How to Promote a Prog album in 2015

PS Update - just checked, 4125 views to that thread I mentioned where I offered the album for 50% - two downloads. 

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.

Thanks for the good advice Windhawk.

This is a topic I find interesting because I know quite a few prog musicians who don't do anything with their music.  I have a friend who spends all year doing an album and gives a copy away to friends for Christmas.  I just received my 10th album from him.  I've told him to get his stuff out there. It's actually really good.  But his response is similar to others on this thread.  Why waste one's time to sell 3 copies?

Back on topic, what are the quality prog labels that are still in existence?  What should a new or young artist expect from them assuming a match is made between artist and label?

It sounds like putting music out there for free is doing just that.  I would think touring is still the best way to gain a following.  Always has been I would imagine. 

What if a band took the approach of not participating in the free downloading and only played live and sold their music at shows?   Maybe on formats that are not easily shared like vinyl or cassette tapes?

Word of mouth being the age old promoter, and I think could spread quickly with the internet faster than the old days?

Will clubs book and pay a new prog band enough to get them from point A to point B, gas, room, food and guitar strings?

Windhawk wrote: TODDLER wrote: 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. So - basically you say that the musicians should ditch prog and do rap instead...???

No not at all! But if the above circumstances is all that the music industry in the U.S. can offer, then it is foolish to take a plunge yourself, spending thousands, going in debt and ending up on the street for the sake of art and in the meantime, all the people who bought your cd of Prog, see you homeless and are not lifting a finger to help you. There is a lesson to be learned in that. Self-preservation devices to fight against the forever commercialized United States Of America. Today, in this country..it's all about having some OTHER kind of career to finance your music and that's complete bullcrap to me. No musician on earth who has talent as wide as infinity should have to go through something like that. If you meet up with a musician/writer who already has an abundance of money flow and wants to invite you along to record Prog music...then go for it!.......but for Heaven's sake, how could anyone with a brain expect an independent musician to release a Prog cd at the drop of a hat? You might as well jump off a bridge..as to go in a financial hole that forever invades your life that every 7 years when you file bankruptcy. And....if you can't afford to file, then banks will not only chase you down, but make it difficult for you to live an average life.

Thanks to the kind person who did a download last night, by the way !

Edited by Davesax1965 - December 22 2014 at 03:07

"What if a band took the approach of not participating in the free downloading and only played live and sold their music at shows?   Maybe on formats that are not easily shared like vinyl or cassette tapes?

Word of mouth being the age old promoter, and I think could spread quickly with the internet faster than the old days?"

Davesax1965 wrote: OK, perhaps you understand now that a live gig is a virtual financial impossibility for a Prog band. Rock band, yes, prog rock, no.

Ah, sorry Dave. No, it may be impossible for you personally to play live — I'm not going to argue with that — but I had read it as more general advice to prog bands looking to promote music in 2015.

On that general question I'd still say don't discount any possibility out of hand. Listen to what's worked for other people and how they made it work and try to make those things work for you. But don't expect overnight success :)

In the interim, let's suppose that I sell 500 digital downloads off Bandcamp for $9.35 each, ie. full price. No dealing with intermediaries, vinyl pressing companies, no sticking things in the post. 

The Dark Elf wrote: Lie. Say it's a pop album featuring Ariana Grande, Pitbull and produced by Pharrell. You'll probably sell several thousand before anyone figures it out. Then the bad publicity will sell even more.

This.

^No! Gaga is poison after she made that duet album with Tony Bennett!