Online Marketing for an Indie Band?

nometa asks: "I'm working with an indie band, and despite excellent reviews, a great album (produced by Sylvia Massey of Tool fame), and excited responses by crowds whenever we play, it seems near-impossible to get past the 'gate-keepers' of the music industry. Majors (and several indies, sadly) don't see a pretty boy band, push for fluffy singles over good songs, and generally act like they still have clue about what people want. We've had great success, however, on our websites selling CDs and pulling in new fans, and would like to push online music marketing further. Do any Slashdot readers have suggestions for pushing our music out further online?" We all know the problem with today's music industry, this is not the place for that horse-pill. Instead let's focus on how an independent music group can go out there and make it on their own, and do so using existing technology (including the Internet), to its best potential. So what suggestions do you have for young, aspiring bands who want to make their music, and not sell their soul in the process?

Comments

exactly what i was going to say.

[day of ire]

the fact that you're not TEARING up the charts has nothing to do with the labels and everything to do with your sound. you are playing a style of music that had a fleeting moment of popularity over the past year or two, but is fading faster than the ska craze of the mid 90s.

my point is that it's just asinine to imply that this band is being looked over because they are not "a pretty boy band," when the band sounds like the only OTHER dominate sound on the radio for the time being - so called "nu metal" or "hardnow."

i've toured the country dozens of times, and am leaving in a few weeks for still another national tour. in almost every city i visit see fun, interesting, original, exciting new bands that will never, ever sign to a major label. most will be lucky if they scrounge up the money to press a CD that will end up in $1 bins across town in a year. the fact that your band has had even moderate success is a blessing. you should continue to work hard and earn fans, but QUIT ACTING LIKE THE WORLD OWES YOUR MEDICORE BAND SOMETHING.