Attention, Musicians! Don’t Let These 6 Branding Myths Fool You!

If you’re a musician looking to go big on creating and performing music, chances are, you may have heard how branding is essential to your business. However, despite the things that you might’ve heard about branding in the music industry, you can’t always believe what you hear.

With that said, here are 6 myths to look out for, as well as the truth about each!

1. Branding Is Constricting

“Branding is not as constricting as most starting musicians might think,” says Taj Agostini, a music writer at Australia2Write and Write My X. “While it can be hard at times to appeal to everyone, it’s not impossible to attract some people. So, don’t strain yourself in trying to appeal to the masses. When you free yourself from the restraints of branding, your real fan base will soon emerge. Focus all that energy on your music instead.”

2. Branding Is All About “Making It”

The truth is, there is no set formula on “making it” in the music industry. Just be yourself, and work hard. With plenty of determination and authenticity, everything will make sense, and you’ll be more successful in your work.

3. Branding Will Force Me To Be Something That I’m Not

Don’t let this myth get to you!

Branding is not about pretending to be something that you’re not. This ideology is very destructive to your self-esteem and your skills as a musician. While it can be tempting to emulate your favorite music star, the last thing you want to be is a poser or a copy-cat. 

Again, be yourself. People will respect you more if you were authentic in your music and performances.

4. Branding Is Based On How The Market Is Doing

“The truth is, the market has nothing to do with your branding, as a musician,” says Georgie Winston, a lifestyle writer at BritStudent and NextCoursework. “While some people may not like your music, others will. But regards of the number of people you attract with your music, there’s always going to be a market for music. Since music is part of the entertainment industry, people are always in need of some form of entertainment. In hindsight, there is no ‘market value’ for music. Rather, the experience you create with your music – along with the shows, content, and products — is what’s really marketable.”

5. Branding Is Only For Popular Artists And Businesses

Not true!

While branding is important earlier in your career, that doesn’t mean that you HAVE to be big or popular during that stage to worry about branding. Once you get a following going – which can take time – you’ll see your brand become clearer to you. In the meantime, if you’re just getting started, then you’re a brand, by default, whether or not you know it. In hindsight, branding is how you act and project yourself towards your audience.

6. Branding Is Costly 

Finally, this myth is sure to stop aspiring musicians dead in their tracks. The good news is, it doesn’t have to be this way.

Today, there are many resources that are free to use. For example, you can start posting your music works on social media (i.e. Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, etc.) for free. Nowadays, people are on social media – so, this is definitely a cost-free gold mine for you to consider.

Though, if you want to spend a bit of money, then you can place paid ads on your social media (i.e Facebook, Instagram, etc.) to get more traction to your posts. Or, you can hire freelancers to help you with the following:

• Designing a website
• Designing a logo
• Handling your social media
• Promoting your brand, etc.

As you can see, building a business based on your music doesn’t have to be costly. 

Conclusion

So, if you had any doubts on how to jumpstart your music career, then there’s no need to worry about how to do so. Now that we’ve unmasked these 6 myths, there’s no need to worry about making a name for yourself in music. Once you kickstart your music career, not only will you grow a loyal fan base, but you’ll also see that branding isn’t as hard as it looks on the surface. Despite the competitiveness that the music industry might bring, it’s still worth pursuing, if you have the heart and determination.

So, what are you waiting for? There’s no better time than now to get started with branding your music. Remember: The sky is the limit! Sing! Write! Perform! Go for it! 

Michael Dehoyos is a writer and editor at PhD Kingdom and Academic Brits. He is also a contributing writer for Assignment Help. As a marketing expert, he helps companies improve their marketing strategies and concepts.