This post was originally published last year, but the framework is timeless, and these ten steps work just as powerfully for mapping out the year ahead.

I've updated a few references and resources below to keep everything fresh and relevant. And if you went through this process last year? Even better.

This annual review is exactly the kind of ritual that compounds over time.

Each year you do it, you'll get sharper at seeing patterns, clearer about what matters, and faster at course-correcting. So whether this is your first time or your second lap, let's make 2026 the year everything clicks.

Step 1 - Look Back Before You Look Ahead

Before you jump into planning for 2026, pause. Take a deep breath. Now, ask yourself:

How did 2025 go?

The truth is, planning a meaningful year starts with understanding the one you just lived. A clear, honest retrospective is the foundation for building a better future. Let’s break it down.

Why reflecting on the past year matters…

It helps you identify what worked, what didn’t, and what truly mattered. If you don’t evaluate where you’ve been, how will you know where to go?

Reviewing your year brings you:

• Clarity: Know what aligns with your values and what needs to change.

• Focus: Double down on the things that really moved the needle.

• Growth: Learn from mistakes so you don’t repeat them.

Step 2 - Define Success Holistically

Let’s talk about all the dimensions of your life, because success is more than music releases or money in the bank.

Use the questions below to evaluate your life and the past year holistically…

Grab a notebook, open a document, or use a voice recorder. Dedicate an uninterrupted hour to reflect on these six key verticals of life fulfillment:

1. Your Music Career

   • Did you release the music you planned?

   • Did you grow your audience?

   • Did you achieve key milestones (streams, gigs, collaborations)?

2. Meaningful Relationships

   • Did you nurture your closest connections?

   • Who did you grow closer to?

   • Who did you drift apart from, and why?

3. Health

   • Were you consistent with exercise, sleep, and nutrition?

   • Did you prioritize your physical, mental, and emotional well-being?

4. Finances

   • What was your total income?

   • How much did you save or invest?

   • Did you feel financially secure or stressed?

5. Personal Growth

   • Did you challenge yourself?

   • What skills or habits did you develop?

   • Did you spend time on activities that bring you joy and fulfillment?

   • Did you connect with a deeper sense of meaning and spirituality?

6. Impact

   • Did you contribute to causes or communities you care about?

   • How did you leave a positive mark on others?

Step 3 - Reconnect with Your Grand Vision

Before diving into the nitty-gritty of planning 2026, step back and reconnect with the big picture. Forget the constraints of time, money, and current circumstances.

This is your chance to dream freely and get crystal clear about what you want out of life.

Ask yourself the BIG questions!

Use these prompts to spark clarity about your ultimate purpose and ideal life:

1. What’s your big ‘why’?

   • Why do you create? What impact do you want to leave behind?

2. What would your ideal day look like?

   • Imagine waking up in your dream home. Where are you? Who are you with? What’s your routine?

3. If money and time weren’t factors, what would you do?

   • How would you spend your days? What projects would you tackle?

4. What brings you the most joy and fulfillment?

   • Think about moments when you’ve felt happiest. What made them special?

5. What are the values that define your life?

   • How can you align your goals with those values?

Now envision your ideal life in each vertical…

Once you’ve envisioned the big picture, break it down into the life verticals we discussed:

1. Music Career

   • Where do you see your artistry or business going in 5, 10, 20 years?

   • What milestone in 2026 would excite you most? (e.g., releasing an album, growing your audience, landing a major sync deal).

2. Relationships

   • What do you want your connections with loved ones to feel like?

   • Is there a relationship you want to repair, deepen, or prioritize this year?

3. Health

   • Imagine being in peak physical and mental health. What habits would support that?

   • What’s one way you could invest in yourself this year to get closer to that vision?

4. Finances

   • What does financial freedom look like to you?

   • Do you need to save more, invest, or create additional income streams?

5. Personal Growth

   • What skills or experiences would help you grow?

   • What’s something new you’d love to try in 2026?

6. Impact

   • How do you want to give back or make a difference in your community or the world?

   • Could you align your artistry or business with a cause you care about?

Write down your answers to these questions. Make them vivid. Paint a picture with your words. Then, keep this vision front and center as you start planning your year.

Step 4 - Find Your Focus: Less is More

Once you have a sense of where you’re headed, it’s tempting to set a laundry list of goals for every category of life.

But one of the most common mistakes that so many creators make is chasing a million goals simultaneously.

That’s a recipe for burnout.

Spreading yourself too thin leads to superficial progress everywhere instead of meaningful progress somewhere.

You can’t do it all, at least not all at once. 

Instead, try the Law of 3: no more than three significant goals in each life area.

Why limit yourself to three? Because priorities are the key to success. By zeroing in on a few meaningful aims, you’ll avoid overload and create the mental bandwidth needed to execute at a high level.

If you’re tempted to take on more, break your goals into quarterly sprints. A full year can feel like an eternity, leading to procrastination.

The 12-Week Year method shifts your perspective.

• Concept: Achieve more in 12 weeks than most do in 12 months.

• How to Apply:

  • Set clear, measurable goals for each 12-week cycle.

  • Conduct weekly reviews to measure progress and pivot quickly if needed.

• Impact: You’ll avoid the classic trap of “I’ll do it next month,” and actually follow through on big plans.

Step 5 - Subtract Before You Add

Here’s the hard truth:

You can’t keep adding goals, commitments, and responsibilities without sacrificing something else.

For every major thing you want to accomplish in 2026, ask yourself:

What am I willing to give up to make this happen? 

Maybe it’s cutting back on social media or Netflix. Maybe it’s letting go of a project that no longer excites you. If you keep piling responsibilities onto your plate, you’re guaranteed to burn out. Every ‘yes’ should be accompanied by a conscious ‘no’ to something else.

Success requires focus, and focus requires space.

Make room for what matters most.

Step 6 - Plan a ‘Year-Defining’ Accomplishment

What’s one bold, audacious goal that will make 2026 unforgettable?

Something that challenges you, excites you, and maybe even scares you a little.

It could be dropping a full album, embarking on a major tour, launching an entirely new business venture, or finally tackling that marathon you keep pushing off.

The point is to create a milestone that stands out and a memory you’ll carry with you for years to come.

Because most of life blends into the background.

But a year-defining accomplishment anchors your growth and reminds you what you’re capable of. The point is to pick something that both thrills and intimidates you.

Why is this important?

• Creates a Milestone: Your year won’t blur into average. You’ll have a signature achievement that stands out.

• Drives Personal Growth: This challenge will test your limits and transform what you believe is possible.

If it doesn’t make your heart beat faster, it’s not big enough.

Step 7 - Infuse Adventure Into Your Year

Don’t let life become a grind of to-do lists and deadlines.

Every other month, plan a mini-adventure to shake things up and reignite your creative passion!

They don’t have to be expensive or elaborate. Maybe you take a road trip with no itinerary, try something completely outside your comfort zone (dance classes perhaps?), or simply spend a weekend immersing yourself in nature.

The key is novelty… doing something that breaks your routine and refreshes your perspective.

These small adventures will fuel your creativity and keep you connected to the joy of living.

Think about the impact this could have…

• Creative Fuel: Stepping out of your routine sparks fresh ideas.

• Stress Relief: Adventures keep burnout at bay.

• Life Memories: You’ll get stories and experiences that enrich your artistry.

When was the last time you did something purely for the fun of it? What simple adventure could bring back that spark?

Step 8 - Stack Winning Habits Quarterly

Big changes don’t come from one-time resolutions.

They come from the habits you build day by day. Add one new habit each quarter and watch how they compound over time.

Start small.

• Q1 might be about journaling and gratitude practice every morning.

• Q2 could focus on doing daily vocal warmups.

• Q3 could be about implementing a daily exercise routine.

• Q4 introduces daily meditation or spiritual study.

You get the point.

By year-end, you’ll have four solid habits that are second nature, each building on the last.

Remember, habits form the backbone of your daily existence. They transform your daily life and accumulate to shape your future. This compounding effect is so powerful! Small, consistent actions grow into massive, long-term gains.

When you commit to one transformative habit each quarter, you allow it to take root without overwhelming yourself.

Which single habit, if you truly implemented it, would have the biggest positive impact on your life right now?

Step 9 - Tune Into Your Energy Rhythms

Productivity isn’t just about time, it’s about energy.

Time management is only half the equation… energy management is the real secret of high performers.

Pay attention to when you feel most alert and inspired versus when you hit that daily energy slump. Schedule your weeks accordingly.

Prioritize high-impact creative tasks like songwriting, music production, and content creation during your peak hours.

Reserve emails, administrative tasks, and other lower-stakes work for periods when your energy naturally dips.

Don’t forget to build in recovery time.

If you’re drained, your creativity will suffer. Recognize that rest and rejuvenation are essential ingredients to sustained productivity and well-being.

How can you reshuffle your daily schedule to match your natural highs and lows?

Step 10 - Build In Accountability

Accountability is the glue that keeps your plans from falling apart.

A plan without accountability tends to fizzle out by mid-February.

Who will walk alongside you on this journey?

Commit to your goals publicly or find a small group of peers to check in with regularly. Consider creating a mastermind within the HOME Community. Share your wins, struggles, and progress. Celebrate each other’s milestones!

Lean on your Homies to hold you accountable. The more people you involve, the harder it becomes to slack off.

You don’t have to go it alone. HOME exists to guide the way, push you forward, and hold you steady when challenges arise.

When challenges pop up, and they will, having a support system can mean the difference between giving up and pushing through.

Iron sharpens iron. Your community is your catalyst.

Here’s a quick recap for your review. But I encourage you to go through the post and actually do the exercises if you want to MAKE 2026 YOUR YEAR!

This is how you plan your year for true fulfillment:

1. Reflect on where you’ve been and the lessons you’ve learned.

2. Define success across all areas of life, not just your career.

3. Imagine your ideal life and use it as your North Star.

4. Focus your efforts on 3 goals for each quarter in each area of your life.

5. Let go of what no longer serves you to make space for your next level.

6. Chase one big, bold accomplishment that will define your year.

7. Plan mini-adventures to keep life fresh and exciting.

8. Stack small habits that compound into massive growth.

9. Align your schedule with your natural energy rhythms.

10. Hold yourself accountable with your peers and community.

Let’s ditch the mundane and design a life rich with purpose, adventure, and achievement!

When you step into the new year with this kind of clarity and intention, you’re truly transforming your life.

So take the time to plan your year.

Let’s thrive together 🙌

Let’s be real: making a career in music is tough.

Streaming payouts are low, competition is high, and most artists don’t have a roadmap to profitability.

But here’s the truth: music can be very profitable—if you understand the game.

The game is about having a long-term strategy that starts with a well-known concept from the business world: Lifetime Value of a Customer (LTV).

Let’s reframe this for music creators as Lifetime FAN Value (LFV). 

Once you understand LFV, you’ll never look at your music career the same way again. You will understand why you are investing in marketing, and you will stay focused on the long game!

A Few Key Metrics You Need to Know

Before we dive in, let’s break down three crucial marketing and financial metrics.

These are important concepts that will help you build a sustainable music business.

1. Lifetime FAN Value (LFV):
   This is the total revenue one fan generates over the course of their relationship with your brand. It’s not just about that first merch sale or stream—it’s about everything they’ll spend supporting you across your entire career.

2. Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC):
   CAC is how much money it costs to acquire one fan. This could include ad spend, playlist pitching fees, or other marketing expenses.

3. Return on Investment (ROI):
   ROI is how much money you make back compared to what you spend. For your music career, this means the profit generated from all of your revenue streams (distribution payouts, PRO payouts, merch, shows, etc.)

Understanding LFV: The Restaurant Analogy

Imagine your favorite restaurant spends $100 in advertising to acquire you as a customer.

Your first meal costs $40—on the surface, that’s a $60 loss, right?

But here’s the magic:

If you eat there 10 times in a year, you’ve now spent $400. That $100 investment was a no-brainer.

Now, let’s suppose that you eat there 10 times per year for 5 years.

That’s $2,000 that the restaurant earned with a $100 customer acquisition cost (CAC).

The same logic applies to investing money to find your fans.

Your goal isn’t just to make a quick buck—it’s to build a long-term relationship where they support you repeatedly for years or even decades. 

Streams, merch, live shows, fan clubs—the possibilities are endless.

The Fan Math: Breaking It All Down

Let’s calculate how LFV plays out for a music creator.

1. Acquiring Fans Through Ads:
   Results for advertising vary widely depending on the specific content you are using for your ads. When I used to run social media ad campaigns for artists, we aimed for $0.50 per landing page view.

   On average, 1 in 10 landing page views became a Spotify follower, costing $5 per follower.
   Now, let’s say 20% of those followers become true, engaged fans. That means it costs about $25 to acquire a real fan.

2. Initial Break-Even on Ads:
   To make this work, you need to earn back at least $25 per fan over the lifetime of your career. This could come from:

   • A $25 t-shirt

   • One concert ticket

   • A Patreon subscription
     Sounds doable, right? Here’s where it gets better.

3. Impact Word of Mouth & Sharing:
   Your superfans will spread the word for you. If one fan brings in just one more, your CAC is cut in half. Now, your cost per fan drops to $12.50, and the numbers start to really make sense. If you drop a viral video or a song that people absolutely LOVE, the sharing and word of mouth could drop your CAC to 10% of the original cost ($2.50 per new fan).

The Compounding Effect of Growth

The real magic happens when your efforts start compounding.

Here’s how:

1. Better Music = More Fans: As your craft improves, your fanbase grows.

2. Smarter Marketing = Lower CAC: You’ll get better at targeting the right people.

3. Bigger Catalog = Higher LFV: More songs = more streams = more income.

4. Engaged Fans = Viral Growth: Shares lead to exponential reach and lower CAC.

This dynamic creates a ‘flywheel effect’, meaning that each component strengthens and feeds into the others, constantly increasing your rate of growth.

Viral Growth: The Secret Weapon

In the tech world, ‘viral growth’ refers to how one customer brings in another, creating an ideal marketing scenario and drastically lowering CAC. For artists, this means:

• Fans sharing your music on social media

• Spotify’s algorithm picking up your songs

• Influencers amplifying your content

Viral growth slashes your CAC and skyrockets your LFV.

But it all starts with YOU putting in the work and investing the money to get those first superfans.

And then it’s all about getting them to share!

Understanding why fans choose to share your music and content is critical to creating experiences that amplify organic growth. Here’s why people share music and how to tap into it:

Why People Share:

• Identity: People share content that reflects who they are (like a song about empowerment, nostalgia, or self-expression).

• Relatability: Songs tied to common experiences that we all understand resonate more (like love, heartbreak, joy).

• Utility: Sharing music for specific needs like workouts, studying, or relaxation.

• Belonging: Fans want to be part of a growing culture, community or movement.

How to Leverage Sharing Psychology:

• Create Identity-Driven Content: Songs and visuals that align with your audience’s self-image. Example: Lizzo’s self-love anthems inspire fans to share for personal empowerment.

• Design for Relatability: Share stories or moments tied to your music’s themes. Example: Taylor Swift connects deeply with fans by narrating relatable personal stories (especially for young females).

• Build Shareable Moments: Behind-the-scenes content, memorable hooks, or visual branding. Example: Viral TikTok trends often come from shareable, unique snippets of songs.

How Future Technologies Will Increase LFV

The music industry is evolving so fast!

That’s why we are Helping Our Music Evolve.

Here are a few emerging ways to monetize your fanbase:

• AI Voice Licensing: Imagine licensing your voice or production style to fans or collaborators, earning royalties without lifting a finger.

• Fan-Created Content: In the near future, fans will pay to remix or personalize their favorite artist’s songs.

• NFTs & Exclusive Experiences: Right now you can offer digital collectibles or once-in-a-lifetime fan interactions, and many artists are already making tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars through NFTs.

  • A great example is Nashville’s own Sammy Arriaga who collaborates with our Homie Emma Lynn and made $250K+ from his NFT drops in just 7 weeks!

The possibilities are endless—but only if you invest in building your fanbase today.

Want to learn more about how you can leverage future music industry trends and technology?

Watch this HOMIE Podcast episode with Rob Abelow, creator of the highly popular industry newsletter, Where Music’s Going 👇

Stay Focused on the Long Game

Stop looking at your music career through the lens of quick payouts.

Start thinking about Lifetime FAN Value.

Invest in getting fans now, even if it feels slow or expensive. With time, their value multiplies—not just in dollars but in the impact they’ll have on your career.

See your fans as your growth partners.

This is the attention economy. You’re not just making music—you’re capturing the attention of music lovers who each have the potential to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars with you over the course of your career.

Invest wisely, nurture your fan relationships, and watch the value soar 📈💸

It’s time to get intentional about how you work.

It’s so easy to stay stuck in a cycle of reacting to whatever comes at you, instead of leading your own journey with purpose.

To break free, you’ve got to master The Three Types of Work:

1. Work as It Comes In

2. Planning Your Work

3. Doing Pre-Planned Work

This idea is deceptively simple, but it’s an extremely important distinction that can massively increase your productivity. Let’s break it down so you can redefine your workday, and make sure you’re maximizing your time on what matters most.

1. Work as It Comes In: Avoid the Distraction Trap

The first type of work is reactive.

It’s when you handle tasks as soon as they come in or as soon as you think about them—replying to emails, responding to DMs, or dealing with unexpected requests. It’s also the default mode when you are bouncing around between tasks without a clear plan of what to do next.

It’s usually driven by other people's priorities, not yours.

This is the kind of work that sneaks in and takes over your day if you’re not careful.

Why You Should Protect Yourself from It:

• It often falls under the ‘low-skill, low-pay’ category.

• It’s usually urgent for others but not important for you.

