When it comes down to it, we all just want to feel seen. We long to be a part of something that feels like we belong. For so many of us, music is that escape. It serves as a safe haven, a creative nook where we can express ourselves freely. Best of all, when we find a community of others who like the same music, band, or genre as we do, we feel seen. We belong. And we thrive.

We’ve all experienced this, but when you’re an indie musician trying to grow a fan base for the first time, it can feel like you’re throwing spaghetti at the wall. So how do we create an ecosystem that supports and lifts our careers?

Have you heard of the Creator Economy? If not, here’s a simple definition: it’s all the ways that people can earn money from their creations. For example, influencers doing social media full time – they’re at the crux of the creator community. 

And while it may seem absurd to wrap your head around people actually making a living from their creations, it’s a pretty incredible thing when you think about it. Not only because it means that you too can be a part of the success story of the creator economy, but you can actually enlist the help of other creators to get there. 

If you were to choose between a top-tier press placement, 1,000 new followers, or 1,000 new streams, which would you choose?

For some artists, it’s all about the streams. Stream numbers are tangible proof that people like your song. It’s concrete evidence that all the work was worth it. Or at least…it feels that way. 

In an industry where so much of what we do feels ambiguous and far-fetched, having a high stream count feels like the fans are telling us that our music matters.

But there’s a secret to streams that no one wants to admit. And that is that they aren’t actually as important as we like to think they are. Especially when you break it down… 

Have you ever seen something so clever that you instantly started Googling the brand? How about an ad that caught your attention when you least expected it and caused you to do a double take? Maybe you’ve been at a concert where you weren’t really there to see the opening band but they put on such a compelling performance that you find yourself following them online after.

These are all examples of marketing at its finest. When marketing is done really well, you don’t think you’re being sold to, or at least, you don’t really mind because you’re interested. That’s the key. Selling isn’t a bad thing. Marketing isn’t a dirty word. Most of us are just doing it wrong, or experiencing other people doing it wrong.

But, successful musicians are those that know how to market. It’s a key piece of the job. After all, it doesn’t really matter how talented you are if no one knows you exist. So, to inspire your creativity we’ve collected 5 examples of marketing genius that you can steal for your next release. Enjoy!