10 Band Bio Examples and How to Make Yours Great

learn how to make a great bio for your band

Your band sounds tight, and you’re ready to start gaining exposure and working gigs. But, have you set up your website and written your bio yet? 

One of the best ways to make your band look professional is to put together a band bio page. A biography is essential for new groups so that bookers can learn about the artists before hiring them. 

An interesting, personal bio creates a positive first impression. A quality biography will help give fans and potential bookers a real sense of who you are. We have some tips and samples to help you write the perfect bio.

The first tip is to have a website that has the band’s name in the URL so people can find you. Too many new bands and artists don’t even have a website, the foundation for your music business. 

Not sure where to begin? Get a website , then write a bio using the following tips.

Make Your Own Band Bio Right Here

Stop wasting time trying to find band bio examples that you can model your own off of.

Just use this tool to generate a great bio for your band right now! Answer 23 quick questions and you'll have a great new 150-200 word band bio.

Band Bio Generator

E.g. Funk and Soul, Hard-Rock, Metal, NeoSoul

What do you and your band members have in common? Give a punchy, memorably 2-4 word description:

E.g. Funk-loving jazz nerds, long-haired softies, stay-at-home dads...

Complete this sentance: The members of my band met...

E.g. at a local music university, in a subway car, on a cruise ship in Greese...

Which three artists have most influenced your band’s sound? I.e. who do you sound like?

E.g. Stevie Wonder, EWF and Marvin Gaye

What is one defining element of your band’s sound?

E.g. heavy 80’s synths, hard-hitting grooves, wailing guitars

List another defining element of your band’s sound?

E.g. tight 4-part vocal harmonies, punchy horn lines...

What is one defining element of your band’s performance style?

E.g. flashy choreography, pyrotechnics, a beautifully timed light show

List another defining element of your band’s performance style?

E.g. witty stage banter, surprising set changes, impeccable attire

Complete this sentance: My band’s music will make you want to...

E.g. dance all night, float away on a dream cloud, eat way too much McDonalds...

Have you earned a title, honor, award or prize that would make sense to brag about?

E.g. Florida’s best swing band, Weddingwire’s top-rated wedding band, New York’s best party band

Who gave you this title, honor, award or prize?

E.g. the New York Times, Weddingwire Choice Awards, some random Google reviewer...

Of these, which is your band's most impressive achievement? Is the the number of:

Of these, which is your band's second most impressive achievement?

Enter this format: “The quote itself is surrounded with quotes. Outside the quotes, put a dash followed by the persons name and publication.” - Reviewer Name, New York Times

Is your band currently working on anything notable?

When do you plan to release it?

What are your social media handles?

Your New Band Bio:

Your new band bio is a few clicks away...

You're done!

Congrats, your newband bio is looking great! Now send it to yourself:

On This Page:

How Long Should A Music Bio Be?

What should a band bio include.

  • Ten Great Band Bio Examples

Keep Your Band Bio Organized and Up to Date

  • When Should You Update Your Bio?
  • How Often Should You Update Your Bio?

What To Avoid With Your Band Bio

Use seo to help everyone find your band bio, how to write a band bio that's captures attention.

Let's start off with this great video from Jen at Publicifi. She breaks down 3 key elements you can use to write a band bio that is memorable and that doesn't put people to sleep!

Some agencies suggest writing three different bios, short, medium, and long. A quick rule of thumb is:

  • Short – 50 words
  • Medium – 100 words
  • Long – 5 to 6 paragraphs

Most visitors and bookers will only read the short version. As such, your short bio should be a part of your electronic artist press kit . However, the extended version works well on your website or concert promotional literature.

These three versions of your bio won’t just help bookers, but you’ll use them throughout your own social media and various online accounts too. Having a single place where all your bios are kept current really helps streamline and make your self-promotion battle an easier one. 

There are six elements to crafting a useful band or artist bio.

  • An engaging introduction
  • Background and historical info
  • Description of your music or musical style
  • Your highlights and achievements
  • Media quotes or testimonials (If you have them)
  • Current information (like shows and album releases)

Your bio page and EPK are living, breathing documents that tell the world who you are and what you’re doing. Always keep them current with the latest information, such as any new projects, music releases, collaborations, or upcoming gigs.

If you’re like most normal people and feel you might forget to update your band bio or EPK every month or two, set an alert in your calendar to remind you every month or two. Just changing a sentence or a date might be the only tweak you need to make the resource relevant and current again.

If you’re unsure how to write your bio, use the six elements above and write them in that order. Write in the third person, as if a reporter was talking about you on TV or a magazine.

Ten Great Band Bio Examples

Before we jump into these examples, we wanted to point out an interesting observation. While creating this article, we noted that it's actually quite difficult to find quality band bios for most of the well-known bands out there. 

It seems to be that once you reach a certain level of fame, there ceases to be a need for a band bio on your website. Just try to find one any of the websites for popular stars like Beyoncé, Bruno Mars or U2. These artists have bios on Wikipedia, but their website is primarily for promoting upcoming tours and albums. When you're that famous, people already know who you are and what you do, so bookers and clients don't need to rely on your bio to get to know you.

If you're not yet one of these big famous artists though, don't think you can get away without a bio. It's a stepping stone you can't skip. Bookers, clients and potential fans need to get to know you before they commit, and a YouTube live performance video just isn't going to cut it.

So, how about some band bio examples...

1.  The Phonix Dance Band

Quite often, fans will want to know more about their favorite band member(s). As such, we always recommend that you include your individual musician bios somewhere on your site too.

Check out this band for some great musician bio examples . At a glance, you know who each musician is, what they do, and one interesting detail about them. Short and sweet.

musician bio examples from the phonix band

2.  Felix and Fingers Dueling Pianos

What makes this bio unique is the number of players and their locations. Felix and Fingers Dueling Pianos has offices in seven states. The website has tabs for each state listing the bios of the piano players that cover each area. Each musician has a humorous blurb, a link to more information, plus an interview-style video bio. 

Just like the last sample, this is a great place to look for musician bio examples .

epk musician bio samples - Felix and Fingers Dueling Pianos

3.  Art d’Ecco

This biography is unique because it’s not a biography. Instead, the artist uses a very descriptive quote about his performance.

Short artist bio example  – Art d’Ecco

4.  Shawn Austin

This solo country artist packs everything into one page, including his “About” info. Fans and booking agents can quickly find everything they need to know.

music bio example – Shawn Austin

5.  Snotty Nose Rez Kids

This Canadian Hip-Hop duo uses their bio to chronicle their musical accomplishments. The bio touches on their indigenous heritage and their musical beginnings.

Examples of Band Bios – Snotty Nose Rez Kids

6.  The Funk Hunters

Music comes in all forms. These two DJ’s have a professional bio highlighting music awards, albums and international music festivals where they have played. It’s a simple layout with their photos in the header and an easy to read biographies.

bio sample  – The Funk Hunters

7.  The Crescent Sky

Here's a great band bio example from a 4-piece indie band. This group of four makes a personal connection between fans and the individual artist. They post seven engaging questions under the title, “Band Facts.” Then, they list the responses by each musician. 

band biography examples – The Crescent Sky

8.  Ill-Legitimate

This group has ten rap artists. Each artist has a photo with his stage name that links to individual bios. And each bio is quite detailed...so check this group out from some more musician bio examples.  There is also one link to the Ill-Legitimate (the band’s) bio.

artist and musician bio examples - Ill-Legitimate

9.  Neck of the Woods

We added this bio, not because it tells the band’s story, but how it could be improved. White font on black is always a bit difficult to read. After the bio, they list the band members and what they play. Underneath the list, they post the band’s photo, but there is no way to tell who is who. Sure it’s artsy, but wouldn’t be helpful to put a name and an instrument to a face?

bad music bio example - Neck of the Woods

The bio for this Irish singer incorporates third-party testimonials. It’s a useful technique of social proof for newer artists because it helps sell the people interested in hiring them.

a great music artist bio uses testimonials - Oxlip

To summarize, add information that fans and potential bookers want to know. Make it easy to read and not too long.

Your bio should be fun and helpful for potential clients who want to get to know you and who want to hire you. Use easy to see links at the top of the Home page to your website. Make sure to highlight each member with at least a sentence or two. 

Your band’s music and gigs change all the time. Make sure you keep your bio up to date with the latest activity and accomplishments.

One tool that keeps you organized is the Back On Stage app for musicians and bandleaders . It combines all the functions needed to keep a busy band on top of their schedules. It’s a repository for all your sheet music, reference recordings, band member info, contact information, integrated calendar, client contacts, invoices and everything else you need to manage your band.

Keeping your profile up to date demonstrates to potential employers that you’re not just another band. You’re serious about your business and your future.

To create a bio that works, here are a few things you don’t want to do.

Not Having a Website

Your Facebook, Instagram or WeddingWire profile pages aren't going to cut it. Set up a quality website. You can pay for it all with one gig. We personally love Shopify because of how easy it is to get running and they’ve got great 24/7 tech support for all us artsy and non-techy types! But platforms like Wix, Wordpress, and even Banzoogle might be a good fit for you.

Confusing or Missing Biographies

Save the poetry for your lyrics. Stick to the information that matters to fans and potential bookers. Forego artsy, flowery descriptions in favor of easy to read details. 

