10 things you'll realize when you release an album

[Kyo]

Disclaimer: This is a shameless cross-post to several forums, but since my original post generated a lot of very interesting discussion with lots of good stories and valuable comments from other musicians, I thought I'd just go ahead and post it here as well:

I'd like to share this little list of things I learned in the six months following the release of my band's debut album.

When you release an album, you will realize that...

1. ... relying on online acquaintances to help promote your music (e.g., by writing reviews if they like it) is mostly futile. This can even harm your however loose relationship with people when they disappoint you for no good reason.

2. ... on the other hand, sometimes perfect strangers can become untiring champions of your music which feels just great.

3. ... some magazines and review pages can't even be bothered to reply to a promo offer via e-mail. Makes you really want to send them a CD just like that, eh?

4. ... a large part of many reviews is just a slightly re-phrased version of your official band biography. So better make sure it's well-written.

5. ... a surprising percentage of positive (!) reviews doesn't include a single nicely quotable sentence.

6. ... even when your guest star is very obviously featured on your entire album, some "professionals" will still write that he "guests on a couple of tracks".

7. ... you were clearly influenced by <insert band you've never heard in your life>.

8. ... some people buy your album (thanks!) but then share their download link with all their friends (WTF?!). It's one form of "support", I guess...

9. ... quite a few of your online acquaintances don't legally obtain music at all (they might make an exception for their favorite band).

10. ... you shouldn't expect people to stick to public announcements like "I will buy this ASAP", especially coming from other musicians.

To be continued...

[Shawn]

Crushing poverty is the only reason I haven't bought a copy yet...

[Kyo]

You're excused because you obviously have good taste.

Anyone else have some similar stories to contribute? Maybe even the Big O guys?

[Big Wheel]

1. ... relying on online acquaintances to help promote your music (e.g., by writing reviews if they like it) is mostly futile. This can even harm your however loose relationship with people when they disappoint you for no good reason.

This strikes me as very true. I think for a band, the important thing is that you should feel free to pimp your stuff to your friends, but DO NOT expect them to lift a finger on your behalf. They are busy people too even if they are in better financial straits than you.

I have a friend who is very aggressive about promoting his stuff this way. Guess what? I like him, but I don't actually like his band; their music just isn't very interesting and frankly, doesn't IMHO deserve any wider audience. So I feel resentful when the implication is made that I've somehow been in the wrong by not jumping on his self-promotion bandwagon.

[Chuck Nessa]

On a slightly bigger scale, the AMG review of a recent release (of mine) was written based on the liner notes and the writer reviews a performance not included in the cd.

[Kyo]

This strikes me as very true. I think for a band, the important thing is that you should feel free to pimp your stuff to your friends, but DO NOT expect them to lift a finger on your behalf. They are busy people too even if they are in better financial straits than you.

I don't usually expect any help, but when they offer that they'll plug your album

on some metal forum that they frequent and then nothing happens for half a year,

you end up doubting if you should even ask again about that offer from January.

I have a friend who is very aggressive about promoting his stuff this way. Guess what? I like him, but I don't actually like his band; their music just isn't very interesting and frankly, doesn't IMHO deserve any wider audience. So I feel resentful when the implication is made that I've somehow been in the wrong by not jumping on his self-promotion bandwagon.

Well, if you don't think the music deserves your help, then I guess it's for the better if you keep quiet about it.

On a slightly bigger scale, the AMG review of a recent release (of mine) was written based on the liner notes and the writer reviews a performance not included in the cd.

[Big Wheel]

Offering to help and failing to come through is one thing and I can see how that would be frustrating. I was more referring to the expectation that some people have that you should just always offer simply because you're their friend. And yes, I keep my mouth shut in real life. It's just that this particular friend is a peculiar combination of extremely arrogant and extremely tenacious, and is constantly haranguing people who don't actively do stuff for him.