How to Promote a Prog album in 2015

Ok,

Assume you or your band just created and recorded an amazing prog album, you finished it up today and plan to release it to the prog world in 2015 and promote it.  How would you go about doing that properly so that anyone who is anyone in prog gets exposure to your album?

Shop it to a prog label? Release it yourself? How would you go about booking a tour?

I would guess there are young artists who view this forum that might be in such a predicament.

Seek out labels for starters, as they will aid in the promotion. Make sure to track down a label that release music of a similar kind to what you explore though, as most labels have an established audience with a certain taste. No matter how good you are, releasing an avant album on a neo label pr the other way around will be of limited use as far as sales to the label's main audience is concerned.
Use forums to instigate interest. Provide free downloads to those who want to review, and possibly reward some of the best reviews (as in best written - not most positive) with physical copies after the reviews have been made. See to it that the album can be found in the vital database websites of possible (Allmusic, rateyourmusic, genre sites like Progarchives).
Work at establishing an audience. Use facebook in a planned manner. A fixed weekly update, run some competitions (monthly?), be visible and communicate with your fans. Make them feel special, (appear to) be personal - everyone loves to feel seen and heard.
Use services like progstreaming for a planned promotional push. Schedule it first for launch, and then for when reviews start coming in if possible. The latter is more important than the former if you have to choose.
Use internet and fm radio stations. Make appearances in chats, do interviews if offered. Again a case of staying visible.
Be aware that an audience is built one person at the time. Most big bands have used many years and several albums to build their fanbase. Take one step at the time, think and plan long term.

All of this is skimming the surface of course, The start of the A in the ABC on how to build a career. I assume many can come with more elaborate and better worked out thoughts on the matter than these small details I took from the top of m head just now.


Edited by Windhawk - December 21 2014 at 03:15

As a reviewer, I have been often approached by bands or artists to help them get the word about. My experience has been that a well-written review (complete with links to samples, or even whole albums for streaming) can do a lot to give a band exposure and gain them followers. Nowadays the output of bands and artists under the progressive umbrella has become so huge that listeners do need some sort of guidance - especially since the various subgenres can be so wildly different from each other. Having a label to back you, of course, makes sure that the effort of sending out promos (either digital or physical) will be taken care of.

Another thing that bands and artists do quite a bit here in the US is to book a merch table at one of the festivals, especially when they have a new album out. People will stop and chat with them, and get the opportunity to listen to some music, and maybe buy the album. Attending other people's gigs is always a good strategy, because it generates interest and shows your support of the scene  - which is essential for a niche genre like prog.

What's the point really? Are you suppose to find a career , working you're ass off in school, giving up almost all of your important devotion to an instrument ....to later finance some "happy medium" of Prog ? Rap is out there with Rap stars who swing their little closed fingertips and palms of their hands in your face with an attitude that sucks. Then they have the nerve to mix our music with theirs. Samples of the worse music we grew up with that we found laughable in high school. HUH? Doesn't anybody on this site get that? Too many people ON this site are under the impression that an artist is suppose to work their ass off with a separate career to finance their Prog career and ...excuse me....but that's just ignorant. Truly the most ignorant thing I've ever heard. AND ALL FOR THE SAKE OF ART? What a laughable thing to even consider in 2015. You'll make nothing to re-invest in your next album and you will lose the chance to provide for your family and yourself just for the SAKE OF ART? Remember the F word?  Well it's needed to be applied to that kind of quest.


Edited by TODDLER - December 21 2014 at 08:29

Windhawk wrote: Seek out labels for starters, as they will aid in the promotion. Make sure to track down a label that release music of a similar kind to what you explore though, as most labels have an established audience with a certain taste. No matter how good you are, releasing an avant album on a neo label pr the other way around will be of limited use as far as sales to the label's main audience is concerned. Use forums to instigate interest. Provide free downloads to those who want to review, and possibly reward some of the best reviews (as in best written - not most positive) with physical copies after the reviews have been made. See to it that the album can be found in the vital database websites of possible (Allmusic, rateyourmusic, genre sites like Progarchives). Work at establishing an audience. Use facebook in a planned manner. A fixed weekly update, run some competitions (monthly?), be visible and communicate with your fans. Make them feel special, (appear to) be personal - everyone loves to feel seen and heard. Use services like progstreaming for a planned promotional push. Schedule it first for launch, and then for when reviews start coming in if possible. The latter is more important than the former if you have to choose. Use internet and fm radio stations. Make appearances in chats, do interviews if offered. Again a case of staying visible. Be aware that an audience is built one person at the time. Most big bands have used many years and several albums to build their fanbase. Take one step at the time, think and plan long term. All of this is skimming the surface of course, The start of the A in the ABC on how to build a career. I assume many can come with more elaborate and better worked out thoughts on the matter than these small details I took from the top of m head just now.

Great advice indeed.
I would add that the young prog musicians would never forget the importance of an artwork for the debut album. If they do not have money to book a design / illustration of some already known & professional artist, they need to find their friends - amateurs and (or) semi-professionals who have a talent for painting or the students of fine art or graphic design who just wish to have their stuff found on an album cover or anyone else who is able to do a good design / illustration of an album jacket that looks professional but who is willing to do that for "name your price" - of course, if there is no one in the band who is already a painter, a graphic designer, etc.

Edited by Svetonio - December 21 2014 at 10:37

Yep. If you're not making music for yourself as opposed to "the people" or "the fans", you're not really making music to begin with. It all starts with a fire in your tummy.....if not, then simply don't do it.

PS Guldbamsen, 100% true, and thanks for the cracking reviews. 

Just wanted to let Dave know that I tried to click to the link to his Bandcamp page, but got a "bad gateway" message. I don't know if it is my own connection acting up, or there is something wrong with the link.

Hi Raff, I've got it to. 502 bad gateway.

Edited by Davesax1965 - December 21 2014 at 11:13