If you're an up-and-coming artist about to distribute your music on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube, you're probably worried about algorithms and marketing. However, before thinking about technical distribution, you must understand the nature of the “business”.

Understand what “Urban Music” really is

Before labeling yourself, understand that “urban” isn't a rhythm, it's a concept. It means music that belongs to the city, to the city. Reggaeton, guaracha, trap and more fit under this umbrella. Don't get obsessed with purist names; genres such as guaracha or plena have specific folkloric origins, but in today's market, urban is a rich and vast mix

Music is also a reflection of the listeners

Many new artists fail because they try to educate the public instead of understanding it. El Chombo is clear: Music is a business that reacts to what gives money.

• If explicit or party songs are the most popular on digital platforms, it's because that's the age range and type of consumer that dominates the market.

• Don't get frustrated if the market doesn't look for “soul values” in a disco song. Music is a reflection of culture, not the other way around

The lyric debate: Depth or Flow?

Are you worried that your lyrics aren't poetry? It depends on your goal. There is a large portion of the public that is not necessarily looking for quotes from Paulo Coelho. In fact, the urban music audience prefers music and lyrics that invite fun, enjoyment and fun. That's not bad, since it all depends on the context of listening to or consuming this type of music.

• The repetition factor: Psychologically, human beings love repetition. If your song repeats a phrase or sound (the “hook”), it's easier for the brain to process and remember it, just like we can easily remember a phone number.

• This doesn't mean you can't write meaningfully, but understand that for certain audiences, lyrics aren't the determining factor for success

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Diversify: The End of the “Tumpa Tumpa” Monopoly

If you're going to release music today, you have an advantage that didn't exist a few years ago: variety is back.

• Get out of the box: The genre has diversified and not everything sounds the same anymore. Artists and producers are looking at retro funk, 80s pop (Bruno Mars style but in Spanish) and other horizons.

• Look at the map: From the “RKT” and the cumbia-trap in Argentina, to the Dominican dembow or the Cuban cast with its different winds and metrics, each region is providing a different color.

• Advice: Don't just copy what sounded like in previous years. The current audience is grateful for proposals that go beyond the basic rhythm of reggaeton

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Versatility is your best strategy

The debate over “who is the best artist” is subjective, but the versatility it's a measurable fact.

• Artists such as Farruko or Milkshake have demonstrated that you can successfully travel through different lanes and subgenres.

• To stand out on new platforms, it's not enough to be good at just one thing. The ability to write, interpret, produce or adapt your Flow at different rhythms (as artists do in Jamaica or Panama) is what will separate you from the rest

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Conclusion

The moral for you, a new artist, is that the urban Latino genre has come a long way. There is an impressive diversity that did not exist in 2005 or in 20. When distributing your music, make sure you know what lane you are competing in, respect the listener's psychology and, above all, dare to innovate within the city.

This article was based on the analysis of El Chombo

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