For Music Lovers: How Can You Support Local Bands?
Supporting local bands is worth your time and money because just like supporting small businesses and buying regional produce, supporting local and expanding bands can boost the local economy and encourage the uniqueness of the city’s culture.
For Music Lovers: How Can You Support Local Bands?
We usually try to cover various aspects of the music industry aimed at musicians, but today we would love to talk more about your support to local bands as music fans.
Supporting local bands is worth your time and money because just like supporting small businesses and buying regional produce, supporting local and expanding bands can boost the local economy and encourage the uniqueness of the city’s culture. Below are 7 aspiring ways to show your compassion and support to musicians in your city/country.
1. Stream their music
Obviously, you can’t show support without playing music all over again. Many local musicians have music on major streaming platforms like Spotify, iTunes, and Pandora. The more you play their music, the more money they will generate through streaming royalties. So, you can make a playlist of your favorite local musicians and stream it when you’re making breakfast or when you're riding your stationary bike.
2. Buy band merch
Check out the band’s website and see what merchandise they have for sale. Do you have a record player? How about adding a new vinyl to the collection? By purchasing anything, you’ll significantly add value to them.
3. Subscribe to artists' social media accounts and mailing lists
Indeed, social media is powerful and you can increase the band’s visibility and engagement by constantly showing your support and love by likes, shares, comments, reposts, conversations, mentions, etc. Subscribing will build up the act's following and allow them to reach a wider audience, which ultimately equals more fans and more sales.
4. Consider donating to hardship funds
Donations never harm anybody! You can search for available campaigns or donation centers in your region and help musicians, especially during the coronavirus pandemic.
5. Host a watch party
Everyone is going ‘live’! Make sure to tune in when your favorite artists go live and invite your friends to watch the performance with you via a digital watch party. Sites like Facebook make it easy to notify your friends and invite them to watch the live stream with you.
6. Pre-order new albums
If you don’t know, buying an album nets the artist more money than a single stream of said tracks. Whether you buy a physical format or a download, it's a sure-fire way of ensuring more of your purchase price goes to the act.
If your favorite band has a new album coming out later this year, check if pre-orders are available. This not only means that funds are coming in, but it also creates a buzz, sending a message to retailers that the release is hotly anticipated.
7. Spread the word
There’s no better way to support the artists you love than by word of mouth! Do it as much as you can to get the word out about your favorite local musicians. Did they just release a new song? Are they opening an online shop for the first time? Get the word out and help them build their fanbase!
Musicians always face hardships on their way to get recognized and promote their band. It has even gotten worse with COVID-19 when all the shows had to be canceled, resulting in a loss of money for artists. Therefore, the ways mentioned above can help them a lot in such difficult times.