...I think I need to start setting a calendar for these news updates now.
We're less than 2 weeks away from the new year, and my manager Sam and I were reflecting on the past year and what next year is looking like. To say our plans for 2026 are ambitious is an understatement. Picture a multi-channel media collection posting both short and long-form every day a week of different niches, focuses and goals. The amount of discipline, focus, mental fortitude and energy demanded will be immense - multiplied when only one person is around to work on it 24/7 as well.
Of course, as someone who is releasing every week until the start of 2027 (new song "BLACK PT II" is out now), discipline rooted in actions and not success is strongly required to gain ay traction. Discipline alone will not be enough to make it, you are going to require innovative thinking in addition to all mentioned above.
For artists, this is what will be demanded of you if you truly want to succeed in 2026. Chris Elba of Neighbourhood Art Supply (find his channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqvtIPC21xM) ggg has been speaking on the importance of upgrading their brand professionally through simple mindset shifts and conceptual frameworks for years, and there is one thing he has strongly recommended for artists to do: make each of your social media channels a one-stop shop of all relevant, niche-related content. His recommendation to do this is such a strong one to take seriously because algorithms are rewarding users who keep people on their platform.
This looks like keeping any activity that would take a user off of the app ("link in bio," "stream the new song," etc.) on the app. Someone who directs a viewer to their profile to hear the song in its full length ("full song in my pinned TikTok") is - in theory - more likely to be rewarded by the algorithm for keeping this viewer on the platform. For example, instead of moving a user to Spotify to hear your new song, finding a way to post a reel that fits with your song and posting the full song. Why try to take someone to a store when you can bring the store to them? This is precisely why online shopping has continued to be a powerhouse and shut down physical stores - the convenience of having everything the store offers in front of you here and now. For my artists, you will have to develop new, unique ways to migrate your products (music) and long-form content over to social media platforms. Oh, and don't stress about the view count either - views are misleading because they don't portray who actively viewed your content, so keep pushing and trying to make as many impressions as you can.
In terms of news for UNPROMOTED SOUNDS, long-form content will be arriving in 2026 as well to help support the growth of the platform. Until then, stay blessed and engaged! Have a Merry Christmas and we will be in touch again soon!
- yourman3VAN