Tuesday, April 2, 2024.
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Unda The Hat is now doing affiliate marketing for Amazon. “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.” We feature musical equipment, OG music band Tees & merch, games, and books. This week's Amazon feature is MD Stokes
Niche - Let’s Geaux -
Who remembers Backpack Hip Hop? Or who out there is into Gospel Hip Hop or Gospel Jazz? Or maybe Drill, Bluegrass Country, Grunge, Neo-Soul, or alternative rock? All of these are niches inside of a genre.
In music, a niche refers to a specific subset of the music market that is defined by unique characteristics, preferences, and tastes. It can be based on various factors such as genre, subgenre, target audience, or musical style.
A niche in music allows artists, producers, and labels to focus on a particular segment of the market and cater to the specific needs and desires of that audience. It enables them to create music that resonates with a dedicated fan base and establish a strong connection with listeners who share similar musical preferences.
A niche audience can present a compelling marketing opportunity. Given the smaller size of the audience pool, you as a musician or your team might assume that reaching them through your marketing efforts might be easier. And it can be. However, it is essential to ensure that your algorithms are accurately targeting this specific audience. Additionally, having a deep understanding of the target audience's characteristics and preferences is crucial. This precludes the ineffective strategy of acquiring a lot of bots as followers on Instagram. Bots do not engage or respond, so you have big numbers that will fall off, and you’ve just wasted your money. The numbers are the smoke, the engagement is the meat. People don’t buy smoke ya dig.
When you declare a specific niche, you can differentiate yourself from the masses and mainstream to develop a loyal following. It also allows you to build a strong brand identity and create a sense of community among your fans.
Thinking of niche one of the Unda The Hat artists Watson’s Head, is on niche overload.
His niche is "Psychedelic Funk Rock with a lil taste of reggae." This niche is defined by its unique blend of psychedelic, funk, rock, and reggae influences, which appeals to a specific audience who enjoys this musical style. He is slowly building a community of listeners with similar interests, values, or backgrounds.
Some niches come and go. Some come in with a bang, but for whatever reason the appeal wears down, the number of artists that are in that niche fall out and the audience moves on. Neo-Soul is not dead by a longshot, however, if you remember when artists like D’Angelo, Angie Stone, and Erykah Badu to name a few, dominated the charts? There weren’t a lot of artists that replaced them, or at least that broke out into the mainstream.
So you may ask is a niche necessary? Whether or not a niche in music is necessary depends on various factors, including your goals, target audience, and the overall music industry landscape. Here are some considerations: A niche allows you to focus on a specific segment of the music market and cater to the needs and desires of that audience. This can lead to a more dedicated and loyal fan base. In a crowded music industry, having a niche can help you differentiate yourself from the masses and mainstream and stand out. A niche helps you develop a strong brand identity and create a sense of community among your fans.
Now don’t get me wrong, having a specific niche inside of a genre is not for everyone. If you feel like you are pure Pop, R&B, Country, Latin artist, or whatever the case, then go for that. Not having a niche audience allows you to appeal to a wider audience and possibly reach more people. If you don’t have a niche, it gives you a bit more creative freedom and fewer questions about changing up your style if you decide to do something different than you’ve done in the past.
Ultimately, the decision of whether to have a niche in music is a personal one for each artist. There is no right or wrong answer, and the best approach will depend on the individual artist's goals and circumstances.
This week's #IAOTW - Independent Artists Of The Week is - MD Stokes
MD is an incredible songwriter, producer, and audio engineer who is looking to work with the community of musicians. This is his second release in as many months.
Click on the name link, scroll down to the picture, and then click, and support. For more information on this or to hire Unda The Hat as your brand or label consultant send a message via undathehat.com. If you are an Indie artist and want to be featured, hit me up. See you next week!!