Forget everything you thought you knew about how to promote your music. Anything that worked before is old news. It's 2025 now, people. 2024 is a distant memory.
Alright, maybe that's a bit dramatic. But with new technologies seemingly emerging every week, it's important as a musician to keep track of trends in the industry to ensure that your music gets the reach it deserves. Here are five advancements in the industry to consider in 2025.
AI-Generated Music
Let’s get the controversial one out of the way first, shall we? Love it or hate it, AI music is here to stay. Sure, platforms are taking action to flag AI-generated content, but it looks as though AI is going to be a huge part of creators’ lives from now on. In fact, 36.8% of music producers already use AI as a part of their creative workflow.
Whether you choose to use it or not, it’s important to consider how it’s going to change music creation. We’re not going to give you a lecture on the morals of using AI, so whether or not you take note of this first topic is totally up to you.
One thing to take note of is just how easy it is to create music with AI. After a click of a button, you’ve pretty much got yourself a full track ready to be released on Spotify. However, because of this simplicity, it can often make the art seem "tacky" if the listener notices it. No one wants to listen to a piece of music if they know that all the creator did was click a button that said "generate song".
So, if you are to use it, try to think of AI as just another tool to aid in your creative process. Use it to help your workflow, but ensure you still have some creativity. For example, use this AI to give you a decent synth sound, but write the music yourself.
Using AI to create album/single artwork is already prevalent, but be aware of the controversies (again, we are not here to lecture you. Make up your own mind!)
The unfortunate truth is that designers are expensive. If you can afford a graphic designer to help you with designs, the results are probably going to be much better than AI-generated artwork. But for artists with minimal funds looking for other options outside of AI, there are other free methods you can use. Here are two examples:
Create your own art
With some very basic Photoshop or Canva skills, you can make your own artwork. One way of making unique imagery is by using some free-to-use pieces, such as from the National Gallery of Art. Try downloading a few different pieces and make a collage. Mix it up by adding a few of your own photos to create something eye-catching and unique.
Photography
Maybe an obvious one, but taking your own pictures for album artwork is the easiest way to add a personal touch to your images. Really take some time to explore your local town and take as many pictures as possible to improve your chances of getting a great shot. Try getting creative and consider abstract images such as graffiti or peeling paint.
Spotify Wrapped for Artists
2024’s Spotify Wrapped has only just been released, so why are we already thinking about 2025?
Well, it’s becoming a huge deal around the world, and artists need to start taking it seriously. People love bragging about the music they’ve been listening to. Spotify Wrapped for Artists gives you an easy way to deeply connect to your most loyal fans. It's huge now, and, with a 40% increase in engagement Spotify Wrapped content in 2023 compared to 2022, it's only going to get bigger. So, get ahead of the game and start planning what you’ll do for it next year.
A few ideas you could consider:
Your year in review
Record a video every month and create a collage to share with your fans at the end of the year. This not only showcases your growth and achievements but also creates a shared sense of nostalgia and community. Your fans will feel like they’ve been part of your journey every step of the way, deepening their connection to you and your music.
Add captions, dates, or short messages to each clip to make it even more engaging. Pair the montage with one of your tracks to personalise it further, creating a heartfelt keepsake for your fan base to enjoy.
Competition
Turn your Spotify Wrapped into an exciting opportunity for fan engagement by running a competition. Reward your top listener of the year with something special, such as free tickets to one of your gigs, exclusive merchandise, or even a private virtual meet-and-greet.
This strategy not only encourages your fans to stream your music more frequently but also adds a sense of fun and exclusivity to their support. By offering a reward, you’re giving back to the people who contribute most to your success while boosting your streaming numbers.
Take inspiration from James Blunt. He offered to legally change his name if the 20th Anniversary Edition of his classic album "Back to Bedlam" made it to number one. Obviously, we are not suggesting doing anything as drastic as changing your name, but think of an equally hilarious reward that gets people to stream your music. If this works for album sales, why not for Spotify streams?
Be sure to announce the competition early in the year and remind fans periodically to keep the momentum going. Use social media, email newsletters, and even live streams to update and motivate your audience to participate.
VR and AR for Live Shows and Music Videos
Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) technology is wild, yet many musicians have yet to embrace its full potential. These cutting-edge tools offer endless opportunities to elevate music videos and live performances, turning them into unforgettable experiences.
While VR offers opportunities for music videos and interactive content, AR opens up possibilities for live shows. Imagine a band performing on stage while a herd of majestic elephants stampedes through the crowd. This idea might sound a bit OTT (okay, reading back, it definitely does), but remember, this will only appear on an audience member’s smartphone while they are recording and only if they decide to use the VR software.
Maybe a herd of elephants is a bit much, but there is definite potential for something incredible here. The key is to strike a balance between innovation and restraint. Overloading a performance with effects might overshadow the music itself, but when used thoughtfully, VR and AR can amplify a band’s artistic vision and create moments audiences will share on social media.
Short-Form Content on Streaming Platforms
Short-form content is dominating the music world, and ignoring it means missing out on a massive opportunity to grow your fan base. While it might feel disheartening for serious artists to create light-hearted or "silly" videos, these bite-sized clips are now crucial for reaching new audiences and keeping fans engaged.
Platforms like Spotify are beginning to embrace short-form video clips as a way for artists to connect with listeners on a personal level. Spotify “Clips” can complement your long-form content by offering glimpses into your creative process, teasing upcoming releases, or simply showcasing your personality.
Clips are great because you can tag the album or single that’s associated with it so that viewers have a direct link to stream your song.
YouTube Shorts, too, has become a game-changer for artists, combining the power of viral video trends with the discoverability of the world’s biggest video platform. Whether you’re experimenting with song previews, behind-the-scenes footage, or even fun challenges, short-form content has the potential to draw in millions of viewers and funnel them to your music.
Fans crave connection, and short-form content is an easy yet effective way to share your artistry while building a loyal community.
Physical Releases
Everyone knows that physical album releases are a thing of the past, right?
Well, that's not actually true. Though streaming is hugely important for a band's career, selling merch is money directly in your bank. We've all heard about the vinyl comeback, and it still is a huge deal with vinyl sales dominating CD sales in 2022, but it looks like tape is the new (old?) kid on the block as cassette sales have reached their highest level in 20 years.
It is important to understand the reason people are buying these things. If your music is available on Spotify for free, people are probably not buying cassette tapes to listen to your music (or, if they are, they're not listening to it exclusively on tape). Instead, they are buying it as merch; something to hold and show off, perhaps share to their social media. Therefore, spend time making it worth the money. Create amazing artwork, consider the box it comes in and offer freebies to anyone buying it so they are more inclined to post on their social media about it.
Music promotion in 2025 will require a great deal of hard work, patience, and savvy. By adapting to these advancements, artists can ensure they remain relevant and successful in an ever-changing music ecosystem, all while staying true to their creativity and vision. The future is wide open. How you navigate it will define your success.
Want to take your music promotion in 2025 even further? Get in touch to find out how we can help promote your music through press campaigns, playlisting, marketing and radio plugging.
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