Although economies are starting to open back up since the Coronavirus pandemic started, a lot of us are still at home waiting to see how things are going to shape up. For musicians, the wait might be even longer as concert venues will be some of the last to open back up in any normal capacity. That leaves musicians continuing with live streams, exploring alternate means of income, and finding other ways to pass the time. If reading is on your list of resolutions for 2020, now is as good of a time as ever to tackle your reading list and catch up on the latest and best in everything music. If you’re looking for some inspiration, we’ve got a list of 5 books right here for musicians to read during the pandemic, which can satisfy those reading taste buds.
#1 Hack the Business: Build Your Own Career by Dave Kusek
Dave Kusek, who co-wrote The Future of Music book and started a new era of music education with Berklee Online, brings his 20+ years of experience with indie musicians to help you build a successful career in the music business of today. You’ll learn things like how to run your business like a start-up, proven ways to promote your music, and how to record and release your music without a record label.
#2 The Ultimate Guide to Music Publicity by Ariel Hyatt
This musicians guide will teach you everything you need to know about how publicity works in the new music business. It is broken down into 3 parts – Getting Ready For Music PR – Step by Step; How to Execute Your Own Music PR Campaign; and How to Find, Research & Hire a Publicist to Help You. It also covers tour publicity, music blogs and how to secure a premiere.
#3 Viral Personal Branding: Marketing a Personal Brand, Building Buzz, and Getting your Dream Clients by Mike Allebach
Whether you’re an experienced entrepreneur or just starting out, Viral Personal Branding is your guide to creating a personal brand plan that will rock your business taking it to the next level. This book will teach you how to utilize Facebook Groups to build your business, how to create viral videos and content, how to develop your personal brand to stand out and more.
#4 You Never Gave Me Your Money: The Beatles After the Breakup by Peter Doggett
Read the dramatic and intimate story of the breakup and aftermath of The Fab Four as it’s never been told before. Acclaimed journalist Peter Doggett recounts the previously untold story of the dramatic final chapter in the lives, loves, and legal battles of John, Paul, George, and Ringo—aka The Beatles—from their breakup in 1969 to the present day.
#5 How to Make It in the New Music Business: Practical Tips on Building a Loyal Following and Making a Living as a Musician by Ari Herstand (Second Edition)
Ari Herstand has recently published the second edition of his best seller: How to Make It in the New Music Business. We reviewed the first edition here. The second edition has been updated to include the latest online trends and developments along with inspiring success stories across media such as Spotify and Instagram.
There are many more informative and educational books about the music industry available to educate yourself and grow your music business. The possibilities are endless. These 5 books should get you through the remaining days of the Coronavirus pandemic and put you on a path to success for a profitable future.
What books have you read related to the music industry? Are there any that really inspired you? We’d love to hear what you’ve been reading lately. Let us know in the comments below.
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Thanks for sharing these great book ideas! Reading up on the music industry and learning some new things seems like a great way to spend some of this newfound downtime. Us musicians have got to be making the most of this time off so that when things kick back in we’re ready to attack!
Rob, exactly and when the time comes, let’s get ready to rock!