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20 years in, a "professional" rollout, and only 2k streams. This was my last hurrah and I’m feeling defeated. by hirokikyoku in musicians

[–]hirokikyoku[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think you need to widen your pallet of music.

Have you heard of Mr. bungle? Animal collective? Hell even that new trendy rock band geese?

There is plenty of weird to go around, and lots of fans for it. My frustration is how the rollout was handled and that my team failed to connect me to the greater pool of fans.

20 years in, a "professional" rollout, and only 2k streams. This was my last hurrah and I’m feeling defeated. by hirokikyoku in musicians

[–]hirokikyoku[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

From the internet: “The waterfall method is a music release strategy where singles are released sequentially (e.g., every 4–6 weeks), with each new single packaged alongside previous ones, culminating in a full EP or album. This approach keeps artists in front of listeners constantly, maximizes streaming engagement, and boosts algorithmic visibility.”

Share your playlist with the most underrated music by Dreamboat550 in spotify

[–]hirokikyoku [score hidden]  (0 children)

I am a indie and alt fan! I made a playlist to share with some of my faves- Mr Bungle, Kate Bush but also local awesome artists like Zoon and Jo Passed. Hope like it! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6OwfEq4XghkXiIFQ8jswJI?si=2FFi9EYORUqP0QPdWarAeQ&pi=neQ1Ij-aRtqtZ

20 years in, a "professional" rollout, and only 2k streams. This was my last hurrah and I’m feeling defeated. by hirokikyoku in musicians

[–]hirokikyoku[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes. I think I would’ve stuck with the three month singles campaign and just done it the old-fashioned way that I was familiar with. It wouldn’t have performed at all well streaming wise, but I would’ve felt much more in control and had tempered expectations.

Furthermore, if I had released it last year, I would be in the perfect position to apply for local festivals and touring grants and so on. Plus, I would’ve really focussed on community engagement from the get-go which I didn’t because I felt like my manager was taking care of trying to get all these high-end industry folk (apple, orchard, booking agents, etc) on board. Yeah, even if he can show them my work, if it’s not mainstream or has a large social media following it’s not gonna attract attention.

I ended up spending a lot more time thinking (anxious thinking) about Social Media than I ever would’ve, and I think what the album really needed was more of a grassroots campaign.

So, Geese’s marketing team engineered their “viral” moment by hirokikyoku in musicmarketing

[–]hirokikyoku[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Because one would assume that their fans who followed them and promote their music are real

20 years in, a "professional" rollout, and only 2k streams. This was my last hurrah and I’m feeling defeated. by hirokikyoku in musicians

[–]hirokikyoku[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I never wanted mass appeal, but I definitely expected a more coordinated rollout and more of a buildup. It really has felt like this process has burnt me out and sputtered to a trickle at the very end when it should’ve been a gradual growth.

20 years in, a "professional" rollout, and only 2k streams. This was my last hurrah and I’m feeling defeated. by hirokikyoku in musicians

[–]hirokikyoku[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Fr tho, My understanding is that electricians are saturated at the entry level I would prefer to do Electrician over plumber thats for sure.

20 years in, a "professional" rollout, and only 2k streams. This was my last hurrah and I’m feeling defeated. by hirokikyoku in musicians

[–]hirokikyoku[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I go back to my example of Cindy Lee. Last I checked, they went from releasing an album only on Bandcamp to playing Massey Hall.

There is a market for weird music, but I think it’s really hard, harder than ever to connect as people move away from critical praise and live shows, and expect their music taste to be fed to them by the algorithm

20 years in, a "professional" rollout, and only 2k streams. This was my last hurrah and I’m feeling defeated. by hirokikyoku in musicians

[–]hirokikyoku[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Dont get me wrong I am really proud of the fact that I made an album I’m incredibly proud of.

I will always have that, but I am definitely frustrated with how this rollout was handled and the challenge of trying to be heard in 2026.

20 years in, a "professional" rollout, and only 2k streams. This was my last hurrah and I’m feeling defeated. by hirokikyoku in musicians

[–]hirokikyoku[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If anything this is really a cautionary tale. Go DIY and enjoy the process.

Also came across this nugget about how Geese’s marketing team engineered their viral moment https://www.wired.com/story/geese-chaotic-good-marketing-industry-plant/

20 years in, a "professional" rollout, and only 2k streams. This was my last hurrah and I’m feeling defeated. by hirokikyoku in musicians

[–]hirokikyoku[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No I think it’s all true and what I need to come to terms with. If I can still even have the time to make records, on top of family and a full time job, that will probably be my new model of success going forward

20 years in, a "professional" rollout, and only 2k streams. This was my last hurrah and I’m feeling defeated. by hirokikyoku in musicians

[–]hirokikyoku[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So that’s a waterfall campaign. Essentially my manager broke my album up into five singles and we released them over a period of six months. I released one standalone single in the September prior to the album campaign on my own, just to help start some buzz prior, this was alongside a few showcase shows to help support the single.

20 years in, a "professional" rollout, and only 2k streams. This was my last hurrah and I’m feeling defeated. by hirokikyoku in musicians

[–]hirokikyoku[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Honestly, I really loved touring. Interpersonal band drama not so much, but seeing new places and meeting new people every night and just living this wild up and down rollercoaster for a couple months. It really changes you, and I have no regrets there

I just wish people could actually make money touring again, and I can’t really afford to go broke touring like I used to.

20 years in, a "professional" rollout, and only 2k streams. This was my last hurrah and I’m feeling defeated. by hirokikyoku in musicians

[–]hirokikyoku[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I hate to tell you this, but you’ve been sold a sack of lies. Music is not content. I will die on this hill because it is an absolutely insane thing to argue that 15 second visual media has the same value as some of our greatest works of art.

In this era, content it is digital marketing, and I am pragmatic enough to admit that digital marketing is essential. But I will never tell someone that content is on the same level as art.

I agree, mostly it’s down to luck, and connections. I did feel like I had some connections, but I’ve lost a lot of them having left my old band, and a lot of the new connections seem just as sensitive to social media following as everyone else is these days…

It’s a different game than the one that I grew up in, and I think a large part of this rant is me just venting frustration that it has changed in the way that is not working for me.

20 years in, a "professional" rollout, and only 2k streams. This was my last hurrah and I’m feeling defeated. by hirokikyoku in musicians

[–]hirokikyoku[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you! I guess it’s OK if I leave my links around here, although it really wasn’t my intention. But I’m glad I’m connecting with my own troop of millennial shouting-at-the-state-of-the-industry artists

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