12 Weeks
Level 1
3-Credit Tuition
$1,545Non-Credit Tuition
$1,290Music Marketing 101 equips you with the essential skills to design, plan, and execute an integrated music marketing campaign. Whether you're a self-managed artist, an aspiring music industry professional, or a creative like a producer, songwriter, or sound engineer, these strategies will not only elevate your career but also empower you to effectively support the artists you work with.
As technology advances, it has become easier than ever for artists to record, distribute, and promote their music. However, these new opportunities come with significant challenges. With tens of thousands of songs uploaded to streaming platforms every day, the market is highly competitive, making it increasingly difficult for artists to cut through the noise and build their audience.
To add to the complexity, there is constant change in the online environment, which is affecting how music is consumed and discovered, as well as how musicians interact with their fans. This is especially true with the role of social media, which continues to disrupt many of the traditional music marketing models.
One of the biggest challenges faced by the modern musician is figuring out how and where to allocate their time, money, and resources—which are often limited—to maximize impact and get the best return on investment. The key to success is understanding how to implement the most effective strategies and tactics to successfully develop and maintain a fanbase, generate revenues, and share their music with the world.
Music Marketing 101 covers all of these essential elements of modern music marketing—defining your brand, creating a social media content strategy, getting your music on playlists, leveraging your brand to acquire endorsement and sponsorship deals, getting your music placed in film and television, drafting a release plan and schedule, and so much more. The curriculum also emphasizes ways to accomplish all of this while also staying true to your artistic integrity and vision.
You will learn the secrets of how the most successful record labels and artists promote their releases, and then apply those techniques to your music. In this course, timeless marketing principles are combined with new and emerging trends and cutting-edge tech to provide you with a well-rounded approach that will enable you to have sustainable success in the industry. You will leave the course with a real-world, actionable music marketing plan for a release.
By the end of the course, you will be able to:
- Discuss foundational marketing concepts and terminology
- Describe the functions of the key players involved in a music marketing campaign
- Develop a brand identity and story for a musician, whether that’s you or an artist you’re working with
- Design creative marketing strategies for a release campaign that is aligned with a musician’s brand
- Analyze a musician’s online presence and devise a strategy to improve it
- Identify the primary marketing tools and platforms used to plan and execute an integrated music marketing campaign (e.g., website creation, email and SMS marketing, social media management, digital advertising, playlist promotion services, DSP tools, etc.)
- Draft an integrated music marketing campaign, incorporating all of the key areas of modern release strategies
Syllabus
Lesson 1: Foundational Marketing Principles
- Marketing Defined and the Marketing Mix
- Expanding the Definition of Marketing
- From Passive Listener to Fan: Understanding the Customer Journey and Decision-Making Process
- Marketing Research and Analysis
- Market Segmentation and Defining a Target Audience
- Assignment 1: Selecting Your Artist and Project
Lesson 2: Defining an Artist’s Brand and Preparing for a Release
- Defining an Artist’s Brand
- Creating a Brand Identity and Persona
- Selecting and Protecting an Artist Name
- Fandoms
- Writing an Effective Artist Bio
- Producing and Selecting Commercially Viable Music
- The Art of Receiving and Utilizing Feedback
- Music Metadata and the Importance of Staying Organized
- Assignment 2: Uncovering Your Artist Brand
Lesson 3: Music Marketing Plan and Marketing Creative
- Key Components of a Music Marketing Plan
- Setting Marketing Objectives: Creating SMART Music Marketing Goals
- Budgeting and Prioritizing for Your Music Marketing Campaign
- Project Description and Story
- Marketing Creative for Music Releases
- Case Study: Beyoncé’s Renaissance
- Assignment 3: Story and Marketing Creative Around Your Release
Lesson 4: Social Media, Part 1
- Social Media Foundations
- Key Instagram Features and Tools
- Meta (Facebook and Instagram) for Musicians
- TikTok
- Key TikTok Features and Tools
- Avoiding Digital Burnout
- Assignment 4: Social Media Audit
Lesson 5: Social Media, Part 2
- YouTube
- Key YouTube Features and Tools
- YouTube for Artists and Creating a Multiformat Release Strategy
- Music Videos
- Overview of Music Video Production
- Budget Considerations
