Tag: How To Be Successful in music

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How TikTok Is Changing Music Release Strategies

TikTok Music Release Strategies

The popularity of TikTok is leading a revolution in music release strategies that is unlike anything we’ve witnessed in decades. 

Music marketing and release strategies are at the heart of every artist’s career. How and when you release music matters as much as the content itself—sometimes more—and for the better part of twenty years, virtually every album has followed a similar promotional path:

Step One: The artist or group announces the upcoming release of a new song

Step Two: The artist or group teases that release with audio clips, behind-the-scenes footage, and anything else they can develop while sharing Haulix links with journalists and tastemakers.

Step Three: The artist or group asks fans to presave and preorder the unreleased material.

Step Four: The song finally comes out.

Step Five: The artist or group continues promoting the song’s release.

Step Six: The artist or group continues teasing the song with audio clips, behind-the-scenes footage, and anything else they can develop.

Traditional industry thinking tells us that you must promote music before its release because it’s the only way to guarantee strong first-week sales, which often determines how much support a record will receive moving forward. History teaches us that if an artist fails to deliver an impressive launch week, the likelihood their label continues to pump money and attention into their career falls drastically. 

That line of thinking is outdated.

As Bob Dylan said, “The times, they are a-changin'” because a new generation of musicians refuses to follow tradition. Between the boom of TikTok and the rise of the “give it to me now or I don’t want it” culture, artists are choosing a more direct path to release and promotion.

Step One: The artist or group releases a new song.

Step Two: Promotion.

That’s it. 

TikTok is an amazing tool for discovery, connecting users with an endless variety of content creators algorithmically-tailored to their interests. When someone hears a song snippet they enjoy, logic dictates they will head to the creator’s profile, hoping to find their music online. If the user then visits the artist’s page and FAILS to find the song they heard on TikTok, the chances they save the artist and return later are virtually non-existent. In other words, you have one chance to grab someone’s attention, and if you blow it, they [most likely] won’t return.

To avoid this problem, artists are now choosing to skip promoting new material until it’s available worldwide. The risk of losing potential fans because you went viral before the release date is too high for most to gamble, but that’s not the only reason.

The so-called “TikTok Approach” is also a cost-effective promotional solution for cash-strapped independent artists whose marketing budgets often equate to whatever they can spare after paying for living expenses. Rather than waste your money teasing a song or record people cannot yet enjoy, spend your pre-release time creating content you can share immediately following the song’s premiere. Any engagement will lead to immediate streams (AKA money).

And it’s not just independent artists shifting their thinking around releases. Everywhere you look, the time between a song or album announcement and the release date is shrinking. Even Post Malone, arguably one of the world’s biggest musicians, announced his recent 2022 album only six weeks before its initial release. The first single? A surprise release.

What about preorders?

We live in a new world where the pipeline delays of recent years have drastically changed consumer expectations. Delays between digital and physical releases are to be expected. Most fans don’t mind because they view your vinyl, CD, or cassette as memorabilia. Its primary purpose is to be a physical manifestation of their fandom, which they can hold, showcase, and enjoy. Using it for consuming music is, for better or worse, becoming secondary. 

Launch preorders on release day. Launch everything on release day. The same people who would preorder the vinyl three months before release day will still place an order because they want the product regardless. 

Making this one adjustment to your next release strategy will ultimately save time and money. More importantly, it will give anyone interested in your music instant access to it. You want as few barriers between strangers and hearing your music as possible, and in our quickly evolving world, that requires making changes as culture dictates it necessary.

Remember the phrase, “Don’t bore us, get to the chorus”? The same applies to release strategies. Stop fooling around and deliver. Your fans will be thrilled to see new music, and anyone new won’t have to wait around to see if you’re as good as your teasers claim. Everybody wins.

Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Pure Noise Records, and more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.

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Redefining Success In The Music Business [Video]

Being good is never good enough to become a success story, but what you do today may decide whether or not you’re tomorrow’s brightest star.

A few years ago, I worked with an up-and-coming artist that I believed could be the next big name in alternative music. The artist only had a few songs out when we first met, so I was fortunate enough to be working alongside them as they prepared the release of their first proper EP. We spent a ton of money on branding, packaging, designs, and three great music videos. We had everything we needed to make the record successful on paper, but I could not stop fighting this feeling that I wasn’t ready enough.

I began sending the songs to my friends in the music industry. As much as I wanted to know they liked the music, I was more concerned with whether or not they thought it was as good as I did. I feared that I overestimated the quality of the band based on personal preferences. I didn’t want to invest much time and energy into a project that I thought would take the world by storm only to see it fizzle out.

One of the people I contacted, A publicist at a famous punk label, hit me with a response that I did not anticipate. They said:

“It’s good, James. But you should know by now that being good doesn’t matter. Most artists are good. Some may even argue that most artists are great to the people that like what they create. Even being great is not enough. We sign artists that we believe are great only to see them fall flat on the public stage. Talent alone is no longer enough, and it probably never was in the first place.“

They continued:

“The only way this project becomes what you want it to be is if you do everything possible to make it that. You and the artist you’re working with need to plan and commit to doing everything in your power to make this release a success. You will need to make sacrifices. You will need to spend late nights and early mornings replying to messages and sending new ones. You will probably need to spend a little money on advertising. The band will need to perform often, and they will need to maintain constant contact with their audience. You need to be creating content, scheduling content, and posting content regularly. You need an email list. It would be best if you had all of these things, and doing every single one still won’t guarantee that this will become what you want. Breaking through on any level in this industry is a mix of preparation and luck. Sometimes, people succeed without planning, and it goes poorly. The people who succeed and then continue having success are the ones who prepared themselves for the moment when they were allowed to show the world who they could become. They did all the things I’ve outlined here and probably more, all on the hope and the far-fetched chance that they would be the next group or solo performer that the world wants to embrace.”

Some may read this advice and feel defeated. We all like to believe that if you do everything right, then things will go your way. That may be true for many things in life, but it is never the case with the music industry. Countless performers believe they deserve to be the next big thing. Most of them are doing everything in their power to position themselves for success. They are reading articles like this, watching videos, attending conferences, reading books, consuming podcasts, and constantly working on their craft. They are spending untold amounts of money to create the highest quality content possible. I would argue that most believe success is right around the corner, and in a way, it is, but they never know which corner.

You see, what my friend was trying to tell me and what I now know to be true about the music business is that the best any of us can hope to achieve is to position ourselves for success. We have to do the work hoping that one day the rest of the world takes notice while accepting that such a day may never come. It’s not a matter of “hope for the best and prepare for the worst.” Artists should “Prepare for the best and the worst.”

When I work with artists now, I always have them create a list of goals that get increasingly small. Most have big ambitions, like reaching number one on the charts or selling out a large venue. That kind of success is excellent and entirely possible for many talented people, but there are countless smaller steps you must take to reach that point. Rather than focusing on the big goals, I like to work on the little ones and slowly build up momentum for my artists. We work on hitting the next listener milestone on Spotify, the next follower goal on social media, and writing the next great song. We focus on the little things that position us for big success, and while the process takes time, it’s far more rewarding than holding out for overnight success.

Can you be the most prominent artist on the planet? Sure. Is it possible for you to sell out a stadium tour? Maybe. I believe you can take your career as far as it can go in the music industry as long as you do everything in your power to make it great. It’s not about doing one thing well or acting like you deserve to a rockstar. Those who reach the highest echelon of success do so by constantly refining their craft. They focus on the minutia of entertainment, and they find joy in doing the work. That approach is the only one that can lead to long-term success. Everything else is scattershot, messy, and headed for disaster.

Everyone needs friends that will tell them the truth. It would be best if you had people in your corner who will tell you when you were doing wrong or less than average. People who will fight for you, criticize you, and uplift you when the time is right. You cannot buy that kind of reality check. Only authentic friendships provide the type of clarity you need so that you understand whether or not you’re on the right path. Even then, you alone can decide what to do next.

Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.

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What Artists Can Learn From Travis Scott [Video]

Known as one of the most popular and enigmatic performers on the planet, Travis Scott is the blueprint for finding success without compromising your vision.

There is only one Travis Scott. A rapper, singer, producer, brand consultant, and all-around spokesperson for people who feel like they don’t belong, Scott has built an empire by being himself. His personality and worldview infiltrate every corner of his business, and business has never been better. Scott’s fans are among the most dedicated and outspoken of Eddy you are likely to find, and today, we are going to help you develop a similar audience without copying what Scott has already done.

The beauty of Travis Scott’s success is that even his critics have to admit he’s special. While countless artists fight for scraps of attention daily, seemingly everything Travis Scott does makes global headlines. Whether he’s making music or sneakers, collaborating with McDonald’s, or even hosting his two-day festival, Scott cannot miss. His fans are too devout to let him slip out of the limelight, even when he’s not active.

In the latest Music Biz update, host James Shotwell identifies five key lessons that every artist should learn from Travis Scott. He touches on the importance of branding, messaging, experimentation, collaboration, and mental health. He dives into specific examples of times when Travis went against the grain and found success. Whether you love him or hate him, James says that everyone can take something away from Scott’s unpredictable career.

