How to Build Your Brand: A Step-By-Step Guide For Musicians (Without the Bullsh*t)
- Alfie Amadeus
- Apr 2
- 7 min read
Updated: Apr 3
We get it. You're talented. Your music has the power to change lives. You’re on your way to becoming a rockstar. Amazing. Really. But here's the thing (as we've mentioned before): this is not enough. As an artist, being good at music is the bare minimum. Look, talent is great. But in today's music industry, talent alone won’t cut it. If you want people to remember your name, stream your tracks, and actually give a damn about your music, you need a brand that slaps.
Successful artists understand that music branding is everything. They don't just drop a couple songs on Spotify, upload a dodgy horizontal video from a practice room, get ChatGPT to create some album artwork, cross their fingers and hope for the best. They built an identity, a vibe, a movement. Your music could be the best in the world, but if your branding sucks, then you suck. You're just another name lost to the algorithm.
We're not talking about faking it, or selling out. We're talking about owning your image, telling your story, and making damn sure people pay attention. If you’re serious about your music career, it’s time to stop winging it and start building a brand that actually works.
So, here’s exactly how to do it. No fluff. No corporate jargon. Just the raw, unfiltered truth on how to stand out as an artist.
Step 1: Figure Out Who the Hell You Are
Before you even think about pushing your music to the masses, you need to define your identity. We're not just talking about your sound here. Your personality, your aesthetic, your message, anything that affects the way people feel when they engage with you. Billie Eilish didn’t just release music. She created a dark, mysterious aesthetic, a unique visual identity, and a rebellious, moody persona that resonated with millions. Her artist identity was clear from day one, and that’s why she blew up.
Ask yourself:
What’s your genre and vibe? (Are you raw and punk as hell, or smooth and synth-heavy?)
What story are you telling? (Struggling artist? Underground visionary? Party starter?)
What do you stand for? (Are you anti-establishment like Rage Against the Machine or introspective like Phoebe Bridgers?)
Get started now:
Write a one-liner that sums up your music and brand. Example: "I make lo-fi math rock for introverts who dream in polyrhythms." Keep this in mind for everything you do.
Step 2: Pick a Damn Good Artist Name & Logo
Your artist name should be memorable, easy to spell, and not impossible to find on Google. If your name is “Shadow” or “Echo,” congrats. You're buried under a thousand search results. Get specific, or get unnoticed.
Examples of great branding moves:
Post Malone (Simple, unique, and rolls off the tongue)
Tame Impala (Evokes psychedelic imagery and fits the music)
PUP (Short, bold, and perfect for a punk band)
Once you’ve got a name, make sure your logo and visuals match your vibe. If you’re shoegaze, don’t use a flashy neon font. If you’re hardcore punk, don’t use elegant calligraphy. Be intentional.
If you're handy with Canva or Adobe Express, take a DIY approach. Otherwise, it's always a good idea to hire a designer to create a simple, easily recognisable logo. Using AI to create a logo can produce good results, however, it is important to consider whether the AI can be detected. AI that's easily detectable can make your brand look cheap and tacky. Midjourney and Dall-E 3 are considered to be the best in text-to-image conversion, but consider editing the images after creation so that the "AI-ness" is undetectable.
Step 3: Develop a Strong, Consistent Visual Identity
Your brand needs to be instantly recognisable. That means a cohesive colour scheme, font style, and imagery.
Check out:
The 1975 – Black-and-white aesthetic, neon pink highlights.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Trippy, psychedelic visuals matching their chaotic sound.
Doom (MF DOOM) – The mask, the persona, the mystery – it all fits the music.
Get started:
Decide on 2-3 main colours and stick to them for your album covers, website, and social media. AI platforms such as Colormind can help you to create a colour palette, but ensure that the final result is something that you are happy with and that suits your brand – don't leave it to AI to do all the work!
Step 4: Own Your Online Presence (Or Get Left Behind)
If you’re not chronically online, you don’t exist. Period. You need:
Social Media – Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter are non-negotiable for most artists, although others have been popping up in recent days (Check out our blog on building up a Bluesky profile here). Bandcamp and Discord are also becoming increasingly popular. Find which ones work best for you and stick to those, rather than exhausting yourself by trying to utilise all platforms.
Streaming Profiles – Make sure your Spotify, Apple Music, and SoundCloud profiles are fully optimised with high-quality photos, bios, and links. YouTube is another important one, but this should be treated differently from other streaming platforms. Don't just upload each single with a boring background to avoid a "spammy" feel. Upload a full album for those who don't pay for other streaming services or unique music videos to ensure that you retain people's interest.