- A Step-by-Step Guide to Producing a Music Video for Emerging Artists
- Creating a Social Media Content Strategy for Musicians
- Social Media Content Creation Schedule
- Case Study: Analyzing Travis Scott’s Content Pillars and Connection Points
- Influencer Marketing
- Assignment 5: Drafting Your Social Media Content Strategy
Lesson 6: Website, Email, Text Messaging, and Direct-to-Fan Platforms
- Designing and Setting Up an Effective Website for Musicians
- Practice Exercise: Website Audit
- Email Marketing for Musicians
- SMS (Text Messaging) Marketing for Musicians
- Direct-to-Fan Platforms
- Bandcamp and Patreon
- Assignment 6: Creating or Updating a Website
Lesson 7: Distribution and Digital Service Provider Tools
- Selecting and Working with a Digital Distributor or Aggregator
- Introduction to Digital Service Providers (DSPs) and Online Music Stores
- Digital Service Providers (DSPs)
- DSP Best Practices and Tools
- Key Spotify for Artists Features and Tools
- Key Apple Music for Artists Features and Tools
- Other DSPs
- Additional Opportunities with DSPs
- Assignment 7: DSP Strategy
Lesson 8: Getting Music Placed on Playlists and Radio Promotion
- Understanding Playlists
- Playlisting Strategy
- Understanding Radio
- Radio Promotion Strategies
- Assignment 8: Playlisting Strategy
Lesson 9: Advertising and Publicity
- Advertising Principles and Creating Effective Ads
- Prioritizing Digital and Social Media Advertising
- A Step-by-Step Guide to Google Ads
- Social Media Advertising
- A Step-by-Step Guide to Instagram Ads for Musicians
- A Step-by-Step Guide to TikTok Ads for Musicians
- Publicity Principles and Best Practices
- Creating a Media List
- Writing an Effective Press Release
- Crafting a Compelling Story
- Working with Publicists
- Assignment 9: Publicity Strategy
Lesson 10: Sync Licensing and Brand Partnerships
- Introduction to Sync Licensing
- Essential Rights (Copyright) Concepts
- Sync Licensing: Key Players and Common Uses
- Preparing Your Music for Sync
- Sync Licensing Contracts
- Sync Licensing Strategy
- Brand Partnerships for Musicians
- Step-by-Step Guide for Emerging Artists to Start Collaborating with Brands
- Assignment 10: Sync Licensing Strategy
Lesson 11: Live Performances, Music Merchandise, and Networking
- Leveraging Live Performances and Showcases for Marketing
- Marketing an Artist’s Brand and Music on Stage
- Designing and Selling Music Merchandise
- Merch Solutions for Emerging Artists
- Networking in the Music Industry
- Joining Music Organizations, Online Communities, Collaborations, and Apps
- LinkedIn for Musicians
- Music Industry Conferences and Tradeshows
- Assignment 11: Merch Strategy
Lesson 12: Bringing It All Together: Drafting the Release Plan and Schedule
- Planning a Release Timeline
- Creating a Release Timeline for Your Next Single
- Drafting an Integrated Marketing Plan for a Release
- Final Project: Draft of Integrated Music Marketing Plan
Requirements
Prerequisites and Course-Specific Requirements
Prerequisite Courses, Knowledge, and/or Skills
This course does not have any prerequisites.
Textbook(s)
- Indie Bible resources (selected PDF downloads provided within the course)
- Recommended: Music Marketing for the DIY Musician: Creating and Executing a Plan of Attack on a Low Budget (2nd Edition) by Bobby Borg (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2022)
- Recommended: How to Make It in the New Music Business: Practical Tips on Building a Loyal Following and Making a Living as a Musician (3rd edition) by Ari Herstand (Liveright, 2023)
- Recommended: Work Hard Playlist Hard (2nd Edition) by Mike Warner (Mike Warner, 2021)
Media and Subscriptions
- Chartmetric subscription (will be provided free of charge in Week 1 for the duration of the course)
- Note: By enrolling in this course, you authorize Berklee Online to use your registered email to add you to our Chartmetric account.
Software
- Word processing software, such as Microsoft Word, Google Docs (free), Apple Pages, Apache OpenOffice (free), etc.
- Spreadsheet software, such as Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets (free), Apple Numbers, Apache Open Office (free), etc.
- Large language model-based chatbot, such as ChatGPT or Claude (free versions sufficient)
- Students will need to create or update their own website during this course. No-code website building platforms, such as Bandzoogle or Wix, including free options, are sufficient.
Student Deals
After enrolling, be sure to check out our Student Deals page for various offers on software, hardware, and more. Please contact support@online.berklee.edu with any questions.
General Course Requirements
Below are the minimum requirements to access the course environment and participate in Live Classes. Please make sure to also check the Prerequisites and Course-Specific Requirements section above, and ensure your computer meets or exceeds the minimum system requirements for all software needed for your course.
Mac Users
PC Users
All Users
- Latest version of Google Chrome
- Zoom meeting software
- Webcam
- Speakers or headphones
- External or internal microphone
- Broadband Internet connection
Instructors
Author & Instructor
Chris Wares is the assistant chair of the Music Business/Management department at Berklee College of Music, where he leverages his extensive industry experience to empower artists and music professionals to elevate their careers. Chris has held roles such as marketing director, grant writer, artist manager, copyright administrator, and distribution specialist, working with some of North America's largest independent record labels, publishing companies, entertainment law firms, and management companies. He has led marketing campaigns for Grammy and Juno award-winning artists and secured substantial funding for artists and businesses.
At Berklee, Chris teaches several courses in marketing, business, and emerging technologies and actively facilitates industry collaborations to promote experiential learning. Notable past collaborations include Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, SXSW, TikTok, Instagram, and Spotify, just to name a few. A sought-after speaker and industry expert, his insights have been featured by Harvard Business School, NPR, Billboard, CBC, and more. Chris is an active member of the Recording Academy, the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS), and the Music and Entertainment Industry Educators Association (MEIEA). He regularly serves as a grant juror for the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR), demonstrating his dedication to fostering new talent and supporting the arts. Read Less
Instructor
Chandler Coyle is a music business teacher, industry consultant, connector, and an integral part of all his artist clients' teams. Chandler spends his days helping artists with all aspects of digital strategy to help his clients and students find more fans, make more money, and get to spend more time on their music. Chandler has been online since 1989 and coded his first webpage in 1994. Since 2012 Chandler has been teaching both undergraduate and graduate-level music business courses for Berklee College of Music's online extension Berklee Online. In addition to his teaching and freelance consulting efforts, Chandler also provides digital expertise to the fan engagement agency Music Geek Services founded by his brother and direct-to-fan expert Jay Coyle. Chandler has given talks and appeared on panels at SXSW, CD Baby’s DIY Musician Conference, the Berklee Onsite Conference, and Chicago’s LakeFX.
Instructor
Jay Coyle is the founder and "Music Geek" at the digital marketing firm, Music Geek Services. His company provides artist services for the music industry and has been a Topspin-certified marketer since 2009. Built upon a life-long omnivorous obsession with marketing bands and mixing in equal parts of knowledge gained from an advertising-focused Journalism degree at the University of Georgia along with his skills running a Marketing consultancy for 5 years in Atlanta, Music Geek Services was finally created in 2008 immediately after Jay left a marketing position at the EMI CMG label in Nashville.
Jay's first project under the Music Geek moniker was doing work as band archivist and label product manager for Canadian music veterans, Barenaked Ladies. Since then, Jay has worn a lot of hats including sales, marketing, artist development, business development, tour management, and product management. Jay is currently working with Sloan, the Presidents of the United States of America, Jars of Clay, and Carbon Leaf. Jay's core focus is to help further the careers of artists while partnering with them in a "D.I.Y. +" sort of way to have long-lasting and fan-focused careers. Read Less
Instructor
John Lenac has helped to drive the evolution of the technology and music landscape since his days as a musician, band manager, and local concert promoter in the late '80s. He helped launch one of the first Alternative Rock FM stations (KTOZ, circa 1991), and grew it to become one of the highest-rated stations in the US. After programming and managing rock stations in Nashville and Kansas City, he was a Promotion Manager at TVT Records and then Rock Editor at HITS Magazine.
In 2004, he joined LAUNCH/Yahoo! Music. As Head of Music Programming and Artist/Label Relations, he managed a team of radio and video music programmers and interfaced with record labels, artist managers, artists, and business leaders for Yahoo’s branded original content music programs. He then joined PledgeMusic as the Global Head of Business Development, negotiating and closing deals with record labels and various manufacturing, marketing, and ticketing companies. John has been developing and managing artists his whole career, served as the president of a music festival/concert series, and founded and ran his own FM talent management company.
John's work has contributed to millions of albums sold and put dozens of gold and platinum plaques on his wall. He has been a guest lecturer at several schools, including UCLA. He's been a panel moderator and panelist at music industry conventions all over the world, including: SXSW, CMJ, MUSEXPO, Worldwide Radio Summit, One Movement Festival, Music Export Finland, MUSEXPO EUROPE, and The Global Rock Summit. He has also been interviewed by various media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, Variety, Records & Radio, Billboard, FMQB, and MTV.
John is currently the Founder/CEO of TechIT Media Group (consultancy for tech & media startups) and also Founder/CEO of WITHYN (record label, artist management and live events). Read Less
What's Next?
When taken for credit, Music Marketing 101 can be applied towards the completion of these related programs:
Related Certificate Programs
Related Degree Majors
Questions?
Contact our Academic Advisors by phone at 1-866-BERKLEE (U.S.), 1-617-747-2146 (INT'L), or by email at advisors@online.berklee.edu.
