We are now more than one full week into the new year, and there is a decent chance some of you reading this have already failed to stay true to your new year’s resolution. If so, do not fret. Millions make resolutions on or around January 1 that they are unable to maintain for a variety of reasons, and countless more never even try to make a change in their lives. The fact you recognize your desire to be better than you are today is the first step towards achieving meaningful change, and with a little hard work and dedication we believe you can accomplish practically anything. That may sound a bit too altruistic for some, but our experience has proven this to be true, especially in the world of entertainment.
As writers, we should each be striving to improve our skills with each passing day. We should be hunting for stories and other creative challenges that take us out of our comfort zone and force us to approach our audience from new or unfamiliar angles that, in time, will give us a greatest perspective on the world of music. Desiring this and doing this are two very different things, and we have found that the hardest part for most writers is finding place to start. So, with this in mind, we have come up with three creative challenges that will better your ability to not only discuss music, but appreciate it as well.
Spend more time with music released by independent artists
Everyone trying to quote/unquote ‘make it’ in the world of music has a dream of landing a job that finds them covering the biggest releases and having their words positive reactions used in future marketing materials. After all, how cool would it be to have your words printed on a sticker that was stuck to the next album from your favorite band? It would be awesome, that’s how cool it would be.
That said, if you want to further establish yourself as a unique voice in the world of music criticism in 2016 we advise that you stray from the Billboard charts and spend more time seeking out the next big thing. A&R used to be a job that one or more people held at essentially every record label, but in the age of social media most A&R work is done by the influential voices that drive internet discussion. You no doubt receive dozens of pitches from aspiring musicians every week, so take advantage of that fact and use your inbox as a source for new music discovery. Find something great and write about it. Not just once, but every chance you get until you’re sick of discussing that band. Use whatever knowledge you have regarding how to break artists in the modern day and apply it to your coverage of that artist. Interview them, list their best work, cover their tours, and most importantly, share how their art makes you feel. If you can help even one person to discover a new talent they love, others will follow.
Choose an upcoming release to know nothing about
Many artists rely on singles to sell albums because they don’t believe the record as a whole would be considered quite as good as one really catchy song. This is why most artists release the best song off their record first, as they believe many in the press won’t give their new album a second thought unless they’re hooked by some earlier marketing materials. While this may be true for some, it’s kind of a shame that artists today don’t believe people will care about their albums if the singles don’t dominate conversation and radio play for weeks, or even months on end.
This year, choose one release you know you will be interested in and do everything in your power to avoid its promotional cycle. Skip the singles, the cover art, and any interview that aims to build hype for the release until the entire album has been made available for your consumption. Then, and only then, give the record a listen. Allow yourself to become fully emerged in that artist’s world of sound without any preconceived notions of what it will sound like or how it will make you feel. Let the art speak for itself, and then share that experience with those around you.
Read one music critic you disagree with regularly
We struggle with this challenge more than probably any other task in this feature. It’s not that we don’t enjoy reading, as we very much do, but it takes a lot for us to sit and read something we don’t necessarily agree with and accept it as valid criticism. That fact is probably true for anyone in life, but there is an added degree of necessity to do so when it is comes to being a great critic. After all, your goal as a music writer is to sell people on music they may or may not be interested in. Sure, some readers will be fans of the artists you’re covering, but hopefully there are also many who are newcomers or who are otherwise new to that particular artist. Your job as a critic is to express your opinion in such a way that it influences buying or listening habits. The same can be said for your competition, which is why it’s important that you know their work and understand what gives it meaning to those who read it.
You don’t have to be sold on something you don’t enjoy when reading the work of a critic with opinions different than your own, but you should be able to understand the good and bad qualities of their writing. Furthermore, you should be able to deconstruct their work, compare it to your own, and see what, if any similarities there may be. Perhaps you disagree on certain artists, but you both tend to use the same phrasing when describing something you enjoy, or maybe you both use far too many adjectives in your work. Whatever the case, there is more to learn about yourself and the industry at large from enjoying the work of your peers than there is in the comments section of your last article. You become a better writer by reading the work of other writers. Never forget this fact.
James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him onTwitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.