Missing Link

Don’t forget to write a bio for all members, not just a generic one for the band. Make the link easy to see in the top navigation bar. Some groups try to be so clever and different that they forget to create a link to the bio. Why would someone click on your MERCH link if you don’t even have a bio?

Too Many Videos and Photos 

Filling your bio page with lots of photos and embedded videos can make the page load slowly. Cherry-pick the best media and use links to the videos. You can have a separate page or host them elsewhere, like YouTube.

Out Of Date Band or Musician Bios

It's terrible when your recently booked gig gets some press in a local newspaper or website and as soon as it's live, you realize that they used the wrong band photo and your description is out of date. It's also a big turn off to promoters and clients when your bio makes references to projects in the future tense when they have clearly come to pass.

When Should You Update Your Bio?

Update your band bio as soon as something significant happens in your band's career. Here's a list of significant things worth writing about in your bio:

  • New album, EP or single release
  • New member joins the band
  • When you win any new awards or contests
  • When you play a gig for several hundred people at some notable venue or festival and it was bigger than any gig you've done before
  • When you receive a glowing review that is better than any previous review and is from a credible source

How Often Should You Update Your Bio?

As often as any of the above events occur!

That said, it's easy to get caught up in your other daily aspects of running a band, promoting yourself, creating music etc etc. So be safe and set a monthly reminder in your calendar .

If you remind yourself the check in on your bio every month, you'll be sure not to forget about that recent achievement that really should be mentioned. You never know who will be reading your bio and how much a fresh detail might help them make up their mind to listen to your music or hire your band!

You would be amazed at how many bands don’t bother to have a website. 

If you search for your band’s name in Google, what comes up? Here is a perfect example of doing SEO (Search Engine Optimization) right. The Phonix Band ranks for all the first page positions in Google for the “the phonix band” keyword. 

Writing a band bio that's good makes a difference to SEO

Every group and solo artist needs to have an optimized website with an easy to find the link to their Bio page.  Using proper SEO will help more people find you. This article, “ SEO For Musicians and Bands ,” will help you set up your website and bio the right way. 

Share You Band Biography 

Post your band bio sample or or musician bio example in the comments below and show our community of readers what you came up with for your own bio! 

We'd love to see what you've got and what is helping your music career! (Hey, it's free promotion for you and your band - why not?!)

May 08, 2024 • Posted by The Haymakers

We took some of your advice and this is where we landed… ### The Haymakers are a four-man gang storming through the clubs and brewpubs of New England to champion good-time music while making new friends along the way.

Crashing guitars meet groovy bass cradled by swinging drums with passionate vocals on top to take their hooky songs with soulful lyrics into their own little world. It’s a place where people dance along to classic-rock radio that has these fresh songs to play. The Haymakers also have a knack for picking those cover songs that are familiar without being overplayed.

Stuart Munro of the Boston Globe says they “simply provide you with unalloyed rock ’n roll.” According to York Calling, “They hint at 60s rock, garage rock and classic rock, yet it also has its own diverse flavour, ensuring The Haymakers never sound like parodies of a previous style.”

Following up on last year’s “Round One” EP, the band is working on a new release tentatively called “Say It Again” that they plan to launch in April, 2024.

For updates, follow them on Facebook & Instagram (@haymakersboston) or visit them at haymakersboston.bandcamp.com/

May 08, 2024 • Posted by loudtrax

It’s awful when a local newspaper or website mentions your just scheduled gig, and as soon as it goes live, you realise that they used the wrong band photo and your description is no longer accurate.

Mar 08, 2021 • Posted by JC Myburgh

Very helpful article. Thank you very much for the insightful information!

Leave a comment

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Home » Instruction » How to Write a Band Bio in 6 Easy Steps (with Examples)

How to Write a Band Bio in 6 Easy Steps (with Examples)

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Aspiring musicians always start from scratch. They should be as creative as possible in making themselves known to the whole world.

Thankfully, this is no longer impossible. You do not even need a PR manager (although having one would be a good idea) to stir a buzz about what your band has to offer in the world of music. All you need is a creative mind and knowledge of the internet to get the ball rolling.

How to Write a Band Bio Featured Image

The internet has opened avenues that PR talents of the past could only dream of. Today, you can set up your band’s official website that will serve as a virtual gateway – a window – for anyone and everyone who want to learn more about you and your band’s music.

The question now is how do you write a band bio that exceptional? I’m glad you asked. Read on and get ready to let your imagination fly.

Table of Contents

1. Know Your Audience

2. create an engaging introduction, 3. provide short but relevant background information, 4. describe your music, 5. explain what have you accomplished so far, 6. include other relevant information, 1. a legend capable of knocking pluto out of the solar system, 2. the coven, 3. the river from north carolina, 2. use effective and compelling images, 3. use sections, 4. give it a name, 5. try expandable bios, 6. let others read your draft bio, here are the steps to write a band bio.

I know bios are supposed to be about us or your band. However, you really cannot expect everyone to care so much about what you write on your website, unless you know exactly what they want.

The internet is such a huge place that it can reach even the farthest reaches of the globe. A farmer in Nebraska may want to listen to a kind of music that is different from the hippies of San Francisco or the youngsters of Seoul.

A corporate slave who describes his usual day as starting behind the desk and ending up with a computer screen before shutting his eyes off for the day will have a very different requirement for a band bio than someone who takes life more leisurely.

The point here is to always try to learn more about who the audience of your band music really is.

I have seen bands and other musicians who put so much emphasis on their accomplishments or even the awards that they have won. These can work. However, I also know many people who are not really interested in your accolades.

There are also bands that put the magnifying glass on the big-name artists they have shared the spotlight with. For example, maybe Madonna graced one of their gigs and this is already a big deal for the band.

Yeah, it sure does create an impression. But the real question here is did that big-name artist spend a long time with the band? Most audiences couldn’t care less.

Do you think your audience will also like to know if you have a college degree or even a Doctor’s degree? A small-town guitarist can be a lot better than someone with a Ph.D. Educational attainment matters not if you are into music, although I can think of many brilliant minds who also excelled in music.

Everyone knows Einstein as a genius. But very few know him as a violinist.

What I am trying to say here is that people will know you for the remarkable things that you do and not necessarily for the manner how you got there.

Some bands also put their radio airplay and the names of the CDs they have released. Some people may be interested in knowing what you have already accomplished. However, most of them simply do not care.

So, what do readers of a band website expect from your bio?

First, they will want to know if your band is fun. Bands are not orchestras that play very serious music. Bands provide a very fun form of entertainment that will make you want to shuffle your feet, flail your arms above your head, and even do a head-bang.

Second, if your band is not into some real fun, is the music that you create compelling? Does your music resonate through the lives of your audience? Will they feel touched by your music? If so, how will you convey this message?

Third, your audience will also want to know if your band is professional enough. They want to know how you handle your commitments and how you interact with your fans. You may be an up and coming act, but if your band’s persona is only good on paper, what’s the point of following you?

Fourth, will people like your music? You should describe how your readers and audience will be able to relate to the music you create. You may also want to describe how people liked your music in the past.

Fifth, people will want to know if your music will be a good fit for them. Let’s face it. Not everyone likes rock ‘n roll, heavy metal, or pop. Some will be more inclined to listen to blues or even jazz. In other words, you will have to be very precise in describing the kind of music that will appeal to the right audience.

Once you have identified who your target audience is, it is time to write an engaging introduction. Unfortunately, there are no secret formulas that you can adhere to when writing an introduction.

Some will go the straightforward route. They simply state the name of their band and where they come from. While this may work, it does not really capture the fancy of certain members of the population.

Again, go back to your audience. If you are catering to the blue-collar workforce, then a straightforward approach might be preferable. Introducing your band to teens and young adults may require a different approach.

It can still be straightforward but do give it an artistic twist. Make it exciting to read. Don’t just say that your band is called so and so and that you come from a small town somewhere in the north of the country.

Write as if you are transporting your reader to the very place where your music started out. It also helps to give your band’s name a theatrical introduction.

Make sure to include the kind of sound or music that you like as well as play. Don’t forget to include your influences. It can be a rock legend or an opera singer. Make sure to establish a clear relationship between your music’s influences and your career.

Now, coming up with all these pieces of information is easy. What is tricky is putting all these bits of info in one to three sentences. That’s tough. You will have to put your whole life’s work into just a couple of sentences.

Don’t forget about the tone of your introduction. Everything depends on your music style, your audience, and your personality.

If you have a fun personality, then injecting a bit of humor into your introduction should be great. If you have a more serious persona, something that appeals more to white collar workers and techies, then you might want to go deep.

The point here is to create an introduction that not only introduces your band to the world. It also provides your audience with a glimpse of the character of your band.

Don’t be disheartened if you cannot write a very compelling and engaging introduction the first time. You will have to rewrite it many times over until you are satisfied with what you read.

Make sure to write in the third person. This makes it easier to understand, while also improving your website’s searchability. Media practitioners, venues, and bloggers will also find it easier and more convenient to lift content from your bio.

Here’s an example of an engaging introduction for a band bio.

“Hailed as the happiest music of Americans, jug band music is an exciting mix of early American jazz traditions, old-time folk, and timeless country blues. XYZ Band has been bringing their good-time, old-time jug band music to audiences in Southern California since 2010.”

