How To Get Your Music Ahead Of 99% Of Other Artists

[@TomBretonOfficial]

This might be a big ask but: I'd love to see a series of you transforming bands/artists in all major genres (Rock, R&B/HipHop, Easy listening, Metal). I think you've done this with Country and Pop but I'm sure I'm not the only one who have made the excuse "of course it works its pop"

[@davidduarte2887]

That Alex Hermozi comment made almost spit out my breakfast 😂😂😂😂

[@BRAVENmusic]

I was like WOAH 😂

[@officialWWM]

Me too. Then I thought about it and realised he’s right 😂😂

[@7akovi]

@@officialWWM what’s wrong with alex hermozi?

[@officialWWM]

@@7akovi he preaches to unfuckabe men 😂

[@pandaclub3198]

yeah man that was fucking hilarious

[@aye5kay]

This was really good, man. A lot of musicians don't know how to not follow trends and just be genuine.

[@KathleenWillemsMusic]

Thnx Damian! I followed your 20 days release plan for my new single! Yesterday was day 20. I love it! Now I need to still keep the song warm. And i'm struggling a bit. But this video just gave me hope and something to do! Thank you so much! ♥️🙏

[@Sam-cs3mi]

Good to hear you've found some success. From my experience, I would use this leverage you have and follow this up with another song. You will know this but the worst thing you can do is get your listeners interested and then go silent for 2 weeks to a month

[@DamianKeyes]

I really appreciate that Kathleen! Keep managing the song and catalogue and enjoy the process of creating. I’ll go check out the new song on Spotify now 😊

[@RyanSmithSounds]

Bro that Alex comment was so funny 😂

[@lucaskywalkermusic7697]

this process of self-evaluation is a really nice way to frame it. you have a very systematic approach, immaculate work

[@edwinleonard]

My music is my diary because I can only write from my heart. In the end it's authenticity that counts.

[@TomBretonOfficial]

Hey! I just noticed 200k! Congrats dude!

[@DamianKeyes]

Thanks Tom! Looks like you have been having some banging gigs recently! I’ve been following along 😊😊

[@malachismith6444]

I’ve watched hundreds of hours of music marketing vids and this has gotta be the unique advice I’ve heard. Thank you!

[@raphaelaofficial]

Brilliant advice. I’ve never heard it framed that way before.

[@meraxessoneu6794]

"Not very creative, being a bassplayer..." 🤯😨🤯that was a self-bomb. Congrats on the video. 😃

[@themobseat]

Geezer Butler and Steve Harris are two very creative bass players, it must be just him.

[@TrendsetterMusicOnly]

​@@themobseathe's being self depreciating. Clearly he's creative.

[@DreamingWhileAwakeMusic]

Love this info Damian, hadn't considered this and this is EXACTLY what is going on. I don't mind the 50 year old women, but I want the 25 year men that listen to my music

[@PetTwin]

I’ve watched a lot of your videos and have always found them really helpful. Something about your message really clicked with me this time. Centring things around genuine emotion makes so much sense.

[@Chronade]

Thanks for calling me a legend! 🛡 This educational video made sense to me, and I took notes, and started taking immediate and decided changes..

[@niklaskarlsson550]

Thank you Damien, you gave me ideas. It all comes down to the "flash" constipation. That everything must be flashy and crisp.

[@DustinPaul]

Possibly the best video you’ve made 🫶🏻

[@MichaelLewisMusic]

Super helpful message! Always great listening to you, thank you! This inspires me to a direction we need to head in.

[@ian_gotts]

Another awesome video. BTW It works for all content. Not just music.

[@samstoner9610]

Brilliantly expressed 👏🏻👏🏻

[@HeroesCinema9503]

I think am ready Every single word u said here is on ma mind every day

[@Mobi12anti]

Thank you for this video, I’m going to do a revamp and see How I can piece this all together

[@weddy5700]

Those three concepts, identity, familiarity and emotion are strong! Thanks Damian for them!

[@JoelBrandonMedia]

Gold! I will be using this. Thanks! 🎉🎉

[@theeenlightener]

U have some of the best points when it comes to music marketing

[@Swope260]

Just dropped a 5 track project, your videos have been very helpful

[@albabrosmusic]

great tips as always damian , we appreciate you man . thank you

[@JeremyBuckVideo]

I'm a long time viewer, first time commenting... You rock man! Thanks for sharing all of your wonderful insights. This video really brought it home for me. Keep up the great work!

[@artificialfiretiger]

Some great tips. Stay on message.. stay on the music.. stay on the emotion!

