11 of the Most Successful Independent Artists
When you think of the world's most successful musicians, independent musicians don’t exactly come to mind, do they? The names that probably come to mind are Beyoncé, Pink, and other chart-topping pop musicians. Despite the dominance of pop stars, there are quite a few successful independent artists out there, many you might even recognize.
Many successful independent artists out there are growing their audiences every day, surprising mainstream artists and giving them a run for their money. Independent musicians are set to generate 2 billion dollars this year alone! Let's take a fun look at some of the most successful independent artists out there for some inspiration for your musical future.
Chance the Rapper
Chance the Rapper is well known in the hip-hop world for hits like “No Problem” and “Juice.” But he also made a name for himself by turning down label after label for a record deal. You may have seen him in Kit Kat commercials, on Saturday Night Live more than once, and even at the Grammy’s where he won! He's done this all without the support of a label. His net worth is valued at more than $25 million.
Troy Ave
Like Chance the Rapper, Brooklyn rapper Troy Ave has built a career by refusing to sign with major labels and has since recorded soundtracks, releasing them independently, and landed himself on significant radio stations by calling DJs. His popularity has risen throughout the past few years, and in the rap industry, he's become a well-known name. While he hasn't achieved Chance the Rappers' financial success, he is still worth a cool million dollars.
Cuco
This 20-year-old independent musician from Hawthorne, CA, is such a successful independent musician that he played at Coachella in 2018. His success came from his viral cover of Santo & Johnny’s "Sleep Walk." Since rising to fame, he's self-produced two albums, one in English and Spanish. His romantic vibe may give Ed Sheeran a run for his money in the future.
White Mystery
It's not just rappers that make successful independent musicians. White Mystery is a successful rock band created by a brother and sister duo from Chicago. They've released nine records on their own and have turned down many significant labels along the path to stardom. Without the support of a record label, they've played more than 1,000 shows around the world. They've even performed on the Last Call with Carson Daly.
Zoe Keating
Zoe Keating is passionate about her career as an independent musician. She is an example of a non-traditional artist being successful, even without mainstream support. Keating is a career cellist and composer. She's made headlines for blogging about the unfairness of the music industry, specifically YouTube's Music Key, which she claims is exploitative.
She also speaks out against sexualizing women in the music industry and gives funny examples of some of the requests she's gotten from record companies throughout the years.
Macklemore
“Thrift Shop” rapper Macklemore is one of the few artists to go platinum, and he's one of the few white rappers to really make it in the industry. Did you also know that he's a well-regarded indie artist? Since 2006, only four rappers have gone platinum, and one of them was an indie artist. That's right. Macklemore isn't signed to a label, but he does interact with the ADA, the independent brother of Warner Music Group.
Lizzo
Lizzo has become a household name with music hits, “Truth Hurts” and “Good as Hell.” She's even earned Entertainer of the Year, along with many other awards. Surprise, surprise, this three-time Grammy Award winner also an indie artist. She is genuinely a rag to riches story, supporting her early singing career by working as a sign holder for Liberty Tax.
Jane Weaver
Jane Weaver started her career like many other artists by signing with a major label. This was when she was part of the Britpop group Kill Laura. It wasn't until she signed with a major label that the harsh reality of the music industry came to light. So, Weaver decided to go at it alone. She rebranded herself as a solo artist and has been a very successful, sans label.
Nipsey Hussle
We'd be blind if we didn't include Nipsey Hussle on the list. Hussle was an independent rapper who brought himself up in the music industry entirely by himself. He used many of self-taught marketing techniques to connect with his audience, and despite the high costs of his mixtapes (Crenshaw was $100), he was pretty successful. His net worth at the time of his death in 2019 was almost $5 million. That's quite a bit for someone who refused to sign with a label.
Hanson
We all remember Hanson from their famous single “Mmmbop,” the song that we will never get out of our heads. What you may not know is that Hanson continued past “Mmmbop” and still records music today. After their hit single, their record label dropped them, saying everything they recorded wasn't good enough to be single. However, this didn't stop them. They returned home and grew their fanbase themselves. As of today, they've sold more than 16 million records, and their last album, String Theory, released in 2018, was a hit all on its own.
Mya
This soft-voiced R&B songstress is one of the many famous musicians on our list that started with a label early in their career. She even recorded singles with superstars like Christina Aguilera and Lil' Kim and won a Grammy! But in 2008, she'd had enough of working with major labels and went off to join the ranks of other famous indie artists. Since then, she's released three albums on her own and controls the rights to all her music.
Mirada Media
Blazing your trail can be confusing, especially as an artist. Learning how to make awesome music marketing campaigns yourself and navigate the ropes of the music industry is not something you should go at alone. If you are looking for support navigating the music industry, Mirada Media is here to help. We have a wealth of resources to help independent musicians find their way.
For more information on our services and other resources we offer for independent musicians, contact us today!
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