Your introduction is like a sneak preview of your band and your music. The succeeding sections of your bio will deal more into your history, career, and accomplishments.

Make a chronology of your band’s history. How did it start? Was it after attending a gig right at the local pub? Was it in your garage while tinkering with something?

Try to engage your bandmates in a discussion to find out how best you can convey to your audience the things that brought you together and form a band. It could be the interests that you share or the passion that each of you has for a kind of music.

Unfortunately, writing the background information for your band can be a bit tricky. You might be tempted to write a detailed history of your group. That is not necessary. You will only need to provide your audience with a general idea of how you got into music.

Keep this section of your bio as brief as possible. It could be one or two very interesting sentences. Make sure to include only those things that are relevant to your band and your music. Filter and leave out everything else.

It is important to drum enthusiasm from your audience. If they felt compelled to read your bio because of that engaging introduction you made, now is the time to make your background information even more engaging.

It is always best to think about the audience who will be reading your bio. This will direct you in how to approach the subject. The tone should always flow from your introduction.

Your followers already know what kind of music you are offering to the world. However, there will always be people who may not have the slightest idea of what you are providing.

Make a conscious effort to describe your music in a very colorful and meaningful way. You could describe your music as an elegant juxtaposition of homespun instruments with traditional string instruments. You get the rustic sounds of kazoos, washboard, and jugs, while also immersing your notes in the unique tones of the fiddle, banjo, guitar, banjolin, and doghouse bass.

Your readers will want to ‘feel’ the music that you have for them. When they read it, they know exactly what you are talking about.

For example, if you are offering old-time country blues, it is often not enough to say it like it is. Is it more elemental or are you offering a more modern vibe? When you play your music, does it reflect the everyday struggles and dreams of the rural South? Or do you wish to convey another message?

Rock bands will also have a very different description. You may use machine-like precision or even very accurate measurements in every rhythm that you play.

The point here is to employ the different senses in the formulation of your music description. Describe how your harmonica can provide a different texture to your music or how a lowly bugle can add a sense of oomph to your piece.

If you are not sure about the genre of your music, then it would be quite impossible to make an accurate description.

Go back to your roots again or the people who have their major influences on the creation of your music. There is a good chance that some elements of your music will fit into any of the major music genres.

As always, keep your description as short as possible. One to three sentences should be good enough. This is if you are aiming to create a short or medium length bio.

After describing the kind of music that you offer, you might want to keep your audience updated with the important happenings in your musical career. If you have just been to a studio to record your masterpiece, then you may want to include this. What’s even better is if you have recently released a single or have collaborated with another artist to create music.

Make sure that the things you include are relevant to your music.

I’m not talking about your accomplishments as a person. We’re talking about the highlights of your journey as an artist and as musicians.

This will not be an issue if you have already been playing as a band for some time. You may already have gigs that allowed you to perform as a front act or even as a backup for some other band or even a well-known artist.

Did you know that many of the famous bands started as front acts for other stars?

A good example of this is the Beatles of 1963. While the British quartet was established in 1960, their popularity did not skyrocket overnight. It was in 1963 when the Liverpool boys fronted for Orbison, who gave us the hits like ‘Pretty Woman’, ‘Crying’, and ‘Only the Lonely’.

The UK tour headlined Orbison. But it was the Beatles who stole the limelight and forever catapult them to stardom.

And who could ever forget Queen’s front act for Mott the Hoople? Now, the songs of Mott the Hoople were written by music legend David Bowie. You’d expect the band to have a very strong following. However, like the Beatles, Queen upstaged Mott the Hoople. Today, even with Freddie Mercury already gone, the songs of Queen can still be heard worldwide.

I am not saying that your band can be the next Beatles or the future Queen. What I am saying is that there is no shame in performing as a back-up or opening act for somebody else.

Imagine how your readers will feel if they know that you opened for an artist that they adore. Now that would be a real statement.

Your participation in major music festivals would also be very noteworthy. Getting invited to play a piece at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival or the Glastonbury Festival will be very interesting talking points to put in your bio.

However, if the only festival your band has ever played in is the one that only your community celebrates come summertime, then it would not be that significant. Only those who live in your community will be familiar with the festival. This limits the reach of your bio.

You might also want to include any work that has performed well on the charts or has enjoyed significant airtime on the radio. You may also have songs that are quite popular on streaming platforms. It is always a good idea to include these in your bio.

Try to list all your achievements as a musician. From this list, pick only those that are impressive.

Whatever you do, always be factual. Don’t make up awards that you clearly did not earn. Your audience will know if you’re fabricating things or you’re the real deal.

Some of the most important pieces of information you may want to include in your bio are media quotes. These are the positive views of influential people about your music. They can be music bloggers or other persons who have clout in the world of music.

However, I do advise you to state the quote in such a way that it blends well with the rest of your bio. Pick those phrases that mean a lot and which can convey the kind of message that you want your readers to get.

Including media quotes in your bio lends credibility to your narrative. If someone whom people look up to for advice when it comes to music says something very nice about your music, then you can be sure that people will also follow.

But what if a music blogger hasn’t written a review about your music yet?

Well, you can always turn to what other people are saying about your music. This is less credible than having an influential person say something nice about your music. However, when played well, you can expect it to have a remarkable impact on your bio.

You could quote an eloquent and zealous fan who likens your band’s music to the sounds that angels make as they greet souls entering heaven’s gate. It can be the magical candy that never fails to bring a smile to the faces of both young and old alike.

Some may question the veracity of the claim. However, it does provide your bio with enough information for readers to paint an accurate picture of the kind of music you provide.

You know what I mean.

Here Are Example Band Bio Examples

I could blabber all day long about how you can write a good bio for your band. However, I think it would be a lot better if I showed you some examples and why I consider them great.

Good Band Bio Example 1

Read the full bio here .

The introduction of this bio is very ambitious, to say the least. How do you knock off a planet from the Solar System? Is it even possible? The artist must be kidding, right?

Regardless, it did get the attention of the reader.

The jokey implausibility of this statement encourages the reader to never take it very literally. What the sentence does is it gets the reader wanting to know more about the musician. It intrigues the mind to coerce it into looking for more information that will support the outlandish claim.

Venson follows this up with the accolades they have earned from the press. I love the idea that Venson focused more on the descriptions and not lifting the words from the press verbatim. I have seen bios that quote writers straight off from the source without bothering to give it a twist.

The band also made use of their own words to create a story that many readers can relate to. I like the idea of how music is not only an act but also an integral aspect of who we are.

The last section provides readers a glimpse of what the artist is currently doing, without really going into the tiniest details. This leaves the reader with enough information to decide to whether follow the artist’s musical journey or not.

Covenhoven Band Bio Example

Read the full band bio here .

This is a classic example of a medium-length bio that caters more to those with a very vivid imagination. The introduction is very straightforward, while also being vague at the same time. The intro is powerful enough to get readers interested in what the entire bio has to offer.

The sentences are short. They do not have meaning on their own. It is this nature of the sentences that prompts readers to continue reading the rest of the bio. It is only when they get to the end of the bio do, they realize what Covenhoven is all about.

The artist also did not flaunt about any accomplishments. This can work for or against him. It can give the impression that the artist is very new and is yet to make a name for himself. It is also possible that the artist is only being modest, preferring to let his work do the talking.

What we do know is that the band looks at its music as a book of stories, filled with memories to create a symphony that anyone can relate to.

Another Band Bio Example

This bio is rather long. Not only does it include something about the artist. It also includes other bits of information including tours, festivals, media moments, and upcoming events.

What is good about this bio is that you already have an idea of who the artist is right from the very first paragraph. Sure, the introduction is not as engaging as our first example. However, it does give you a sense of what to expect.

I like the way the band compared their current recording with their very first one. It gives you an idea about how much the band has grown. The way they told their story is also noteworthy. It gives you the feeling that you are with them in their journey.

While the content is very detailed, the bio itself is creative. It combines the meaningful use of flowery words without sacrificing style.

For example, describing their guitar patterns as clock-like or their percussion as machinery-like is enough to provide a very accurate description of what kind of music the band plays. It is accurate and intriguing at the same time.

More Tips to Building a Great Band Bio Page

I presume that you are writing a bio for your band’s official website. Keep in mind that your bio is only one of the elements of your website. It is the most important page, of course. However, it would also be best to observe the following tips to make your band bio page even greater.

1. Polish Your Content

By content, I mean your band bio itself. You can look at it as your narrative or your professional resume. You will want it to be compelling and very interesting for your audience to read and learn more about you.

I already covered this in the main section of this article. However, I am more than inclined to point out the following very important points.

Make sure to introduce who you are, your music, and your influences. It would be also ideal to provide your readers with a glimpse of what is happening in your career at the present.

Providing a bit of background as to how you got your band to come together is also ideal. Be brief. Make sure to include only the relevant things. The same is true with your career. Highlight only those that are worth mentioning.

These elements are not absolute, of course. I gave you a good example of how you can create a bio that can still be very compelling even without citing your accomplishments or even putting media quotes.

Be honest about what you write. Keep your content current, too. Write, review, and revise. Then do it again until you think you can no longer make your bio even better.

Don’t ever underestimate the power of photos to convey the kind of message you want for your audience. Rather than picking from thousands of stock photos, I strongly recommend getting a professional photographer take a very compelling image of you, your band, and your music.

