Music Marketing for Producers and Beatmakers

Producers sit in an unusual spot. Your work is often heard under someone else's name, and the audience you need may be artists, not listeners. Good marketing for producers starts by being clear about who you want to reach.

Decide on your main goal

• Working with artists: you want artists, managers and A&Rs to know your sound and trust your process.
• Releasing as an artist: you want listeners to follow you directly.
• Licensing: you want music supervisors and content makers to find tracks they can clear easily.

Most producers do some of each, but one should lead your profile and content.

Make your credits findable

Check that your name is spelled the same way on every credit, and ask artists to include producer credits when they deliver releases. Accurate credits on streaming services and databases are free marketing.

Show the process

Producers have great content they often ignore: building a beat from a sample, before-and-after mixes, choosing sounds, working with a vocalist. Short process videos show your skill to both artists and listeners.

Build a small, clear portfolio

A simple page with your best placements or releases, the genres you work in, and how to contact you does more than a long list of every beat.

Collaborate on purpose

Choose a few artists whose music you believe in and help them release well. A strong release you are credited on often brings the next client.

Protect yourself

Use written agreements for splits, credits and ownership. It avoids disputes that can block a release.

The same thinking about audience, positioning and channels is covered in more depth in MusicPromoToday's guide to marketing music as a producer or as an artist.