Article: 11 Things Millennial Musicians Just Don’t Get  https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2017/07/27/millennial-musicians/ By Ari Herstand, author of How To Make It in the New Music Business, a Los Angeles based musician and the creator of the music biz advice blog Ari’s Take. Follow him on twitter @aristake In this episode Blasko and Mike Mowery discuss tips and strategies for how to succeed in 2018 as they dive into the following points made by Ari Herstand’s article “11 Things Millennial Musicians Just Don’t Get” and learn how to come out on top in the new year. 1) Spotify Plays Don’t Equal Fans I can’t tell you how many artists I see on Spotify with hundreds of thousands or millions of streams, but can’t get even 100 out to their local (or any) shows. Or get anyone to back their crowdfunding campaign. Or support them in any way whatsoever. These listeners are not fans of the artists, they are fans of the playlist these songs got included on.   2) Your Branding and Story Is More Important Than Your Music People judge you based on your aesthetic, story and image long before they hit play on one of your songs – if they even make it that far. Your branding (which includes your image, your story (!!), and really your overall aesthetic) are what non-musicians (bloggers) talk about. They ain’t talking about your drum tones, syncopated rhythms, plugins or mix techniques. 3) Your Follower Numbers Don’t Matter As Much As Your Real Life Numbers Don’t tell me how many followers you have. All I care about are how many fans you have who are willing to support your career.   4) You Don’t Have to Follow Musical Trends to Make it Don’t make music you think people want to hear. Make music that is meaningful to you. You can find your audience. Or rather, the audience will find you if you market it properly.   5) The Goal Is Not To Get Signed The Goal Is To Make a Living Doing What You Love If your goal is to get signed, then you’re going to miss. If after building your career on your own to a level where labels are begging to work with you, then, and only then, should you decide if it’s the best move for you.   6) If All Your Eggs Are in Instagram You’re Doomed Yes, Instagram is the hottest social app out right now. At one point the only online presence that mattered for musicians was Myspace. Those that didn’t grab their fans and transfer them to a database they owned (i.e. email list) lost contact with all their fans when Myspace died. Don’t ignore the social sites where your fans exist, but also have a way to keep in touch with them that isn’t dependent on the whims of the latest hot social app. Email any questions or comments to askblasko@gmail.com Find Blasko on Twitter and Instagram: @blasko1313 Find Mike Mowery on Twitter and Instagram: @mikeoloop Want to get your band to the top of the charts with your next album release? Sign up for Mike Mowery’s “Release It Right” and “Unleash It Right” webinars at signup.outerloopcoaching.com ManageMental is part of the Jabberjaw Media Network. www.jabberjawmedia.com    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices