Bob Baker's The Buzz Factor

Want to stand out in an overcrowded, noisy music marketplace? Try this ...

Yes, you write introspective love songs or body-moving dance tracks or lushly orchestrated masterpieces. But I'll bet you also feel not enough people are taking notice or appreciating your artistry. Am I right?

Consider creating a music project based on a theme.

Example A: Graham Smith produced an album called "11: A Musical Tribute to Apollo 11." These electronic instrumental tracks were inspired by one of man's greatest achievements -- the mission that successfully landed a man on the moon in July 1969.

Smith, an independent artist, has sent copies of the CD to NASA and to a prominent author who wrote a book on Apollo 11. He's got the album set up on CD Baby, iTunes, Last.fm and more. He's scheduled to do an interview about the project with the BBC.

And, if he continues to build momentum with the project, he'll be in a great position to promote it two years from now, on the 40th anniversary of the moon landing.

Example B: Harry and the Potters. Yes, this indie band plays music inspired by the smash hit book and movie series. The band's summer tour has the members doing about 60 shows in 90 days, mostly at public libraries and community centers.

Important note: You don't have to base your entire music career around a single theme. You can still do your more generic pop or hip-hop or R&B music, while also having a specific theme project on the side.

The thing is, your theme CD or web site will bring you more recognition than any one-size-fits-all approach. So you can use your specialized project to draw attention to your more general music.

-Bob

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