Make sure that the image matches your style of music. It should also complement the template colors or theme of your website.

Place an image in your header. Spice it a bit by adding a text. Doing so will give your page a more modern look.

You can also add multiple images. For example, you can put a picture of each of your band members. It is important to choose the images to ensure harmony of composition and color. They should be complementary to one another.

You can also place a compelling image as a background in one of your website’s sections or webpage. Make sure to tweak the image’s transparency. Your audience should still be able to read the text in this section even with the image background.

It is also possible to freeze the image with scroll movements. An alternative will be to let the image move with the page. Some people may not like the idea of having the image moving with the page as it can obscure their view of the text. So, keep this in mind.

You don’t need sections if you are opting for a short bio of between 50 and 150 words.

However, if you think you need to write more, then you might want to divide your bio into sections.

A good example will be to produce a section for your band, your career highlights, and your current music. You might also want to include a recent tour.

I recommend adding an appropriate image and relevant text for each section. Adding background images or colors to the different sections can also give your bio page a modern vibe.

Most bio pages come with an “About” name. While this is okay, I think you can be more creative. Why not put “Meet the Band” instead?

The idea here is to make it very easy for your readers or audience to go to that page where they can learn more about you. The name for your bio page should be concise. However, it should also convey your creativity, giving it the impression that you worked hard for the creation of your page.

This is quite tricky. However, if you can create a bio that can expand to provide readers more information, then it would be one of the most amazing bios ever.

The trick here is to write a long bio. Next, divide the bio into sections to make it more of medium length. From this shortened version of your bio will come the short and concise narrative.

The idea is to present your short bio first. It must be very compelling that the reader will want to learn more. He can then expand on your bio to read the medium-length version of it. Make sure that this will provide your audience with enough information, while also tempting him to learn more. If he does, he will have to click on your bio to expand it even further.

What makes this approach very tricky is how you can put all the right information into the short and medium-length versions of your bio. It should answer the basic questions that any band audience may have. At the same time, it should also encourage the reader to continue reading the bio in greater detail.

The short bio is very critical. It appeals to those who hate reading long bios. The bio should be short, concise, and very compelling. The goal here is to introduce your band to the audience in as few words as possible and still make your audience follow you.

They no longer must read the expanded version of your bio. Only those who want to learn more about you will do.

I honestly think you should try getting the opinion of your friends and family members about what you have created. There will be bias, of course. But, if they truly want the best for you and they are supportive of what you want to achieve, then they will have to be brutally honest.

Take their criticisms to heart. Make sure to be clear about the strengths and weaknesses of what you have written. If they praise your bio, prod them to describe the things that make your bio good.

Writing a band bio is like writing a resume for a once-in-a-lifetime job. You must put your thought into its creation.

It is not easy, I know. That is why I came up with this guide to help you create the most compelling and most fascinating bio page for your band.

Do remember that you may not get the right band bio the first, second, or even the third time. Don’t be disheartened. You will have to keep going until you have created a good bio that introduces your band to the rest of the world.

Chris from Guitar Lobby

My name is Chris and I’ve had a passion for music and guitars for as long as I can remember. I started this website with some of my friends who are musicians, music teachers, gear heads, and music enthusiasts so we could provide high-quality guitar and music-related content.

I’ve been playing guitar since I was 13 years old and am an avid collector. Amps, pedals, guitars, bass, drums, microphones, studio, and recording gear, I love it all.

I was born and raised in Western Pennsylvania. My background is in Electrical Engineering, earning a Bachelor’s degree from Youngstown State University. With my engineering experience, I’ve developed as a designer of guitar amplifiers and effects. A true passion of mine, I’ve designed, built, and repaired a wide range of guitar amps and electronics. Here at the Guitar Lobby, our aim is to share our passion for Music and gear with the rest of the music community.

1 thought on “How to Write a Band Bio in 6 Easy Steps (with Examples)”

I started by using a resume builder tool I found online but it was almost too utilitarian. The hardest part is being engaging and writing in a way that’s not too matter of fact.. this is the band, these are the members, we are from here, etc. Maybe I just need to figure out how to be a bit more creative with my writing skills. Some great suggestions and examples here.

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How To Write A Band Biography | 14 Actionable Tips

Despite having worked with hundreds of bands through Indie Panda , I can probably count the number of truly effective band biographies I’ve seen on one hand.

As always, I’ve found that many of the mistakes bands tend to make stem from a poor mindset towards marketing themselves combined with a limited understanding of what audience & industry are actually looking for.

Here are 14 actionable tips for writing a band biography which effectively entices both audience & industry to take an active interest in your band.

1. Understand The Purpose & Use Of A Biography

The sole purpose of a band biography is to succinctly provide both audience & industry with context to the music you create. This context serves two primary purposes:

  • To entice potential fans who feel they may connect with both your project
  • To help industry effectively promote and categorize you (placing you on the right lineup for a gig, promoting you on the correct radio station etc).

Context is provided through the following:

  • Your sonic identity (genre, influences, signature traits etc.)
  • Your visual identity (location, member personalities, member lifestyles etc.)
  • Your formation & development
  • Current events & future goals

Context is NOT provided through:

  • A single sentence stating your genre & location (Such as ‘4-piece rock band from San Diego’; there are hundreds of 4-piece rock bands from San Diego.)
  • An extensive, self-centered list of achievements, such as gigs you’ve played and producers you’ve worked with ( no one cares about what you’ve achieved, they care about how you can add value to their lives)

Table of Contents

2. Include Your Band Name, Location & Formation Date

It’s surprising how many bands fail to include this basic information because it’s already readily available on their social media channels.

Understand that your biography will frequently be copied and pasted by members of industry, so it’s important to make sure this basic information is included.

3. Write In The Third Person

This point follows on from the previous one.

Whilst I fully accept that writing about yourself in the third person sounds ridiculous, your biography will often be used by industry operators when promoting your band.

Make it easy for them by writing in the third person so your biography can simply be copied and pasted.

4. Leverage Your Visual Identity Through A Well-Chosen Theme Or Story

Visual identity is absolutely central to successful music marketing; it allows both audience & industry to connect with you on a personal level in a matter of seconds and intrigue them enough to give your music a fair shot.

I’d thoroughly recommend basing your biography around a recurring theme or a story that gradually unfolds and develops. This has several advantages:

  • Allows the reader to connect with you quickly
  • Encourages the reader to keep reading to resolve the theme or story
  • Makes the biography easy to follow

Here are some starter ideas for a theme or a story:

  • Day of a monumental event (such as your formation or a large gig)
  • Member personality types
  • Member history (previous bands etc.)
  • An overriding theme of your lyrical content (sarcasm, frustration etc.)

Drummer hitting bell of ride cymbal

5. Keep It Succinct

Whilst you’ll want to include all relevant information in your biography, understand that most people won’t want to spend more than about 60 seconds reading it. For this reason, I’d advocate having the longest version of your biography capped at 300 words. This has two primary advantages:

  • Ensures your biography can be read quickly
  • Ensures only the most relevant information is included

No one needs to know your entire musical background starting from the age of three, don’t waste their time by including it.

6. Include A ‘Hook’

With thousands upon thousands of other bands vying for the attention of both audience & industry, I can’t stress the importance of capturing the attention of the reader within the first sentence enough.

This can mean the difference between audience & industry giving your band a chance and being thrown in the independent music scrapheap. Your hook should:

  • Communicate a core aspect of your visual identity
  • Initiate the theme or story that is resolved or expanded on later in the biography

This will effectively:

  • Connect with your target audience
  • Encourage audience & industry to continue reading in order to resolve the topic or theme

7. Structure & Flow

I’d recommend planning the structure of your biography before you begin writing it.

This will ensure the biography has a good sense of flow and includes all relevant information. Here’s a sample structure template:

  • Hook: Introduction of main theme/question/story
  • History/Formation: Founding members, recruiting process, how the members interacted with each other, early days of the group etc.
  • Sound: Genre, influences etc.
  • Goals & Current Focus: Upcoming shows, releases etc.
  • Industry Quotes: Blog/magazine/radio quotes

8. Use Your Influences To Describe Your Sound

Instead of relying on over-the-top adjectives, I’d advocate simply comparing your sound to other well-known bands.

This effectively describes your sound and entices potential fans who may already be familiar with the work of your noted influences; ‘Ramones-esque guitar sound’ is a lot more accurate and humble than ‘rip-roaring guitar sound’.

rock band playing in a bar

9. Write In A Personable Tone

Employing a personable tone is one of the strongest ways to both stand out from the crowd and effectively showcase your visual identity.

If you’re a moody indie rock band, write in a slightly sarcastic tone. If you’re a throwback pop punk band, write with energy and optimism.

It’s worth noting that whilst writing in a personable tone can be incredibly effective, it’s also not easy.

There’s a fine line between showcasing your unique personality and coming across as unprofessional. Get a few people to proofread your biography and give you honest feedback on the tone before sending it off to industry operators. 

10. Make Sure It’s Well-Written

Having a well-written biography communicates professionalism and good attention-to-detail.

Additionally, it has the practical advantage of allowing for a much better overall reading experience.

Keep in mind that people will often judge harshly if your biography is littered with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors, so make sure it’s well-written.

