Get More Fans: The DIY Guide to the New Music Business

by Jesse Cannon, Todd Thomas

Now in its ninth edition for 2021 the popular music business guide has over 200 pages updated in the last year and a whole new chapter on the techniques the author uses to take bands from 0 - 10,000 fans that you won't read in any other book. 
How Do I Promote My Music On A Small Budget?
How Do I Get My YouTube Videos to Spread?
How Do I Turn Casual Fans Into One's Who Buy From Me?
How Do I Get On Huge Spotify Playlists? 
How Do I Increase Turnout At Shows?
How Do I Make Fans Using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram And SoundCloud?

With every day that passes, the power the major labels once had dies a little more. The chance to get the same exposure as your favorite musicians gets easier and easier. The hurdles that would only allow you to get popular, if the right people said your music was good enough, are gone. You can now get exposed to thousands of potential fans without investing 1% of what musicians used to by building a fanbase based on listeners love for your music. No more writing letters hoping that A&R writes you back. This book explains how you do it. While many books will tell you obvious information, legal mumbo-jumbo and marketing catchphrases that don't help you get more fans. Our experience working with real bands - from upstarts like Man Overboard and Transit to legends like The Cure, The Misfits and Animal Collective, has led us to understand the insider tricks and ideas that go into some of the most important groups of our time. We produce records, do licensing deals, negotiate record contracts and get the musicians we work with written about on websites like Pitchfork and Vice. We have worked with bands who started off as nothing and became something. Unlike any other book written on the subject we have compiled the knowledge no one else has been willing to print in fear of obsoleting their own career. We give you thousands of ideas on how to get people to hear your music and turn them into fans who pay to support your music. Whether you are a label owner, musician, manager, booking agent or publicist there is information in this book that will help you do what you do better. Enjoy! For more information please visit GetMoreFansBook.com

Genres: Music, Business

706 pages, Paperback

First published October 20, 2012

Reviews

[Phillip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get More Fans is much more than its title suggests. It’s a book of marketing and creative philosophy, and the most comprehensive I’ve come across (and I’ve come across a few). Rather than promising shortcuts to success or making guarantees a mere book is under no obligation to deliver, Get More Fans embraces that THIS IS GOING TO BE LONG, HARD WORK IF YOU WANT THE BEST ODDS OF WINNING, then goes into explicit detail about what that work entails from one day to the next, for the rest of your presumptive career (to a point). Aiming advice and instruction for those truly starting from scratch all the way to early success on a mass scale, Get More Fans truly feels agenda-free and authoritative in ways only its career-informed authors can deliver. Step one to your success in the music world? Read this book. At least twice. Then make it your daily work bible. It also serves as an index of every free-to-low-cost service discussed within. Cheers.

[Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely incredible amount of information. Does 700 pages seem daunting? Yes. Is it worth it? Yes. Does every single chapter have gems in it…maybe not, and some of them are clearly for people at a different stage than I am right now. But will this be something I can reference at later points in my career to at least know where to go when I cross those bridges. Yes. Is some of the material outdated / recommendations for services that aren’t there anymore / etc? Yes. But that’s the nature of books like this. It’s a good idea to check things out, go to the website, his YouTube or other places where content can be more quickly updated to reflect current trends. I still got tons and tons of ideas and answers and actionable steps I can work with by spending the time to read this cover to cover. Definitely recommend it.

[Noelan Brewington-janssen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a tremendous resource if used correctly! Which is as a reference encyclopedia for any specific area of the business business you are having trouble with or need more info on.

Unfortunately I was looking for a sequential over view of what steps are needed to begin and launch a music career. For my purpose this book was not focused enough, not ordered in a logical way, and frankly too long (700+ pages). Many pages were just list of resources, some great other not so much (google docs, drop box, etc.).

I have this on my bookshelf as a reference for when I need it, and I imagine I will get good use out of it that way.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a growing musician, this book was very informative. Jesse Cannon's knowledge on the music industry and the way she discusses it to her readers is inspirational. I would 10/10 recommend this book to any musician looking to learn how to build their fan base on their own.

[Andy Dowling · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute essential book for any musician at any stage of their career. I’ll come back to this again and again as we rotate through various projects, releases, tours etc. An incredible amount old gold and sensible reminders that all musicians should always be doing.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plain and simple this is the most relevant, informative, and useful book I've ever read about music business. I'd go into further detail, but it would take time away from you getting the book and reading it. If you are a musician, or have any interest in the music business, this is a hands down must-read book.