Industry news & advice blog

As part of our partnership with PledgeMusic, The Unsigned Guide will be bringing you a series of blogs investigating how bands and artists can get the most out of the platform for their music projects.

PledgeMusic opened its doors in 2009 and today is launching 1000+ new projects each year from all music genres and at all levels - from brand new to developing and also established ‘name’ bands and artists. Last year PledgeMusic, in conjunction with Help Musicians UK, launched the Emerging Artists Fund (EAF) to which over 375 new acts applied for help. The 2016/17 EAF programme will be announced shortly. PledgeMusic is also a member of the PRS for Music International Showcase partnership which offers vital financial support for new artists and bands to play at international conferences and festivals. 

PledgeMusic is open to all to build direct-to-fan campaigns to support releasing new albums, EPs and/or singles, DVDs, books, concert tickets, merchandise, special experiences and exclusive offers. All the data generated in your Pledge campaign is shared and PledgeMusic is staffed by music professionals who will help guide and support you through your entire campaign from start to finish. With a community of 3 million plus music fans and rising, the portal offers an unrivalled place to begin the musical journey.

When the time came for Half Crown to get serious about investing in their music — in their case, the first official single release for “Started Up” — the emerging Brighton band found more than a useful platform in PledgeMusic. They embraced their fan community. They learned important lessons. They asked important questions. We recently asked the band to discuss their experience and how others can benefit from signing up for a campaign of their own.

Why did you choose use PledgeMusic?
We wanted to build organically. A key part of any band is the audience, right? Without them, is there even a band? That’s why we do this!

This is especially true of Half Crown. The live shows offer an experience, and that’s why they come back. With this new record, we wanted that experience to reach beyond the stage, introduce people to the lifestyle and make ‘em a part of it.

What have you learned about yourself as an artist from the experience so far?
Self-promotion. As an unsigned, independent band, you can at times feel as though you’re shooting for the stars with an eye patch and a slingshot. So you have to learn how to market yourselves. The pledge campaign taught us just that.

Before publicly asking people to fund your campaign, hopefully you’ll ask yourself a few of the following questions: What’s our motive? Our purpose? What do we stand for and what do we offer people? Once you crack it, it all start to make sense. The connection you begin establishing with your fans is real, and now and there’s a sense of duty to maintain and develop it. #TheJourneyBegins

Did you have any reservations before you started?
You can feel a little vulnerable to begin with. The doubt kicks in. You ask, “Is this the right move, asking for funds?" and “Will anyone buy this s***?” and "Will we even make our target?” But really, you’re just anticipating failure. If you believe in what your doing, you’ll be fine and forget you were ever concerned the moment you feel the buzz and the pledges start rolling in!

What did you enjoy most about the campaign?
Seeing the reaction. Seeing the Half Crown in people ignite — t-shirts, lyric sheets, private gigs and dinner dates came flying off of the cyber shelves as we hit 75 percent of our target in the first 48 hours.

What has the campaign enabled you to achieve? What does this mean for you in the long term, as an artist?
Through Pledge, we were able to get into some sassy studios with the musical Heisenberg on the buttons (producer Jez Coad) that was an essential stepping stone in our career. However, the funds are just the beginning. Yeah, we exceeded our target and that’s credit enough, but the real gain here is the relationship you generate with your fans. Introducing them to the lifestyle, offering an insight and learning how to communicate effectively will forever be a part of the future of Half Crown.

Any unexpected or pleasant surprises from running a campaign?
An unexpected message from an enthused fan: “Does the dinner date include the bedroom?”

Any advice for artists looking to run a campaign?
Ask yourself this: "Who are you, what are you and why are you?” if you can answer these three questions, you can build a successful campaign. Videos and blog updates are also key.

Any other comments for artists looking to use PledgeMusic
If you’re looking to crowdfund a campaign, then this is the one. Hands down. We we’re blown away by the service, a designated account manager, help whenever it’s needed and a user-friendly site that’s easy to get your head around. AND be prepared to work. Building a pledge is wicked experience and a huge learning curv, but a campaign nonetheless — grafting included.

To learn more about how you can work with PledgeMusic, sign-up here to talk to one of their Campaign Managers. To be the first to hear of future initiatives, please email [email protected]