Even though the recording and performing worlds have obvious connections with the musical instrument industry, traditionally they’ve lived parallel lives rather than mining the unlimited potential together. Sure, gear companies have long endorsed artists and released signature models in their name but uniting with artists in mutually beneficial projects outside of that sphere has not been as common. More recently companies like Fender have sought to change that, particularly with their Fender Next program, which aims to seek out and promote emerging young artists, while at the same time arming them with quality instruments. Today Fender has announced the Fender Artist Playbook, another project which they hope will connect with emerging artists and provide them with some much needed knowledge to help them navigate the ever-changing modern music world.
Aspiring artists in 2021 are facing uncharted waters. While music marketing used to be a straightforward relationship between artists and record labels, the pandemic gave power back to musicians through the rise of TikTok, live streaming, and cryptocurrency – all of which has shifted the landscape indefinitely.
Fender and professional musician, artist, best selling author, and host of the New Music Business podcast, Ari Herstand have teamed up to help up-and-coming artists navigate this changing landscape.
Launching today, the Fender Artist Playbook provides a step-by-step guide for emerging artists to navigate the new frontier of music, effectively release their music and build their career on their own terms. From cracking the TikTok algorithm to leveraging alternative revenue streams, digital marketing tips, NFTs, and more, it’s a comprehensive resource for “making it” in the music business in 2021. Both Fender and Ari Herstand have similar missions to support artists on their musical journeys and this free playbook is the ultimate goodwill gesture to an entire community of creators getting back on their feet once more.
Australian Musician editor Greg Phillips caught up with LA based artist and Fender Artist Playbook author ARI HERSTAND to chat about the playbook and the quirks of navigating the modern music world.