• This type of work keeps you busy, not productive—stealing time and energy from your biggest goals.

Practical Example for Music Creators:

I often see music creators being pulled to constantly play ‘low impact’ gigs every time they are asked to. Because music creators love playing, they underestimate how much time it takes away from the other important important components of their business like content creation and marketing.

For most creators, the marketing is what could really move the needle for them, not playing another writers round.

HARD TRUTH.

Solution:

Minimize work-as-it-comes-in by blocking time to do what you have to do to grow your career sustainably. Protect your creative time fiercely.

Keep your commitments to yourself.

If someone asks you to have a meeting with them during one of your time blocks, you politely decline and say that you already have a prior commitment.

It’s TRUE!

2. Planning Your Work: Design Your Path

The second type of work is strategic.

For a refresher, read Strategic Thinking 101. Here are a few worksheets to review:

Use these worksheets to plan what you need to accomplish to hit your big goals.

You’re deciding on priorities, laying out timelines, and making sure you’re focusing on high-impact activities.

Why It’s Important:

• When you plan, you ensure your actions align with your vision, not someone else’s.

• You’re designing a clear path forward, avoiding aimless work.

• It helps you focus on the ‘not urgent but important’ tasks—those critical actions that will drive real success over time.

Practical Example for Music Creators:

Imagine you’re planning to release a new song. Instead of winging it, you sit down and map out the whole release process—content schedule, marketing plan, playlist strategy, everything. You’re setting deadlines and visualizing how all the pieces come together.

Planning Your Work might also mean deciding which songs to focus on for sync licensing, which collaborators to prioritize, and what marketing initiatives to pursue in the next few months.

It's all about being the architect of your own destiny.

3. Doing Pre-Planned Work: Execute with Impact

The final and most important type of work is pre-planned work.

This is when you’re in execution mode—doing what you’ve already laid out during your planning sessions.

You’re not reacting to distractions or figuring out what to do next.

You’re simply executing on your strategy and your plan.

Why It’s Key to Success:

• Focused execution is what makes the big goals happen!

• It moves you away from the reactive and into the intentional.

• Most of this work is what the Eisenhower matrix calls ‘not urgent but important’—the kind of work that has a lasting impact but often doesn’t scream for immediate attention.

Practical Example for Music Creators:

Think of writing and producing a song—if it’s part of your pre-planned work, you’ve blocked out a full morning to dive in.

You’re working on the track without interruption, because you’ve planned it, you know it’s a priority, and you’re making real progress.

In a similar way, you must make sure you block off time to do the pre-planned content creation, running ads, and connecting with potential team members—assuming those tasks are tied to your ultimate goal of building a major music career.

Recap: How to Crush Your Music Goals 👊

When it comes to doing pre-planned work, you need structures that protect your focus. Here’s where time blocking and task batching come in:

• Time Blocking: Dedicate blocks of time on your calendar specifically to deep creative work, planning sessions, or other pre-planned activities. During this time, you only focus on that one category of work—whether it’s songwriting, mixing, or strategizing your marketing plan. No distractions.

• Task Batching: Group similar tasks together to reduce the mental load of switching. Set aside a whole afternoon just for content creation, or squeeze all of your meetings into an entire day once a week. This helps you stay in the creative zone and get more done.

So what does this look like in practice?

Here's an example of how you might structure your music creation flow using the Three Types of Work:

1. Set aside time at the beginning of each week to PLAN your work.

   • Review your goals and projects

   • Break down next steps into specific tasks

   • Schedule time blocks for different types of work

2. Protect the majority of your time for PRE-PLANNED work.

   • Focus on high-impact, goal-aligned tasks

   • Use time blocking and task batching for efficiency

   • Find a distraction free workplace like HOME - Helping Our Music Evolve

3. Set boundaries around WORK AS IT COMES IN

   • Check emails/DMs/notifications ONLY at designated times

   • Learn to say no to off-brand opportunities

   • Put your phone and computer in focus mode

The goal is simple: maximize the time you spend doing planned work that drives you toward your highest goals.

Minimize the time spent reacting to things that pull you away from your vision.

Remember, what gets scheduled gets done. Make sure your schedule reflects the career you want to build, not just the noise that’s coming at you.

By following this flow, you ensure that the bulk of your time and energy is going towards work that is moving you closer to your dreams, not just keeping you busy.

And that's what it's all about - being intentional, strategic, and focused in your creative pursuit.

You get to decide what to focus on, what to say yes or no to, and how to spend your most precious resources - your time, energy and attention.

Use this framework to reclaim that control, stay aligned with your true north, and build the music career of your dreams, one thoughtful, pre-planned step at a time.

Plan your work, protect your time, and execute relentlessly.

That’s how you go from being just busy, to being unstoppable.

You don't just want to put on good events - you want to create LEGENDARY events!

Follow the acronym LEGENDARY for a 9 part formula that will elevate your events from average to iconic:

L- Lay the Groundwork

E - Elevate the Experience

G - Gather Your Talent

E - Engage Your Audience

N - Nail the Operations

D - Design a Lasting Memory

A - Amplify the Hype

R - Run of Show

Y - Your Authentic Self

Keep reading for an ultra-actionable event planning guide and create an experience that keeps people talking long after it is over!

L - Lay the Groundwork

Before you start booking venues or blasting out promo, lay a solid foundation for your event. This means:

• Define your event vision and goals

• Identify potential team members

• Set a realistic budget and timeline

The clearer you are on these fundamentals, the easier every other planning step will be.

Don't skip this crucial groundwork!

E - Elevate the Experience

To create a truly LENGENDARY event, every element of the audience experience needs to be elevated. Consider how you can level up:

• Your staging and production design

• Your setlist and performance flow

• Your fan interactions and crowd engagement

• Your pre and post-show rituals

Aim to surprise, delight, and over-deliver at every touchpoint. The little details are what make an event feel truly special!

Also consider ways to raise the stakes and create a sense of occasion:

• Make your event part of a special series or residency

• Tie it to a significant milestone or anniversary

• Partner with a charity or cause you care about (like Helping Music Foundation)

• Tease a big announcement or surprise during the show

• Create scarcity or exclusivity around tickets

When there's more riding on your event than just another show, people will be more motivated to show up and tune in.

G - Gather Your Talent

Surround yourself with a team that shares your vision and work ethic. Your dream event contributors might include:

• A promoter (the person who puts ‘butts in the seats’ as they say in the biz)

• A social media content creator

• A digital marketer (like our incredible Homies at Bauer Entertainment Marketing)

• A popular headliner (if that’s not you)

• Carefully curated opening acts

• Surprise guest appearances

• A top-notch sound engineer and production crew

• An experienced event manager

• Talented visual artists or designers

A group of passionate and creative people will take your event to heights you never could alone.

E - Engage Your Audience

Legendary events aren't one-way performances - they're interactive experiences.

Look for creative ways to involve your audience before, during, and after your show:

• Host a meet-and-greet or VIP experience

• Encourage audience participation during your set

• Create shareable photo moments

• Follow up with a personalized thank-you

• Allow artists to submit to play like we did for Gift of Music 🎁

  • We’ll announce the winner soon so stay tuned!

The more you make your fans feel like part of the experience, the more invested they'll become in your journey.

N - Nail the Operations

Smooth logistics are the backbone of any successful event. To avoid day-of disasters:

• CONFIRM WITH EVERYONE

• Have backup plans for technical issues

• Coordinate load-in and soundcheck times

• Make sure your team has clear roles and communication channels

• Communicate twice as much as you think you should about everything that needs to be done. Make sure everyone is on the same page!

Focus on what really matters - delivering an incredible show.

D - Design a Lasting Memory

Legendary events aren't just fun in the moment - they create lasting memories.

Consider how you can give your audience something to remember your show by:

• Design custom merch or exciting giveaways

• Record a live video or make a social media recap reel

• Commission a unique event poster or artwork

• Prompt guests to sign a guest book and leave personalized notes

Be creative!

These tangible mementos will make a deeper impression on your attendees.

A - Amplify the Hype

Don't just rely on organic buzz - actively amplify the hype around your event. This means:

• Teasing the event well in advance

• Sharing behind-the-scenes content

• Partnering with local media or influencers

• Running ticket giveaways or contests

• Investing in targeted ads or promoted posts

Build anticipation so that by the time your event rolls around, it feels like a can't-miss experience.

Ultimately you are looking to sell tickets or get people to RSVP. In the marketing world, that is called a ‘conversion’. 

In other words, you want people to show up!

R - Run of Show

A clear, detailed run of show is essential for keeping your event on track. Create a minute-by-minute timeline that covers:

• Load-in and setup times

• Soundchecks and line checks

• Door times and set times

• Transitions between acts

• Key moments or cues (e.g. introductions, speeches, surprises)

• MC responsibilities

• Breakdown and load-out

• Clean up punch list

Share this run of show document with all key stakeholders - your team, your performers, your venue contact.

Make sure everyone is on the same page about the flow of the event - down to the minute ⏰

Y - You're the Magic Ingredient!

At the end of the day, the most legendary element of your event is YOU.

So even with all the planning and logistics, don't forget to bring your full, authentic self to the stage. That's the real secret to a legendary show.

Putting on an event that people will be talking about for years to come?

That's the mark of a true legend in the making. 🙌

Event production should not be taken on without serious consideration, because it can be VERY stressful!

But it can also be so rewarding to see everyone have a magical evening 💫

And when you look back on your journey, you won't just see a string of gigs and ticket sales. You'll see a collection of extraordinary moments and memories that connected you to your audience in a profound way.

So dream big, plan boldly, and make your next event the stuff of legends!

P.S. If you have gotten value from these newsletters, please consider supporting 🙏

 🎊 Our BIGGEST EVENT of the year is just days away 📆 November 20th at Analog (NOT AT HOME). This is the first time that we have booked an event outside of our own space in a long time, and this is an absolutely gorgeous venue.

Let’s show up and show out 🤩

I would LOVE to see YOU there! Tickets are donation based and directly support nonprofit development programs for music creators 💙 Get tickets & RSVP here 🎟️

If you want fans, you can’t just leave it to luck.

You need a fan journey—an intentional path that takes someone from first hearing your music to becoming a true superfan.

This journey is what separates casual listeners from raving supporters. A successful fan journey is the difference between someone giving your song an occasional stream and a fan buying tickets to your show, sharing your music, and spending money on your merch.

And that journey has to be engineered. It has to be mapped out, tested, and refined.

But before we dive deeper into the journey, let’s back up a step.

The most important thing you need before you start charting this journey is to create your fan avatar. 

If you don’t know who your fan is, you can’t possibly understand how to lead them on this path.

Before You Begin - Create Your Fan Avatar

Your fan avatar is the foundation of everything.

It helps you understand exactly who you’re trying to connect with, which shapes all your creative and promotional decisions. The more specific you get, the more effective your entire strategy will be.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Name Your Fan: Giving your fan a name makes it personal. Imagine you're creating content or writing posts for "Jess" or "Alex"—a specific person who fits the mold of your ideal fan.

2. Demographics: How old are they? Where do they live? Are they high school students or young professionals? This informs everything from the platforms you target to the vibe of your messaging.

3. Lifestyle & Hobbies: What are their interests beyond your music? Are they into skateboarding, wellness, gaming, or activism? This tells you what other cultural pockets to tap into when promoting your music.

4. Where They Hang Out Online: Are they scrolling on TikTok, diving into Instagram stories, or are they more into Discord communities? Knowing this helps you figure out where to focus your content efforts.

5. Music Preferences: Who are their favorite artists besides you? Knowing your fan’s taste helps you position your music in the context of other artists that they already love and engage with. These would be ideal collaborations!

6. Emotional Needs: Why are they listening to your music? Are they looking for an escape, for inspiration, or something that makes them feel understood? Lean into those emotions when you craft your messaging.

Understanding the Fan Journey

Product managers in the tech industry have studied and experimented extensively with the customer journey—the stages a potential customer goes through before deciding to buy a product.

For the music industry, it’s all about mapping out the fan journey: the journey someone takes from discovering your music to becoming a superfan.

And just like a tech product, your music is your value offering, and the journey is how you convert casual interest into deep loyalty.

There are three questions you need to ask at each stage in the fan journey:

1. What do I want them to know?

2. What do I want them to see?

3. What do I want them to do?

These questions will help you make sure you’re not leaving any steps out, which is crucial when you want to build that deep, authentic connection. Every stage of the journey should guide your fan from one level of engagement to the next.

If you want to create a visual version of your fan journey that you can look at regularly, I recommend using a kanban board on the wall. All you need is some sticky notes!

Step 1: Discovery

The discovery phase is where a fan first encounters your music.

This could be through a Spotify playlist, a social media post, or even word of mouth. At this stage, they don’t know you at all, so everything you do here needs to be designed to capture attention and invite them in.

• What do I want them to know? You want them to know who you are and why they should care. This means nailing your artist bio, defining your story, and positioning yourself in a way that sets you apart. What makes you different? What’s your sound? What’s the message?

  • Revisit the Artist Branding Playbook if you need clarity here!

• What do I want them to see? This is about creating that visual hook. When they first discover you, maybe through your Spotify profile or Instagram, your branding needs to speak to them. Make sure your visuals align with your sound and message—your cover art, your photos, and your feed.

• What do I want them to do? You want them to hit follow. You want them to save the song to their playlist, or better yet, visit your page to hear more. Engagement here is about minimizing friction—making it as easy as possible for them to go deeper.

  • Don’t forget to tell them clearly what you want them to do. This is your CTA (Call to Action/Adventure).

Step 2: Engagement

In the engagement phase, potential fans are aware of you, and they're on the verge of going deeper into your world. They’ve heard your music and have some level of interest.

This is where you start building that deeper connection.

• What do I want them to know? You want them to understand your story in greater depth. What drives you? Why do you make music? Fans become superfans when they resonate with you as a human being—when they see something in your story that connects with their own life. Let them in. Show them the behind-the-scenes.

• What do I want them to see? Now, they need to see consistency. Are you releasing content regularly? Are you posting snippets of new music or behind-the-scenes moments that let them feel like part of your world? Consistent activity keeps you top of mind. Think about what they’re seeing on social media, in their Spotify playlists, and even in emails.

• What do I want them to do? You want them to engage more deeply—maybe sign up for your email list or join your fan community. This is where you capture that fan data! Engagement is about deepening the relationship—inviting them to register for a private live stream, offering exclusive content, or getting them in a text messaging group.

  • Read CLASSIC Formula for Music Marketing for more info about capturing fan data.

Step 3: Conversion

In the conversion phase, fans go from passive listeners to active supporters. This is the point where you turn a follower into a superfan—someone willing to pay for your music, attend your concerts, and support you over time.

• What do I want them to know? You want them to know how they can support you and why it matters. Be clear about the value you are offering and the impact their support has on your journey. Whether it’s attending your upcoming show, buying your merch, or paying for exclusive content, make sure they understand the value of their support.

  • Read this post to learn how to Speak Your Value!

• What do I want them to see? They need to see proof. Proof that they are part of something bigger. Show them your growing fan community, showcase the successes that you, and keep innovating. People love to feel like they are part of a movement or part of something exciting!

• What do I want them to do? The action is to convert. Join your Patreon, buy your merch, or come to your show. This is where they make the leap from being a fan to being a paid supporter—someone who contributes to your livelihood as an artist.

Step 4: Retention and Advocacy

In the final phase, it’s all about keeping the fire burning 🔥

These are your superfans, the people who have made it all the way through the journey and are your true champions.

• What do I want them to know? They should know they’re appreciated. They should know about all the cool things happening in your career because of them. Acknowledge them, thank them, and make them feel like an insider.

• What do I want them to see? Let them see the exclusive side of you. Give them access to private content, personal messages, VIP meet and greets or exclusive events. You also want them to meet other fans in your fan club! Those deeper connections will keep them engaged for the long haul.

• What do I want them to do? You want them to spread the word. Encourage them to share your content, bring friends to your concerts, wear your merch proudly, and talk about your music. They’re now your ambassadors—your most valuable asset in growing your audience.

Mapping Out the Journey

The fan journey is a funnel—starting broad and getting narrower as you move through the stages. At the top are casual listeners; at the bottom are superfans. The journey is never about one-off results; it’s about leading your fans from point A to point B, one step at a time.

Make each step in the journey count.

Mapping out your fan journey takes the randomness out of fan growth.

It’s about creating an experience that brings people in, step by step, until they can’t help but support you.

Understand your fan avatar, be intentional at each stage of the journey, and apply these strategies to turn casual listeners into lifelong supporters.

The difference between hoping for fans and building a loyal audience is the intention behind every step.

So map it out and make it intentional.

Think about that.

The key takeaway for you as a music creator?

Stop trying to make everything perfect.

Your music, your content—these are just versions of your larger journey and brand.

Launching Means Shipping Your Product

Seth Godin coined the term ‘shipping’ as an analogy for getting your creative work out into the world. He compares launching your art with shipping a product to a customer.

The idea is simple: Get it out the door. 

Too often, music creators get paralyzed by overthinking, by the fear of releasing something that isn’t quite ‘perfect’. 

But the truth is, if you’re waiting for the perfect song, the perfect video, or the perfect release plan, you’re waiting too long.

Perfection is the enemy of progress. Ship your work!

Put it out into the world, imperfections and all. Why? Because each launch is a test. It’s a way for you to learn, grow, and iterate on your craft.

If you hold back waiting for a perfect version, you miss the real point: growth through action.

A Launch is a Test, Not an Approval Seeking Exercise

Every launch is simply an opportunity to learn.

Think of it as an experiment, just like a scientist would. What’s the hypothesis? Maybe it's that your new single will get more streams than your last.

