10 Mistakes Music Artists Make

have before making a CD. The first is quality songs, or viable song ideas that can be developed. The second is a plan to strategically utilize the songs which appear on your CD. For example, if you are a dance artist who incorporates a great deal of choreography into live performances, create songs with that in mind. Once you can visualize how each song will be received by your audience, utilized commercially, and can help you reach your goals, then you are ready to make a CD.

7. MAKING A FOLLOW-UP CD AFTER FAILING TO EXPLOIT THE FIRST ONE
Every year a CD is sent to me by an artist whose debut CD I absolutely loved...and then I don't review their follow-up CD because it pales in comparison. Why does this happen? Because they recorded new material too soon. As long as artists continue to perceive their new music as their best music, I imagine they will always make this mistake. There's no point in making a new CD if you have not fully exploited your first one - especially if you took your time to create it.

6. NOT BUILDING A COMMUNITY
There's just one thing that makes an artist a success: an audience. Do you have one? It consists of fans who comprise your community. Community support is - and always has been - a MAJOR factor which makes or breaks careers.

Social networking sites now afford music artists the opportunity to collect, share, and distribute information in ways that are both constructive and cheap. Unfortunately, many artists don't take proper advantage of this technological blessing. If you are successfully cultivating your music community (i.e. forging relationships by giving people incentive to want to see you live or buy your music) you should be able to fill a small to medium sized venue with relative ease. Social networks must be used to consistently inform, engage, and entertain your fans to earn their loyalty. Build your community, and your community will help you build your career.

5. NOT IDENTIFYING THEIR AUDIENCE
Who is your audience? How old are they? What level of education do they have? Where do they live? What magazines/newspapers/books do they read? What movies do they go see? What websites do they visit? This is called "demographical" information (demographics for short) and major record labels spend fortunes to get this information for music artists. It helps them to better "serve" (read: market to) fans. Everyone is not your target audience. Your target audience has a personality, a temperaments, likes and dislikes. It's YOUR job to know what they are.

4. NOT DEVELOPING THEIR STAGE SHOW AND PERFORMANCE SKILLS
Performing live has been the bread and butter of the music industry since its beginning. The music artists who fail to develop their stage show and performance skills will flounder. Your ability to connect with your audience - and maintain a long term relationship - will be based on the worthwhile experience that you provide

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