11. nclude Legitimate Quotes From Industry , But Don’t Over-Rely On Them

Whilst positive quotes and testimonials from industry operators are certainly worth including, many bands make the mistake of basing their entire biography around them.

Remember that no one’s interested in how great everyone else thinks you are, they’re interested in how you can leverage your sonic and visual identity to contribute value to their lives.

I’d recommend choosing your best two industry quotes and either:

  • Weaving them into appropriate parts of your biography
  • Tagging them on at the end of your biography

12. Don’t Over-Exaggerate

Whilst you’ll want to give the best representation of yourself possible, it’s important to remain humble and truthful about your following, reception & achievements.

Both audience & industry will see straight through over-exaggeration and no one likes arrogance.

Singer waving to crowd at live concert

13. Have Multiple Versions To Hand

Band biographies are almost never a ‘one-size-fits-all’ affair. A gig promoter will most likely not want to feature the entirety of your 300 word biography on a social media post promoting an upcoming gig.

Similarly, a management company or record label will likely be dissatisfied with a 50 word biography.

Instead of attempting to edit your biography to size on the spot, I’d recommend producing three separate versions:

  • 50 word version: Commonly used for social media posts, blog blurbs, gig flyers etc.
  • 150 word version: Commonly used for festival applications, streaming platforms etc.
  • 300 word version: Commonly used on your own website, social media channels etc.

14. Keep It Up To Date

It’s immensely frustrating to industry operators when they stumble across a biography stating how ‘X year is set to be a big year’. Without a good understanding of where you currently stand, it’s near-impossible to correctly promote or categorize you.

Make sure you revise your biography on a regular basis and update your goals, current focus, releases etc.

Additionally, keep track of every platform you’ve posted your biography on and make sure you update each copy at the same time. Bands will all-too-often update their Facebook biography on a regular basis, yet completely forget about doing the same for their Spotify page.  

Closing Thoughts

Whilst a band biography serves as an incredible opportunity to get industry operators and potential fans excited about your project, many bands simply leave it as an afterthought or take a self-centred approach to writing one.

Taking the time to produce a well-written, unique and interesting band biography will pay off long-term and vastly increase your chances of success.

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I'm George; the founder of Indie Panda. I'm passionate about helping independent musicians realize the full potential of their talents and abilities through a strong work ethic, coherent project identity and a strong logistical foundation.

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10 Essential Tips For Playing In A Church Band

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5 Clear Signs You Should Quit Your Band (And How To Actually Quit)

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Why Do Bands Do Encores?

How to submit your music to radio stations [full guide], how to get more streams on spotify as an artist.

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August 9, 2022

Write a Killer Artist Bio (short, medium, and long versions)

Subscribers Dan and Patricia both recently asked about effective band/performer bios and promotional blurbs.

So….let’s dive in.

(Rather watch/listen to this article? Click on the video below.)

How to Write a Band Bio

How to Write a Killer Musician Bio

(for storytellers and performing artists too…).

If you’ve spent any time on this blog, you’ve heard me say  “make it about THEM, not you”  more times than you’d care to recall.

And still, I see almost nobody doing this.

There’s a huge opportunity to stand out from the crowd when you begin with the audience in mind – what does your READER care about?

Even when writing something as “all about you” as your bio or publicity blurbs, start with them.

Things Your Reader DOESN’T Care About:

  • the awards you’ve won (unless directly relevant)
  • who you’ve “shared the stage with”
  • your formal training
  • the names of each CD you’ve released
  • your radio airplay

Not that those things are not important – they are – and you’ll want to use many of them to your benefit in your promo materials.

But those aren’t the things that are going to inspire anyone to take action and book you, or come see you perform.

There has to be something in it for them.

Things Your Reader DOES Cares About:

  • will it be fun for the audience?
  • if fun doesn’t apply, will it be compelling?
  • is this act professional?
  • will people like it and come out to support it?
  • have other people liked it in the past?
  • is it a good fit for us?

Working on a Musician’s Bio

With the above in mind, let’s take a look at a bio that was sent to me recently as a rough draft by one of my subscribers.

I’m going to print it verbatim, and offer my comments and suggestions for some improvements.

My general thoughts appear below the bio, and specific comments are in red throughout.

The RUCKUS JUICE JUG STOMPERS have been bringing their old-time, good-time jug band music to audiences in western New York since 2008. Hailed as “America’s happiest music,” jug band music has its roots in the country blues, old-time folk, and early jazz traditions of American music. (STOP RIGHT THERE – I  would reverse those first two sentences and sell the reader on the idea of jug band music in the very first line. Keep in mind that some percentage of your readers will drop off with every single sentence in your bio – yes, we’re all pretty lazy and distracted – so you want to sell them IMMEDIATELY on the idea that you are offering something special, and in your case, really fun, and there’s a good reason to keep reading. Sentence #1 doesn’t do that, but sentence #2 sure does.)  The band’s captivating, high-energy performances transport audiences back in time as RUCKUS JUICE blends musicianship, creativity and tradition. (Love that you are talking about what the audience will experience.) It’s a “bottomless barrel of musical ear candy” in the words of one eloquent fan. Fans tell the band time and time again that they loved dancing, stomping, singing and kazooing along, too! (I might lose the “fans tell the band” line, as it’s not as credible as the other stuff, but the description of what the audience does during a show is a keeper – how about combining that with sentence #3 so it it reads “…..as RUCKUS JUICE keeps them dancing, stomping, singing, ….”)

    Like any traditional jug band,   (First five words not needed and possibly work against you – you don’t necessarily want to be “like any traditional jug band”)   the JUG STOMPERS’ instrumentation juxtaposes   (The next four words aren’t necessary either – attention spans are short   – I might start the paragraph right here with “Juxtaposing  homespun instruments (jug, washboard, and kazoos) with traditional string band instruments (banjo, guitar, doghouse bass, fiddle and the less-traditional banjolin) (combine previous sentence with next sentence) This is a band that knows how to entertain. Audience members have described the RUCKUS JUICE JUG STOMPERS as “excellent musicianship combined with entertaining showpersonship,” “upbeat music with catchy lyrics that make people of all ages want to sing along,” “high energy with a feel-good vibe,” and “lots good-natured fun.” The RUCKUS JUICE JUG STOMPERS are led by a three-time winner of Rochester’s Best Busker competition, and every performer in the band exudes a love of music. It’s not unusual for the unusual to happen at RUCKUS JUICE’s loose and free-spirited performances—you never know when they’ll bust out a wacky instrument or special guest musicians will hop up and raise a ruckus with them. (Love all this, a little worried about the unsubstantiated quotes but I think they work here. Over time, I would replace those with attributable quotes like “The Rochester D&C said xyz about the band.” I’m also a little concerned that some great lines are buried midway through the paragraph. If there’s a way to bring out the “best busker” line, for instance, that is strong “social proof” that you guys are talented and fun. I said earlier that mentioning awards you’ve won is not usually a priority in a bio, but the exception is when it’s DIRECTLY RELEVANT TO WHAT YOU’RE “SELLING” – in this case, you have been recognized as an exceptional “busker,” which greatly increases the likelihood that your band is a lot of fun. If you’d won “best male vocalist in the 2018 Rochester Music Awards,” that doesn’t necessarily support what you’re promoting, which is a good time.)

The RUCKUS JUICE JUG STOMPERS formed when like-minded musicians kept running into each other on Bluegrass Tuesdays at Johnny’s Irish Pub and decided to form a jug band. They cobbled their name together from a line in a Memphis Jug Band song about some particularly potent moonshine (pronounced “roo-kus juice”) and dubbed themselves JUG STOMPERS to pay homage to Gus Cannon. (I would reverse first two sentences here also. #2 is more compelling than #1, and may answer a question in your reader’s mind. You could even start the paragraph with “So what IS ruckus juice?”)  The band draws its repertoire from nearly a century of musical history, true to the traditional canon of jug band music from the 1920s and ‘30s and the revival of the ‘60s, and influenced by the more contemporary music of the latest half-century. Ever-evolving, the band also peppers in several original compositions that feel like they could have been written long ago. Fans appreciate what they’ve called a “clever and eclectic repertoire” and “a great laundry list of standards that patrons of all ages can enjoy!”

Over the past decade, the RUCKUS JUICE JUG STOMPERS have performed at many clubs, breweries, wineries and cideries in western New York. The band has more festivals than they can count under their belt, including the Lilac Festival, the Real Beer Expo, Steampunk Festival, Park Ave Fest, Ribfest, Clothesline Arts Fest, I-Square Fall Festival and the Canandaigua Arts & Music Fest. (Ditto for this paragraph – sentence 2 is stronger than sentence 1. More gigs than you can count beats “have performed at many clubs, breweries, etc” any day.)  The RUCKUS JUICE JUG STOMPERS have been invited back for performances at neighborhood events, local festivals, senior living facilities, residential facilities for at-risk youth, summer camps and school art shows. (Invited back is key! If there’s a way to combine the first three sentences into two, then sentence one is all about more gigs than you can count, and sentence two is all about being invited back)  Crowds enjoy the “historical and hysterical commentary on songs, band banter, [and] accepting requests.” One of the highest compliments we receive is that we are asked to play fans’ private parties and weddings. (You switched to first person here – saying “we” – bios should always be written in the third person as if you’re talking about some entity other than yourself, as you did in the rest of this bio. I also think this last sentence is a bit too unsubstantiated and generally sounds less professional than the rest.)