Maybe you’ve spent countless hours refining your latest track, trying to make it flawless. Maybe you have been planning a social media content series, maybe you have been designing new merch… after a certain point, you need to test so that you know what to do next! 

Release it. And then observe the reaction.

The truth is, you can only plan so much and you’ll never really know what works until you launch it and see how people react.

The more you launch, the more feedback you get.

That feedback is gold—it tells you what’s working, what’s not, and where you should pivot or double down.

Just make sure that you actually put in the work to get your music in front of people.

Did you know?

That means that, by having any fans at all, you are already in the top 20% of the world’s creators!

If you have a song with over 100K streams, that song is in the top 5% of all songs released on the platform 🤯

Iteration: Crafting a Cycle of Growth

The goal here isn’t to create one perfect release that gets everyone’s approval.

It’s to launch, test, and iterate.

If the launch didn’t go as planned, great—you learned something. If it went better than expected, you also learned something.

This is how you create a feedback loop that continually pushes you forward.

With every new release, you’re not only putting out your music; you’re refining your brand, you’re understanding your audience better, and you’re getting clearer on what resonates and what doesn’t.

Think of launching each new song, content series, or merch line as a stepping stone toward mastering your craft, not just musically, but in how you connect with your audience and present your art.

Every time you launch, you get a little bit closer to achieving the kind of impact and reach you’re aiming for.

5 Practical Steps to Launch, Test, and Iterate

1. Set a Version Mindset for Everything You Do: Think about each release, each piece of content, and each marketing effort as a version. It’s a V1, V2, V3. You’re constantly improving, but you’re not aiming for perfection out of the gate. Your first goal is to launch.

2. Define What You’re Testing: What do you want to learn from this release? Is it about understanding how your audience responds to a new sound? Or maybe it’s about seeing how well you can build hype with your pre-release campaign. BE SPECIFIC! Get clear about what you’re testing and set SMARTER Goals to make sure you can measure results.

3. Gather Feedback and Observe Results: After the launch, don’t just move on—analyze. Did you hit your targets? Did you grow your audience? What did the engagement look like on social media? Read the comments, note the reactions, and don’t be scared to personally ask your fans what they think.

4. Iterate and Make Adjustments: Based on the feedback, adjust your approach for the next release. Was there a specific type of content that got shared a lot? Did a particular post flop? Use that insight to do better next time. The process is about small, continuous tweaks—not a complete overhaul every time.

5. Launch Again: This is the cycle: Launch, Test, Iterate, Repeat. Keep the feedback loop going, and soon enough, you’ll see major improvement—not just in your music, but in your ability to market it, engage your audience, and truly grow your fanbase.

Keep the Big Picture in Mind

The faster you learn, the clearer you become on where you want to go, and the more effective you’ll be at reaching those goals.

Over time, the small iterations compound.

• You become better at making music.

• You become more effective at marketing your work.

• Your audience grows, and so does your impact.

This is a long game.

You’re not just releasing music - you’re building a brand, a legacy, a career that evolves over time. 

It starts with shipping.

So, stop overthinking, get out of your own way, and launch something into the world.

It doesn’t have to be perfect.

It just has to be the next test, and you iterate from there.

Because at the end of the day, your success won’t be built by what you thought about doing—it will be built on what you did, what you shipped, and how you learned from it.

Launch, test, and iterate your way to success 🚀🧐🔁

P.S. We practice what we preach at HOME 💯 We have been cooking up a VERY SPECIAL new initiative for over a year, and we are now ready to launch, test and iterate on our exciting new A&R Program 👂🤩 Hit this link to get a sneak peek at the 9 incredible creators on the A&R Committee and join us November 20th at Analog for the official launch 👀🚀

This post was inspired by Paul Graham’s famous essay, "Maker's Schedule, Manager's Schedule". Paul Graham is the founder of the startup accelerator, Y Combinator, and helped launch some of the most successful tech companies in the world (like AirBnB, Stripe, Coinbase, and Dropbox to name a few).

I stumbled onto the idea of Maker’s and Manager’s schedule several years ago, and it definitely helped me unlock new levels of productivity. Recently, I heard a podcast talking about the concept and I was inspired to adapt it to the music industry.

To truly thrive as you are building your creative business, you need to master the art of dividing your schedule into three major parts:

• Maker Time

• Manager Time

• Money Time

Let’s dive in to find out what that means and how it can change the trajectory of your creative career!

Maker Time: The Art of Making Something Extraordinary

When you hear ‘Maker Time’, I want you to think of deep, focused creativity.

This is the time that leverages your skills and creative drive to produce something truly remarkable—whether it’s new music, new merch, or new content for your fans.

Maker Time is where you need large, uninterrupted blocks of time to get into the creative zone.

No notifications. No distractions. NO MEETINGS DURING MAKER TIME!

This isn’t an hour here and there; it’s multiple four to five hour blocks each week where you can dive into a project without coming up for air. The goal here is to create something extraordinary, to pour yourself fully into the process of making.

Remember, if you don’t protect this time, no one will.

Making music is the heartbeat of your career, and nothing can replace the output of a focused, dedicated creative session.

Pro Tip: Block out Maker Time on your calendar for the hours when you feel the most creative and energized. Be ruthless about protecting it. You can’t produce your best work if you’re just squeezing in time between other commitments.

Manager Time: Making Moves in the Business

Great music isn’t enough to build a long-term career—you need to actively move your projects, opportunities, and relationships forward.

That’s where ‘Manager Time’ comes in. You’re managing your career, not just making art. You’re ‘working on the business’ not just ‘in the business’.

This part of your schedule is about communicating, coordinating, and pushing the business forward.

Manager Time is when you connect with collaborators, your team members, or industry contacts. You follow up on leads, schedule sessions, have meetings, brainstorm with co-creators, and build your network.

This is about leveraging the relationships and people around you to make things happen. Even if you have a manager, who is managing them? YOU.

Music creators are entrepreneurs and they have to be their own CEO.

That means you need dedicated hours for networking, planning, and execution.

Pro Tip: Keep your Manager Time in dedicated blocks on certain days. This is when you take meetings and calls so it does not interrupt your creative focus during Maker Time.

Batch your management tasks together so your creativity isn’t constantly split by jumping between making and managing.

Money Time: Keeping the Dream Alive

Money Time is exactly what it sounds like. For the vast majority of creators, music alone doesn’t yet pay the bills, and that’s okay. 

You need to earn money in the most effective, efficient and least stressful way possible, so you can keep working toward your true passion without constantly worrying about finances.

Maybe you’re gigging on weekends, freelancing, or doing side hustles.

Whatever it is, Money Time is about earning what you need to sustain your creative journey.

Treat this like a job—because it is. The purpose here is to generate income efficiently, giving you more bandwidth to focus on growing your music business.

Pro Tip: Maximize the efficiency of Money Time. Look for opportunities that let you earn the most money in the shortest amount of time and with the least emotional drain. OR Look for opportunities to ‘double dip’. That means that you are able to accomplish some of your music-related goals while on the clock. Maybe you Uber and play your music for all of the tourists, maybe you play cover gigs that help you keep your chops up, maybe you teach lessons, make songwriter demos or write custom music for clients… that’s a double dip!

Just remember, the top priority is to stay energized and inspired for your creative work, so choose Money Time that supports and does not sabotage your goals.

Balancing the Three Types of Time

Now that you understand the three types of time, it’s time to actually put them on your calendar 📅

The magic here is in balance.

If you spend all your time in Maker Mode, your career might lack momentum. Spend too much time managing, and you lose your creative edge. Neglect Money Time, and you risk running out of resources.

Look at your calendar and decide:

When is your Maker Time?

When will you manage?

When will you grow your finances?

Create these big weekly recurring time blocks on your calendar and mark them now!

This is about being deliberate—balancing your creative work, your business, and your finances in a way that keeps the dream alive.

When you get this right, it means:

• You’re making better music than ever because you’re getting deep into Maker Time.

• You’re making more strategic moves because Manager Time lets you think like a CEO.

• And you’re earning enough to keep investing in your career, your craft, and yourself with Money Time.

Apply this Lesson and Watch it Work

Most creators and entrepreneurs who struggle don’t have a time issue—they have a focus issue.

They’re constantly switching between making, managing, and hustling for cash in a stressful way, without dedicating enough focus to any one thing to really move the needle.

By breaking your week into Maker Time, Manager Time, and Money Time, you’re compartmentalizing your bandwidth and giving each area the attention it deserves.

And by forcing that additional level of focus, you will naturally learn to accomplish more in each allotted time block.

So, block off your calendar, protect your creative time, and commit to mastering your schedule. With deliberate planning, you’ll be creating the best music of your life, building your career, and growing your finances—all at the same time.

Let’s make it happen Homies!

Congratulations on releasing your music! 🎊🍾 🥂

Remember, bringing your artistic vision to life and having the bravery to release it into the world is already a HUGE accomplishment.

YOU ARE WINNING 🏆

You've now reached the final stage in the Successful Music Release series.

If you haven’t reviewed Parts 1 through 5, take a moment to do so now. Each part builds upon the last, equipping you with the strategies and tools needed to launch your music effectively.

• Part 1 - Setting a Clear Objective

• Part 2 - Developing a Roadmap to Release Every 8 Weeks

• Part 3 - Six Weeks from Release - Focusing on things like the artwork, distribution, and marketing plan.

• Part 4 - Four Weeks from Release - Focusing on content creation, editorial playlists, and pre-release strategy.

• Part 5 - Two Weeks from Release - Focusing on 3rd party playlisting, social ads, and fan sharing.

In this final installment, your music is out. Let’s make sure the world hears it!

Here’s the Successful Music Release GANTT chart again for you again:

At this point in the Successful Music Release roadmap, you are in weeks 7 & 8 on the release chart above. You are already actively doing the following things:

• Creating Content

• Posting & Engaging

• 3rd Party Playlisting

• Running Social Ads

• Asking Your Fans to Share

We’ll start this part of the series by tackling the last crucial action item on our GANTT chart - Leveraging Influencers - an EXTREMELY powerful strategy for music marketers.

Leverage Influencers (10 hr)

What is Influencer Marketing?

Influencer marketing involves getting your music shared through individuals who have a substantial and engaged following on social media platforms.

Influencers can amplify your music by sharing it with their audience, providing impactful recommendations or exposure that resonates with potential fans.

Influencer Marketing in Music

Influencers can play a pivotal role in your music marketing strategy by:

• Expanding Reach: Introducing your music to a broader audience.

• Building Credibility: Leveraging the trust influencers have with their followers.

• Driving Engagement: Encouraging their audience to listen, share, and engage with your music.

Organic Influencer Strategy

If you are going to have an organic influencer strategy, you should technically be working on it all the time. But during the two weeks following your release, you should put in some extra hours to see who might be interested in sharing your new song!

1. Identify Relevant Influencers: Look for influencers whose audience aligns with your target demographic. Their followers should have an interest in your music genre or style.

2. Approach with Caution: Just because someone has a lot of followers does not mean that they get much engagement or that their followers will appreciate your music. It’s all about targeting.

3. Build Relationships: Engage with their content genuinely before reaching out. Comment on their posts, share their content, and establish a rapport. Once the rapport is established, ask them if they do any partnerships with artists.

4. Measure Impact: Track the engagement and reach of influencer posts to assess the effectiveness of your partnerships.

Actionable Tips

• Choose Quality Over Quantity: Focus on influencers with genuine engagement rather than just high follower counts.

• Offer Value: Provide influencers with exclusive content or financial incentives that make collaboration appealing.

• Be Authentic: Ensure that the partnership feels natural and aligns with both your brand and the influencer’s persona.

  • Need a refresher on brand and persona? Read the Artist Branding Playbook 📖

Engagement Metrics of Influencers

When selecting influencers, consider the following engagement metrics:

• Engagement Rate: The ratio of interactions (likes, comments, shares) to the total number of followers.

• Reach and Impressions: How many people see the influencer’s content.

• Audience Demographics: Ensure their followers match your target audience in terms of age, location, and interests.

• Authenticity: The quality of interactions and the presence of genuine comments versus generic or spammy ones.

Marketing Metrics to Measure Campaign Success

To evaluate the success of your influencer campaigns, monitor these key metrics:

• Streams: Track increases in your song’s streams and downloads during and after the campaign.

• Social Media Engagement: Measure likes, comments, shares, and new followers gained.

• Website Traffic: Monitor visits to your landing page from influencer posts.

• Conversion Rates: Assess how many interactions lead to desired actions, such as new fan data collection or merchandise sales.

Estimated Cost/Budget Considerations

Here are some average price ranges for different types of influencers according to Google:

• Nano-influencers: (10,000–50,000 followers) $20–$200 per post

• Micro-influencers: (50,000–100,000 followers) $200–$5,000 per post

• Mid-tier influencers: (100,000–500,000 followers) $5,000–$10,000 per post

• Macro-influencers: (500,000–1 million followers) $10,000–$20,000 per post

• Mega-influencers: (1,000,000+ followers) $20,000+ per post 

Companies That Help With Influencer Marketing for Music

You can find interesting platforms like Preffy where influencers compete for your marketing budget by creating content featuring your music. Preffy is owned by the same Nashville-based company that owns Songfluencer, which is a higher budget influencer marketing company.

Check out this case study on Songfluencer’s site to learn more about their tactics and results.

If you are planning to work with a company, always ask for their case studies, testimonials, and track record for success!

Another company I will shoutout here is Innovo. They have various music marketing and influencer services. I know their founder, and they are definitely legit!

Looking Forward: Preparing for the Next Release

Your release cycle is actually 10 weeks according to the GANTT Chart:

• 2 Weeks of Review, Planning & Prep

• 4 Weeks of Promotion Leading up to Release

• 4 Weeks of Promotion Post-Release

So I decided to present it as a 12 week roadmap to clearly illustrate how each release feeds into the next, creating a continuous cycle of growth and improvement. The first two week period overlaps with two weeks of promotion from the previous release.

The key here is to build a machine that can turn into a real career for you.

Yes, it is hard, which is why not many people succeed.

It takes LONG TERM, STRATEGIC THINKING as I covered in this podcast monologue ‘The Number One Reason Artists Fail’

The Number One Reason Most Artists Fail | HOMIE Ep. 1 w/ Logan Crowell

Helping Our Music Industry Evolve - The HOMIE Podcast · Episode

open.spotify.com/episode/4B5dyX2IyORz09XTcnWMOW?si=56aa384866a14b0a

Keep the Machine Running

• Consistency is Key: Regular releases keep your momentum going and your audience engaged.

• Increase Quality Over Time: Focus on improving your music, content, and marketing strategies with each release.

• Optimize Systems: Streamline your processes to make your release strategy more efficient and effective.

The Power of Compounding

As you enhance various aspects of your career, the benefits compound:

• Music Quality: Better music attracts more listeners and increases retention.

• Content Quality: Engaging content keeps your audience interested and eager for more.

• Marketing Systems: Efficient systems save time and resources, allowing you to focus on creativity.

• Relationship Building: Strong relationships lead to collaborations, support, and eventually a team of talented people working on your music!

  • Read From DIY to Dream Team for a reminder about why a teamwork mentality is so important 💯

As your career grows, the real game changer is building a team to handle different aspects of your music business. A dedicated team can help scale your efforts, manage your marketing, and maintain your creative output, further compounding your success.

Your job is to build the machine, and then get other people to help you run that machine and make it run faster 📈

Get the machine running and always look for ways to make it more efficient. 

Over time, this machine will earn money, allowing you to build the life you truly want—a career fueled by creativity and sustained by smart marketing and strategic growth.

Conclusion: Your Journey Continues

Releasing music is not a one-time event but an ongoing journey.

The next two weeks on the roadmap start repeating the entire process over again. Even if you do not roll straight into your next release, it is a reminder to begin prepping early.

Remember, one of the key strategies behind releasing every 8 weeks is that you will stay top of mind for your audience.

By the time you get done promoting this release, you are already locked and loaded, ready to announce the next one 📢

The cycle is continuous, and each release builds upon the last, creating a powerful, self-sustaining machine that propels your career forward. You’ve got this, and HOME is here to support you every step of the way.

Keep creating, stay focused, and stay inspired!

P.S. if you need help staying inspired, read my post Inspiration is EASY for some techniques to channel unlimited creativity 💫

If you're just joining this series, take a moment to catch up on Parts 1-4.

• Part 1 started by setting clear objectives for your release.

• Part 2 introduced the roadmap to help you release music every 8 weeks.

• Part 3 guided you through the artwork, distribution, and marketing plan.

• Part 4 covered content creation, editorial playlists, and pre-release strategy.

Now we’re two weeks out from release day, diving into the final prep work. Weeks 5 and 6 on the 12-week roadmap bring us to some of the final, but immensely powerful strategies that will make sure your release doesn’t go unnoticed.

Two Weeks Out: Lock in the Details

This is where you put the puzzle together. These last two weeks before release day are crucial. You need to secure playlist placements, prepare your fan announcements, prep to start running ads, and get your fans ready to help amplify your music far and wide.

Here’s the GANTT chart again for you:

Keep in mind, at this point in the release process you are already spending an average of 1-2 hours per day creating and posting content on socials. Here’s what else you need to focus on during those crucial two weeks leading up to your release announcement 👇

1. Third-Party Playlisting (10+ hr)

Third-party playlisting means getting your music on playlists curated by music enthusiasts or playlist curators—not Spotify’s official editorial playlists or algorithmic playlists. 

This is the hustle side of playlisting, reaching out to people who have created their own public playlists on Spotify.

But here's the truth: not all playlists are created equal.

Buying your way onto playlists is a common practice, but it can also damage your brand. If the playlists are using fake accounts/bots and they get caught, it can make it look like you were intentionally buying streams and Spotify could take action against your artist profile.

