More and more, bands are recording, releasing, and promoting their music at home using their own computers. Here are some ways a burgeoning musician can make a splash on the Internet:

Take advice from your video’s helpful YouTube comments section

Use GarageBand or another sound-editing application to make your voice sound hilariously deep. People love to laugh!

Justin Bieber is only 17; he probably has time to check out your video if you tweet at him

Earn your credentials as an online hard rocker by getting wasted at your computer and trashing a hotel’s comments page

Marrying into Coldplay has long been an acceptable way to break into music

These days, interacting with your fans is paramount—consider naming all the tracks on your new album after your 12 YouTube subscribers

Is everyone you know a fan of your band on Facebook, Myspace, Tumblr, Twitter, and Blogger? If they aren’t, spend as much time as possible building that following and rest assured, coming up with songs with an actual chorus will follow

Be an innovator, whatever the fuck that means