A Website – Though not essential without first building your fanbase, a band website is your official home base with your bio, music, tour dates, and merch, so it's a good idea to set one up once you're up and running. Check out Bandzoogle; a website builder designed specifically for bands and artists.
Be sure to keep your username the same across all platforms if possible (e.g., @shadowecho). Don’t make people work to find you.
At Decent Music PR, we can take this even further by pushing your content using Meta ads on Facebook and/or Instagram. Get in touch to find out how we can help build your fanbase.
Step 5: Cultivate Your Music Portfolio (When You Build Your Sound, You Build Your Brand)
Half-assing your music isn’t an option if you want to be taken seriously. Every song you release shapes how people perceive you. If your tracks are recorded badly, your brand instantly loses credibility (unless music recorded on a potato is your brand. In that case, you do you, I guess).
Let's be clear, that doesn’t mean you need a million-dollar studio. Plenty of great music is made in bedrooms. But it does mean you should:
Invest in proper recording & mixing (even if it’s just a decent mic and some solid plugins).
Work with an engineer (if you’re not confident mixing/mastering yourself).
Make sure your music fits your brand (if your aesthetic is raw and gritty, don’t over-polish your sound).
Mac DeMarco built his entire brand around a lo-fi, DIY recording style that matched his laid-back, goofy persona. The sound fit the aesthetic, making it feel authentic and intentional – not low effort. If you can’t afford studio time, learn basic mixing and production. Even a well-mixed demo sounds 100x better than a rushed, poorly recorded track.
Step 6: Network and Collaborate
Collaboration is key in today's music industry. By working with other musicians, you are merging your audiences, so it's an excellent way to build your fan base.
Here are some ways to collaborate:
Reach out to similar artists to work on tracks together
Cover a popular song in your unique style
Create a remix of a song you love
If reaching out to artists yields no results, then stop asking for permission and start remixing, covering or even duetting. Whatever you do, make sure you always tag the other artists in the content description. Or, better still, invite them as a collaborator. This means that the content will also appear on their grid, potentially reaching even more fans.
Step 7: Post Content That Doesn’t Suck
Posting once a month saying “New music soon!” isn’t enough. You need consistent, engaging content that fits your brand.
Ideas:
Behind-the-scenes (studio footage, writing process, gear breakdowns)
Live clips (raw, unfiltered moments from gigs)
Fan engagement (polls, Q&As, remixes)
Post 3-5 times a week across platforms. Not every post needs to be mind-blowing, but show up consistently and you're bound to see some results.
Step 8: Market Yourself Like You Mean It
Look, we get it. Music promotion is a minefield. But if you’re serious about this, you need to treat your music like a business. That means:
Engaging with fans daily (reply to comments, DM superfans, build a community)
Collaborating with other artists (cross-promote to expand reach)
Submitting your music to blogs & playlists (get PR and exposure)
Running smart ads (Instagram, YouTube, TikTok)
Music PR companies, like Decent Music PR, take music promotion even further by securing press coverage, radio plugging and playlist slots. Visit our website to find out more.
Goal: Set aside 30 minutes a day for promotion. Consistency beats random big efforts.
Step 9: Monitor and Adapt
Dropping music and hoping for the best isn’t a strategy. You need to track what’s working, listen to your audience, and adjust when necessary.
Stay on top:
Check your analytics – Use Spotify for Artists, Instagram Insights, and YouTube stats to see what’s resonating.
Engage with fans – Read comments, DMs, and feedback. If people are hyped about a certain song or content style, lean into it.
Stay flexible – Music and trends evolve. If your brand feels stale, refresh your visuals, messaging, or content approach.
Goal: Set aside 30 minutes a week to review your stats and fan engagement. If something’s working, do more of it. If it’s not, pivot.
Outro: No One’s Coming to Save You – Own Your Brand or Get Forgotten
Harsh truth? No one cares about your music until you make them care. You can either take control of your brand and turn casual listeners into die-hard fans, or you can sit back, drop songs into the void, and wonder why no one’s paying attention. Your call.
A strong brand isn’t about pretending to be something you’re not. It's about amplifying who you are and making it impossible to ignore. So be bold. Be consistent. Build something bigger than just a few tracks on a playlist.
This is your legacy. Make it count.
Comments