Today, executing your vision is accessible to anyone with a phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Due to streaming and the increasing impact of playlisting, singles were already taking hold over full album releases. Then, the pandemic added jet fuel. Nothing is absolute \u2013 there are still plenty of LP releases. However, many artists don\u2019t have the financial luxury of waiting for their entire record to come together to release it. Instead, they\u2019re getting scrappy with single and EP campaigns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Those campaigns need to capture the attention of fans, press, playlisters, record stores, radio stations, social media algorithms, and so on. When you combine that with the societal pull toward meaningful connections during these turbulent times, how you tell your story and connect with your audience matters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tools such as Adobe Premier Rush<\/a> now make it possible for artists to create professional music videos using whatever resources are available to them in a fun and manageable way. Below, indie label heads and artists share how they\u2019ve developed their visual identities through videos. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Videos do more than help develop your visual identity or tell your story \u2013 they create a world for fans to engage with. Below, you’ll see that some acts focus on developing one cohesive narrative for an album, or their entire career. Others build a different world for each single. There\u2019s no right answer; it’s about what feels true to your sonic story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Allison Durst,<\/a> Digital Director for Joyful Noise Recordings<\/a> (Deerhoof, El Ten Eleven, No Joy) said, \u201cVisuals are a big part of how people interact with music right now. We’ve seen a lot more engagement from people when there\u2019s a strong thread throughout the whole campaign.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Trevor Peterson,<\/a> head of Fire Talk Records<\/a> (DEHD, Pure-X, Deeper) reflected, \u201cThe only way to reach audiences is online right now. You have to have video content, whether it\u2019s a full-blown music video or simple moving assets for social media. Video is how we market and promote all of our releases now, but they\u2019re also so much more than a marketing tool. Videos are a part of a band\u2019s creative identity that makes them more accessible to fans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Creating a world for fans to become immersed in <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Kevin Duquette,<\/a> head of Topshelf Records<\/a> eloquently described the role of a musician\u2019s visual identity when he said, \u201cThe visual representation of a sonic medium is like the knock on the door before you decide to actually open that door.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n He added, \u201cThere is a visual code or language that we as people identify with, sometimes without realizing it. It\u2019s like branding \u2013 typeface, colors, or imagery all play a role in what you\u2019re trying to evoke and how you\u2019re communicating your identity. You can look at something and think, \u2018Ok, this is probably going to be a pop record.\u2019 Hardcore records or punk records have a very specific look.\u201d He went on to say, \u201cAlthough a surprise can be pleasant, it’s often beneficial to find an aesthetic that gives listeners an idea of what they\u2019re getting into.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nTelling a cohesive story <\/h2>\n\n\n\n