Do not do pay for fake streams! You can’t buy true fans.

How to Find Quality Playlists

• Spotify App Search: Use the Spotify Mac app to find the 'Discovered On' section, which can help identify who curates a particular playlist. (Note: This feature may not be available on mobile devices.)

  • Submit Your Music Properly: If a playlist accepts submissions, refer back to the Artist Branding Playbook to craft a compelling pitch email. A well-presented submission can make a significant difference.

• SubmitHub: One effective tool is SubmitHub, where you can submit to nearly 2,000 playlists and blogs at minimal cost. They even have a free playlist checker to help you figure out whether a playlist is genuine or just filled with bots. I’ve seen artists get 10+ playlist placements with a $50 spend!

• Create Your Own: Another strategy is to create your own playlists and figure out how to get people listening! You could title it with ‘SEO’ in mind (search engine optimization), which means people find it when searching for a certain topic (like workout music). You can also run ads to people who would like the playlist (like gym enthusiasts and athletes).

  • You Become the Curator: If the playlist takes off you have a valuable tool! You can put your own music on the playlist and also take submissions from people who want to get on it, growing your network and influence.

Remember, getting onto playlists is great, but it’s not a magic wand. They are part of the strategy—not the strategy itself.

Playlists will mostly bring you passive listeners.

That means that the people listening to the playlists are usually not actively engaged with the artists. It’s mostly background music.

However, getting on third-party playlists can help trigger the Spotify algorithm, getting you into playlists like Discover Weekly, which is where you’ll find more engaged listeners, bigger audience numbers, and more income from your streams.

When you’re submitting directly and building relationships with curators, start at least two weeks before the release, and make sure you have crafted your pitch!

Remember, these curators want to discover dope new artists!

It’s about how you can add value to their playlist, not about what you can get from them. Be ready for them to ask you to follow up after release day so that they have the link.

Curators typically prefer adding new releases but are still open to older tracks that fit their list. Timing matters, but don’t be afraid to try to get onto playlists with older material as well. If you have an older song that didn’t gain traction, consider re-releasing it to give it a fresh chance at discovery.

If the music is hot you gotta make sure people hear it 🔥

Check out this short video I shared in the HOME for Music online community 👀

Playlist Cheat Code: Find Curators & Submit Your Music

2. Prep Your Release Day Announcement (10+ hr)

When your release finally drops, you need to hit up all your channels—email, social media, texts. Don’t forget about those phone numbers and emails you’ve been collecting throughout the pre-release campaign. Now is the time to leverage them.

Direct messaging cuts through social media clutter, ensuring your fans know your music is ready for them.

Practical Tips for Your Announcement

• Personalize Your Message: Tailor your announcement to resonate with different segments of your audience. What you say on a TikTok reel will be different than the texts you send out or your message to your exclusive fan community.

• Use Eye-Catching Visuals: Incorporate engaging graphics or videos that capture attention within the first few seconds.

• Make it Easy: Include a link that makes it easy to stream the song on their platform of choice. Landing pages like LinkTree are good for that, or if you have a nice website you’ll want to send people there.

• Include a Strong Call to Action: Encourage your fans to not just listen but also to share the release with their networks. Phrases like "share with a friend who needs to hear this" can motivate action.

• Leverage Multiple Formats: Utilize various content formats such as stories, reels, posts, and live streams to reach different parts of your audience.

Overcoming the Scroll Challenge

The biggest challenge on release day is getting people to stop scrolling on their social feeds and pay attention to you. To ensure your announcement stands out and captures attention, focus on creating scroll-stopping post intros. Consider these strategies:

• Interactive Elements: Use polls, quizzes, or challenges related to your release to engage viewers actively.

• Unique Content Styles: Experiment with different content styles like stop-motion, animations, or time-lapse videos to differentiate your posts.

• Collaborations: Partner with influencers or other artists to co-create content that can tap into their follower base and increase your reach.

• Consistency in Branding: Ensure that all your announcement materials reflect your brand’s aesthetic and message, creating a cohesive and recognizable presence. People will stop when they recognize a brand they love!

Success Story: Boosting IG Engagement

One HOME Member recently experienced a big jump in engagement when we used email to drive his fanbase back to social media to support the new content he was creating. He’d put all the work into creating content, but IG was not making it visible to his following.

So I told him to send an email out to all of his fans linking back to his new content and asking them to adjust their settings to prioritize seeing his posts. It worked like a charm!

You cannot depend on social platforms alone—they’ll only show your posts to a fraction of your audience unless you pay them to boost.

That’s why direct fan data is so critical as we mentioned in Part 1.

3. Prep to Run Social Ads (6+ hr)

Organic reach is limited by the social platforms, which is why the world’s top marketers use social media ads.

Social media advertising is a great way to get your music to a wider audience. Don’t leave your success to chance—take control and leverage the platforms that make it easy to target your potential superfans. This can be your secret weapon ⚔️

Think of ads as an investment, not an expense.

You've put time and heart into your music—ensure it gets heard by investing in ads. Treat it just like you are investing in the stock market… keep putting in and putting in long enough for compounding growth to occur.

Tips to Help You Invest Wisely

• Use Meta Business Manager: Stop wasting money boosting posts on the Instagram mobile app. Meta Business Manager offers better targeting and saves you from the extra 40% fee that the Apple App Store gets when you boost through the IG app. Get more bang for your buck!

• Educate Yourself: Dive into platform guides and YouTube tutorials. Master the ad tools that have been developed by the world’s top companies to help you connect with the right audience.

• Don’t Give Up: You get the results that other people don’t get by doing the things other people won’t do. In other words, you keep going long after most people quit because you understand what it takes to be a high performer.

Don’t make this mistake!

Check out some success stories of Homies in our network who have grown massive audiences through ads.

• Nate Rose: Sits around 330K monthly Spotify listeners.

• Vian Izak: Currently has over 461K monthly listeners!

  • 🏡 Member BONUS: Watch this 90+ minute workshop with Vian where he shares his strategies with the HOME community.

Both artists are extremely good at their craft. But another key factor in their growth is that invested time and money into ads, gaining control and building profitable careers.

Quick Tips for Killer Ads

1. Define Your Audience: Know who your fans are. Target by location, interests, age and behaviors.

2. Create Compelling Content: I’ll say it again, high-quality visuals and catchy clips grab attention.

3. Set Clear Goals: Whether it’s streams, followers, or engagement—know what you want. Revisit Successful Music Release | Part 1 | A Clear Objective if you need help figuring out what result you want.

4. Monitor & Adjust: Keep an eye on performance. Tweak what’s not working.

5. A/B Test: Experiment with different combinations of headlines or hooks to see what clicks.

6. Use Retargeting: Re-engage listeners who’ve interacted with your content before. THIS IS A PRO TACTIC 💯

Remember don’t just release music—make a statement.

4. Get Fans to Share Your Release (4 hr)

The most impactful thing you can do for your audience growth is to get your fans to do the talking for you.

If your fans are sharing your content without being asked, that’s the best indicator that your work resonates with them.

But don’t be afraid to ask.

Have a core group of superfans ready to share, like, and comment on your posts right as they drop. This helps build momentum in the algorithm, signaling to social platforms that your content is valuable and should be shown to more people.

Pro Tips to Increase Shares

• Use Emotions: People share content that makes them feel something, whether it's joy, nostalgia, or inspiration. Connect with your audience emotionally to boost shareability.

  • Listen to the HOMIE Podcast with Taylor Bickett where she breaks down how her song ‘Quarter Life Crisis’ went viral because of nostalgic fan participation, which helped her rack up over 30 MILLION streams 📈

• Make Sharing Easy: Provide graphics, quotes, or snippets that are easy for your fans to repost on social media.

• Community Engagement: Build a community through platforms like Telegram or Discord where your superfans can get direct communication from you. This is where you share your upcoming release, ask for support, and get real, immediate feedback from the people that love your music the most.

The vast majority of big influencers don’t rely solely on luck—they are in engagement groups where participants all engage on each other’s content.

Be proactive about engineering those shares!

MARKETING = MONEY

If you want your music to generate revenue, you need to get it in front of as many ears as possible. That’s what marketing does.

It’s the price you pay to get your music out there.

If you believe in the value of what you’ve created, then step up and put in the work to make sure people hear it. You owe it to yourself, to your art, and to your future fans.

If you haven’t reviewed Parts 1, 2, and 3 of the Successful Music Release series, please do that now! Each part lays the foundation for your release strategy, covering everything from setting clear goals to establishing the ideal release timeline.

As a quick recap:

1. Part 1 challenges you to define success by establishing clear objectives.

2. Part 2 introduced the GANTT chart roadmap to help you release every 8 weeks.

3. Part 3 dived into the first two weeks of preparation at six and five weeks out, focusing on the foundational tasks like revisiting your brand and developing your marketing strategy.

This brings us to the critical four-week mark.

The momentum you build during these next two weeks will set the stage for a successful launch!

Quick Reminder: The Successful Music Release playbook assumes you're treating your music career like a full-time job, investing around 20 hours per week into your release plan. It's a serious commitment but it’s necessary, especially at the beginning before you have your systems built out and other people on your team. This section covers weeks 3 and 4 on the chart below, and the total workload estimated is about 40 hours for each two week period.

Here’s the 12-Week Roadmap GANTT Chart again to help you visualize a consistent release cadence of every eight weeks.

The GANTT chart is your roadmap—don’t underestimate the power of this tool. By visualizing all the moving parts, you can stay on top of your strategy without getting overwhelmed.

It’s time to make some noise.

Here are the absolute essential action items that you need to focus on four weeks out from your release date:

1. Content Creation (14+ hr)

Yes, we covered content creation in the last post, but it is so important that we need to take a deeper dive.

Becoming a great content creator is the key to building an engaged audience.

The reality is that a successful release campaign needs consistent, engaging content to support it. Allocate an average of an hour per day for content creation, or stack your content creation time together in longer blocks.

Better content starts with more preparation. Break content creation into incremental phases and set time blocks on your calendar for each phase.

• Phase 1 - Generate Ideas: Always be brainstorming ideas and make sure you organize them in a way that enables you to prioritize the best ones for production.

• Phase 2 - Write Scripts & Messaging: Write down what you want to say, create captions for your posts, and plan out the content so that when you’re ready to shoot, there’s no guesswork. Always “begin with the end in mind”—think about what action you want your audience to take when they see your content.

• Phase 3 - Capture Audio & Video: Audio quality is extremely important—make sure it’s clear and on par with other content. One pro tip is to use a lavalier mic, which can plug directly into your phone for better quality.

• Phase 4 - Editing: Apps like CapCut or even in-app editing tools from Instagram and TikTok can be very helpful for quick edits but it still takes a lot of time! Go the extra mile and put the captions in your videos, because it definitely boosts engagement.

• Phase 5 - Organize & Prep for Publishing: You don’t want to be scrambling to figure out what to post. Plan ahead, and always have a few finished pieces “in the can” for when you need them.

Creating content that cuts through the noise takes a lot of effort—but that’s how you build anticipation and keep your audience engaged.

2. Post & Engage with Your Audience (7+ hr)

Content creation is only part of the puzzle—the other crucial piece is how you post and engage with your audience.

Posting is about not just releasing content but creating a dialogue that turns followers into engaged fans.

Engagement builds momentum for your release and fosters the kind of loyalty you want from your listeners.

• Create Conversations: When you post teasers, snippets, or behind-the-scenes content, frame it in a way that sparks conversation. Ask questions that genuinely interest you and that your audience would want to answer. Polls, story quizzes, or open-ended questions are great ways to engage directly.

• Be Personal: Share personal anecdotes or experiences related to your release, and make people feel like they’re getting an exclusive look into your world. This personal connection is the bedrock for fan loyalty.

• Make Time for Engagement: Schedule daily engagement time. It’s not just about posting; it’s about showing your audience that you care. Respond to comments, share other people’s content, shout out the fans that contribute most, and actively foster a community where your fans feel seen and heard.

Practical Tip: Aim for 15-20 minutes per day, where you dedicate time solely to interacting with your fans—commenting back, answering questions, or simply saying thank you. This one-on-one interaction might feel small, but it builds deep relationships. Fans appreciate when artists take the time to acknowledge them personally, and those relationships often translate into word-of-mouth promotion that algorithms can’t match.

• Stay Consistent: Consistency matters. You should be posting content regularly—ideally every day or every other day during your release campaign. But engagement also needs to be consistent. Keep the momentum going in between posts. Interaction doesn’t end when you hit “share”—it starts there.

• Mix Up Your Engagement Style: Sometimes reply with comments, other times reply in DMs, or even make video replies to questions on platforms like TikTok. Diversify how you engage to keep your responses dynamic and unexpected.

Remember, the value of each post multiplies when it creates a community feel.

As you move closer to release day, the excitement should feel electric, and that comes from genuine engagement. Lean into it—be real, be present, and watch your fan base grow not just in numbers but in enthusiasm and loyalty.

This phase is about transforming passive listeners into engaged fans who will be there to support you—not just on release day, but long after.

3. Announce the Release (2 hr)

Announcing your release is a critical moment that sets the tone for everything that follows.

Your goal is to generate buzz, build anticipation, and ensure that as many people as possible mark the release date in their calendars.

• Create Hype: Think about the most exciting way to introduce your new release. Maybe it's a teaser video that hints at the song’s mood, or a dramatic countdown. Whatever you do, make it engaging enough to build curiosity and generate shares.

• Announce Across All Platforms: Use every channel you have to announce your upcoming release—Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, your email list, SMS, or even a Facebook event. Make the announcement consistent across platforms, but don’t be afraid to tweak the format to suit each platform’s unique vibe. Make sure all of your pages, profile photos, and header images reflect the release!

• Time It Right: Your first major announcement should happen about four weeks prior to the release date. This gives your fans ample time to get excited, and it also gives you time to run a proper pre-release campaign. After the initial announcement, continue to keep your upcoming release in the spotlight with reminders and follow-up teasers.

Practical Tip: Tease snippets of the song—maybe 10-second hooks or behind-the-scenes moments from recording. Make sure you include a strong call to action like "Join my list for a sneak peak" or "Join my community to get early access."

The goal is to convert excitement into action.

Make sure your announcement is memorable enough to kick things off right, and don’t hesitate to let your enthusiasm shine through—your excitement is contagious.

4. Submit for Editorial Playlists (1 hr)

Submitting your upcoming release to Spotify for editorial playlist consideration is a vital step for any artist looking to get algorithmic and editorial traction on Spotify.

Getting on an editorial playlist can provide a massive boost in exposure, as well as trigger algorithmic playlists like Discover Weekly and Release Radar.

How to Submit:

• Use Spotify for Artists: Log in to your Spotify for Artists account at least four weeks before the release date to maximize your chances. Spotify recommends submitting at least seven days prior, but industry insiders know that submitting as early as possible gives you an edge—it shows you are more prepared and more likely to have a release plan in place.

• Fill Out Every Detail: When submitting, you'll be asked to describe your song. Be as specific as possible. Include genre, mood, instruments, and any important context about your song. Be sure to highlight what makes it unique or how it fits into current trends. These details can help curators understand where your song fits in Spotify’s universe of playlists.

• Storytelling Matters: When you submit your track, there is also an opportunity to add a note for the curators. Use this to tell a story that makes your track stand out. This could be the inspiration behind the track, any interesting details from the production process, or even fan engagement during the preview phase. Remember, the curators are humans too—connect on an emotional level to increase your chances.

  • Review the Artist Branding Playbook Part 5 to learn a storytelling technique I crafted specifically for music creators!

Practical Tip: When filling out the submission form, ensure your primary genre tag and additional descriptors accurately reflect your music and its vibe. This helps Spotify's team understand how to categorize your track. If your genre or vibe doesn't fit into the mainstream labels, use the note section to describe the unique elements of your music and why your song would stand out on certain playlists.

Important Note: If you have a relationship with a distributor or know anyone who works at Spotify, it’s worth leveraging those connections for an additional pitch. Getting a human advocate for your song can make all the difference!

5. Pre-Release Campaign (10 hr)

The goal of a successful pre-release campaign isn’t just to build hype—it’s to capture fan data that you can use to grow and sustain a long-term career.

Platforms like Spotify or Instagram are great for getting discovered, but they can also make it challenging to truly own your audience.

By capturing your fans’ email addresses, phone numbers, and even locations, you are establishing a direct line of communication that doesn’t depend on third-party platforms. This is what sets you up for a real, sustainable relationship with your audience, beyond algorithms.

Set Up Your Capture Mechanisms

• Email List: Use a service like Google Forms, Flodesk or Substack to create a simple sign-up form for fans. Set up an automated welcome email thanking them for joining, which can be a fantastic first point of connection.

• SMS Marketing: Collect phone numbers using platforms like Laylo or Community. Texting your audience can make it feel personal and provide immediate engagement.

• Landing Page: Create a landing page that captures data with a compelling CTA (Call to Action). This page should be linked in your bio, promoted in your posts, and accessible from any campaign material.

Practical Tip: Use the campaign to drive people to your landing page for sign-ups instead of just announcing the song or asking for a pre-save. By funneling the attention to your email or SMS capture, you’re adding them to your direct audience, which is far more valuable than just an engagement metric on a post.

Offer incentives, and remind fans that if they join your list, they’ll be the first to know when you drop new music!

To capture fan data effectively, you need to offer them something in return:

• Exclusive Content: Share exclusive previews, behind-the-scenes content, or early access to your new single. If they sign up, they get first dibs!

• Free Downloads: Offer a downloadable track or an exclusive acoustic version as an incentive.

• Contests & Giveaways: Launch a giveaway for limited-edition merchandise or tickets to a show—people enter by sharing their contact info.

