For many decades, record labels were the exclusive lords of the music industry. That dominance has been massively reduced by the rise of social media and digital platforms. Today, anyone can make it big, and there are many artists doing quite well online without the backing of a record label.

On the flip side, there's also a ton of aspiring artists who have no clue what they're doing. It's beautiful to see everyone get a shot at greatness, but it's just as sad to see upcoming artists dig graves for their own careers with mistakes that can be easily avoided.

Common Mistakes To Avoid in Your Music Career

So what are these silly mistakes you might be making? Mistakes that could, at best, delay your progress; and, at worst, end your career. Let's look at ten of them…

Copying Others

Copying successful artists is such a common mistake indie artists make when starting out. They figure if they do exactly what their models did, they would be just as successful. That couldn't be further from the truth.

In a world full of artists trying to stand out from the crowd, originality should be your number one target. It's great to learn from models, but remember that people will only pay attention to you if you bring something new to the table.

Going It Alone

Many indie artists start out by themselves and believe they can do it all. They take on recording, mixing, promotion, and every other process involved in putting out music. What a draining way to do things!

One of the biggest advantages of being signed by a record label is you get a full team of professionals to help you make the best music possible. You must try to create such an environment for yourself. Get a team, no matter how small. It makes everything better.

Careless Social Media Presence

In a music world dominated by record labels, social media is one of the best ways for an indie artist to catch public attention. So you can understand why I'm shocked whenever I see indie artists take their social media for granted.

Social media is a gift! It's your outlet to show the world what you can do. If you don't take it seriously, you might never become a big deal. Learn how to grow on social media or get someone to help you. A social media audience can do wonders for your career.

Ignoring Your Image

Many new indie artists are so focused on developing their craft they forget about their public image. They don't realize that public perception is a huge deal for their careers.

To get fans, you need to build an audience. To build an audience, you must build a reputation. And there can be no reputation without a public image. So stop ignoring your public image, it could derail your career before it even begins.

Waiting for Perfection

This one's for the perfectionists among us. Many new indie artists are so afraid to suck that they don't release anything. Instead, they focus all their effort on "getting better", waiting till they can attain perfection. Oh, how tragic!

If you're afraid to suck, you won't get the chance to grow. Your first attempt will be terrible, no doubt about that. It must be terrible because you’ll never stop growing and improving. The better you get, the more you can look back and appreciate how far you’ve come. So take a chance on yourself, your work will never be perfect. Perfection is a myth, growth is the only way.

Inability to Say No

For a beginner, it's easy to see any opportunity as a godsend. Eager to make it big, artists will agree to every opportunity that comes their way. They figure some progress is better than none at all.

One of the best pieces of advice I'll give you is to know your worth. Don't sell yourself short. It might feel like progress at first, but you will end up frustrated and unfulfilled. Whether it's a sneaky contract or terrible live gigs, learn to know your worth. Be willing to walk away. It will save you from so many problems.

Overrating Yourself

Self-confidence is imperative for any successful musician, but it can easily get out hand. I spoke about selling yourself short, but there's a flip side. Some new artists rate themselves so high that they’re rigid on their demands and are happy to walk away if their terms aren’t met.

You must understand that when you start out, you're nobody. This means you can't be as picky as you'd like to be with opportunities. Make sure you learn how to maintain a good balance between humility and healthy self-perception. This tact will be invaluable to you throughout your career.

Focusing on Numbers

Unknown to many, followers aren't always fans. You could have up to 20,000 followers on Twitter but only about 100 fans. Several indie artists prioritize gaining more and more followers on social media because they think it means more fans.

It might surprise you to know that there are accounts with less than 5,000 doing better than some accounts that boast of followers in their hundreds of thousands. It's not the number that matters, but the quality of your followers.

One thousand loyal followers are much better than ten thousand who couldn't care less about you. So don’t run after followers, build a fan-base instead. It’s slower, but much more rewarding.

Going Full-time Too Soon

Juggling a 9-5 and a new music career is no easy feat. You must give your very best to both or risk losing them. Several indie artists are so zealous about the new path that they can even quit their day jobs. After all, a glorious music career requires total dedication, right?

Don't be deceived. Without the backing of a record label, you're on your own. This leads to some hefty constraints, especially on your budget. This means your 9-5 is absolutely critical to keeping you afloat. Make sure you've taken a good look at your finances before you make a move like that. It could come back to bite you.

Wrong Timing

Imagine putting out your album on the same day as Rihanna. How much attention do you think you'd get? Absolutely none! How about putting out a Christmas song in April? What a joke!

Learn to observe and understand the times. Know when to release a song and when to hold your horses. It could be the difference between a viral hit and a total flop.

Final Thoughts

It's easier today than it's ever been to be successful as an indie artist. Make no mistake, the journey is an uphill one, but it's doable. However, adding such common mistakes to a path that's already tough to navigate will only set you up for failure.

As long as you walk the right path, success is up ahead of you.

Cheers!