How to Put Together a Memorable Band Biography

closeup of hands on keyboard

closeup of hands on keyboard

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By Aimee Laurence

As a band or musical group, it’s imperative you produce a quality biography which not only appeals to your fans but can also offer meaningful information to those within the industry. In fact, anyone looking for access into your background (journalists, editors, talent buyers, agents, labels, etc.) should be able to find that information in your bio.

But it’s easier said than done.

Your website bio needs to interest your fans, offer value to industry folks, and give journalists and bloggers the info they need to write glowing reviews about you. You want to make it as easy as possible for a reviewer to grab the important and intriguing aspects about your project. The easier you make it, the less work they have to do. And that’s a good thing.

There are two main aspects of putting together a great bio: The facts and the story. Let’s break down each to see what falls under each category, and you’ll be ready to put together a bio that rocks as hard as you do.

1. Band Facts

As it says on the tin, here you need all of the relevant facts which detail who you are as band and where you have come from. That means:

Who you are

A short biographical piece on each member of the band, including where you come from and how you met. These facts often become legends for future generations of fans, so keep the facts straight but enigmatic at the same time.

The band’s mission

What was it that your band set out to achieve from the get go? What was the driving force behind the band that led you to form in the first place? What were the major musical influences and defining moments that led you all to pick up the instruments you play and begin to make the style of music that you now perform? How has it all changed?

Major achievements

What awards has the band won to date? What were some notable gigs that the band has played? Do you have any accolades bestowed upon you by other notable musicians and journalists within the industry? And list anything else that formed a major moment in the band’s journey as well.

Quotes from media figures

This is the place to include notable quotes made about the band by established figures whose words lend weight when it comes to forming public opinions. What press or endorser quotes do you think best sum up your band? Think carefully about such things as they can often come to define you.

Necessary contact information

This is the 21st century, and while everyone can typically find you with the flick of a Google-powered wrist, it’s always best to make it crystal clear just in case. You’re going to want to organize your band’s contact information and any management of yours (label, booking contacts, managers, etc.), as well as list your social platforms and links to your official pages on any streaming sites like Spotify, Apple Music, and Soundcloud, to name a few.

Don’t forget that help is at hand. If you’re concerned about going this alone, the web offers a plethora of help. Sites such as Online Paper Help can help with those essential editing and proofreading activities which can elevate your bio to the next level.

2. The Story of Your Band

Now we have dealt with the cold, hard facts, it’s time to give a little depth and mystique to your sound and its humble beginnings. This section is where you can blend those facts to paint a much more colorful picture of the band which will further depend interest in you. Here are the essential elements.

The band’s journey

This is the story of the band so far, but let it be known that a true journey has odds which are overcome to arrive at success, so think carefully about issues that your band had to overcome to arrive at where you are today. A band’s story really needs to contain moments such as inauspicious origins, a lack of support, negative reviews, conflicts within the band, health issues, disagreements over the musical direction of the band or indeed any other number of elements which form part of the dynamic of a band and it’s road to success. Whether you actually put all of that in, or just acknowledge it, is up to you, but make sure you’re always referencing that journey.

The political, spiritual, romantic, and philosophical leanings of the band

Finally we arrive at the forming of legacy, which is definitely something you can help to shape yourself with an articulately written biography. Think carefully about everything that has influenced your band beyond the reams of music, including social movements, fashions, family ties, and personal motivations, etc. These help your listeners to identify further and deeper with your music, and can help to define your unique sound for future generations.

And lastly, don’t forget to have some fun with it, the way you do with your music.

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Health and lifestyle editor Aimee Laurence works for the academic website, Essay Services.

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