[@rosamaaninka9272]

Nail it😂 hmmm… I need to work to get more clear “identity”😂

[@silnthunder]

Very useful info. Been thinking about these things a lot, its all coming together :)

[@boohaimusic]

Excellent - some great points - and somehow you found a way to distill it down to a few bullet points - thank you :)

[@slowpike]

Thank you for your ideas. I am working hard at building a bigger song archive beforr i try to push again, and are scared about social media. Your vide gives me energy and hope. Thank you 🫶 I have confidence at where my music is at but i have been trying to invent myself... and burning out myself. Edit typo 😇

[@suchymusic13]

Thank you for this ! sha la la!

[@ashanef1]

as always, so timely. Thanks, DK

[@KrimZeelo]

Learning a lot here bud. I appreciate you.

[@judegraham463]

such a good point Damian; how do you get someone, the listener, to pay attention. Because like you pointed out, when you get someones attention they remember you, and will remember you even more if what you have to offer touches them in some way. Cheers.

[@Chyzzii]

i need your help boss

[@theheartofkatherinenz2634]

So good I need this kind of help probably. Big things happening here and I need some help with this area.

[@janewinthermusic]

Thank you Damian 🙂

[@Vilarezz]

Years watching u. Thanks 🙏🏽

[@aRRRaiS]

Great message Damian 👌

[@daveawaymx]

Thank you for sharing this, saludos desde Mexico 🇲🇽

[@dougsheridanmusic]

Great video, one of your best

[@melaniepenelope_]

My main problem rn is that I’m a total goofball so when it’s time to promote my depressing songs, I don’t know how to conduct myself 😆

[@boandthelocomotive]

this is also me 🥲

[@Goldicatmusic]

Me three 😆 I make dusky house music about resilience and my problematic relationship (with the other half of my duo) - I'm just finishing the mastering of a few tracks and haven't started promoting yet, but I'm so freakin' awkward ASD in real life I can barely look the audience in the eyes at shows...😬 good luck to everyone!!

[@HyperRare]

I’m the same! I’ve had some success recently with my silly content which has lead to people discovering my sad songs and they are often pleasantly surprised! I think it has helped people get to know me more

[@Awetree]

It feels soooo disingenuous and borderline inappropriate sometimes 😭

[@karoloberda]

Dude, ever heard of Lewis Capaldi?

[@crucial7391]

Excellent all around

[@timinglismusic6707]

Self appointed legend, said with a completely straight face. Gotta love the British sense of humour. 🤣🤣🤣

[@aliche29]

This is very helpful! I’ve been struggling for sure. Now trying to figure out how to be my most authentic self and make connections to build my fan base. I was doing really well before the pandemic and then started some health issues. I want to release more music but I’m unable to work like before. Wld you recommend releasing rough drafts through socials or places like SoundCloud?

[@DamianKeyes]

Thanks so much! I think if you are testing content then the best place to do it is on socials as you can build your brand through the music and also test the music to see what’s working. Don’t overthink socials, they can help with more than just promotion, they are data, communication with your audience and also a way to guide your path 😊😊

[@AndrewColyerMusic]

This is GREAT advice! Easier to do with rock & pop music with lyrics, and I've done things like this with my band. What would you suggest for people who are doing solo piano or ambient music? Thanks for your help! 😀🎹🎵

[@StephenOshea]

great video thanks for posting

[@JoeMalle]

Aligns with something you've (Damian) said before - "you don't have to invent the wheel every time you upload~"

[@johnnyabde-]

❤❤ thank you Damian

[@axminsterband]

Great Info! Once you've checked the boxes on the content where is the best place to drive someone who is interested in finding out more? your website, Spotify, KZbin...thoughts?

[@ourdividemx]

When he said about the 29 year old song writer who lives in america, that was our singer!! ajajajja

[@WillBrahm]

We love Damo

[@guusbokmusic]

Good one again!

[@tiquelewis4062]

I'm not sure my avatar uses TikTok. Thanks for this video. It's a lot to think about.

[@MattLeFaitMusic]

Really great advice!

[@VikingGoblin]

Hey Damo, this was reasonably helpful but im wondering if you had any tips for music that isnt supposed to be super personal or sad, our concept for our band is more about a group of chracters on a journey to achieve some mysterious goal, do you have any advice for how to get that across better??? We are kinda taking insparation from bands like Sleep Token, Black Veil Brides, Creeper and Jeris Johnson.