General Thoughts on This Band Bio

It’s really well written.

Kudos. Covers lots of bases, plenty of variety, and written in a very accessible style. Also took the needs of the reader in mind.

It Piqued My Interest a Number of Times

You guys sound professional but also FUN, which, for the type of music you perform, is ideal. Made me want to see you perform.

It’s Damn Long!

I’d suggest preparing three versions of this bio – short, medium, and long.

(Most people will never get past the short version.)

You want to make it dead simple for media, bookers, and potential audience to get a very quick handle on what you’re about.

There will be a place for the long version (I’m thinking of your website, a concert program, festival booklet, etc), but I suspect something shorter and punchier will be used far more often.

Sample Short Band Bios

(~50 words)  Hailed as “America’s happiest music,” jug band music has its roots in the country blues, old-time folk, and early jazz traditions of American music. The Ruckus Juice Jug Stompers, led by a three-time winner of Rochester’s Best Busker competition, dares their audiences not to sing, dance, stomp, and even kazoo along!

Or, how about this?

(~50 words)  What happens when the three-time winner of Rochester’s Best Busker competition assembles a jug band to perform “America’s happiest music” with all manner of banjolins, washboards, kazoos, and fiddles? Well, people dance, stomp, and sing. A lot. This is The Ruckus Juice Jug Stompers.

How to Make a Medium Length Artist Bio

(80-100 words or so)  Take the short version of your bio and add some social proof (quotes, high profile gigs, etc), show some humor (if appropriate) or personality, mention some of the more intriguing or unusual instruments that you play, or your unique repertoire.

( My own band ‘s bio starts “With three voices, 55 strings and a pair of cow bones, The Canal Street String Band puts a brand-new shine on some seriously fun old American music.” )

Long Version

More or less what we ended up with above, but I might give the second, third and fourth paragraphs each a heading, just to make it a bit easier to digest.

Something like “A RUCKUS JUICE PERFORMANCE” (para. 2), “BAND ORIGINS AND ETHOS” (para. 3), and “BAND EXPERIENCE” (para. 4)

Writing an Artist Bio: Other Considerations

Some other thoughts and suggestions for writing (or improving) your own bio:

  • be intriguing
  • show personality
  • tell a story – people are wired to respond to them
  • write each sentence with one objective – to get the reader to the next sentence
  • did I mention to make it about them? who are you writing for and what do they (or their audiences) get out of a booking with you?

One More (Great) Idea

Many thanks to Dan Walpole, author of the rough draft above, for the following idea, which I love.

“Going to a website like WordArt.com to create a word cloud of my draft of my bio helped me see which words were used frequently and what themes might emerge if someone skims my bio. I then played around a bit with the art and generated several random ones until I found a juxtaposition that struck my fancy. I’m still not sure what I’d do with it, but here it is, in case it’s of interest to you.

As the TLDR (“too long, didn’t read”) culture emerges, this may be the new bio.”

how to write a musician's bio

  • it conveys what you do almost instantly
  • it demonstrates some level of creativity and/or taste
  • it gives visual learners something very accessible

So why not make one of these to visually accompany your bio?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. The “Comments” section is just below.

About The Blog

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Along the way, he’s learned a great deal about supporting a family of four as a musician.

The Educate and Entertain blog provides articles, tips, encouragements, and how-to’s for regional performers (in any region) interested in making a great full-time living in the arts.

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39 Responses to Write a Killer Artist Bio (short, medium, and long versions)

I wanted to add, that from what I’ve seen of invite backs so far, it’s largely due to nepotism and cronyism, not actual ability. That sucks, but it’s also a reality, maybe not for you. But like I said already, my reality doesn’t matter to you.

I’m new to your blog and I have to say, this is the worst post you’ve put out, in how smug and arrogant you come across. What about newcomers who don’t yet have credentials, you ever consider that, what do we put in our bios? You only give examples of someone long in the game, have you forgotten that not everyone is in your position, with 30+ years in the business and oh yeah, the son of a banker (so you’re from wealth)?

I’m new to what I’m doing (in my 30s, not 50s like your readers) and this blog post doesn’t want to help people like me, in fact it mocks people like me who haven’t been invited back or do have to rely on audience feedback due to shitty hosts and unprofessional venues, my audience being my fanbase. It presumes performers not invited back can’t be very good at what they do, unlike you, ‘the superstar’. We don’t all live in the wonderland you do and you should remember that, when giving advice, if you can see beyond your own swelled head. I’m disappointed in you Dave, I think you’re so long in the tooth you’ve forgotten how to relate to other people not in your position. Do you even know what it’s like to be a beginner, can you even remember?? I’m sure you had shitty hosts back then too and a non-existent resume as well.

dude chill out.

Thorough, insightful and the push I needed to help a friend. Thank you for taking the time to create & share this.

My pleasure!

Hey! I wrote a short bio-inspired by this article!

“Gary Albert takes audiences on captivating, magical and awe-inspiring sonic journeys with what has been called “… a multi-instrumental dream” and “… a cosmic one-man symphony”.

The lines are blurred between a poetic neoclassical, impressionistic sound that is uniquely his own, with an emotional electronic and goose-bump-inducing cinematic flair.

Balancing a timeless sense of organic instrumentation with his fluttering flutes, pulsing pianos and velvet vocals, all combined with expertly nuanced looping, layering and dreamy FX, this compelling musical cocktail invites you to sit back and drink in a riveting and emotionally arresting live performance experience to remember”.

Glad it was helpful!

Hey folks – I just published a new YouTube video on writing a bio. Hope this is handy for you! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10vZ_1TENkI

Very helpful, educating & eye-opening. I liked the distinction you made between promo materials & Bio. Good point. Also the analysis of their bio. An interesting point here is that they didn’t mention any band member personally nor his biography ( shouldn’t a Bio include some Biography ? ) but maybe it is unnecessary…I don’t know. The 2nd 50 words version is the killer one in my opinion. Great intro. You’ve earned a new reader 🙂

Thanks for the kind comments, and yes, a longer-length bio can certainly include personal info on the musicians.

Excellent advice.

Currently writing my artistic history now. Currently never thought it would be so hard to do. I’ve never bragged on myself before just for others. This will be the first one.

Hi Dave! I’ve been hired to write bios for a few bands for the first time and I was looking for something that would help me figure out how to plan out my rough drafts, I found this article to be incredibly helpful. What I most appreciate is the editing breakdown in each paragraph and the tips on what to focus on and cut the unnecessary things. I feel prepared to take on these assignments and turn in the best bios possible. Thank you so much!

You’re very welcome! Good luck with the bios.

What I most appreciate is the editing breakdown in each paragraph as well as the suggestion for a short, medium, and long bio. I love words and despise the TLDR culture but alas, here we are!!! You also confirm the need to highlight personality which is how I write bios! Thanks for your time.

Thanks for the good words, Alysia!

Hey Dave. Thanks for your great articles and spot on advice. I needed to write a short artist bio this week, and knew exactly where to turn to figure out what I should do. Following your blog has certainly helped me get a lot more work as a storyteller. I am grateful.

Awesome, Darrin. That makes it all worthwhile!

Thanks so much for this great post. I’m revising my bio, but was getting stuck. Your guidance is a real help.

Glad it was useful, Afi, and good luck with your bio!

Great article! I found this through a google search, and it has definitely been the most helpful for me in working on my bio! I feel weird putting myself forward sometimes and worry about coming across as boastful. That pointer of making the bio about the people who will be hearing my music really helped me to put my writing into perspective and got me over the hurdle to actually write it! In hindsight, my old bio was basically the epitome of what you said not to do, and now I think I will have something much more engaging

Awesome, Nate! Best of luck with it…

Right from the first comment I knew you nailed it. Another excellent post with truly useful advice. If musicians, songwriters, performers, artists of any kind, read this post they would have more success promoting themselves. Once again: thanks. 🙂

You are very welcome Naomi!

I always love your posts and think you were spot on with the suggestions and revisions in the bio example. However, I have to disagree with you on 2 points regarding what the reader doesn’t care about…Who you’ve shared the stage with and Radio airplay. As long as you have opened for and/or toured with a National act I think that is very relevant and adds credibility to an act. Obviously if you have just played with other “local bands” I agree…don’t out it in there but if it’s a National act and especially if you’ve shared the stage with several different ones I think it can “one up” you from other acts. Regarding Radio play…yes not quite AS relevant but obviously if you are booking a show in say Lincoln Nebraska and not from the area but a local or College station in the area is playing the heck out of your music that alone could make or break the difference as to whether a venue books you there.

I do agree with you though as I see MANY bios that say way too much “amateur” sounding things like they won a grade school singing contest etc… Again, love your stuff just wanted to share my input based on my experience as well ;), cheers

Hey Chris – great to hear from you, and thanks for sharing your thoughts. And you bring up a great point in terms of different things mattering in different situations. The Lincoln NE example is spot on – I was thinking more in terms of the kinds of gigs I do in regional arts centers, libraries, community events, etc, but for a touring musician it would be a different set of concerns.

