might get lost among the other artists. It can, however, be a great alternative to purchasing and utilizing your website since anything you might do on a website you can do here.

Submit For Music Licensing

Submitting your music to a music licensing agency is a great way to get your music out there. Many agencies have an array of networks, and there are creatives, producers, and music supervisors that will use their music libraries to find the best music to suit their projects.

There are even specific music licenses for podcasts, so if you’re hoping to have your music featured this way, music licensing will be the best option. Your music might be used in multiple podcasts, in a streaming ad, a feature film, or even a commercial.

Music licensing can seem intimidating because there are legal rights and permissions involved. The best part about going through an agency is that they take care of many of the licensing legalities, so you can simply submit your copyrighted music and permit the use of that music by signing the contract when it comes.

Create Your Own Channel

YouTube is a great way to be discovered – you can ask Weeknd or Karmin. Having a YouTube channel, even if you cannot monetize it when you begin, can be a lucrative opportunity to have people hear your music. Millions of viewers and subscribers are on YouTube every single day, and if some of them happen to find your music – it could be the start of a new fanbase.

Twitch is another channel that you can develop and is a platform utilized for live broadcasts worldwide. If you are looking to build a following, this is a top-rated platform with over 100 million viewers per month.

Mixcloud is a free platform where you can stream millions of music mixes and songs that satisfy every mood and taste. They offer the ability to upload and listen for free. Many podcasters like to use Mixcloud to promote their episodes, and many of them have music that they licensed with an independent artist through the same channel.

Just keep in mind that if you provide original music, be sure to obtain the copyrights so that it can’t be stolen and used without your permission. Once you create a channel, you should also market yourself through social media to get new subscribers. You can even feature snippets of songs within your stories on Instagram or Facebook.

Music Submission Services

Utilizing online music submission software is another excellent way to get your music exposed digitally. This site, in particular, which is called Share Pro, will immediately allow your original music submission so that it can be listened to within a 48-hour window. Those who attend are various producers and record labels.

The professionals who listen to your submitted music respond to you within the 2-day timeframe if they will share your music on their platforms, maybe even work with you or offer a record deal. With this submission software, you have the opportunity to develop a successful platform and one that could become the industry standard for submitting labels in the electronic music space.

It’s a quick and easy way of getting your music heard by true professionals within the music industry and can be helpful when you want some feedback to see if your music can truly make “the cut.” How cool is that?

If you’re confident that your music is mixed and mastered properly, and you know that it is ready for the big leagues, this is an excellent step for you to take as a musician – you never know who might be looking for your specific sound.

While many of these options are viable to get your music out there and possibly secure more opportunities, you must continue to stay relevant and updated within the music industry. Keeping updated social media platforms, websites, and email lists are also great resources to help you gain more visibility online.

There are other ways and virtual opportunities out there for you to get your music heard. These options are some of the best. Music licensing can open up many doors to having your music featured in various types of projects. Your music featured next month on a music blog, podcast, or website can help engage and encourage new fans of your music.

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