Unsigned You

Unsigned You is a website that draws recognition to independent music by allowing unsigned artists and bands to come together in one place to post music, videos and other music related media.  The networking site is a highly useful tool, as it gives members the opportunity to promote their music and get connected to other like-minded musicians.  In addition to users being able to upload music, videos and photos, Unsigned You also features a live newsfeed, forum, blog, and an events page.

This week saw the launch of the site's newest feature, Unsigned You PRO, which provides unsigned musicians with a platform to promote and sell their music, gig tickets and merchandise online. Unsigned You PRO supports unsigned artists and bands through powerful social media campaigns and showcase gigs, while also providing them with an artist and band development programme, specialising in everything from original songwriting to bespoke album art design, CD production and distribution.

Unsigned You is an ever growing community that succeeds in bringing wider focus to all the fantastic unsigned artists and bands out there, while at the same time allowing users the opportunity to connect and network with each other.  I caught up with founder Jacob Anthony to find out more about Unsigned You, and how it's supporting unsigned musicians.


Hi Jacob, what inspired you to create Unsigned You?
Jacob:  Stephanie, that's a great question. Being a singer as well as an internet marketer, I get to hang out with lots of other musicians who are always telling me how they want to get more gigs and sell their music.  In fact, one day I was talking to a really good friend of mine who's an awesome singer.  He was really frustrated that everyone who heard him sing, including me, was telling him he was great and that he should go out and perform at his own gigs.  He was frustrated because he didn't know how to get gigs and he was scared that nobody would come to his gigs as he wasn't well known.  So we discussed how I could help him get more exposure, more gigs and therefore sell his music to a growing fanbase. We also discussed how having a website, a social media campaign and video marketing campaign could really help him raise his profile.  We chatted some more and it dawned on me that most unsigned musicians and bands would benefit from this sort of help.  When I looked at the resources that were already out there, such as Reverbnation, CDBaby and Bandcamp, I realised they were all great in their own way but there was still something missing.  None of them offered all of the marketing elements that a band or artist would need. They all still required the bands or artists themselves to do much of the marketing legwork of getting fans to their profile pages.  To me, it made much more sense to allow the bands or artists to concentrate on creating the music, whilst we concentrate on marketing it for them, because I've always been taught to concentrate on what you're good at.

So, you're a musician yourself?
Jacob:  Yes, I'm a soul singer that also helps to run a choir.

What music are you currently listening to?
Jacob:  I have a very eclectic taste and can go from Eric Clapton to local South Wales bands like Clear The Auditorium in about 60 seconds!

The way we listen to music has changed drastically over the last decade or so.  What are your thoughts on the rise of digital music and the affect it has had on unsigned artists and bands?
Jacob:  I think digital music has had a very positive affect on unsigned artists and bands because it allows them, if used effectively, to reach more fans and create a deeper bond with them.  The fact that we can now download and consume music everywhere we go, means that we can now use it to motivate us whilst we are out running, wake us up whilst we travel on the bus to work, or search for and play any track we want at a party.  It also means that fans are now free to purchase the music they want as opposed to what's just available to buy from record labels. Therefore, making the record labels sit up and take notice of bands and artists that the fans are choosing to listen to.

Your site is not only a great way of drawing recognition to unsigned artists and bands, but it is also a useful tool for connecting and networking musicians. Would you consider hosting meet ups or even a music festival in the future?
Jacob:  That's a great question too!  In fact, one of our aims is to set up a nationwide network of music industry networking groups which will meet up on a fortnightly basis.  From this, we then hope to build an annual festival specifically for unsigned artists. 

Thank you, Jacob!

To find out more about Unsigned You, please visit www.unsignedyou.com.

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