Yes, makes sense. Either way you brought up great points 🙂

What a cool article, it’s so helpful to my blog

This is very helpful. Thank you for taking the time to share this

Happy to Chris, thanks for letting me know.

We appreciate your dedication and support to the music community.

Continued success! Johnny Bash (vocalist) & David Aaron V.O. & Tap dancer talent Chicago

awesome… This is what I av been looking for. Thanks Dave Ruch

That’s great to hear, beatbox5.

Wow, just skimming this article has provided me with invaluable info. I’m gonna dissect this thing and absorb all the goodness I can get out if it, Thank you so much for answering what I thought was a simple question and all the subsequent followup questions I would have had from a lesser article.

Glad you found this Derrick!

Dear Dave Thank you for your permanent help to musicians needing advice. I wish I had enough time to read everything you publish. Probably, I have to learn a lot more to apply your suggestions to my own needs. As a free-lance orchestra conductor, it sems to me that I miss a supporting network, money and fame. -a network : if I write (or call, or even sometimes meet) people, it is never as efficient as when someone else recommends me, especially if he (or she) has some kind of power. -money : that goes without saying. In any field, with money one opens all doors, gets the press articles needed, TV shows and the like. -fame : especially in the field of conducting, be famous (for any good or bad reason) is much more important than be good. Who knows the difference between a great conductor and a baton shaker ? Only the musicians in the orchestra. No journalist, no political man, no decision maker ever asked the opinion of the musicians… If you set a monkey in front of the New York Philharmonic, the orchestra will play anyway. Maybe less greatly than with a true conductor, but it will play. So, we face an unfair competition. I did not find the true way yet… Yours truly. JF

Greatly appreciate this blog Dave! What it impressed on me is my need to compress / focus / feature what I do best.

And I looked up the Rukus Jug Band Stompers on youtube–they do look like a lot of fun!

And I did find all of the Ohio source material you suggested.

Enjoying your posts. Thanks again.

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How to Write a Music Bio: A Guide for Bands & Artists

How to Write a Music Bio: A Guide for Bands & Artists

Your artist or band bio is often the first thing fans or press contacts will read about you. So it’s important to present yourself well.

While it’s true that ultimately your music will do the real talking, your bio is a big chance to make a first impression. Whether that’s in a press release, on your Spotify profile or on your website.

So let’s discuss how to write the perfect artist bio.

How to Write a Bio for Musicians

Use social proof.

‘Social Proof’ can be the difference between an effective bio and a forgettable one. But what is it?

In layman's terms, Social Proof is the psychological principle that people copy the actions of others because they assume that those actions are right.

The Social Proof could be positive quotes or features from bloggers, influencers or journalists. It could be your follower numbers on social media or any awards you've won or achievements you’ve earned. Anything that showcases your existing popularity.

Demonstrating an existing fan base and success will directly influence how seriously people take you as a musician.

How to Write a Music Bio

Tell Your Story

An interesting story can help people engage and relate to your music more deeply. You can break your story down into three basic parts:

- Where you came from

- When you began making music

- Where you are now

Try not to turn your story into an essay. Remember you should keep your bio snappy, so cover this in no more than one short paragraph.

How to Write a Music Bio

The Music Matters Most

Telling your life story is great, but in the end, it all comes down to the music.

While great music speaks for itself, you should try to describe your sound as vividly as possible to make sure whoever is reading your bio gets a good idea of what to expect.

Make sure to state how you fit into a certain genre (or genres), talk about any key instrumentation (is your track guitar driven or vocal-led?) and perhaps list your inspirations or comparisons to well-known artists with a similar sound.

How to Write a Music Bio

Consider the reader

Musician bios have multiple uses, so the bio you post to your Spotify account shouldn’t be the exact same one you use for a press release or on your music Wikipedia page .

You should tailor a press bio to make things as easy as possible for the journo on the receiving end. Make sure to include clear links to your music with a call-to-action like ‘Listen here’.

Here’s a good test for your press release bio. Could a journalist copy and paste your whole bio and publish it as a feature? Many journos do exactly that to save time.

Keep the structure simple

Keep your bio brief and easily digestible. Two or three paragraphs and around 200 - 300 words total is enough.

Your first sentence is arguably the most important, so try to sum up the most important points in the first 20 to 30 words. How would you describe yourself in just one sentence?

Avoid writing really long sentences too. You need to keep the reader on the hook.

Keeping the advice above in mind, here’s a quick overview of how you could structure your bio.

Intro: Try to sum yourself & your music up in one sentence. ‍ Your Music: Genres, instrumentation, comparisons, etc. ‍ Your Story: Where you began & where you are now. ‍ Social Proof: Quotes, social following, achievements.

Remember, you could change up the order of this structure, depending on the message you want to relay at the very beginning or very end of your bio. You know your music better than anyone, so it's up to you!

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Do you have any questions or advice about writing a band or artist bio? Let us know in the comments below.

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Ari Herstand

Your bio is your story.

It should reveal why people should care about you. What sets you apart? Why are you unique? And if you have a new album, what is the album’s story?

+Why No One Cares About Your Music

Make sure you have three bios: a long one, a short one (1 or 2 paragraphs, definitely under 500 words) and an elevator pitch. Make sure every bio includes pronunciation of the name. Your bio should be written in the third person.

Your long and short bios can be on your website. The elevator pitch is not mean to be written anywhere, but just for you to think about. More on this below.

Your long bio can be structured like this:

Start the bio off with a quote from a band member or press outlet or a lyric from one of your songs. Something that will set the tone and is completely indicative of what your project is about.

The hook is your story. What makes you unique. Sets you apart from everyone else. Open with this. It doesn’t need to be more than one or two paragraphs. Make sure that your hook is in line with the vibe and energy of you, the artist. No sense in mentioning tragedies you’ve been through if it has nothing to do with you, the artist and what your project is all about. The hook is the first thing that everyone will tell their friends when introducing them to your music. This is your artist-story. What is the biggest thing that stands out about you (right now)? What do you want people to know about you the artist (not the person, necessarily). Why is your project special?

Whatever your artist-story is, it should feel like your music and feel like the energy of your show, photos, socials, videos, everything. Have you overcome personal obstacles (that directly led to you becoming a musician)? Are you an arena football player? Are you an avid reader of fantasy novels (and now you write fan fiction songs)? Is your great-uncle John Coltrane?

It’s the “he was discovered while busking on the streets of L.A. and now has chart-topping radio hits.” The “she was the #1 musician on YouTube, but then a major label took it all away, and now she’s getting it all back.” Bon Iver’s northern-woods-of-Wisconsin-cabin-in-the-winter recording. Marshmello’s secret identity. Your story will of course evolve as you evolve and your career grows. But, right now, come up with something that sets you a part from everyone else, but most importantly, is in line with your artist ethos and sound.

I swear to Moses if you start your band bio off with “Johnny Smith picked up the guitar at a young age and met Tammy Johnson in high school who picked up the bass at a young age and they formed a band to take over the world” I’m going to drive to your place, knock on your door and politely ask to vomit in your sink. These kinds of bios are so bland they’re nauseating. You, as people have a million different stories. But what is the ONE story about your project that you want everyone to talk about (at least for now) that is interesting? That’s your hook.

Use this hook in your press release and everywhere else.

+How To Write a Press Release (And Get Press)

Move right into discussing your accolades. Once your hook intrigues your readers, your accolades showcase that you are an artist on the rise, worth paying attention to.

Newest Project

This is where you talk about your latest project. Most of the time it’s the newest album. But you can also discuss music videos, tours or anything else that you’re currently working on.

The Boring Stuff: Backstory, Influences, Song Meanings

This section is primarily for your die-hard fans who want as much possible information about you and for journalists doing their research. You don’t need every band members’ birthplace, but include interesting, pertinent information about how members met, how the band was formed and career highlights. You can also include some of your influences, back stories on songs on the record or any other interesting info.

Your short bio should just have your hook, accolades and newest project. You don’t need any of the backstory.

The elevator pitch.

Your elevator pitch doesn’t need to be posted anywhere or sent out; it’s just for you to verbally describe your band quickly and easily when people ask. You’d be surprised at how many musicians have a very difficult time talking about their own music. Pick two or three artists people say you sound like and use that. “David Bowie meets Bob Dylan.” “If Janis Joplin got into a bar fight with Sly and the Family Stone.” “If Bill Withers married Katy Perry.” “It’s Taylor Swift for grown-ups.” “Marvin Gaye meets Paul Simon in New Orleans.” “Imagine Dragons flew into The 1975 while riding Train.” We’ll stop there. And obviously reference well-known artists. It’s no use comparing yourself to an artist they haven’t heard of. By doing this, it gives them a frame of reference. You may think your sound is unlike any which came before and that you shouldn’t be pigeonholed by referencing one or two artists or genres, but believe me, you will drastically help your (potential) audience by giving them a frame of reference.

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How To Write A Good Musician or Band Bio

Writing a music bio is no mean feat. As much a science as it is an art, a lot of information about your band or solo project must be packed into a small amount of text - at most, a few paragraphs.

Organizing your writing is the key to composing a well-thought-out and informative band biography, along with attention to detail and compelling facts about how your act came to be. Check out these tips on how to write a good band bio.

