Most musicians move on too soon. They put all their creative focus on the next release. Or they only promote their latest work, neglecting all the songs that came before.
This blog post emphasizes the importance of marketing an artist’s back catalogue of music, highlighting that older music should not be neglected even as new tracks are released.
Chris Robley outlines several reasons and strategies for keeping a back catalogue relevant, accessible, and engaging to both existing fans and new audiences.
Key Points:
- Value of Old Music:
- Good music retains its value over time.
- Old tracks can be a source of ongoing revenue and fan engagement.
- With platforms like Deezer and Spotify changing their policies, engagement with older music is crucial to avoid demonetization.
- Strategies for Promoting Back Catalogue:
- Celebrate Album Anniversaries: Utilize milestone anniversaries of albums as opportunities to re-promote and share content related to those albums.
- Release Unpublished Tracks: Share demos or unfinished tracks to engage fans with the creation process and backstory of your music.
- Highlight Collaborations: Use your platform to celebrate contributions from collaborators, enhancing your music’s appeal through shared success.
- Curate Playlists: Create themed playlists to showcase your music based on mood, genre, or other creative categories.
- Artist-Choice Content Series: Develop content series that delve into personal stories or achievements related to your music to maintain interest in older tracks.
- Exclusive Offers: Implement marketing tactics like ‘Free plus Shipping & Handling’ offers to move merchandise and engage fans.
- Host Live Events: Engage fans through live listening parties or performance videos, providing insights or showcasing live renditions of your music.
- Dedicated Performances: Consider themed tours or live streams focusing on specific albums to draw attention to your broader discography.
- Utilize Advertising: Leverage digital marketing to introduce your older tracks to new audiences at a lower cost.
Conclusion: The post concludes by stressing the importance of not only focusing on new releases but also strategically promoting older music. This approach not only helps maintain algorithmic relevance on streaming platforms but also maximizes the potential of an artist’s entire catalogue for increased engagement and revenue.
Source: 10 ways to market your back catalog – ReverbNation Blog