[@TheImageDoctor]

You know... I like all this stuff, I incorporate as much as I can, and I really appreciate all the informed perspectives guys like DK bring to the table... But I wonder, did the Rolling Stones give a rats ass who their avatar was ??? Seems like they were, at the core, a GREAT BAND who created timeless songs over and over and over - they were not a socially engineered musical act created solely to get the most likes, follows and plays - I think that's called K-pop... anyway... I can't shake the feeling that we (musicians and bands) should really be focusing on actually becoming GREAT first, rather than f'ing with all this other stuff - yeah, I know... we gotta toot our own horns these days - but frankly it seems like most of the "true indie" artists I hear on streaming channels simply aren't that good, and NO amount of marketing will change that fact - IMO, all this "informed marketing" crap may be a necessity these days, and it's worth doing RIGHT, so I thank guys like Damien for being willing to major on the minors - but in the end, there may be a better way: Get so damn good at your music that people start looking for YOU, rather than the other way around - JM2C

[@bradleybartbest]

An actor doesn’t have to be a fighter pilot to play one. Similarly in songwriting we often capture experiences and emotions that aren’t necessarily our own. So, my identity, as an artist is that of someone whose job it is to capture different experiences and emotions in song format. I am not sure that entangling my real identity in all that is necessary or called for.

[@beartemusic]

Damo, great, great- thank you! What do we do when identity changes, the emotions in music convey new colours? Changing who we are representing then as well? XxX Bea PS I am up for change 😅👑💥

[@DashingSkullClub]

We're paying attention @DamianKeyes. You're the guru. We're hear to confuse the cool kids with our Destruction, Sugar and Chaos. All hail 🌭

[@yoavhanuka2772]

Great video

[@invitia901]

How do you reach out on social when you are a songwriter and producer? I’m not the face outwards, I use various singers for the tracks I write and produce. How did producers and DJs like Calvin Harris, Tiesto and Davis Guetta become famous?

[@MattLudwick]

Thanks for the video! I've been struggling trying to figure out who my audience is because I don't have enough data from streams. When it comes to TikTok, my best performing content is when I'm just talking to a camera or doing something, not music. What would you suggest if you don't have any usable data to figure out who your audience is?

[@goodkingcalel]

Im curious, how would an artist, who has released music in the past but never strategically marketed or put a plan together use their catalog of released songs as a promotional tool to build an audience, and set them up for future releases?

[@NatalieFee]

So much gold in this! I'D LOVE YOUR HELP ON MY AVATAR. I've got an existing platform as an environmentalist and author, but haven't started releasing my music yet (am signed to a small indie label in London, single releases starting October through to April 2025). My current audience is really into sustainability (I get most traction on eco hacks and tips), whereas my music is folky (which might be a fit) but also spiritual (which lots of them might not be into!). So would my avatar basically be people in my niche?! Woman in her 40's, spiritual, nature lover ... ?! Is it ok to bridge both worlds? Thanks for all you share. x

[@EllaSilentDragon]

Love your explanations! (Even though I‘m not a musician). ❤ Do you also have any recommendations for fans, who want to promote their favorite artists? 😅 What do you think about Dimash? He is highly educated, has a ridiculously good voice, and he has lots of really different songs from lots of genres: pop, rock, classical crossover, edm, opera, he even raps 🤷🏼‍♀️ And fans from all demographics and many different countries and cultures. But at the same time he is not known nearly enough, even though his voice is arguably the best in the world from a technical perspective and his music can be quite complex and sophisticated, while being very emotional at the same time. He always innovates and that to me is his appeal. But it also destroys every attempt to define him or his audience. 😅

[@kfirdanieli3059]

Hello my name is kfir and I am an independent music artist from nyc , thanks for taking the time to do this video it’s so important and exactly what I feel I’m lacking is the connection and socials I feel like I can put my emotions on a musical display and I do but I don’t know how to connect or what my avatar is?????

[@lievenmartens5793]

So, Okay, I watch this video and figure out I can work with what Damian is saying. Then I check my demographic data on KZbin, which only tells me there's not enough data, even for my most successful videos. Christ, this is depressing.

[@DamianKeyes]

Don’t despair, check your data through other platforms too. Tiktok and IG are powerful tools for stats 😊 Keep going! You have got this!

[@melaniepenelope_]

My demographics are lining up perfectly because all the views are from me

[@lieven.martens]

I don't even like to listen to my own music. By the time I'm finished with it it's supposed to be out of my world​@@melaniepenelope_

[@antoninbouma3251]

​@@melaniepenelope_been there 😂😂

[@kannylanny7842]

Plz make a video on tips to get music verification on yt channel .

[@DOLLEROFFICIAL]

🔥

[@LJMTX]

My main problem is that I have laryngeal dystonia which makes it hard for me to talk a lot of the time without sounding hoarse and/or vocal drop outs. It takes a lot of effort for me to talk and I’m afraid of speaking on camera bc I feel like people will be turned off by how I sound. I have a lot to say but just don’t have the confidence bc of my condition.

