Music has always been one of the world’s leading creative industries. With an estimated music industry revenue of $26.2 billion in 2023, there are immense opportunities for executives, artists, and advertisers in this space.
However, despite the industry's size, the vast amount of musicians, the global reach, and the electrifying live performances—it’s hard to succeed in the music business industry without networking.
At its core, networking is the art of building relationships and fostering a sense of community among industry insiders. And what better time to get into it than Fall when activity is bursting?
There are many networking opportunities—from attending music conferences and social media events to building genuine connections with artists, producers, promoters, and influencers.
All in all, it’s a key ingredient to building success in a highly competitive and increasingly digitized industry.
Here are some reasons why networking is so important for music businesses:
6 Reasons Why You Should Network in the Music Industry
The primary purpose of networking is to establish connections with important people in the industry. As such, it helps unlock opportunities in the music industry—regardless of the type of music business you’re involved with.
1. Your Artists Will Gain New Fans
Networking is key for a music business looking to build an artist’s fan base, a difficult task when a musician is first starting. By connecting with other music companies and music events—you can create an organic buzz about your artist’s music, resulting in more opportunities.
Furthermore, networking allows your business to showcase their talents to a broader range of people with the ability to promote or support their work. Every connection serves as a possible link, boosting your musician’s reach and their chances of new fans.
2. You’ll Enter New Collaborations
One of the main advantages of networking in the music industry is the chance to foster new collaborations. If you create new connections with other music companies—you can open the door to collaborative opportunities, resulting in new creative horizons for your clients.
Moreover, collaborations between music companies encourage your artists to explore different genres, push the boundaries of their creativity, and use new, unique sounds. In many cases, the best music talents working together produce the most impressive work, making networking essential for anyone running a business that manages artists.
3. You’ll Find Live Event Opportunities
One of the best ways to showcase your musicians is via live performances—and networking can provide performance opportunities that could otherwise be out of reach. If you network with booking agents, venue owners, and event organizers, you’ll have a greater chance of securing gigs and festival performances for your clients.
Remember, word-of-mouth referrals and personal connections go a long way because professionals trust the referrals of others. Not only does networking open the door to local live performances, but it also provides the chance for international performances to massively broaden your artist’s global appeal.
4. You’ll See Finance Opportunities
Regardless of whether you’re new to the music business or you’ve been in it a long time, obtaining finance is always a key ingredient towards success. Depending on your music business goals, you’ll always want an idea of how investors operate in the music industry.
Nonetheless, there’s also the opportunity to network with music industry investors; these people are highly knowledgeable and invested in the music industry. That’s excellent if you have clear ideas about the path you’re choosing, but it’s not great if you’re uncertain about your music business goals.
5. You’ll Gain New Knowledge and Mentorship
Engaging with experienced professionals, managers, producers, and industry insiders gives you access to a wealth of knowledge. For instance, building a network connection can lead to mentorship in all facets of the music business.
You’ll gain confidence from these lessons—resulting in better decision-making, performance, and long-term career success and sustainability.
6. You’ll Meet Key Players
Another benefit of collaborating with other people in the music industry is how it opens up doors to other record labels and management. For example, record label executives and artist managers play an enormous role in helping your musicians get a break in the industry.
Building relationships and collaborating—in whatever way possible—with these key players will increase your chances of growing your music company. The best place to find key players to work with is at music conferences, music networking events, and industry showcases.
How To Network in the Music Industry
Now you understand the benefits and importance of networking in the music industry, it’s time to learn how to do it.
First, we have some good news: Networking in the music industry is no different from most other industries. It requires patience, hard work, and an element of extrovertism.
Here are some tips for music networking in the music industry:
1. Visit Industry Events
The best way to meet people in the music industry—despite the growth in the digital world—is old-fashioned face-to-face meetings. If you’re in one of the world’s major music cities, New York City, Los Angeles, and London, there are ample music networking event opportunities, and that’s where you’ll meet some of the most important people in the industry.
These events may include music festivals, music conferences, workshops, and seminars—whereby you’ll find musicians, producers, representatives from record labels, and industry investors. You should engage in conversations, exchange contact information, and open yourself to collaboration.
2. Use Social Media
Although attending networking events is a great way to boost your connections, social media is also a tremendous hub of music networking. You should create a professional and engaging social media page on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
In turn, share your music, personal stories, and glimpses into your daily behind-the-scenes life with other people in the music industry. In addition, interact with fans, fellow musicians, and music insiders by responding to comments, making conversations, and sharing relevant content.
3. Attend Local Shows and Open Mic Nights
Another key ingredient to marketing success is attending local shows with open mic nights that offer an intimate setting for music networking with people in the music industry. You should attend these events regularly and help your artists perform live whenever possible.
After their performance, speak with the audience, exchange contact information, and listen to other performers to see how they can improve. If you’re trying to find musical talent as someone who works for a record label, do your best to speak to the artists and get to know them.
4. Join Music Associations and Organizations
One of the best ways to grow in the music industry is by joining music associations and organizations. These associations and organizations host various music networking events, workshops, and music conferences tailored to the music industry.
If you become an active member of these groups, you can gain access to a huge pool of industry professionals, musicians, and investors. When you attend these events, engage in discussions, introduce yourself and what you offer, and participate in community activities.
5. Use Online Music Platforms
Another great way to network yourself in music is by using online music platforms—such as Bandcamp, YouTube, and SoundCloud. These platforms enable you to share your client’s music, chat with their fans, and seek collaborations with other artists.
As always, use these online platforms to respond to feedback, explore opportunities, and monitor the latest industry trends. You’ll soon grow a network of valuable music business contacts, leading you toward faster business growth.
6. Host Your Own Events
As a music business, it’s completely possible to organize your own music showcases, networking mixers, and industry-specific workshops. For instance, industry-specific workshops, whereby you discuss topics relevant to the music industry, is a great method of networking.
You can invite experts to share their views, including music production experts, artist managers, and marketers. In addition, these events are a superb way to attract local musicians, helping you meet the next generation of talent and introduce them to your business.
Furthermore, you can also host informal networking events called networking mixers. These events are excellent for bringing together influencers, musicians, and music industry professionals. If you create a relaxed, social atmosphere, people are more likely to exchange ideas that could benefit your music business.
Start Music Networking Now: Grow Your Music Business Today
Networking is essential for success in the music industry. If you’re running a music business, you’ll meet crucial people, including musicians, investors, and marketers, who can help grow your business in the future.
And you’ll have no issues with music networking if you follow the tips in this blog article.
At Reprtoir, we can assist you with the tools you need to develop your music business—including catalog management, release building, royalty accounting, music sharing, and much more.