Remember to engage your audience consistently through the channels they opted into.

Once you have captured the data, ensure that you nurture the relationship until that person becomes a superfan!

Read Stop Counting Followers, Start Building Connections for 10 practical ways to build a superfan-centric business model.

Building direct-to-fan relationships is your key to long-term success. If your release connects, these are the people who will turn into superfans, supporting your career with each new release, every merch drop, and even for ticket sales. Always think about the long game, and put fan connection at the center of everything you do.

6. Pitch to the Industry (6 hr)

Unless you blow up on socials or streaming, the industry isn’t going to come to you—you’ve got to make your release known to them.

Pitching your upcoming single to key people in the music industry can lead to significant opportunities. This includes sync reps, managers, agents, record labels, publishing companies, marketers, publicists, radio promoters, music blogs, and even your dream collaborators.

The goal is to make your release something they can’t ignore.

Identify your targets.

The first step in pitching your release is knowing who to pitch to. Ideally, you have built a network of industry contacts, but if not, here’s how to identify the right people:

Reverse engineer it.

Create a list of artists that are similar to your sound, but have already found significant success in their careers. Then do research to find out who is on their team. Scour the internet to find as many articles, videos, and podcasts that give you insight into that artist’s path. Was there a key person who helped them break into the business in some way? Maybe it was a marketing technique that really helped them.

If you do enough research, you can find out how others are putting the machine together.

Narrow down your targets until you have names and photos of the top 10 industry people you think might be a good fit for your team. And make sure you have a clear reason exactly why they are the perfect fit!

Craft your pitch.

The most critical component is making your pitch stand out. Industry professionals are often overwhelmed by submissions, so being concise, compelling, and personalized is key.

Read the Artist Branding Playbook Part 4 for a breakdown of how to communicate your value through a pitch email. And read Part 7 to learn about the elevator pitch.

Follow up!

Most of the time, you won’t hear back after your first pitch. The industry is fast-moving, and things slip through the cracks. That’s why follow-ups are crucial.

Read Master Music Networking to learn the FLOW acronym:

F - Follow Up

L - Learn About People

O - Organize Your Contacts

W - Words that Start With ‘W’ (an important checklist to consider)

Remember: Your ultimate goal here is to spark curiosity in the industry about you and your work. Whether it’s a blog write-up or a sync opportunity, pitching is about getting your foot in the door. Every bit of industry recognition can help build momentum and open the path for bigger opportunities.

Lastly, remember to keep the tone enthusiastic but professional. Share your passion for your art, but frame it in a way that clearly communicates how their involvement could also benefit them or their audience.

It must be a WIN-WIN!

As they say: "Closed mouths don’t get fed." If you know you have the heat 🔥 pitch confidently, follow up, and make your release impossible to ignore!

The Infinite Game Continues

Releasing music is about consistency and growth—this is part of the infinite game.

The infinite game isn’t about winning or losing—it's about staying in the game, continuously improving, and evolving your craft.

That’s why I created Helping Our Music Evolve!

You've got this, and we’re here to help you every step of the way. Stay tuned for Part 5 of the Successful Music Release series, and let’s keep building toward the career and life you envision.

Keep creating and stay in the game Homie! 

If you’re just joining this series, take a moment to review Parts 1 and 2.

In Part 1, we discussed the importance of setting a clear objective and defining what might be the top 3 objectives for your release.

In Part 2, we introduced the 12-Week Roadmap to guide your release process, breaking down the most crucial components and laying it out so that you can release every 8 weeks.

Now we’re moving into action with the first two weeks of our release plan.

Six weeks out is the absolute minimum time you should give yourself to properly prepare your release—unless your systems are fully dialed in.

For those treating music like a full-time job, you should be investing at least 20 hours a week (about 3 hours per day) into the release and marketing of your music. This is 20 hours of marketing time - NOT including the time it takes to write and produce your music.

Don’t rush it. Give yourself as much time as you can. But don’t keep putting it off like I see so many creators do.

Remember, each new release is a chance to serve the world with your unique art.

Take this seriously, and watch your career evolve.

Six Weeks Out: Time to Get to Work

Here are the absolute essential activities that you must focus on during the first two weeks of your release plan as laid out in the 12-Week Roadmap GANTT Chart:

Read Part 2 for the Strategy Behind this Plan

Along with each activity in the list, I am including an estimated time that it will take you to complete… IF you already have experience releasing and marketing your music.

If you are new to the game, you’ll need to give yourself at least twice as much time for each activity.

This two week period adds up to 33+ hours of work.

1. Review Your Last Release (2 hr)

Before diving headfirst into this next release, it’s crucial to take an honest look at your previous one.

What went well?

What didn’t?

Did you hit your goals?

Was your messaging clear?

Were your visuals on point?

Did you make great content?

Did anyone see it?

Reflect on these questions to improve your strategy for the next release.

• Practical Tip: Write down at least three specific things you’ll do differently this time. This will help you avoid repeating past mistakes and refine your process.

2. Choose Your Next Release (1 hr)

You need to pick the right song to follow up your last release.

Whether it’s an entirely new vibe or something that continues the momentum, your choice of song can define the narrative for your next few months.

• Practical Tip: Ask yourself, Which song resonates the most with my brand, and my audience currently? Which song fits the season or maybe plays off of the news cycle? Then make a commitment to get it out.

Remember, this release timeline assumes that you already have great songs fully mastered and ‘in the can’. Build your production machine first, and then your marketing machine. Otherwise your Fanbase Flywheel won’t be able to gain momentum!

3. Revisit Your Brand and Messaging (3 hr)

This step is critical.

Are you sending a consistent message to your audience?

Are your visuals, social media profiles, and overall narrative in alignment with the direction of your music?

Use this time to refine your brand.

• Practical Tip: Use the Artist Branding Playbook to guide the process of discovering who you are at the deepest level. Make sure you still feel deeply connected and authentic regarding the story you’re telling through your music. Each release is a great opportunity to do a brand refresher.

  • MEMBER BONUS: If you are an active HOME Member, you also have access to this Elite Artist Release Planning video about how to create a compelling artist bio and this chatbot that will help you apply the methodology in the video.

    • 🤗 BONUS BONUS: The video mentioned above also covers a simple method to find Spotify playlists that are taking submissions… but you must learn how to spot the scams!

4. Finalize the Artwork (4 hr)

Visuals are mega important in today's world.

Your cover art is the first impression your audience will get when they see your track on Spotify or Apple Music. Your visual content is the ‘packaging’ for your music and art. Make it count.

• Practical Tip: You can now use AI tools to assist with visual design. Platforms like Midjourney, and Playground AI make it easy to generate visuals based on your prompts. Need fresh photos but don’t have the time for a proper photoshoot? You can use a platform like Photo AI to generate new photos based off of your own photos and selfies. In the modern digital age, there’s no reason to have bad photos and graphics. Make sure your artwork helps you stand out while aligning with your brand and the song’s theme.

👋 DON’T FORGET: You can add a ‘Canvas’ video to Spotify that loops when your song plays. These short videos often match the artwork for the single, so this is a good time to think about that. You can create free animated videos in Canva, or you can hire animators on Fiverr like this one for only $15 💸

5. Set Your Release Goals (3 hr)

Refer back to Part 1, where we discussed setting SMARTER Goals for your release.

What is your clear objective for this single?

Whether it's to gain traction on Spotify’s algorithm, collect fan data, or get a new champion on your team, now is the time to lock in that goal.

• Practical Tip: Set a main goal (e.g., 10,000 streams in the first month) and two supporting goals (e.g., grow email list by 100 new subscribers and get feedback from 3 respected industry professionals over the 8 week promotional period). Stay focused on what matters most!

• TAKE TIME on this exercise and make sure to review From Goals to Greatness. Remember 👇

6. Create the Marketing Plan (4 hr)

A successful release isn’t just about dropping the song; it's about building anticipation and sustaining momentum afterward.

Start mapping out how you’ll reach your target audience with your upcoming release. HOME Members can watch this video to learn how to target their audience using data from Spotify and Meta.

• Practical Tip: Create a marketing calendar that spans the 12-week process, with specific campaigns and content ideas for each week leading up to and following the release. Use a Google calendar or similar app so that you can set custom reminders. Check your calendar every day, and set aside time every weekend to look at the weeks ahead. Stay prepared Homie!

REMEMBER the CLASSIC acronym for music marketing success:

C = Collaboration

L = Leverage

A = Advertising

S = Streaming

S = Social

I = Identify

C = Capture

Review the CLASSIC Formula for Music Marketing here and make sure your marketing plan includes each part of the formula!

7. Upload to Distributor (2 hr)

Make sure your track is uploaded to your distributor (DistroKid, TuneCore, Symphonic, etc.) well in advance. This ensures your song has enough time to make it onto platforms and get reviewed for editorial playlists.

If you are in the process of choosing distributors or switching your distro service, here are some Practical Tips to help you make that decision:

• Ideally you find a distributor with a real human who will champion your music and find opportunities for it.

  • Ideally that person or someone else on their team is pitching you directly to the DSPs (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music etc.) for editorial consideration, which means the curators at those companies place you on the playlists they make.

  • These types of distributors typically take a percentage cut of the income from streaming.

  • Some distributors, like Thirty Tigers, offer physical distribution (getting vinyl records into record stores).

    • 🎧 Listen to my conversation with the founder of Thirty Tigers on the HOMIE Podcast.

  • Some distributors, like Symphonic, also offer sync representation.

• If you do NOT have a human or any real support at the company, then it really comes down to keeping the absolute most money you can. Giving up 15-30% may not seem like much until you start hitting millions of streams. Then you might wonder if that distributor is really worth the cut.

• Otherwise, consider what services are bundled together with the distribution platform. Here’s a great article by Ari Herstand called Best Music Distribution Companies of 2024 that includes a very thorough comparison chart.

8. Start Creating Content for the Release (14+ hr)

As you can see, the time allotted for content creation is over 3x any of the other activities.

You need a steady stream of content to keep your fans engaged.

Whether it’s behind-the-scenes footage, lip syncing to the track, or creative TikTok videos, now is the time to start building your content library.

• Practical Tip: Work through the questions in How to Serve Your Audience so that you are clear on the channels you will focus on and the intention behind your content. Aim to have a bank of content ready to roll out during the release week. Begin with the end in mind, and don’t wait until the last minute!

Fundamentally, content is a way to share value with your audience.

By asking for someone to give you their time and attention, you are obligated to give them something valuable in return. If you don’t, then your audience won’t keep engaging with you. The easiest ways to provide value through content are:

• educate

• inspire

• entertain

• document something interesting

I see so many artists get self-conscious about sharing, but remember, the fact that you are going after your dream is inspiring and interesting!

IMPORTANT: DO NOT burn yourself out with the content creation. Work smarter not harder. Study the strategies and tactics of creators who are getting great results. Get ideas from what is working for others, and figure out how to make it uniquely your own.

Your inspiration is your most precious resource.

Burnout kills inspiration. Read this post to learn how to overcome burnout, and make sure you do whatever it takes to stay inspired!

This is the Infinite Game

Don’t get overwhelmed by the details—think of this entire process as part of the ‘Infinite Game’. The infinite game is about continually improving, evolving, and staying in the game for the long haul.

Every release is an opportunity to refine your brand, grow your audience, and stay top of mind with your fans, collaborators, and key industry figures.

The more you refine your process, the more momentum you’ll build, and the more your efforts, strategies, relationships and experience will compound into a long-lasting, sustainable career!

Just focus on how you can improve with each release 📈

One of my go-to strategic thought experiments is reverse engineering the goal. 

In any major endeavor, especially something as complex as a music release, starting with the end in mind can be your most powerful tool.

Before we dive in, let's revisit what we talked about in Part 1: setting a clear objective and defining what success looks like for you.

If you haven't already, take a moment to review Successful Music Release - Part 1 - A Clear Objective and make sure you've set your SMARTER goals for this release.

Nobody can define success for you—only you can decide what it means for your release to be 'successful.'

Once you have set your goals, you must ruthlessly prioritize tasks that directly support your main objectives.

Reverse Engineering Your Release

Now that you've set your goal, it's time to reverse engineer the path to get there.

Instead of thinking about all the things you need to do leading up to the release, start by visualizing the release day itself. 

What does success look like on that day?

Are you seeing thousands of streams?

A dozen playlist adds and editorial features?

Hundreds of fans engaging with your social media?

Direct-to-fan sales rolling in?

Once you’ve got a vivid picture of what that success looks like, work backward.

Ask yourself: what needs to happen right before that success is realized?

And then, what needs to happen before that, and so on.

This thought process breaks down your larger goal into a series of actionable steps, creating a roadmap to follow.

Your 12 Week Roadmap

I encourage you to create your own roadmap from your own goals, however, I have also created one for you in the form of a GANTT chart.

Any large project with a lot of moving parts can start to feel overwhelming, which is why visualizing it with a GANTT chart is so valuable. It helps you:

• See the most important tasks at a glance: You’ll know exactly what needs to happen each week leading up to your release.

• Track overlapping releases: Since you’ll be releasing music every 8 weeks, while prepping for the next, the GANTT chart helps you visualize how tasks for one release overlap with tasks for the next.

• Identify dependencies: Some tasks must be completed before others. For example, you need final artwork before you can upload to distribution. The GANTT chart makes it easier to anticipate these connections.

The GANTT chart below will be your roadmap for the entire series.

It’s your cheat sheet to ensure you’re staying on track and not missing any critical tasks.

Over the Successful Music Release series, we’ll dive deep into the release process, following the roadmap so you can get into an 8-week release cycle.

We will get much more granular in the upcoming posts so be sure to follow along!

Why Release Every 8 Weeks?

Spotify’s algorithm loves consistency.

Just like social media platforms favor frequent content creators, Spotify rewards artists who release new music regularly.

I’ve had personal discussions with the Spotify team, and they suggest releasing every 8 weeks is the sweet spot for gaining algorithmic traction.

You’ll spend the first month promoting your upcoming single, and after release, you’ll have another month to push it while it’s still fresh. Then, as soon as the buzz fades, you're announcing your next track, keeping you constantly at the top of your fans’ minds.

This approach works wonders because Spotify’s curators and algorithms favor artists who maintain a regular cadence of releases.

Plus, releasing music every 8 weeks ensures that fans can’t forget about you.

By staying ‘top of mind’ for your audience, you’ll always be part of their regular rotation when they think about what music to listen to.

But What About the Prep Work?

Just because you’re releasing music every 8 weeks doesn’t mean the entire release process can be crammed into that time frame.

Ideally, you need 12 weeks to properly plan, execute, and review each release. This assumes that you already have some mastered tracks ready and ‘in the can’.

As you finish promoting one single, you’ll be ready to announce the next.

It’s an ongoing cycle of preparation, execution, and learning, making your process more efficient and effective over time.

The Compounding Effect

Once you have this release cycle in motion, you’ll notice something powerful: the efforts you put in begin to compound.

As your audience grows and your marketing strategies improve, each release becomes more impactful than the last.

Over time you build what I like to call the Fanbase Flywheel—a system where you systematically remove the constraints that are keeping you from the next level.

As you grow, collecting fan data, building a superfan community, and going direct to your fanbase with offers becomes not just important, but essential.

Use this 'Successful Music Release' playbook to build a machine that grows your fanbase and generates consistent income for you!

Finishing a record you’re proud of and releasing it to the world is a HUGE win 👏👏👏

Before you even start thinking about the tactics of releasing your music, recognize that you’ve already accomplished something significant.

You’re winning simply by bringing your music to life 💯

You’ve spent weeks, months, maybe even years working on your music. Now it’s time for the release. But before you hit that ‘submit’ button, you need to ask yourself:

What’s the real goal of this release?

It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of just putting your music out there, but if you want to see real, measurable success, you need a strategy.

Without a clear plan, even the best tracks can disappear into the noise.

This is the first post in the Successful Music Release series.

We’re going to start by outlining three key objectives that should be at the center of every music release you plan.

1. Get People to Listen to the Music

Let’s be real: the number one reason you’re releasing your music is because you want people to hear it. You’re not making tracks to leave them buried in your hard drive.

Getting your music heard is the ultimate goal, and for most artists, especially newer ones, this is the biggest challenge.

It’s not just about releasing a great song—it’s about getting that song in front of the right people.

So how do you get people to listen? For most emerging artists, the answer is the same.

The Spotify algorithm.

Spotify is the biggest streaming platform in the world, and it’s pretty much the number one tool the industry uses to gauge an artist’s musical potential.

If you don’t already have a big fan base to blast your release to, you can’t just rely on word-of-mouth or organic social media shares.

The key is triggering Spotify’s algorithm and getting their little robots to spread your music for you 🤖📈

Playlists like Daily Mix and Discover Weekly are goldmines for getting your music in front of fresh ears and making some significant streaming income. Once you get enough initial traction, Spotify does the heavy lifting by pushing your song to listeners who are most likely to enjoy it.

How do you trigger the Spotify algorithm?

• The Song Comes First. I have seen artists put together the perfect marketing strategy and spend a lot of money and still not get results. And I have seen artists just upload a song with no strategy and somehow the algorithm found it. What’s the difference? The quality of the song. The algorithm knows if people want to hear it, and if they are listening over and over again.

• Boost Day One Engagement. On release day, focus on driving as many plays, saves, and shares as possible. The more interactions your song gets, the more likely Spotify is to recommend it to new listeners.

• Get on Playlists. Of course you should submit for editorial playlists through Spotify for Artists. But don’t sleep on smaller, 3rd party (user-generated) playlists. They can still trigger Spotify’s algorithm if your song gains enough traction through these channels.

We can’t talk about triggering the Spotify algorithm without mentioning social media advertising…

It takes time getting nerdy to figure out the ad platforms (like Meta), and you gotta be willing to spend some money.

