8 Things Great Bands Have in Common
Being in a band can be one of the greatest experiences, however it can be a challenge to become successful. Here are eight things that great bands have in common, and some of the ways in which you can increase the popularity of your own music group.
1. Continuously Writing And Releasing New Music
This may seem obvious, however, it is a key factor in determining the success of a band. The more music you write and get out for people to listen to, the more chance you have of gaining a bigger audience. A great example of this would be from one of the world’s most famous bands, The Beatles, who released at least 185 original songs throughout their career.
2. Using Social Media To Promote Content
Although social media is a much more recent phenomenon, promotion plays a huge role in a band’s journey to greatness. Radio broadcasts and posters were two of the main ways that bands used to promote themselves, however nowadays, social media is the way forward. One band that uses social media in a very engaging way is The 1975, who post behind the scenes content, tour lists, album previews and more onto their sites. This keeps viewers engaged and interested in what the band is going to do next!
3. Touring
Another thing that great bands have in common is that they go on tour, particularly just after they have released new music. This ensures that the music stays relevant, and audiences become excited to experience the band in a live setting. It is thought that the band Queen played around 700 live shows, which must be one of the reasons they had such global success.
4. Interacting With The Audience
Whether this be at a live show or over social media, bands that interact with their audience are often more popular. By connecting to the people that support you, they are much more likely to stay a dedicated listener since they feel more emotionally invested. Plus, it makes the show even more interesting and fun for both those on and off stage. One of the best examples of this would be during Thiago Silva’s set in Glastonbury 2019, where a member of the audience got
on stage and rapped an entire song! I’ll leave a link to that performance
here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1vlLJCr9Lo.
5. Having Great Stage Presence
In order to be in a great band, you need to be able to do great live performances. The key to this isn’t having flawless technical accuracy, but instead is more to do with how you present yourself on stage. All the best bands have extraordinary confidence on stage, and this is what makes their performances memorable. For example, Panic! At The Disco’s frontman Brendon Urie does a backflip in all of the band’s live performances. Of course, doing a backflip might not be the safest way to display your stage presence, but it certainly is creative!
6. Having The Music Evolve Over Time
The greatest and most successful bands will constantly evolve their music. This often means that each album will be quite different in style but without losing the band’s originality. Bands that do this really well include: Arctic Monkeys, Don Broco, Paramore, and The Black Keys.
7. Staying Authentic
One thing that all the best bands have in common is that they stay true to themselves. This doesn’t mean always playing the same style of music, but actually means that the band makes decisions based on their love for what they do instead of money/fame. Audiences are much more likely to stop listening to a band if the quality of the music drops due to a lack of authenticity.
8. Loving What They Do
Most importantly, great bands love what they do. It’s clear through the music when a band has a strong passion for their art, and more often than not makes the music much more enjoyable to listen to! Being in a band can present its own challenges, however if your music expresses how much you love it, then you’re one step closer to being great!
Conclusion
Being in a band will take time and dedication. But if it’s what you’re truly passionate about, it is so worth persevering. If you’re not sure how you’ll work out as a band, why not give it a go at WeJam first, where you can experience being in a band without all the pressure.