YouTube has announced the latest iteration of its “Foundry” music support initiative, which aims to provide expanded promotional opportunities to emerging musicians, especially those who also create impactful visual content to accompany their tracks.
Now in its ninth year, the independent artists selected for the Foundry program are given access to direct support from YouTube, as well as exclusive workshops, mentorships, marketing assistance, and more.
They also get access to coming YouTube Music features ahead of time, along with financial grants to help them on their journey.
As explained by YouTube:
“For nearly a decade, Foundry has been a testament to YouTube’s commitment to the independent music community. Dedicated to nurturing raw talent, fostering creativity, and giving independent artists the tools they need to thrive in today’s competitive music landscape.”
In addition to the above elements, YouTube’s also giving this year’s cohort the opportunity to be featured on billboards in landmark locations in their region, “such as New York’s Times Square, London’s Leicester Square and Sao Paolo’s Se Metro Station.”
It’s also adding a new “Foundry Rising” element, which will provide micro-grants to early-stage artists to help them grow their YouTube presence.
Music has become a key focus for YouTube and Instagram, as both seek to provide a viable alternative platform to TikTok for musicians.
TikTok is now a critical music discovery platform, and with the app still under a cloud in the U.S., Meta and YouTube are looking to expand their music offerings to provide new, expanded reach opportunities for aspiring artists.
Short form video also better lends itself to trending audio, and with the growth of Shorts, you can see why YouTube is looking to make music a bigger focus, as it seeks to lure more artists to its app for promotion and outreach.
And YouTube is a viable, valuable pathway for musicians in itself.
As such, the Foundry program could help YouTube maintain its position as a key music engagement driver, while as noted, also boosting its credentials for those seeking expanded growth.
