How To Give Back to the Bands You Love.

You know all of their songs by heart and you’ve listened to them for years; most music lovers can’t even imagine life without their favorite artists.

Whether it was the young Blink-182 punk influences that soothed your growing pains, Modest Mouse’s Float On that let you know everything was going to be okay, or that local indie band you fell in love with at first listen; music can cure all heartache and literally save lives.

Although it may seem inconceivable, there are several ways to display appreciation towards your favorite musicians that some even consider to be an obligation as a sincere fan.

However, the issue at hand is the numerous others that are completely disregarding these simple notions of gratitude one can show towards an artist, thus leaving the more youthful bands underfunded, unsupported, and unappreciated.

Overall acknowledgement shown towards the individual artist is becoming more and more obsolete, and whether or not it seems as if it doesn’t actually affect the artist at all, it is imperative that individuals start administering recognition to the hardworking musicians that deserve it.

Even if it seems as if you are miles away from the stage and the kid next to you furiously playing air guitar has officially become a safety hazard, there are a considerable amount of benefits that seeing your favorite band in concert has to offer.

While not everybody can afford V.I.P. tickets, it is important not to forget the unprecedented and irreplaceable thrill that concerts are endowed with, despite the quality of your seating placement.

Many artists are taking admirable actions to promote live music, even making the less extraordinary seats absolutely affordable to all. They are making sure that price is not an object for fans wishing to come to shows, and even Blink-182, mentioned above, have sold tickets as low as fifteen dollars for a recent tour.

Why? Certainly not for self profit, but instead because, while the uncomfortable conditions of a concert might seem grueling, most fans endure and even learn to enjoy the chaotic settings for the love of live music.

Although it may seem obvious, most are completely unaware of the affect illegally downloading music has on the artist. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) claims the more illegal downloading continues to occur, the bigger decrease in CD sales.

“The individuals that were the recipients of the 'shared' music were violating the copyright protection of the artists and the record companies – getting copyright protected material without paying for it.”

The less your beloved musicians profit, the less they will be able to continue making the music you love. Those who claim that money is an object, or that some music is simply not worth paying for, most can agree that 99 cents is a reasonable price to pay to listen to the music you love.

Although the internet can prove to be harmful to musicians, the way bands are recently utilizing it to promote themselves has substantially developed throughout the years.

From Myspace, to Twitter, Facebook, and many other music based websites, the way bands share their music and gain fans has become not only dependant on the internet, but essential for overall progression as musicians.

A band’s popularity can significantly escalate just based off a simple sharing of their music profile. A simple way to share their music with others, and help them grow, and almost miniscule if you think about every way this band’s music has helped you develop in life.