Who, What, When, Where, and Why

What's your name? The names of your bandmates? Where did you grow up, or where did you meet? How long have you been a band? And, perhaps most importantly, what led you to the decision to make music together? These are all critically important facts to include in your band bio. Your fans will be interested in who you are and the reasons for your process and musical style - as will venues and promoters who will book you for shows.

Make it as fun and interesting to read as you can. Tell a meaningful story behind your band's process, or even a funny one. A band bio should be a textual snapshot of your act's musical life, so make it as engaging as possible.

Create An Outline

Before you sit down to write, create an outline of what you want to discuss using the guidelines of who, what, when, where, and why. Think about how many paragraphs you want to write, and decide what you'll include in each one. Ponder what will assist the flow of the writing from paragraph to paragraph, whether you organize by the 5W principles or just by paragraph number.

Writing an outline will help you ensure that you're not bouncing all over the place in your writing, which will make it a lot easier for readers to process and remember.

Writing Style

Using solid writing principles is just as critical to a good band bio as organizing the writing beforehand. Make sure you're using complete sentences, and correct any sentence fragments - reading aloud as you write or when you've finished can assist with this. Use the third-person perspective in your biography using pronouns to refer to individual band members or the collective band like he, she, they, and them.

Finally, make sure that your grammar and spelling are on point. An app like Grammarly and your word processing program's spell checker will help if you're not totally confident in your writing ability, as will having someone else review your work when you're done.

Edit & Review

After you've written your rough draft, carefully review your writing. Go through the editing process of correcting grammatical mistakes and spelling errors, and ensure that all the content you've included is vital to the band bio. It's totally okay to trim back what you've written - brevity is the soul of wit!

Have your bandmates review your work, and listen to their critiques and comments. They may also have ideas on things to include that you might not have previously thought of, so make sure to utilize their feedback in your final edit.

Writing a good band bio is one of many steps in getting your band's music out into the world and into the ears of enthusiastic listeners. If you're ready to take the next step in your music career, bring your band bio and music online to BandVista and take your music career to the next level!

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Musician biographies are deceptively difficult to write. Your band biography is your way of introducing yourself to both fans and music industry types. You need to strike the right balance between providing useful information and going into so much detail no one makes it past the first paragraph.

Know Who the Band Is

That may sound like a pretty easy thing, but is it? If you are a solo musician or if you are part of a distinct group that makes up a band, it's simple. But what about the keyboard player who always plays on your records and at your live shows but hasn't officially been asked to join the band? What if you write all the songs and think of it as your project, but you always have the same musicians backing you up? Before you can write a bio, you need to know whose bio you're writing, so decide who gets a bio mention and who is essentially a session musician .

Pick an Approach

There are two main ways to write a musician bio:

  • The Straightforward Approach: Just the facts, ma'am/sir
  • The Not Straightforward Approach: Creating a story/characters

The straightforward approach is much easier. You explain your inspirations, accomplishments and offer a little bit of background information, end of story. The not straightforward approach can be very effective but is VERY hard to pull off. Instead of offering the real story about band members, you create a fictional account of some sort about the band and about the musicians.

Pros and Cons to the Straightforward Approach

Taking the straightforward approach to your bio is the easiest way to go. First, it is the easiest to write You don't have to get caught up in trying to be clever without being corny; all you have to do is stick to the facts. Also, your bio will give journalists all of the info they need to write about you without having to do a lot of research. This alone can make the difference in getting a review of your band and not getting a review. The con is that your bio will be a lot like everyone else's, so you may have a hard time standing out.

Pros and Cons to the Not Straightforward Approach

The con is that this kind of approach can be extremely difficult to pull off. Creating a story about your band can come off as cheesy, pretentious and just plain dumb. You could generate a lot of eye-rolling, and you risk getting people to write about you for all of the wrong reasons.

Why would anyone do this? Well, because when it works, it REALLY works. An example is Belle and Sebastian. Early in their career, the band hid behind short stories for bios and press releases and masks in press shots, but they did it with a lot of charm. It only increased their popularity.

Highlight the Important Info

This step is where you'll make the really crucial decisions about your musician bio. What matters and what doesn't? Band bios should be short (one page), so you've got to use your space wisely. What do you want people to know? What is going to make them want to listen to your music?

The best bios highlight musical accomplishments and musical influences and then add some color with a personal story or two. Think of what you want to know about the musicians you like or what you expect to learn when you read about a band in a magazine, and then include that same information in your own bio.

Write and Edit Constantly

It might not be fun, but you should play around with a few drafts of your bio. Your first draft will usually contain some info that you could probably leave out. Try to distill your message down to the really good stuff so that you leave your readers intrigued, not bored.

It's also good to get a few outside opinions on your bio before you run with it. Get a few friends who are willing to give you constructive criticism and let them read it through.

Don't Start at Birth

The worst mistake musicians make in their bios is telling their story from birth. There's no need to go into so much detail. No one really needs to know that you played the lead role in your grade school's production of The Sound of Music . Stay on point about the things you're doing now, and save the rest for your memoirs.

Update Your Bio Frequently

On a similar point, keep your bio updated as new things happen. If you record a new album, play a big show, get an award, or anything else of note, make sure you add it to your bio.

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write band biography

An artist bio is a super important part of explaining who you are and what you’re about. Especially on your BandMix profile, other musicians will use your bio to understand you and see if you’re a good musical fit for them. Whether you’re an existing band looking to fill positions or a solo musician seeking new bandmates, your artist bio or ‘description’ needs to be up to scratch. 

When inputting your information into BandMix, we ask you to provide a description (a short bio about yourself), influences (some bands/artists/genres you feel have influenced you), and an equipment list. These additions to your profile will help paint a clearer picture of you as a musician and help fellow musos decide if they should connect with you. We’ve put together some tips on how to write a robust BandMix description to improve your profile; however, these ideas can apply to anyone (soloist, band, or otherwise) who wants a stand-out bio.

How To Write A Good Bio

  • Key information  – Start by introducing yourself and mention any bands you’ve previously been in or what performance experience you have. You don’t need to go too far into the instruments or genres you play or where you’re from, as you can select these to show on your BandMix profile anyway. You should include any of your notable achievements or interesting facts, but keep it relevant.
  • Personality  – Inject some personality into your description—aim to be different and eye-catching rather than a carbon copy of other musicians. Stand out from the crowd!
  • Be clear  – Within the first sentence or two, be clear with what you want from your fellow musos. Are you looking to join a ukulele rock group, or do you want to meet a songwriting partner? By stating what you are seeking, site users can make up their minds quickly about whether you’re a good fit for each other.
  • Keep it short and sweet  – Anyone looking at your profile won’t want to read an essay, so be concise and to the point. Try and stick to 100 words if you’re a soloist or 200 words if you’re an existing band, but if you can sum it up in less, go for it! Although there’s no character limit for the ‘description’ box on BandMix, you’ll need to keep it exciting and relevant otherwise;, readers will be yawning.
  • Editing and proofreading  – You’ll be surprised how many musician bios have spelling or grammar mistakes, and it could be a turn-off for musos reading your profile. Take a few minutes to re-read what you’ve written, make sure it flows and be certain there aren’t any errors.
  • Keep it updated  – You’ll want to keep your BandMix profile bio (and, in fact, any bio) up to date with your current information. Now and then, take a look at how you can improve it, and be sure to double-check your selections – have you joined a band in the past month and are now only available two nights a week?
  • Have fun with it  – If you’re bored by your bio, other musicians reading your profile will most likely be bored too. Perhaps slip in an interesting fact about yourself (do you make music full-time, or are you a juggler?!) as this may spice it up and pique the interest of profile readers, as well as being a great talking point when you do connect.

To add a bio to your BandMix profile, simply login to your account and click ‘Profile’ on your dashboard. Then you’ll be able to add your description, influences, and equipment list in the ‘additional profile information’ section. Here you can also edit your other profile information – it’s wise to keep everything up to date, so your profile doesn’t go stale. If you need any pointers on your BandMix profile, we have an FAQ section and video that takes you through the process:  https://www.bandmix.com/support/faq/#faq-3  

If you’re writing a band bio for an EPK or press release, take a look at our EPK tips here:  https://blog.bandmix.com/musicians-creating-your-epk-electronic-press-kit/  

Good luck with writing your bio – and most of all, have fun!

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  7. How To Write an Effective Band Bio - Ari's Take

    Make sure you have three bios: a long one, a short one (1 or 2 paragraphs, definitely under 500 words) and an elevator pitch. Make sure every bio includes pronunciation of the name. Your bio should be written in the third person. Your long and short bios can be on your website.

  8. How To Write A Good Musician or Band Bio | Bandvista.com

    Organizing your writing is the key to composing a well-thought-out and informative band biography, along with attention to detail and compelling facts about how your act came to be. Check out these tips on how to write a good band bio.

  9. Steps to Writing an Amazing Band Biography - LiveAbout

    Your band biography is your way of introducing yourself to both fans and music industry types. You need to strike the right balance between providing useful information and going into so much detail no one makes it past the first paragraph.

  10. Telling Your Story: How to Write an Effective Musician Biography

    How To Write A Good Bio. Key information – Start by introducing yourself and mention any bands you’ve previously been in or what performance experience you have. You don’t need to go too far into the instruments or genres you play or where you’re from, as you can select these to show on your BandMix profile anyway.