News & Stories for Musicians

A stack of Kayla's 'Fractures' albums, signed and ready to be posted.

Member’s Voice: Kayla Painter on the Rewards of Self-Releasing Music

In this blog, MU member, educator, producer, and electronic musician Kayla Painter shares her experience of self-releasing music. Following the success of her album launch last year, she explores the ups and downs of the DIY route, offering invaluable firsthand advice to other members.

Published: 15 April 2025

Close up of the track listing of SGT. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by the Beatles on a gold LP.

Industry Insights: How to Sequence a Music Album

Deciding which tracks should go where in the running order of an album can be pivotal. Two artists and one producer tell what works for them.

Published: 26 January 2024

Busker Charlotte Campbell, a white woman with long blonde hair sings in an outdoor location, smiling into the microphone and strumming an acoustic guitar.

Singer-Songwriter Charlotte Campbell on Making Connections Through Busking

For Charlotte Campbell, busking is so much more than a career stepping stone. It’s a medium that offers immediacy and a powerful way to connect with her audience. We follow her career from the BRIT School to the Southbank.

Published: 03 May 2023

Microphone in radio studio and red 'on air' sign.

How to Get Your Music Played on the Radio

Getting your music played on national radio has never been easy and it’s getting even tougher. Here’s how to improve your chances.

Published: 28 March 2023

10 Tips to Help Musicians Make Money from Patreon

One decade on from the launch of Patreon, the MU focuses on how to get the best out of this popular membership subscription platform.

Published: 21 March 2023

piano lesson conducted online with laptop and iphone on tripod

YouTube Tutorials: How They Can Benefit You and Your Business

YouTube is a valuable tool for enhancing music teaching, adding revenue and expanding your global reach. Here, three musicians discuss how the platform works for them.

Published: 13 December 2022

Stage Patter: How to Talk to Your Audience

Talking to an audience between songs is a much-overlooked skill and one that most musicians have to work at, but it can bring a whole new dimension to your set.

Published: 08 December 2022

NFTs For Musicians, its Opportunities and Pitfalls

Bored Apes, blockchains, HODLers and fungibility – the world of NFTs can seem indecipherable from the outside. Yet the technology behind the phenomenon has real potential to change the music industry.

Published: 20 July 2022

Private guitar lesson with teacher and student

How to Create and Sustain Work As a Music Teacher

The need for self-employed music teachers to boost their businesses and create income is more paramount than ever.

Published: 21 April 2022

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Singer, songwriter and rapper S1mba performing on stage

How Artists Can Make the Most Out of TikTok for Their Career

As TikTok becomes a vital promotional tool that can break a song internationally, we ask the musicians gaining traction on the app for their advice on going viral.

Published: 12 April 2022

A small child holds a ukulele and smiles fondly downwards against a plain background.

Promote Your Teaching Practice with a Clear Brand Story

Ariane Paras, founder of Olympia Coaching, and Laura Ferreiro, founder of Story Harmony and former NME Editor, offer pointers for identifying and sharing brand stories that connect with potential clients, and overcoming blocks that may be holding you back from promoting yourself.

Published: 24 March 2022

a person on their laptop looking for music teachers in MU directory

Promote Your Teaching Practice Using Our Member Directory

If you’re a musician who teaches, the MU Member Directory is a great way to advertise your skills and for potential students to find you.

Published: 02 March 2022

a man browsing Instagram with his headphones on

Making the Most of Instagram as an Artist

With social media increasingly becoming a key aspect of the music business, Katie Nicholls talks to artists and digital experts to find out if Instagram is the holy grail it promises to be for musicians.

Published: 08 January 2022

Photograph of earphones and a microphone lieing on a sun soaked wooden desk.

Assessing Aggregators for Digital Music Distribution

All music creators need digital aggregators to get their music online – but which one to choose? An invaluable new MU resource is helping members to decide.

Published: 19 March 2021

A white man in a wheelchair is indoors, performing in what appears to be his home on a keyboard, while leaning over to type something into his laptop.

Top Tips for Keeping Your Music Career Ticking Over During Covid-19

Deputy General Secretary Naomi Pohl spoke to BBC Music Introducing on Saturday night about the impact of the Covid-19 crisis, and ways that musicians can keep creating and working.

Published: 29 September 2020

12 Social Media Tips For Musicians and Bands During Lockdown

Sean Adams, founder of Drowned in Sound and Social Media Producer for BBC Radio 6 Music, talks us through how to use lockdown to work on your social media.

Published: 17 April 2020

8 Tips on Using Radio to Boost Your Music Career from Isolation

Shell Zenner, a radio presenter, producer, and new-music obsessive talks us through how you can best use radio to your advantage during the coronavirus outbreak, generating income, reaching new audiences and building your presence.

Published: 17 April 2020

10 Tips on Recording and Streaming Your Live Show From Home

Bass player Steve Lawson is no stranger to streaming shows from his home. Here is his advice from setting up your equipment, to choosing the right streaming platform.

Published: 17 April 2020

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Member’s Voice: Kayla Painter on the Rewards of Self-Releasing Music

Industry Insights: How to Sequence a Music Album

Singer-Songwriter Charlotte Campbell on Making Connections Through Busking

How to Get Your Music Played on the Radio

10 Tips to Help Musicians Make Money from Patreon

YouTube Tutorials: How They Can Benefit You and Your Business

Stage Patter: How to Talk to Your Audience

NFTs For Musicians, its Opportunities and Pitfalls

How to Create and Sustain Work As a Music Teacher

How Artists Can Make the Most Out of TikTok for Their Career

Promote Your Teaching Practice with a Clear Brand Story

Promote Your Teaching Practice Using Our Member Directory

Making the Most of Instagram as an Artist

Assessing Aggregators for Digital Music Distribution

Top Tips for Keeping Your Music Career Ticking Over During Covid-19

12 Social Media Tips For Musicians and Bands During Lockdown

8 Tips on Using Radio to Boost Your Music Career from Isolation

10 Tips on Recording and Streaming Your Live Show From Home