2019 has come and gone. From various lawsuits, big industry executive switch-ups, and the ever-changing landscape of music streaming, the music industry at large had its fair share of woes. One thing continues to persevere through it all and that’s the power of independent music driven by wildly talented artists like you. In 2019 we covered everything from running business finances as a musician, how to earn more money with your craft, how to travel affordably, getting radio airplay, and leveling up your engagement by harnessing the power of purpose. In addition, we covered our fellow artists, one of our favorite columns on The Crafty Musician Blog. We’re honored to be a resource for independent artists to grow their music business each and every year. As we say goodbye to 2019, let’s take a look at your favorite TCM articles of the year. We proudly celebrate our Top 10 Posts from 2019…
#10 Artist Spotlight: Ashley Feller On Overcoming Disasters As A Musician
Sometimes things happen in life that can be so devastating, you can’t help but want to give up. But in these situations, if we’re able to work with what we have, we can actually overcome these obstacles and end up in a better place than where we started. Florida singer-songwriter Ashley Feller shares a very inspiring example of just that in this artist feature. After Hurricane Michael nearly flattened her hometown in 2018, leaving her with hardly anywhere to perform, she ventured out on the road and began a new chapter as a traveling artist. Read on…
#9 Twenty-one(21) Insanely Practical Budgeting Tips For Musicians
We can all agree that budgeting is not super sexy, but if you can learn to master your budget, you’ll be able to gain control over your finances instead of the other way around. If you’re an independent musician trying to earn a living or even part-time income from your music, it’s uber important to keep track of your finances so that you can maximize your income and potentially make more money. In this article we discuss practical ways to organize and manage your money as an independent musician, while also uncovering ways you can earn even more money by just making simple changes to your budgeting practices. Read on…
#8 Five(5) Insanely Effective Ways To Promote Your Upcoming Shows
So you booked your show and you’re all set to rock the house out. Congratulations! You’ve gotten through half the battle. The next step is to promote the heck out of this awesome gig so you can play to a full house. With so many events and responsibilities competing for attention, how do you make your show stand out and entice people to come? In addition to tried and true show promo models such as posters and Facebook, there are many other unique and wildly effective ways you can promote your next gig. In this article, we show you 5 of our favorite outside-the-box ways to promote shows. Read on…
#7 Artist Spotlight: It’s Never Too Late – Construction Manager Retires For Second Career As A Musician
Sometimes in life we have to make the tough decision to put our dreams on hold. Joe Campobasso knows this reality all too well as he had to put his aspirations of being a musician aside to provide for his family. 20 years later, with that dream still very much in him, he walked away from his career and became Joe The Bluesman. Read on…
#6 Five(5) Things Musicians Should NOT Do With E-mails
One of the best promotional tools at an independent musician’s disposal is the email newsletter. It’s a direct connection to your fans that builds a bridge for strong, long lasting connections. If done the right way, your email list can convert standby fans into loyal supporters. But, if not done correctly, you can stunt the growth of your fanbase before it even gets off the ground. Let’s talk about what not to do with emails as an independent artist. Read on…
#5 Here’s A Great Way To Get Private Music Gigs By Generating Your Own Leads
As an independent musician, getting gigs is a prime source for earning money. There are all sorts of gigs you can get depending on your genre, but the best paying gigs by far are the private ones. These are gigs where you are hired to perform for guests at a private function such as weddings, galas, rehearsal dinners, receptions, awards ceremonies, banquets, birthday parties, and so on. In this article, we walk you through how to position yourself as a source for live entertainment in order to get more paid gigs. Read on…
#4 Finance 101 For Musicians
Being an independent artist is not a job for the faint at heart. It’s one thing to get on stage, put on a show and go home. It’s an entirely different beast to manage budgeting, advertise your services, promote a product, distribute a product, handle design and packaging, interact with customers, and run a business from day to day. Successful independent musicians not only can get on stage and perform a memorable show, but they’ve also mastered the art of keeping overhead costs down while generating revenue and maintaining healthy profits. With these basic finance tips for musicians, you should be able to establish a strong foundation for your music business. Read on…
#3 Seven(7) Tax Questions Every Musician Should Answer | Tax Tips For Musicians
Tax season is actually just around the corner again. Doing taxes is not the most exciting thing in the world, especially if you’re preparing them yourself. But if you plan your business with taxes in mind, you can maximize your deductions for a handsome tax return year after year. This article discusses tax tips and common deductions musicians should consider when filing taxes. Read on…
#2 How To Make Money As A Musician Without Touring
In the old days, touring was the best way to earn a decent living for a musician, but that’s not the case today. Nowadays you can be a very successful musician without ever leaving your hometown. It all depends on how you build your business model. If you’re interested in earning a living with music, but for personal reasons would rather not be on the road, there’s hope. Here are several ways you can make money as a musician without touring. Read on…
#1 Fifteen(15) Online Platforms Musicians Can Use To Book Paid Gigs
As an independent artist, getting paid music gigs can sometimes be a challenge, especially if you don’t know where to look. There are countless online platforms you can use to try and get gigs, but which ones are legitimate and which ones can you trust? In this article we looked at 15 online platforms you use to book gigs, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. Read on…
In addition to adding 27 new informative and inspirational posts to The Crafty Musician Blog in 2019, we also released a valuable resource that can help our readers launch their own custom airplay campaigns for online radio – The Online Radio Directory. We’ve expanded our featured artist opportunities to include song features on our YouTube Channel and other self-feature opportunities. We created even more practical guides and resources. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Stick around and you’ll see even more exciting things The Crafty Musician is doing to help you move your business forward. Cheers to 2019 and an even better 2020!
