MUSIC INDUSTRY MARKETING & PROMOTION

Let’s dive in. You’ll meet your instructor, get the lay of the land, and unpack how this course flows. Think of it as your backstage pass to the journey ahead.

• Meet your instructor
• Course structure 
• Assignments & final project overview

Every hit starts with the basics. In this session, we’ll set the stage by breaking down how the music industry really works, from the charts to the key players pulling the strings. You’ll discover the core marketing principles that shape success and dive straight into a campaign that proves the mantra: you really can’t rush greatness..

• The music industry landscape
• Marketing fundamentals
• Overview chart systems
• Case Study: Central Cee - ‘Can’t Rush Greatness’ album campaign
• Workshop: Industry mapping activity

Playlists are today’s radio, and streaming is the stage where stars are made. This lesson explores the power of platforms like Spotify, Apple, and YouTube — from prepping your release to understanding how playlists spark discovery. We’ll also get hands-on with streaming analytics, turning numbers into strategy.

• The streaming landscape
• Release preparation strategy
• Streaming analytics basics
• Case Study: Keinemusik – ‘Move’ single campaign

Assignment #1: Artist Selection & Pre-Save Campaign 
Choose the artist you’ll focus on for the rest of the course. Write a short introduction to your chosen artist, including their genre, style, and where they are in their career. Then, create a one-page pre-save campaign outline for their upcoming single.

Social isn’t just posting selfies, it’s where music culture lives. This lesson shows you how to pick the right platforms, craft scroll-stopping content, and read the numbers that matter. We’ll break down Doja Cat’s platform-native genius to show how smart strategy builds hype and identity.

• Platform selection 
• Content planning & scheduling 
• Performance metrics
• Case Study: Doja Cat’s platform-native approach

Assignment #2: Viral Clip Breakdown
Choose a viral music TikTok or Instagram Reel and write a short analysis (200–300 words) explaining what made it effective.

In today’s music world, content is currency. Lesson 4 breaks down how to create eye-catching visuals, smart audio snippets, and build a narrative world around your artist. You’ll see how the ‘Prada’ campaign nailed it, before planning your own creative content strategy.

• Visual content & low-budget hacks
• Audio content: teasers, remixes, podcasts
• Branding through creative direction
• Audience & world building
• Case Study: cassö x RAYE x D-Block Europe - ‘Prada’ single campaign

Behind every successful artist is a loyal fanbase. Learn how to define, understand, and connect with your audience, turning listeners into a community. Rosalía’s world-building is our guide, before you design your own fan culture starter pack.

• Defining your audience
• World building & artist identity
• Case Study: From Flamenco to Future Pop: The World of Rosalía
• Community & fan relationship building
• Audience strategy tools
• Workshop: Fan culture starter pack

Assignment #3: Audience Persona
Create a detailed persona for your artist, including demographics, habits, and communities.

Branding is all about telling a story. This session dives into how artists craft their narrative, keep visuals consistent, and stand out across platforms. From Corteiz to Tyler, The Creator, we’ll explore different approaches before you design your own blueprint.

• Branding fundamentals
• Brand storytelling & narrative building
• Cross-platform consistency
• Common brand pitfalls
• Case Study: Corteiz, ShyGirl, Tyler, The Creator, Beyoncé
• Workshop: Build an artist brand blueprint

Assignment #4: Branding Moodboard
Design a visual moodboard for your artist with colours, fonts, and imagery that capture their identity.

Press can make or break momentum. This lesson explores how media works today, from niche blogs to major platforms. You’ll learn how to craft bios, press releases, and outreach strategies, with Arlo Parks’ rise as inspiration, before trying it yourself.

• Modern media landscape
• Key media types today
• Press kit development
• Written content
• Media outreach
• Case Study: Arlo Parks – From indie acclaim to major coverage
• Workshop: Write a press release for a single release 

Live shows are where careers are cemented. We’ll cover how artists move from open mics to headline tours, planning and promoting events that win fans for life. With a guest speaker and Ed Sheeran’s rise as a case study, you’ll then pitch your own debut gig.

• From grassroots to mainstage
• Event planning
• Promotion & fan engagement
• Case Study: Ed Sheeran – From open mics to stadium tours
• Workshop: Plan your first gig

Assignment #5: Event Pitch
Create a short plan for a free live show, including concept, venue type, and target audience.

Radio still opens doors if you know how to knock. Explore radio’s role today, hybrid platforms, and how to pitch tracks that get heard. You’ll study BBC Radio 1 Introducing as a launchpad before developing a pitch of your own.

• Radio landscape
• Getting heard
• Hybrid platforms & streaming crossover
• Case Study: BBC Radio 1 Introducing – Gateway to national exposure
• Workshop: Pitch your track to radio

Assignment #6: Content Rollout Timeline
Create a visual timeline for your artist’s release campaign showing the planned posting schedule from pre-release to post-release.

Ads aren’t just for big budgets. Learn how to target effectively, design creative that cuts through, and measure results. We’ll break down the ‘Cry Baby’ campaign before you critically analyse what makes tracks go viral.

• Platforms & targeting strategies
• Campaign types
• Creative best practices
• Measuring results & optimisation
• Case Study: Clean Bandit x Anne Marie x David Guetta - ‘Cry Baby’
• Workshop: Strategically analyse songs that went viral

Music careers thrive on multiple income streams. This lesson explores everything from digital royalties to crowdfunding and creative side hustles. Amanda Palmer’s artist-led economy is the model, before you map out income paths for your own artist.

• Revenue overview
• Digital revenues
• Financial sustainability
• Crowdfunding & early support
• Non-monetary value building
• Case Study: Crowdfunded Creativity: Amanda Palmer’s artist-led economy
• Workshop: The music money map

Assignment #7: Campaign Budget Breakdown
Create a simple budget for your artist’s release, covering PR, ads, content, and live shows.

A music video is a statement. This session looks at how visuals shape artist identity across budgets and platforms, with Jungle’s faceless aesthetic as a case study. You’ll then build your own visual rollout plan.

• Types of music videos
• Distribution & amplification strategies
• Low-budget & DIY production techniques
• Beyond the music video
• Shooting for hype or building a brand?
• Case Study: Jungle – Visual identity without the spotlight
• Workshop: The visual rollout plan

Now it’s time to pull it all together. Learn how to design a cohesive campaign, manage budgets, and plan the road to release day. We’ll focus on building campaigns that flow smoothly from concept to metrics.

• Campaign types & structures
• Road to release day
• Planning your spend
• Measuring campaign success

Final Project: Release Campaign Deck
Compile all your assignments into one polished campaign deck — your artist’s full release strategy.

No artist makes it alone. This lesson covers how to build authentic collaborations, grow industry connections, and use digital platforms for visibility. Fred again’s career shows the power of connections done right.

• Creative collaborations across scenes
• Building your industry circle
• Professional communication & etiquette
• Digital networking & visibility
• Case Study: Fred again: Building a career through connection

Things go wrong in music, the key is how you bounce back. Learn problem-solving frameworks and strategies for resilience, then practise in a live crisis simulation tackling real-world industry scenarios.

• Common challenges for artists
• Problem-solving frameworks
• Resilience & industry support
• Public missteps & recovery
• Workshop: Crisis Simulation - Work in groups to develop solutions for realistic music industry crisis scenarios.

Where to next? This final lesson looks at career paths in music promotion, setting goals, and spotting new opportunities. We’ll also open the floor for a future-facing discussion on where the industry is headed.

• Jobs & freelancing in promotion
• Career planning & goal setting
• Learning beyond the course
• Future of music promotion

Group Discussion: “What do you think the future of music promotion looks like?”