But the power of ads to reach music lovers anywhere is undeniable.

Here’s a handy graphic I created for the Homies showing how to get Spotify followers and streams through Instagram Story ads (share it with your Homies):

HOME Member BONUS 🎁🎥  access the video for How to Get Spotify Followers and Streams where I walk through each step in the process.

The bottom line? If people don’t hear your music, none of the other goals matter.

Your first and biggest objective is to get as many ears on your song as possible. For emerging artists, the most powerful way to do that is through the Spotify algorithm. Let it work for you.

2. Build a Direct-to-Fan Business Model

Getting people to hear your music is one thing, but if you’re serious about building a career, you need to go beyond streams.

Music is still your core product, but how else can you monetize your audience?

The key is turning listeners into fans who support you directly—and this is where you need to start thinking like a business owner.

A direct-to-fan business model allows you to generate revenue from your fans without depending on middlemen like record labels or platforms taking a cut. It’s about making offers directly to your audience—whether that’s selling merch, offering exclusive experiences, or building a membership-based fan club.

The release is just the entry point to your world of offers.

How do you drive revenue from your release?

• Merch Drops: Tie your release to exclusive merch. Use platforms like Laylo to schedule limited-edition merch drops that create urgency and excitement.

• Fan Community & Subscription Models: Launch a Patreon, Discord, or Telegram fan club where superfans can get exclusive content, early access to music, or even personal interactions with you in exchange for a monthly fee.

• Creative Offers: Think outside the box. One of our Homies launched a coffee and tea brand tied to their music, creating a consumable product that fans keep coming back for. You could offer house concerts, custom artwork, or even poetry books.

The most crucial practice in building a direct-to-fan business is capturing fan data.

If you don’t have a way to reach your fans directly—through email addresses and phone numbers—you’re always going to be dependent on platforms.

Your release strategy should include ways to collect fan data so you can make offers and stay connected without paying for ads or influencers.

Want to learn more about how to collect fan data? Be sure to revisit the CLASSIC Formula for Music Marketing.

3. Gain Recognition from Respected Industry Professionals

Once you’ve got people listening to your music and engaging with your direct-to-fan offers, the next step is to gain recognition from professionals in your community.

This could be other artists, producers, playlist curators, A&R reps or music supervisors.

These connections are critical because they open doors to new opportunities and help you build the team to succeed.

The music industry is built on relationships, and every release is an opportunity to get on the radar of the right people. Whether you’re trying to land a feature with another artist, secure a sync placement, or find a manager, each release is a chance to showcase your professionalism and build your reputation.

How do you get on the radar of the right people?

• Professional Presentation: Make sure your release sounds, looks, and feels professional. This means high-quality audio and visuals.

• Exclusive Events: In-studio listening parties are the perfect way to create an intimate and special experience for the people in your inner circle. We book a lot of these at HOME!

• Networking with Influencers: Connect with influencers and respected industry professionals. Even smaller connections can lead to big opportunities down the road.

• Be Strategic with Your Content: When you create content around your release, make sure it’s something that shows off your style and creativity. Don’t overthink it, but don’t underthink it either. It’s your movie, just be the hero. Perfect your Persona with the Artist Branding Playbook.

The goal here is to build credibility.

Every release should move you closer to finding and attracting the right people to be your team members and collaborators.

Music is a team sport.

Whether it’s playlist curators adding your track, a sync rep getting your song placed in a film, or a producer wanting to collaborate—the connections do matter.

PRO TIP: If you are going to be pitching your music to high profile people, be sure to include a great one sheet!

Success Starts With a Clear Objective

If you’re releasing music without clear goals, you’re just throwing it out into the void.

Please don’t do that.

Focus on the three key objectives:

1. Get people to listen.

2. Build a direct-to-fan business.

3. Gain recognition from industry professionals.

Read From Goals to Greatness if you need a refresher on goal setting. Start thinking about how you can use the three key objectives to set SMARTER goals for your upcoming releases.

This is just the beginning.

In the next part of the Music Release Playbook, we’ll dive into the tactics of preparing for a successful release.

You’ve already won by making music you believe in—now it’s time to make sure the world hears it, supports it, and helps you grow!

High performance isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon.

If you’re serious about achieving high performance in the music industry—or in any field—embrace the philosophy of S.P.E.E.D.

• Sacrifice

• Purpose

• Endurance

• Experience

• Daring

These five characteristics create a mindset for sustaining high performance over time, no matter the obstacles.

Sacrifice

Let’s be real: success demands sacrifice.

You have to make the conscious decision to let go of distractions that pull you away from your vision.

High performers understand that achieving greatness comes at the cost of comfort, security, and sometimes, short-term gratification. Whether it’s late-night parties, endless social media scrolling, or relationships that don't align with your goals, some things must be sacrificed along the way.

How to Embrace Sacrifice:

• Set Non-Negotiables: Identify what you’re willing to give up to reach your goals. Maybe it’s cutting down on Netflix time to work on your craft. Make that choice, and commit to it.

• Create Boundaries: Say ‘no’ more often. When something isn't pushing you toward your goal, it's pulling you away from it.

• Prioritize: Put your time and energy into what truly matters—your music, your craft, your future financial freedom.

Sacrifice isn't about depriving yourself of the lifestyle you want; it’s about clearing the path for the lifestyle you deserve.

Purpose

Without a clear purpose, you’re just spinning your wheels.

Purpose gives you direction, a reason to push through when things get tough.

In the music industry, your purpose needs to be more than just fame or money. It could be the desire to create music that moves people, to inspire change, or to leave a legacy.

How to Embrace Purpose:

• Define Your ‘Why’: Sit down and ask yourself why you’re doing what you do. Is it to create meaningful art? To inspire the next generation? The stronger your 'why,' the harder it is to knock you off course.

• Align Actions with Purpose: Once you know your purpose, ensure your actions reflect it. Does each project you take on move you toward your long-term vision?

• Use Purpose as Fuel: On those hard days when motivation is lacking, reconnect with your ‘why’. It’s the fuel that keeps you going even when external rewards seem far off.

Purpose gives you clarity about where to focus your energy and the faith to manifest what you want.

Endurance

Those who keep pushing forward despite the odds ultimately succeed.

You have to be ready to endure the setbacks and the long hours.

Everyone faces rejection, creative block, and industry disruption—but for every minor setback there is potential for a major comeback.

How to Embrace Endurance:

• Build Resilience: Develop a mindset that embraces challenges. Every setback is a lesson, not a reason to quit. The more you fail, the more you learn.

• Pace Yourself: You can’t burn out early. Learn to balance intense work periods with rest. Build a routine that includes time for recovery, whether it’s taking breaks, exercising, or meditating.

• Consistency Is Key: Endurance isn’t about doing everything at once; it’s about showing up, day after day, over the long haul. Consistent effort always wins over sporadic intensity.

As you build your endurance, it is also important tor remember…

You must take care of yourself along the way.

Endurance is the will to keep going long after others have given up.

Experience

Nothing beats experience.

You can study theory all you want, but real growth comes from hands-on experience.

In the music industry, that might mean co-writing, releasing music, playing gigs, and seeing what works on social media. You have to constantly be trying new things, meeting new people, and learning how to navigate this complex industry.

🏡 HOME is a great place to build your connections and get hands-on experience for a fraction of what it costs to go to a school.

How to Embrace Experience:

• Learn by Doing: Don’t wait for the ‘perfect’ moment. Dive in. Release that EP. Collaborate with that artist. The more you do, the more you learn.

• Seek Feedback: Experience is only valuable when you learn from it. Seek honest feedback from mentors, peers, and even fans. Use it to refine your skills, style, and approach.

  • HOME Members get feedback from top producers and opportunities pitch to industry executives to accelerate their growth 📈

• Be a Lifelong Student: Stay curious. There’s always more to discover. Learn to love to learn. Explore new marketing platforms, production techniques, different genres, and continuously expand your musical toolkit.

Your experience is your greatest teacher. The more you do, the better you become.

Daring

Greatness requires courage.

Fortune favors the bold.

You must be daring enough to step outside your comfort zone, try new things, and challenge the status quo. The most successful musicians and entrepreneurs are those who take risks—whether it’s creating a completely unique sound or launching a wildly innovative business idea.

Before going deeper into this daring mindset, it’s also important to mention that some decisions require more consideration and analysis than others.

Here’s a video interview with Jeff Bezos where he describes his decision making philosophy.

I encourage you to watch it before making your own daring decisions!

How to Embrace Daring:

• Take Calculated Risks: Bold moves don’t have to be reckless. Analyze the opportunities and consequences, then take the leap. Whether it's sending the email to that A&R, investing in your marketing, or experimenting with a new sound, don’t let fear hold you back.

• Be Fearless in Your Creativity: Don’t play it safe. Push boundaries in your music, in your performance, in your brand. Fear of judgment is often what keeps people from doing something extraordinary.

• Learn to Embrace Failure: Every daring act won’t be a success, and that’s okay. Embrace failure as a necessary part of learning and expanding your limits. The greater the risk, the greater the reward.

Daring is about stepping into uncertainty and trusting that your experience has prepared you for whatever may arise.

The S.P.E.E.D. formula is a powerful guide for achieving sustained high performance in the music industry.

By embracing Sacrifice, you clear the path to greatness.

Through Purpose, you give your journey meaning.

With Endurance, you outlast the challenges.

Experience makes you better with every step.

By being Daring, you stand out and create something truly remarkable.

Commit to this formula, and you won’t just achieve success—you’ll sustain it and grow it exponentially 🚀

When you hear the word wealth, does it bring to mind images of enormous bank balances and luxurious lifestyles?

Well, I am here to tell you that there's so much more to wealth than just monetary abundance.

In fact, it's possible to have all the money in the world but still be utterly impoverished in the parts of your life that truly matter.

In the domain of finance and investment, wealth is often reduced to a simplistic measure of monetary value. The larger the bank balance, the wealthier you are, right?

It’s time to change this narrative.

Wealth is a multi-dimensional state of being that extends far beyond hoarding money.

Let's dive deeper than the superficial definition of wealth and uncover an unconventional, deeper meaning. I’m talking about T.R.U.E. Wealth - an acronym that breaks down the real components of a truly prosperous life.‍

T = TIME  

The real measure of wealth is not how much money you have, but how much control you have over your time. 

TRUE wealth comes from the ability to choose how to spend your time, focusing your most precious and irreplaceable resource (time) on meaningful and rewarding activities. This level of wealth comes from rethinking the 9-to-5 paradigm and investing in experiences, personal growth, and moments that will genuinely make your life worthwhile.

Time is the foundation of TRUE Wealth.

It underpins the philosophy of 'being over having'.

Wealth of time gives you control over your own life narrative, choosing how to spend the countdown of the ticking clock on endeavors that hold intrinsic value and evoke pure joy - for you!    

• Live a life free from the relentless pursuit of work-for-money routines that sap the joy out of existence? Wealthy.  

• Spend countless hours on meaningful and mission-oriented activities that invigorate your spirit and spark your passion? Wealthy.    

‍Wealth, in its purest form, is an abundant reservoir of time that you can harness to bring more joy into your life.

‍R = RELATIONSHIPS  

The strength of your connections creates another form of TRUE Wealth - a wealth that transcends purchasing power.

Rich, nourishing relationships stimulate growth, encourage a healthy exchange of ideas, and build a crucial support system.

The right connections propel you toward becoming a better version of yourself.

Meaningful relationships offer lessons of great value and ensure unwavering support in the face of adversity.    

People believe money provides security, but when money loses value, relationships make you resilient.

Your most valuable investments are not in the form of stocks and real estate, but in the relationships you build over the years. TRUE Wealth manifests through enriching relationships and a community of shared interdependence.

If the entire world economy collapses, no fortune will be worth more than a strong network of allies and friends. 

‍U = UPWARD TRAJECTORY  

Earning a hefty salary alone does not constitute TRUE Wealth.

Wealth comes as the opportunity to fulfill your potential and ascend to new heights.

It's about not settling for a professional role that simply fattens the paycheck but drains your spirit. It's about embarking on a path that ignites your passion, that creates a tangible difference in the world.

The essence of wealth is the acceleration of your own personal growth.

You can’t be truly wealthy unless you have the ability to explore new and exciting possibilities, never getting trapped in a cycle of meaningless pursuits.  

Making money is important, but feeling stuck in a meaningless job is not indicative of TRUE Wealth. Even the most lucrative job becomes a prison if it offers no opportunity to learn, grow, and fulfill your potential.

TRUE Wealth means staying on an upward trajectory, not just in financial terms, but also in your sense of satisfaction with your own accomplishments and your growing fulfillment in your life’s work.

To test whether you feel like you are on an upward trajectory, do NOT compare yourself to yesterday or even last month. Compare yourself with where you were a year, three years, or five years ago.

Are you happy with who you are today when you make that comparison?

If so, that’s great, you are on an upward trajectory!

If not, that’s okay, just start setting some personal growth goals so that, when you look back a year from now, you’ll be happy with how you’ve grown and who you’ve become!

Need a refresher on how to set impactful goals? Read From Goals to Greatness.

‍‍E = ENERGY  

Energy – the life force within you – is TRUE Wealth.

Every time you work for money, you expend your energy. Every time you spend money, you're essentially exchanging your energy for someone else's.

Wealthy individuals have an abundance of energy - both physical and financial.

If you're investing your energy into endeavors that drain you, it diminishes your TRUE Wealth.

By channeling your focus toward pursuits that excite you with a sense of passion and purpose, you increase your potential return on the investment of your precious energy.

Understanding where your energy is flowing ensures that you steer this vital life force into actions that hold meaning and that give the highest returns, personally, professionally, and financially. The goal for TRUE Wealth is to have a surplus of energy that can be directed however you choose, and that will return to you in ways that enrich your life at the deepest levels.

It's also essential to focus your energy on giving without the expectation of receiving anything in return.

That doesn't necessarily mean philanthropy, volunteering, or donating money - although these are all great options.

Consider helping someone in your circle with a problem or challenge they are facing, without charging them money. When directed in this way, your energy will compound and return back to you through the mysterious law of karma, sometimes as money, sometimes as reciprocation or new relationships, and often in some other unexpected but valuable way.

If you are feeling philanthropic, consider making a donation to the Helping Music Foundation 💙

If you want more TRUE Wealth, bring more awareness into how you are directing your money and energy. Show gratitude for what you have, and find ways to let it flow toward where it appreciates in value.

TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR T.R.U.E. WEALTH

Remember, ‍T.R.U.E. stands for TIME, RELATIONSHIPS, UPWARD TRAJECTORY, and ENERGY.  

The true essence of wealth is not about money.

TRUE Wealth isn't a race against others; it's not determined by your bank balance, or your possessions.

TRUE Wealth is a deeply personal journey.

It means taking control and ownership of your time, enriching your life with the right relationships, staying on an upward trajectory that inspires you to keep growing, and directing your energy towards pursuits that yield the highest return.

This kind of wealth is recession-proof, pandemic-proof, and indeed, life-proof.

Let's continue to challenge the conventional, one-dimensional view of wealth. Embrace this holistic notion of wealth and unlock a life of unbounded potential and fulfillment.

Start focusing on the four dimensions of your TRUE Wealth today and watch as your life transforms, not just in your bank account, but in all aspects of your life.

P.S. If you like this post and want more inspiration to live a healthy, vibrant, and happy life, be sure to subscribe to the Ayurveda Life Design newsletter that I publish with my partner, Mary Marie ✍️

This is the fourth and final part in a series that breaks down the deal points of a recording agreement into simple language that is easy to understand.

The post below starts with section 9.

Review parts 1, 2 & 3 to catch up:

• In Part 1 we went over record deal basics, advances, and royalties.

• In Part 2 we covered the topics of copyright ownership and control.

• In Part 3 we dove into marketing, contract length, and fine print.

The goal is to give YOU a clear picture of what you are getting yourself into if/when you sign a record deal.

But first… a disclaimer!

Remember, get an attorney, learn how to negotiate, and stay in control of your artistic destiny 🎭

9. ANCILLARY REVENUE: PROTECTING YOUR BRAND'S EARNING POTENTIAL

At HOME, we encourage creators to venture into the realm of ancillary revenue – those income streams that exist beyond the traditional realm of touring and streaming.

Think merchandise, endorsements, fan clubs, acting gigs, and a whole host of other opportunities that can pad your financial future. Pay close attention, because your ancillary revenue can add up, and the labels know that.

Beware of the infamous ‘360 Deal’…

As digital downloads and streaming became popular, record sales began to tank.

So the labels started going after other revenue streams. At one time it was commonplace for record deals to include a cut from live performances.

These deals are now less common, but you should still understand the concept so that you can evaluate any deal you are offered.

Most major artists earn the majority of their income through live performances.

As a demonstration of the earning potential of live music, check out this post by Rob Abelow of Where Music’s Going:

Twitter tweet

For more thoughts from Rob, check out the HOMIE Podcast Episode 3 - How You Can Leverage Future Music Industry Trends & Technology.

One of the most important takeaways here is that, if you plan to perform live as part of your artistry, then you need to guard your live performance earning potential.

Let’s talk about a few other ancillary revenue streams you may want to keep an eye on…

Merchandise: Your Wearable Works of Art

• Your t-shirts, hoodies, posters, and vinyl can be cash cows.

• Labels may ask for a cut of merch sales, even if they're not directly involved in the production or distribution.

• Negotiate hard to maintain control over your merch empire. This is your brand, your identity, your livelihood.

Fan Clubs and Premium Content

• Less than 20% of your most dedicated supporters will drive over 80% of your earning potential.

  • Nurture those superfans!

