Audiomack ARTIST GUIDE
Artists 101
How do I collaborate with other artists?
Relationships are everything. Collaborating with other artists is a great way to expand your reach as an artist and build your network. Don’t worry about looking cool—reach out to the artists you connect with most and see if they want to work together. When you have a real bond with an artist you’re working with, the chemistry will shine through in the music.
“You can pay a bunch of money to get an artist with a big name, who doesn’t necessarily know you, to do a verse. That can work in some cases, where it brings some attention to you. If that’s your only trick, it’s gonna fizzle out. But if your music is so good, and people just haven’t checked for you yet, having that feature could be the spark that helps it go. In most cases, those sorts of things come and go as a quick spike of listens and it falls apart.
“The most effective way is to develop a relationship between artists. If there’s a real rapport, people can see that. ‘Oh, these guys look like they’re friends!’ That goes a long way to feeling like a real co-sign.”
—Benjy Grinberg, Owner of Rostrum Records
“A lot of artists want to fit into this persona of being cool or lowkey. A lot of them would feel ashamed reaching out to bigger artists—that’s the biggest mistake I’ve been seeing. The ego. Swallow your pride and reach out to people you think are cool. Give flowers when they’re due.”
—Samuel Cohen, Director of Artist Marketing, TenThousand Projects
“There are two kinds of collabs. One kind is the truly creative pairing where both sides contribute to something new. Co-writing a song is an example. These are typically easy to get and can be very satisfying. The other kind can be just as creative, like hiring a player to add a bass line to your record, or convincing a feature to drop some bars on a song’s bridge. The difference will usually come down to money; especially if you’re asking a bigger artist to work with you.
“Never be afraid to ask: a good pitch will land many opportunities, but always be prepared to compensate them fairly. A good collaboration requires patience, honesty, and teamwork, so set your expectations properly and never stop trying to build relationships.”
—Mark Tavern, Music Industry Educator
