No matter how hectic your year has been, we hope our blog has provided a safe space to escape the daily grind, learn more about this industry we call home, and engage with our community here at Symphonic. Now that the year is coming to an end, we’re feeling nostalgic. Let’s reminisce on some of our best performing articles on the blog in 2023…

Top 10 Blog Posts of 2023

1. How To Detect Fake Spotify Playlists

“Fake” artists are impersonators who steal music from real, hard-working artists like you and upload the tracks on streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music under false names through unsuspecting distributors. These fake artists also create fraudulent playlists with hundreds of fake songs, making them thousands of dollars in royalties stolen from their rightful owners. It’s important as a community that we fight against these practices, and the first step is learning how to recognize them. In this post, we show you exactly what to look for.

2. 6 Types of Record Label Contracts

The legal aspects of this industry aren’t always so straightforward. That’s why we place the utmost importance on providing as much information as we can to help you navigate through it with ease. There are many different types of contracts artists and labels will encounter throughout their careers, and we broke down 6 of the major types right here in this post.

3. How To Set Up Your Music Tab on TikTok

What was previously only available for artists with over 10k followers is now open for everyone! Adding a Music Tab to your TikTok profile allows you to display your most popular tracks or pin latest releases, giving you the ability to drive engagement to your music catalog and convert followers into fans, all from your TikTok profile. Learn how to do it yourself with this post.

4. How To Self Publish Your Music

Self publishing your music comes with a lot of benefits. You don’t have to share your copyrights with anyone, you aren’t bound to any publishing deals and you get ultimate control over where your work is used and how. That being said, self publishing isn’t for everyone. You need to be able to commit significant time and effort to doing everything a publisher would usually do and more. But if this is something that you’re ready to take on, this post shows you how to do it right.

5. The Best and Worst Months To Release Music

No matter what time of the year it is, getting major traction on your new releases can be difficult. However, did you know certain months will give you a better shot than others? If you want to make the most of your release, choosing when to do it is half the battle! In this post, we break down the best and worst months to release your music throughout the year.

6. The Basics of SEO for Musicians

If you want to make sure you and your music are getting as much exposure as possible online, your SEO strategy can make or break your efforts. In this killer article by Dayna Young (Founder of Fred & Augustus, FANDA, and music marketer of 10+ years), you get the ultimate SEO rundown every musician needs to hear.

7. How To Promote Your Music Video in 7 Easy Steps

So, you just finished up your music video that you spent forever and a day on… Sorry to break it to you, but the time for sleep has yet to come! Although a high-quality music video always has the chance of going viral, that chance is SLIM if there’s no promotional strategy to back it up. So, we put together a list of ways to promote your next music video that will help give it maximum exposure.

8. How To Make Money on TikTok as an Independent Musician

Are you on TikTok and wish you could make some money from your efforts? No problem! There are a couple ways you can make this happen in no time. From their official Creator Fund to independent marketing and more, this post breaks down what you can do.

9. Best Music Industry Newsletters

Newsletters serve as one of the easiest ways to stay up to date. If you want to stay ahead of the game, these will have you on the right track in no time. Learn from the experts right from your inbox with some of the best email newsletters in the industry right here.

10. Is My Record Label Also My Publisher?

As the years go by, creators have more and more freedom over how they want to distribute their music and with whom. Whether you’ve signed a record label deal, hired a publisher or you work with an independent distributor like Symphonic, it’s important to understand what you’re entitled to as an artist. Look no further, because we broke it down in this post.

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Our goal always has been, and will always be, to help empower indie music in every way we can. This blog is our way of sharing the things we genuinely care about, spreading knowledge to the DIY hustlers, obsessive music makers and free-spirits we are proud to work with every day. We use this blog to provide a positive environment for musicians, artists, creatives and everyone in-between, and I sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed the content we’ve put out this year.

Every time I hear from you about how an article we’ve published has helped you succeed, I am happily reminded of why I do this and it motivates our team to continue to go above and beyond for our amazing clients like you. Thank you for all your support on the Symphonic Blog this year. We can’t wait for what’s to come in 2024.

With love,

Your Symphonic Fam

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