• Exclusives, behind-the-scenes access, limited-edition offerings – these can all generate significant income.

  • PRO TIP: Check out the Laylo platform for a super snazzy set of tools to sell direct to your fans via DMs, text, and email.

• Beware of labels trying to get a percentage of your fan club proceeds or premium content sales.

• Fight to keep these direct-to-fan channels as your own personal revenue streams.

Endorsements and Sponsorships

• Brands are hungry to align themselves with popular musical talent.

• Endorsement deals, sponsorships, and other promotional partnerships can be hugely lucrative.

• Labels may try to insert themselves into these arrangements, looking for a cut of the action.

• Negotiate to maintain control over your brand partnerships and the associated earnings.

Adopt a mindset of vertically integrated empowerment. Every revenue stream will help build a lasting artistic empire.

Other Strategies for Ancillary Dominance:

• Carve Out Carve-Outs: Proactively identify key ancillary revenue sources and negotiate specific carve-outs in the contract. Establish clear limitations on the label's ability to claim a percentage of these earnings.

• Maintain Direct-to-Fan Channels: Preserve your ability to sell directly to your most devoted supporters, whether through merch, fan clubs, premium content, NFTs, or any other channel that may emerge. These direct connections are invaluable, both financially and in terms of cultivating your brand.

• Leverage Your Brand's Value: Treat your artistic identity as a valuable asset, not just a vehicle for record sales. Negotiate favorable terms for brand partnerships, endorsements, and other ancillary revenue streams.

Remember, the more you can capitalize on your brand's worth, the less you'll have to rely on the label's financial support.

Your music may be the heart of your artistic empire, but your brand is the backbone that supports it all.

Revisit the Artist Branding Playbook here.

Fight for your right to profit from the unique value you bring to the table – your vision, your passion, your personality, your style. These are the elements that captivate fans and attract brand partners.

10. DISPUTE RESOLUTION AND CONTRACT TERMINATION: SAFEGUARDING YOUR CREATIVE DESTINY

One of the most crucial – yet often overlooked – aspects of any contract is what happens when things go wrong.

Conflict and disagreement are inevitable.

But with the right strategies in place, you can make sure that disputes don't leave you wishing you never did the deal in the first place.

Dispute Resolution: Keeping the Peace in Your Creative Partnership

• Let's face it, the label and the artist don't always see eye-to-eye. Creative differences, financial discrepancies, communication breakdowns – they can all lead to ugly battles.

• That's why it's essential to establish clear dispute resolution processes in your contract. This can mean the difference between a swift, fair resolution and an all-out war.

• Consider including provisions for mediation, arbitration, or even a neutral third-party decision-maker to help navigate conflicts.

• Get a good attorney on your team and keep the focus on your music as much as you can. Don’t let conflicts steal your creativity.

  • PRO TIP: Every year, Billboard puts out a list of Top Music Lawyers.

Contract Termination: Charting an Exit Strategy

• No one enters a record deal expecting it to end, but the reality is, many times these partnerships just don't work out.

• That's why negotiating favorable contract termination conditions is crucial. You need to know exactly what it will take to remove yourself from the deal.

• Performance benchmarks, time-based exits, and mutual termination clauses – these are all tools that you can use.

• Consider including a ‘key man’ clause. If your champion at the label leaves, you might want an out.

Don’t forget about the reversion clause to get back ownership of your masters. Read Part 2 on Ownership for a refresher on copyrights!

Approach these contractual elements with the same focus and strategic thinking you'd bring to negotiating the rest of the deal.

If the business relationship sours, you need to know that you have the power to walk away with your musical destiny in your control.

THE INDIE ALTERNATIVE: CHARTING YOUR OWN COURSE IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY

Let's talk about the indie vs. label debate.

There’s a lot to consider here…

Going indie? You've got total creative freedom and a bigger slice of the pie.

Your music, your rules.

But don't kid yourself – it's a grind. You're suddenly the CEO, marketing team, and accountant all rolled into one. Every penny spent comes out of your pocket.

Labels can bring serious firepower.

Industry connections, marketing muscle, and cash can skyrocket your career. But it comes at a price. You might have to compromise on your vision, and a big chunk of your earnings goes to the label.

Here's the real talk: It's not about choosing sides.

It's about empowering yourself.

Build your own team. Learn the business inside out. HOME is where you can do that.

Find mentors who've been there, done that. Find ways to continuously invest money into marketing your brand – whether it's your own cash, an investor, or crowdfunded.

This approach sets you up for success, label or no label.

If a killer deal comes your way, you'll know exactly what you need and what you're worth. You'll see the label as a potential teammate, not a savior or a necessary evil.

Remember, your music career is a marathon, not a sprint.

Focus on honing your craft, building your team, and growing your fan base. That's the foundation for lasting success.

Whether you go indie or partner up, what matters is that you're in the driver's seat.

🎁 MEMBER BONUS: If you are an active HOME Member, you can access a 14 page example recording contract that I recently posted on the platform. For educational purposes only 🤓 study away!

This is part three in a series that breaks down the deal points of a recording agreement into simple language that is easy to understand.

The post below starts with section 6.

Review parts 1 and 2 to catch up:

• In Part 1 we went over record deal basics, advances, and royalties.

• In Part 2 we covered the topics of copyright ownership and control.

The goal is to give YOU a clear picture of what you are getting yourself into if/when you sign a record deal.

But first… a disclaimer!

There are two sides to every negotiation, but I write from the perspective of the creator. It is part of my life’s mission to empower music creators, which is what I aim to do in this post.

However, it is important to keep in mind that each label is a business. Businesses are required to make smart business decisions and look out for their own interests.

In other words, I’m not trying to downplay the importance of labels or suggest that everyone should stay independent.

I just want you to have power at the negotiating table 💪 

6. MARKETING & PROMOTION: NAVIGATING THE MUSIC INDUSTRY HYPE MACHINE

It's time to peel back the glitz and glamour of the music industry's marketing machine.

The label's job is to transform you into a household name, but that doesn't always happen. Google the success rate of artists on a major label, and the results may surprise you 🤯

Behind the bright lights there’s a complex web of budgets, recoupable costs, and fickle fan preferences. But with the right mindset and strategy, you can leverage the label's marketing power in your favor.

The Budget Breakdown: Knowing the Numbers Behind the Hype

• How much money is the label actually committing to your marketing and promotions campaign?

• It has to cover a range of expenses, from social media ads, to playlisting, to influencer marketing, and potentially even radio promotion.

• See if you can get a closer look at the budget breakdown the label has used for previous releases, and use it to gauge their effectiveness before signing with them.

The Recoupable Challenge: When Promo Costs Become Your Problem

• Chances are those marketing expenses are coming straight out of your royalties. Review Part 1 Section 2 on Advances.

• That means your hard-earned streaming and sales income is being used to pay back the label's promotional efforts.

• It's a double-edged sword – the more the label invests, the more you owe them down the line.

• Negotiate wisely to ensure the recoupable costs are fair and transparent!

The DIY Expectation: Embracing the Social Media Hustle

• Don't think for a second that the label's marketing machine will do all the heavy lifting.

• You'll be expected to maintain an active, engaging presence on social media.

• Cultivate a loyal fanbase, create shareable content, and keep that hype train rolling. Revisit The Fanbase Flywheel for tips on building a scalable music money machine.

• The label wants to see you putting in the work – your success is their success, which begs the question…

Again, this is where the leadership mindset comes in. You are the leader and the label is part of your team!

The Reality Check: No Guarantees, Only Potential

• Just because the label is investing in your promotion doesn't mean they'll move the needle in any significant way.

• Their focus is divided, their resources are spread out over many artists, and their bottom line (profit) is always first priority.

• There's no surefire formula for music industry stardom, no matter how much the label spends.

  • There may not be a formula for ‘stardom’, but there is a formula for long term success - create a catalog of truly exceptional songs and sound recordings, and market them continuously.

  • You can’t pick the winners, but you will win in the long run with enough great songs. It’s a numbers game!

• Your destiny isn't entirely in the hands of the label – you have to be ready to seize every opportunity as the master of your own fate. And remember…

The Empowered Mindset: Leveraging the Label's Muscle

• See the label's marketing machine as a powerful tool, not a magic wand. You still need to know how the tool works in order to leverage it!

  • Revisit the Classic Formula for Music Marketing.

• Use their resources and connections to amplify your own strategic efforts.

• Maintain a clear vision, stay flexible, and be ready to adjust the plan if it is not working.

• You are the creative force at the heart of this enterprise. Don't let the label's agenda eclipse your own.

Strategies for Marketing Leverage:

• Negotiate Transparent KPIs - Establish clear, measurable goals for the label's promotional commitments. Hold them accountable to those targets, and don't be afraid to demand more.

• Cultivate a Diverse Fan Ecosystem - Supplement the label's efforts with your own social media, live shows, and community building. Diversify your audience reach beyond the label's traditional channels and collect as much fan data as possible!

• Explore Alternative Promotional Avenues - Investigate influencer marketing, sync placements, and other out-of-the-box opportunities.

The more you can bring to the table, the more leverage you have in the partnership.

7. CONTRACT LENGTH: DETERMINING THE TIMELINE OF YOUR MUSICAL FUTURE

Let’s talk about one of the most critical aspects of your record deal: TIME

How long will you be obligated to work exclusively with this label?

Album Commitments: The Multi-Album Marathon

• Your contract might be for one song, one album, or it could stretch to several consecutive albums.

• Each album is a milestone, but also a potential hurdle.

• The more albums you're committed to, the longer you're tied to the label's actions and limitations.

• Pro tip: Negotiate fewer guaranteed releases with options based on performance. It gives you more flexibility and leverage.

Options: The Label's Choice

• They can choose to extend your deal if you're blowing up, or cut you loose if you're not meeting expectations.

• Options usually benefit the label more than you. The label gets to decide if they want to keep you in the deal.

• Negotiate hard on these. Try to limit the number of options or include performance benchmarks that must be met for options to kick in.

  • Remember: if you do blow up and you are free of contractual obligations, you can renegotiate your deal for more favorable terms or use your popularity to build your business without a label.

Delivery Schedule: The Rhythm of Your Creative Life

• Know exactly when you're expected to deliver new music.

• These deadlines aren't just suggestions – they're contractual obligations.

• Understand the consequences of missing deadlines. It could trigger penalties or even breach of contract.

• Pro move: Build in some flexibility and pad your timeline a bit. Creativity doesn't always follow a schedule.

Exit Strategies: Mapping Your Escape Route

• What happens if things go south? You need to know how (and if) you can leave early.

• Look for mutual termination clauses or performance-based exit options.

• Beware of one-sided termination rights that only benefit the label.

• Remember: The best exit strategy is one you never have to use, but always have in your back pocket.

A Key Negotiation Strategy:

Create milestone-based renegotiation points.

Include clauses that allow you to renegotiate terms after certain achievements. This lets you capitalize on your growing success and adjust the deal in your favor as you rise in popularity.

Don't let the allure of a long-term contract blind you to the importance of flexibility and new horizons.

Your career is a journey, not a destination.

Make sure your contract length gives you room to explore, experiment, and excel. The right balance of commitment and freedom can empower you to always work with the right partners for each phase in your career.

8. FINE PRINT: THE DEVIL’S IN THE DETAILS

The fine print isn't just legalese; it's a determining factor of your music business future.

Contracts can be very creative, which means there can be an infinite number of fine print deal points. Here are a few of the most important.

Territory: Mapping the Borders of Your Label’s Power

• This defines where your music can be sold and distributed.

• Worldwide rights are most common, but what if a different label could do better in certain markets?

• Consider carve-outs for specific territories where you might want to retain control.

  • It may be unorthodox, but this could include seeking out a label in a different country to represent you only in that territory.

  • For instance, if you are a U.S. artist and could negotiate a regional deal with an Australian label, that move could work out in your favor.

  • Your boosted presence in another territory could give you more bargaining power in the U.S.!

• Pro tip: The music world is global, but markets are local. Develop your strategy accordingly.

Reserves: The Label's Financial Safety Net (at Your Expense)

• Labels can withhold a percentage of your royalties as a hedge against returns or overpayments.

• This can significantly delay your payday and impact your cash flow.

• Negotiate hard on the percentage and duration of reserves.

• Remember: Your art is creating value now. Why should you wait to be paid for it?

Audit Rights: Make Sure Nobody is ‘Cooking the Books’

• Can you verify the label's math? How often? Who pays for the audit?

• This is your financial future. Don't let it become a tangled mess.

• Push for regular, comprehensive audit rights. Transparency is key, especially when it comes to your money.

• Pro move: Negotiate for the label to cover audit costs if any discrepancies are found.

Strategies for Fine Print Mastery:

• Get a seasoned entertainment attorney to review your contract.

  • Their experience can spot traps you might miss. Don't shy away from asking questions. Understanding is your strongest negotiating tool.

• Create a fine print checklist of must-have clauses and deal-breakers before you start negotiating.

  • This keeps you focused on what really matters amidst the sea of legalese.

  • Don’t forget about reversion clauses so you can take back ownership of your copyrights as we covered in Part 2!

• Future-proof your contract by including clauses that address emerging technologies and revenue streams.

  • The industry is changing so rapidly, so you must anticipate future trends and disruptions. That is why we are Helping Our Music Evolve 😉

Don't let the excitement of a deal cloud your judgment.

Paying attention to small details can set you up for long term success, but missing them can cause major problems.

I hope these posts become your secret weapon - a way for you to manifest for your artistic vision, and a launchpad for your wildest musical ambitions.

This is part two in a series that breaks down the deal points of a recording agreement into simple language that is easy to understand.

The post below starts with section 4.

You can find the first three sections by reading Record Deals in Plain English - Part 1.

The goal is to give YOU a clear picture of what you are getting yourself into if/when you sign a record deal.

But first… a disclaimer!

I also want to reiterate here that I am in NO WAY anti-label. HOME is built on the following foundational wisdom:

HOME exists to solve the problem of creators trying to do everything ‘DIY’. At HOME, we’re all about ‘community over competition’. But the reality is this:

If you are a ‘DIY‘ competing against a team, the team will win over the long run.

That’s why we say Music is a team sport.

For more thoughts on why you need a team, revisit From DIY to Dream Team.

You do need a team, but it’s very important that the label becomes part of your team, instead of you becoming a part of the label’s team.

It’s a simple, yet powerful mindset shift.

If you want to build an extraordinary life, you must be the leader.

Now that we have that out of the way, let's dive deeper into the critical topics of ownership and control!

4. OWNERSHIP: GUARDING YOUR MUSICAL LEGACY

Get ready for a truth bomb 💣

When you sign a record deal, you're not just handing over your music – you are trusting someone else with your musical legacy.

But don't panic just yet. With the right knowledge and negotiation skills, you can ensure your art remains in your control, even while partnering with major music companies.

Let’s start with some basic knowledge about copyrights.

Record labels deal primarily with the master recordings - the ‘circle p’ copyright. In the biz, they say the job of the label is to ‘exploit the masters’.

Master Recordings: Who Owns Your Recorded Music?

• The label may demand ownership of your master recordings. Forever.

• Those are the recordings they paid for, after all, right? Or did you pay that money back? (See Part 1, Section 2 - The Advance)

• When the label owns the masters, they control the distribution, licensing, and monetization of your music.

• This is a HUGE DEAL – masters can generate royalties for decades, even centuries. (See Part 1, Section 3 - Royalties)

Publishing Rights: Who Owns Your Songs?

• Publishing refers to the underlying composition of your songs – the lyrics, melodies, and chord progressions.

• Owning your publishing gives you more control over how your songs are used, licensed, and earning you royalties in the long run.

• It is common to see writers who retain full or partial ownership of their publishing rights. Most are glad they do, because a hit song can pay out serious money!

  • Publishing agreements are technically a separate contract, but sometimes those rights can be rolled into a record deal.

The Long Game: Envisioning Your Musical Legacy

• Think beyond the next album cycle or tour. Where do you want your music to be in 10, 20, 50 years?

• Masters and publishing are the keys to lasting impact and income.

• If the label owns your masters forever, they control that part of your musical destiny – even if you part ways down the line.

A MAJOR Negotiation Point: Reversion Clauses

• A ‘reversion clause’ gives you the option to regain your masters after a set period, which could be 5-20 years, depending on the power and track record you are bringing to the deal.

• Negotiating for the reversion of your masters is a way to ensure your music eventually returns to your control, even if it takes a while.

• Reversion clauses can be a sticking point for labels, but they're worth fighting for. Your future self will thank you.

The Ownership Mindset: Lifetime Benefits from Your Artistic Output

• Your music is more than just your income stream – it's your creative DNA, your lifetime of dedication.

• When you sign on the dotted line, you're not just inking a business deal. You're shaping the trajectory of your future.

• Ownership is power. The more you can retain, the more you can control how your music evolves and earns for you over time.

Strategies for Ownership Empowerment

• Negotiate Fiercely:

  • Look for partners who will contribute so much value to your project that they truly earn the rights to your masters and publishing.

  • Seek reversion clauses to regain control down the line.

  • Be willing to walk away from a deal that doesn't align with your long-term vision.

• Educate Yourself:

  • Understand the ins and outs of master and publishing rights.

    • If you are new to the industry, be sure to read my 3 Keys to Music Success for a breakdown of some important fundamentals.

  • Consult music industry lawyers (entertainment attorneys) who can advise you on contract negotiations.

  • Know your worth, and don't let the label's expertise and legalese intimidate you.

• Explore Alternative Paths:

  • Consider distribution deals, development deals, or label services agreements that allow you to keep more rights.

  • Crowdfunding and fan communities like Patreon can be the perfect solution for some artists to find funding.

  • Weigh the pros and cons of each approach – there's no one-size-fits-all solution.

