Taking your first steps in the music industry can be intimidating: definitely more than it used to be two decades ago, when I started making music! Options to record, release and promote your music were fewer back then, which made the path clearer somehow.

However, music makers today can have full control over the production and distribution of their music, which is a fantastic opportunity to be in charge of their artistic endeavors.

In this world of powerful DAWs, endless plugins and workflows, mixing and mastering techniques, music marketing strategies, and TikTok, how does an aspiring musician get started?

Below you’ll find a list of websites that will help you define your career path in the music industry. Divided into separate sections, I’ll discuss musician resources that offer valuable content in their field, whether it’s gear reviews, music production tips or distribution strategies.

Gear and Technology

The Producer School YouTube Channel

I was working with Niek and Yanick when they first started producing sample packs, and I’m so glad to see they got big on YouTube . They highly deserve it, because The Producer School’s YouTube channel shows you how electronic music is made in detail, focusing on one EDM subgenre at the time, and going through the process in a practical and intuitive way.

Their sample packs are great too, by the way! But I strongly recommend you check out their social media channels for tips on how to make professional-sounding electronic music. Aspiring music producers will find everything they need on this YouTube channel.

Distribution

Distrokid

I’ve used Distrokid for years and have never felt like I needed to change. There are digital distributors that won’t ask for an upfront payment, others that don’t ask for annual renewal memberships, and yet I feel that Distrokid offers the best value for money and stress-free experience when I need to release new music.

It comes with a simple (albeit old-looking) interface, delivers new songs to platforms extremely quickly, and has multiple subscription options to meet everyone's needs. By using it, you keep 100% of your earnings, and starting from $22.99/year, you can upload as much music as you like across all streaming platforms. What else could you possibly need?

Bandzoogle

Bandzoogle is a website builder for musicians that offers everything you need to look professional and promote your artistry. From creating your EPK to selling merchandise and interacting with your fans, Bandzoogle is an all-in-one solution for independent artists.

A Bandzoogle website will cost you a fraction of hiring a professional web developer, and you’ll have a plethora of tools at your disposal from day one: digital downloads, membership subscriptions, music promotion tools, analytics, and more.

Bandcamp

Personally, I believe Bandcamp is the best thing that has happened to the independent artist over the last 20 years.

It’s a store and music community that’s designed to help you sell your music and reach new audiences worldwide. Everything they do is designed to help you promote your music, from Bandcamp Fridays to peers’ recommendations, selling merchandise or event tickets, and the possibility to customize your store in countless ways.

At the time of writing, Bandcamp’s community purchases an average of 80,000 records per day, and since its inception in 2017, fans have paid $1.4 billion to support the artists they love. Of all the tools available to the modern artist, this is the unmissable one: a direct and genuine connection between you and the people who appreciate your art.

Music Business and Marketing

Ari's Take

There are plenty of music educators out there these days, but I believe Ari is still the best one. Since 2012, Ari's Take website has been an invaluable source of information for DIY artists. Initially just a music business blog, Ari Herstand’s project has scaled up to become an all-in-one solution for musicians who want to take matters into their own hands, with detailed articles on the music production and business, podcasts, interviews, workshops, and an online academy for those who want to learn the secrets of the new music industry.

Ari Herstand’s book How To Make It in the New Music Business is something akin to a Bible for the independent musician, and it should definitely be on your bookshelf. As for the Academy, I took a course a couple of years ago on music syncing, which gave me a lot of valuable information that I still use today.

Water & Music

Water & Music is the best resource for professional musicians looking to make data-driven, strategic decisions. Their scientific, practical approach might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but there’s no doubt this is the website you should follow if you want to stay ahead of the game.

Water & Music provides in-depth analysis of new industry trends, tech developments, and digital marketing insights for music professionals. It covers everything from Web3 applications to monetization strategies, giving musicians plenty of music career resources to empower them and help them shape their careers.

DIY Musician by CD Baby

CD Baby’s DIY Musician is a fantastic platform that features blog articles, podcasts, and a community forum. It discusses everything artists need to know to manage every aspect of their careers. Music creators will find inspiring resources here, as well as in-depth guides on music creation, changes in the industry, and other crucial information to develop a career.

The writing style is genuine and practical, giving readers a hands-down approach to anything from booking management to digital performance royalties. Do check it out regularly as it's an endless source of information for independent musicians.

Promotion

TikTok

In 2024, your music must be on TikTok , regardless of your genre or style. The social platform offers a formula of immediate engagement, immense userbase, and a recommendation engine that gives every video a chance to go viral that you simply can’t ignore.

Guidelines on how to make your content TikTok-friendly are beyond the scope of this article, but I do recommend you do your research, create your own niche, and post consistent content regularly, all while building relationships with like-minded artists.

SoundCloud

I know you might consider this to be the opinion of an old musician, but hear me out: Soundcloud is still the best place to test your new music. It's also where new trends often start: think of Lil Nas X’s hit "Old Town Road" or Billie Eilish and Post Malone, both of which released their music on Soundcloud before anywhere else.

With roughly 140 million users, Soundcloud still offers a responsive audience and the opportunity to connect with other independent artists. Their subscription options give you the possibility to distribute your recorded music directly from the platform, which is a great way to keep things streamlined. Finally, it allows you to adjust your creative process depending on your audience's reactions, and get valuable feedback as you craft your sound signature.

Spotify for Artists

Once you release your music on Spotify, you want to have a full understanding of how your songs are doing. That’s when Spotify for Artists comes into play. The platform offers many tools to promote your music, from sharing upcoming tracks with Spotify editors to creating Marquees, selling tickets and merch, and much more.

Together with TikTok, Spotify is probably the only platform that can single-handedly skyrocket your career, so my recommendation is to master Spotify for Artists to ensure you’re making the most of what it offers.

SubmitHub

SubmitHub helps you connect with music bloggers and playlist curators by giving you the option to smoothly submit your music to them. Once you release your album, you can use SubmitHub to contact your favorite magazines or influencers, and if you opt for a Premium submission, reviewers have to send written feedback on your song or listen to it for at least 90 seconds, ensuring your submission doesn’t go unnoticed.

All in all, when used right, SubmitHub is a great platform for getting publicity and promoting your music, especially if you have just started. Just make sure you target the right reviewers and keep an eye on the statistics to make sure you're doing things right.

Final Thoughts

There are dozens of other valuable websites (including this one) and YouTube channels out there, and depending on your genre and approach to music-making, I’m sure you’ll find countless other resources online that’ll help you hone your craft.

Finding the right course can help you start your music career on the right foot, providing you with the right skills and networking opportunities to become a professional musician.

Good luck!