[@JulioImeri]

Yeah to be fair, socials are too easy if you have great songs let's be honest about it.

[@vargerkron]

I don't really know who I make music for because my themes go from breakup and depression to philosophy and space exploration

[@shamdoodle]

I am stuck finding my identity. I have the music and a good following but I feel like my content is vague and need guidance.

[@brexistentialism7628]

Analytics 101

[@francescachapman_]

Hey Damien!! I'm just about to release my debut single this Friday (August 23rd 2024) I've been following your 20 day plan but I was just wondering if you have any advice for me please. I am an 18 year old artist and have been performing professionally in gigs since I was 13 however, this is my first release. Any help would be really really appreciated!!

[@Ben-qg3bo]

I'd be happy with 200 views! 😃

[@cyrilleteossock3154]

I'm struggling with my single publisher. He's very passive

[@Sam-cs3mi]

Just also to add, the algorithms know instantly who the target audience is so a simple 3-5 second introduction can give you your listeners

[@jackkozlowski]

Could you give an example..?

[@LibertyMediaArts]

It's annoying because social media has become overly political and toxic. Being an artist almost feels like you're not allowed to have an opinion because people are out for blood. 😅 I'm not interested in labels because I've seen them hurt creators by fluffing their numbers with fake engagement with bad marketing. Organic views are hard to get but worth it in the long run.

[@Beatsbailey]

hahaha this is great and the Alex Hermozi fan avatar is hilarious

[@DamianKeyes]

😂 I thought I’d slip it in as so many of my friends now wear nose strips like it’s a club!

[@Beatsbailey]

@@DamianKeyes hahaha

[@musicmaestrodj]

Bass player dis at 2:20, oof. 😯 Does the name Paul McCartney ring a bell? Yes, I play bass and also write and arrange.

[@DamianKeyes]

😂 I only joke about bass players as I am one and I know we can take a joke… unlike those egotistical guitarists!!! #kidding #jokingnotjoking

[@musicmaestrodj]

@@DamianKeyes As a bass player, you get a pass. 😉 Our band's drummer and I are always exchanging bassist/drummer jokes. We are a funny bunch. 🤪

[@Unfunny_Username_389]

@@musicmaestrodj How do you find out if the stage is level? Drool comes out of both sides of the drummer's mouth.

[@dragpalace]

Can you make a video about the amount of AI music uploaded to the streaming platforms? It's frustrating to see that many 1.01 minute tracks of AI without identity have so many streams, followers and monthly listeners etc. And artists who do show their identity, like me, do have 10 monthly listeners. Everyone can generate a track using Udio. And many aren't even bad. But when everyone can make tracks this way, Spotify gets overloaded with a Deluge of AI tracks. And most AI tracks do 100 times better.

[@MrKarangale]

i am struggling ! And the wheels are off the bus .

[@InfinityDsbm]

What about all the new "musicians" pumping out an album a day with suno 😅

[@jamesfalls]

Leave it to Damian to come in and save me from editing 2 hours boring story telling footage, mark this another afternoon wasted to poor planning. I had a friend come in and shot a short in 1 take. I can explain away the beard jokes, but the exact age and demo this time bud? I'm watching you Mr. Keyes.

[@ChristopherCampanile]

Your advice on the 50 year old guy making a comeback after 20 years of parenting and loss of his wife?

[@ChristopherCampanile]

😂 "...I do moisturize" OFFICIAL CHANNEL OF CHRISTOPHER CAMPANILE SONGWRITER 🎵

[@BanyGhmusic]

Struggling with my avatar

[@Michaeljombe]

17:18 😂😂😂😂😂pov

[@novanewchorus]

Alex Hormozi... it's un****able men XDDDD

[@anythingspossiblemusic]

Enough of the bass player digs at 02:20. I'm creative bass player and recently hit 150,000 streams on Spotify.

[@synthzizer3324]

What a lot of over thought nonsense.

[@DamianKeyes]

@@synthzizer3324 Thank God you have arrived synthzizer3324! How did you manage to get all of your zero subscribers, I feel like I’m ready to learn from you! 🍿

[@synthzizer3324]

@DamianKeyes moral of the comment is don't over think. Get on the bike and go for it.

[@javiertorres-hw1gp]

😂

[@LovelyPrettyBones]

“Unfuckable men” 😂😂😂 Real question: what if you can’t stick to a genre? So…

[@tomix1970pl1]

If we all do it who will be first?

[@JoeMalle]

Don't worry about that. Although competition is real especially in a capitalistic sense, sharing knowledge and elevating each other doesn't reduce you're chances of succes. quite the opposite actually.

[@JoeMalle]

the mindset "every man for himself" will never, in all aspects of life, bring succes and fulfillment