The label may have the money and the machines, but you hold the most valuable currency of all – your unique musical voice and brand.

Use it to negotiate from a position of power, and set a goal to create a body of work that outlasts any one deal or distribution channel.

5. CREATIVE CONTROL: PROTECTING YOUR ARTISTIC INTEGRITY

This is where a tug-of-war can form between your artistic vision and the label's commercial interests.

But with the right strategy and contract language, you can retain creative control of your project.

Album Approval: Choosing Your Releases and Artwork

• Who has the final say on your album's track listing, single selections, and cover art?

• This is your musical baby – you don't want the label turning it into something you don't recognize.

• Negotiate airtight approval rights, making it clear that your creative input is non-negotiable.

Musical Direction: Preserving Your Authentic Sound

• Can the label force you to work with specific producers, songwriters, or engineers?

• They might claim it's for your commercial benefit, but hopefully you know your art better than anyone.

  • The key here is being open to feedback and input while also being clear on your artistic vision. Review the Artist Branding Playbook - Part 2 if you need help clarifying your vision 👁️

• Your fans are counting on your signature sound, your ability to channel inspiration, and your capacity to re-create yourself over and over again so that you keep making truly remarkable music.

Brand Deals and Licensing: Guarding Your Artistic Identity

• How can the label use your music in advertisements, TV shows, films, and beyond? Would you be okay with your music appearing in political advertisements? Which ones?

  • This is where your ‘core values’ come into play. Revisit the Artist Branding Playbook - Part 2 for a comprehensive list of core values that you can use to clarify your own.

• Make sure you have a say in these ‘brand alignment’ type of decisions. Your songs aren't just assets – they're extensions of your creative identity.

• You can negotiate limitations on how your music can be used, and you can also negotiate a bigger slice of those licensing fees. Everything is up for grabs!

The Pro Tip: Get It in Writing, Get It Ironclad

• Vague contract language is the enemy of creative freedom.

• Be specific about what you retain control over, and what you're willing to compromise on. Maybe it’s your style, your artwork, your merch, whatever it is, get clear on it.

• The more airtight your creative control clauses, the less room for the label to begin entering your most sacred artistic territory.

The Mindset Shift: Your Music, Your Team, Your Life

• Remember, artistic creativity is the backbone of this entire enterprise.

• There are many labels, but there is only one YOU!

• It is up to you to be the leader of your team and know the business well enough to make strategic decisions. Become the best leader you can be so that your team is motivated to work hard for you!

  • Read Become a Conscious Leader to learn how you can fulfill your potential as the leader of your team.

The most important strategy for retaining ownership and control is to cultivate a loyal fanbase.

Your devoted audience is your superpower. Protect the connection you have with your fans. If a label helps you create a mailing list and other fanbase data, make sure you have access to it and ownership of that information if you and the label part ways.

Read The Fanbase Flywheel to understand why fan engagement is the key to having a massively successful career!

The label knows that your creative vision is what captivates your fans – leverage that.

This is your legacy, your legend in the making.

Fight for it, negotiate for it, and never compromise the vision that sets your music apart. Your fans are counting on you to stay true to the sound that moves them, inspires them, and speaks to the depths of their being.

Stay savvy, stay empowered, and never forget that your music's true power lies in its ability to connect with people on a deep, visceral level.

No amount of label hype can replicate that.

One of our members recently signed a major record deal. It’s super exciting, but also very stressful!

It inspired me to write a series of posts that break down the deal points of a recording agreement into simple language that is easy to understand.

The goal is to give YOU a clear picture of what you are getting yourself into if/when you sign a record deal.

But first… a disclaimer!

I often run into artists that are fiercely independent and think that record labels are the devil. Perhaps more often, I talk to artists who think that their entire career success hinges on getting a record deal.

Neither one of those mindsets are beneficial. Here’s what I tell the Homies:

In other words, you need to take ownership of your own decisions and your own destiny. A record label can be a great partner, but if you expect to just sit back and let them do all the work, you are probably in for a rude awakening.

Now that we have all that out of the way…

Buckle up, turn your amps to 11, and let's dive headfirst into the thrilling, terrifying, and transformative world of music business partnerships.

1. RECORD DEAL BASICS

At its essence, a record deal is a symbiotic dance between raw artistic vision and corporate muscle. It's the fusion of two worlds that don't always speak the same language, but when they sync up, magic happens.

You, the artist, bring:

• The spark of creation – those melodies that people want to hear

• The blood, sweat, and tears poured into every lyric and riff

• The magnetic stage presence that turns audiences into lifelong fans

• The unique voice that cuts through the noise of a crowded industry

The label brings:

• Financial fuel to turn your sonic dreams into tangible realities

• A rolodex of industry connections that can open doors you didn't even know existed

• Marketing expertise to amplify your message to the masses

• Distribution channels to get your music heard across the globe

Sounds like a match made in music heaven, right?

But here's the kicker – this "simple" partnership is anything but.

It's a complex web of clauses, percentages, and promises that can help launch you into the stratosphere or leave you stranded in the shadows.

The Duality of the Deal:

• Opportunity vs. Obligation: Every open door comes with strings attached.

• Exposure vs. Exploitation: Your music could reach millions, but at what cost?

• Support vs. Control: Gain a powerful ally, but potentially sacrifice your autonomy and artistic vision.

Here's the truth – knowledge is your superpower.

Understanding the intricacies of a record deal isn't just smart; it's an act of artistic self-preservation. It's about ensuring that the business of music enhances your art, rather than eclipsing it.

As we break down each component of the record deal, remember this:

You're not just a musician signing a contract. You're a visionary entering a partnership. Your talent has value beyond measure. Never forget that.

2. THE ADVANCE: YOUR GOLDEN HANDCUFFS

Picture this: You're sitting across from a label executive, your heart beating faster than your latest dance track.

They slide a check across the table…

Your eyes widen, visions of studio time and sold-out tours dancing in your head. But hold up, future rock star – that's not a golden ticket. It's a shiny pair of handcuffs.

The Illusion of 'Free' Money:

• It's not a gift, it's a calculated investment in your potential.

• Think of it as a high-stakes loan from the Bank of Rock 'n' Roll.

• Every dollar comes with invisible strings attached to your future.

How It Really Works…

The label is essentially bankrolling your ascent to stardom. This cash infusion can cover:

• Studio time to craft your greatest hits

• Music video production to visualize your art

• Tour support to get on the road and spread your sound

• Living expenses so you can focus on creating, not surviving

• Marketing firepower to cut through the noise

It's fuel for your artistic rocket ship, but remember – you're the one who has to steer it.

The Catch (And It's a Big One):

• Every cent of that advance is ‘recoupable’.

• Translation: You're paying it back through your future earnings.

• Your royalties? They're on hold until that debt is cleared.

• Your advance could be split into parts, like 50% paid upfront and 50% paid after delivering the finished record(s).

The Sobering Reality Check:

Budget like your artistic life depends on it – because it does.

That advance needs to stretch further than you think…

• World-class production doesn't come cheap

• Neither do top-tier music videos or merch designs

• Tours are VERY expensive – gas, venues, crew, it all adds up

• Don't forget taxes – Uncle Sam wants his cut too

The day that money hits your account, start thinking about how to make it multiply.

The Mindset Shift:

• View the advance as a tool, not a treasure.

• It's rocket fuel for your career, not a reward for your talent.

• Treat every dollar as an investment in your future success.

The Strategic Approach:

• Negotiate like you’re playing 5D chess – sometimes a smaller advance with better terms is the wiser choice.

• Consider performance bonuses or higher royalty rates instead of a massive upfront payment.

• Create a detailed budget before you even touch that money.

• Invest in your craft and your business skills equally.

Remember, the most empowered artists aren't just great musicians – they're savvy financial navigators. They understand that true artistic freedom comes from both creative brilliance and business skills.

So when that check slides across the table, see it for what it is: a challenge, an opportunity, and a responsibility.

Stay wise, stay hungry, and let's turn those advances into real advantages.

3. ROYALTIES: YOUR SLICE OF THE SONIC PIE

This is where your art transforms into actual income, where your beats become your bread and butter. But beware – this financial feast is served with a hefty side of complexity.

The Basics: Your Music, Your Money (Sort Of)

• Every time your track plays, sells, or streams, you're entitled to a cut.

• Think of it as your music working for you, 24/7, across the globe.

• But don't start planning your private island purchase just yet – the royalty game is more marathon than sprint.

The Math: Percentages, Pennies, and Profit

• Physical Sales: Typically 10-20% of the sale price lands in your pocket.

• Streaming: Here's where it gets tricky – you're looking at fractions of a cent per play.

  • Spotify pays around $0.003 to $0.005 per stream.

  • A million streams sounds impressive, but do the math – it's not retire-to-Bali money. The total payout for a million streams is about $4,000… and if you are lucky, you might get $1,000 of that after the label takes their cut (probably less).

The Fine Print: The Devil in the Details

• Net Profit vs. Gross Income: Know the difference.

  • Gross: The total amount before expenses are deducted.

  • Net: What's left after the label takes out costs.

• Streaming Specifics - A maze of calculations based on:

  • Premium vs. free listeners

  • Geographic location of plays

  • Your agreement with your label

• International Royalties: Different countries, different rules. It's a global problem where royalties often end up locked away in the ‘black box’, meaning they don’t get paid to the proper rights holders.

The Reality Check: When Your Slice Feels More Like Crumbs

• Remember that advance? It's coming out of your royalties.

• Production costs, marketing expenses, music video budgets – all recoupable.

• You probably won’t see a dime until the label recoups these costs.

• Even then, your whopping 15%-25% might look pretty sad when you see the actual numbers.

Strategies for Royalty Empowerment:

• Negotiate Like a Boss:

  • Push for higher percentages, especially if you are self produced or can take a smaller advance.

  • Explore escalating royalty rates tied to sales milestones.

• Understand Every Clause:

  • Audit rights are your friend – make sure you can check the label's math.

  • Know exactly what expenses are recoupable.

• Diversify Your Royalty Streams:

  • Sync licensing (music for TV, film, and ads) can be a gold mine, which is why we have so many opportunities for HOME Members to break into that world.

  • Publishing royalties from songwriting can outlast your performing career. A hit song can keep earning money indefinitely, especially if other popular artists record it.

• The Power of Publishing:

  • If you write your own music, guard these rights fiercely.

  • Consider keeping or co-owning your publishing – it's where the long-term money lives.

The Royalty Mindset:

• Think of royalties as seeds, not fruits. Plant them wisely, nurture them patiently. They will feed you for a lifetime.

• Your music isn't just art – it's a long-term financial asset. Treat it accordingly.

• Knowledge is leverage. The more you understand, the better you can negotiate.

Remember, your job isn't just to make great music – it's to understand and optimize every revenue stream your talent generates.

Ready to unravel the rest? There’s a lot more to come…

Stay tuned for the next posts in this series as we continue to unpack the key points in a record deal.

Your future self – the one accepting awards, headlining festivals, and changing lives with your music – will thank you for paying attention now.

Stay curious, stay empowered, and take your musical future into your own hands!

You dream of that BIG MOMENT, that HUGE SUCCESS…

Sometimes it feels like you are making progress, but sometimes it feels like you are stuck. So how do you know that you are getting closer to your goals? 

Well, first you have to have goals.

Most people have either not taken the time to figure out what their goals are, or they just have some fuzzy idea about what they want to accomplish.

If this sounds like you, then pay close attention to this post!

One of my personal favorite sayings is:

If you take away nothing else from this post, remember that ☝️

Just by the simple act of getting more specific about exactly what you want, you get closer and closer to getting it.

Don’t just say, “I want to get a sync placement.” That is not specific at all.

Instead, you might say something like, “I want to get this specific song in the next Marvel movie." With a specific goal like that, you will be able to figure out precise next steps to making it happen.

You could figure out who the music supervisor is, what companies have placed songs in Marvel movies before, and you can probably articulate why your music is perfect for those films.

That’s the number one rule for goal setting - BE SPECIFIC!

I will also share with you the world’s most popular goal setting technique called ‘SMART Goals’, and a spin on that technique called ‘SMARTER Goals’.

Then we will take a deep dive into how you can set milestones to measure your progress along the way!

SMART Goals

Here is a cheat sheet to help you master the world’s most popular goal setting technique:

SMARTER Goals

Maybe you are already familiar with SMART Goals, and you want to take it to the next level?

I recommend checking out ‘SMARTER Goals’.

The SMARTER Goals framework was first taught to me by our Homie and brilliant music entrepreneur, Simon Tam.

The SMARTER acronym adds two more criteria to the SMART Goals technique to make it even more effective:

S - Specific

M - Measurable

A - Achievable

R - Relevant

T - Time-Bound

E - Everyone (in your network)

R - Revisit (often)

There are two big takeaways that really do make this framework SMARTER:

1. Once you have created your SMART goal, you have to take another step to leverage everyone in your network. 

2. The last step is to make sure you are revisiting your goals often (at least once a week). 

For a deeper look at the SMARTER Goals technique, visit Simon Tam’s article on Music Think Tank. 

Now that we understand goal setting, let’s dive into setting milestones and explore the ‘Time-Bound’ part of your goals. What are the time frames that you should be looking at to create milestones?

Set Milestones to Measure Your Progress

Start by zooming all the way out. 

In other words, what is the longest term vision that you have for your life and career? 

You need to think on a timeline of at least 10 years for the first part of this exercise.

Write that vision down, using the SMARTER Goals framework. Remember to articulate how are you going to leverage everyone in your network, and set a weekly reminder to revisit that long term vision frequently.

For the sake of simplicity, let’s use an example that someone’s long term goal is to have at least a million fans actively listening to their music…

To make it even more specific, the goal could be ‘one million Spotify followers in 10 years’. That’s a clear goal that is SMART. 

To make that goal even SMARTER, you could list out all of the potential collaborators, content creators, and social media marketers in your network who might be able to help you achieve the goal. Then set a reminder to reach out to them on a regular basis and see how you might be able to team up.

The next step is to break down that long term vision into milestones. For this exercise, the milestones could represent 10x growth and be:

1,000 followers

10,000 followers

100,000 followers

1,000,000 followers

Now, think through the difficulty of achieving each of the milestones above. 

The first thousand might be really tough for some, but the step from 100,000 to 1M means that you have to reach 900,000 new fans!

After you have broken down your vision into big milestones, figure out where you are right now in relation to your next one. 

Keep breaking it down until you have a clear goal for the next 12 - 18 months.

Sticking with our example, if you currently have 1,000 followers and you want to get to 10,000 followers within 2 years, you could break it down like this:

Triple your current audience size in one year (taking it from 1K to 3K), then triple that again (3K to 9K). That gets you pretty close to 10x growth in 2 years. 

Keeping those numbers in mind, let’s say you currently have 1,000 followers and your new short-term SMART goal is to grow to over 3,000 in one year.

Therefore, you need to gain 2,000 new fans in 12 months.

To keep the math simple, that means you should be achieving this monthly milestone:

Get an average of 150-200 new fans each month for the next year. 

WOW, doesn’t that sound much more approachable and actionable than just hoping to get to a million fans one day?

Because we started with SMART goals, our milestones are easily measurable so that we can know whether or not we are on track to achieve them. 

Prioritize the Best Initiatives to Hit Your Milestones

Now comes the fun part… developing your strategy!

Once you have a smaller, more approachable goal, you have to decide on your strategy to achieve it. A strategy is driven by initiatives, which are basically ideas, experiments, and actions that you perform to attain your goal. 

If your goal is to get 200 new fans per month, how will you do that?

Here are a few initiatives that you might consider:

• Play shows and ask the crowd to pull out their phones and follow

• Release more music (this can even be stripped down or alt versions, re-releases, etc.)

• Collaborate as a featured artist on other people’s releases

• Post more content on social media that drives traffic to your Spotify account

• Use digital marketing and social media ads

• Use playlisting services (but be careful because a lot of them are bots)

• Find influencers that will share your music and talk about you.

• Use organic/guerrilla marketing tactics like searching hashtags to identify superfans. For more info on this strategy see Gary Vee’s Instagram Strategy to grow your brand.

Once you have all of your potential initiatives listed out, be sure to rank them according to these parameters:

1. The difficulty or amount of time that each one takes

2. The monetary cost involved in each initiative

3. The potential impact that each one might have in getting you to your goal

For instance, if you are considering using playlisting services, maybe you know an easy connection that is fairly inexpensive, but it mostly brings passive listeners, NOT followers and fans. So even though it seems appealing, it may not be a good strategy for this particular goal. 

That is why you have to revisit often and measure what is working!

In reality, you will probably use most, if not all of the initiatives above. But you must revisit them and measure them often to see what is actually working the best. Change your strategy and mix of initiatives to prioritize the ones that are most effective and efficient for you. 

And don’t forget… LEVERAGE EVERYONE IN YOUR NETWORK!!!

The importance of your network cannot be overstated… especially in the music industry.

This is such a crucial step in goal setting that so many overlook.

Once you have your initiatives figured out, go through each one of them and brainstorm on how you can leverage everyone you know to strengthen your strategy and results. 

You must be constantly growing your network with others that are on similar or complementary paths.

That’s one of the main reasons we created HOME, to surround you with people who are high achievers that you can learn from and lean on during difficult times.

Milestones won’t always be easy to achieve, but if you learn to be goal oriented, break down bigger goals into smaller ones, measure your milestones, and constantly adjust your strategy to leverage your strengths, you will be well on your way to accomplishing your life’s vision.

When you reach those milestones, make sure that you take a moment to celebrate your achievements!

For some inspiration, check out my post on the original HOME blog called Celebrate Your Wins.

It’s time to go from goals to greatness. You got this 👊