A few key takeaways:

  • While it may be impossible to name every product and song that Travis Scott is involved in, there is consistency in the presentation, quality, and messaging. He has an outspoken interest in working to make his dreams a reality. His songs speak to a desire to shape the world as you want it to be rather than wishing that it was something else. As much as he may talk about partying and doing drugs, he is always focused on bringing fans into a reality that he and he alone controls. That through-line ties together everything he does and is a big reason why fans will follow him anywhere.
  • Some may think that sticking to a specific message or aesthetic is restricting, but Scott proves that is not true. He is the purveyor of experimentation in his field. There is no sound or idea too wild to be present in his music. For him, variety is the spice of life, and his work reflects that I deal with constant bee changes, artist collaborations, and a wide variety of sonic influences. You never know what he will try next, but you can rest assured that he believes it is the best choice.
  • Travis Scott also understands passion. He knows that human beings have a supernatural ability to detect when somebody is their authentic self. As long as he believes in what he’s doing, he knows that his core audience will as well. The blind faith of his audience fuels Scott’s willingness to experiment because he does not have to worry about abandonment. He is confident in finding what is best for him, and he knows that his fans will follow his lead.
  • Scott also isn’t afraid to disappear. While it may seem like he never leaves headlines for long, there are extended periods where he makes little to no public comments. He has developed a relationship with his fans where they know he is always working, so he does not need to update them on his progress. They will be ready for whatever he has to share as soon as he is prepared to share it. That relationship between fan and artist allows Scott to step away and take time for himself. He can live life as an average human whenever he chooses, and his fans will respect his decision because they know he will be back in time. Those brakes give Travis time to decompress, which then fuels his future creativity. In short: he understands the value of good mental health.
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Eight Essential Music Business Principles You Need To Know

No industry is harder to conquer than music, but following these basic business principles will help anyone stay ahead of their competition.

Don’t let the glitz and glamor of superstars lead you to lose sight of the truth — music is a business. Like any other industry, the music business makes, packages, and sells products to consumers. It is not that far removed from fashion, tech, or even pharmaceuticals.

Too many people, ourselves included, lose sight of the business element in music. We want to believe that success is a result of creativity and that the most artistic person is the one who ultimately gets ahead. But we all know that is a lie. We know that the best songwriters and most skilled musicians rarely reach the top of the charts. Even when they do, they often align themselves with a person or group that culture sees as a hot commodity. Talent alone is rarely, if ever, enough.

It’s important to view music as a business because there are countless principles that — more often than not — dictate who succeeds. These are rules and theories that any person studying business in college would learn, and they’re widely available in countless variations published through any book promising “get rich” tips and “guaranteed success.”

In this episode of Music Biz, host James Shotwell shares eight timeless business principles and how they apply to your music career. He offers examples of success and explains where people often make mistakes. There are many more principles to share, and we will continue to post them here as time allows. 

Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.

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What Artists Can Learn From DaBaby’s Success [Video]

After two straight years of radio and streaming success, DaBaby has created a blueprint for artists that everyone should follow.

It’s hard to find a more public figure in music than DaBaby. With almost half a dozen releases in a two-year span, not including guest verses and high-profile appearances, the North Carolina rapper turned superstar is a staple of pop culture conversation. He’s achieved a level of success where every single makes an immediate chart appearance, and every artist looking for attention asks for his help. In essence, he is the go-to creative for anyone trying to capture the pop and hip-hop spotlight.

But DaBaby did not reach his current level of success overnight. There was no singular event or track that catapulted the rapper from underground sensation to platinum-selling star. DaBaby’s achievements were earned over time, and it took years of scattershot marketing efforts to find an approach that could create a lasting impact. His tireless work ethic and constant fan engagement are now ushering in a new standard for artists in all genres that may seem insurmountable at first but is entirely within reach.

In the latest Music Biz update, host James Shotwell breaks down the four key elements of the DaBaby’s success and what other musicians can learn from each. He examines how transparency, storytelling, and thinking strategically about the streaming era of consumption make a difference in an artist’s career trajectory. He also touches on experimentation and how constant reinvention can hold the attention of increasingly distracted consumers. 

Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.

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The ‘F’ Word: How Success Is Built On Failure [Video]

Every artist dreams of becoming a success story, but how they define success can influence their ability to achieve it.

As much as you may like to believe your music career is infallible or that you have a gift for songwriting that no one will be able to deny, I can guarantee you there will always be days when your best efforts come up short. Failure is an unavoidable byproduct of any creative endeavor, and regardless of what level of fame you reach in this business, there will always be bad days. The point of continuing to create is not to work towards perfection but to consider everything that has happened, both good and evil, and apply it to whatever comes next. 

Art, like life, is a constant progression, and the best you can do is learn how to frame each failure as something other that is ultimately beneficial to your career.

There are countless ways to make mistakes in music. We cannot begin to break down every single instance of failure and how you can view it as a positive, but we can offer tips to help you deal with any situation where things do not go as planned. The advice that follows may seem fairly obvious to some, but if applied to your next misstep, we guarantee growth will occur. It might not be easy, but it will be beneficial to your creativity in the long run, and at the end of the day, that is what matters most.

Start with the truth. Accept the situation for what it is, and be prepared to face it head-on.

Everyone has heard that line about how the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry, and the reason we’ve all heard it is that it’s entirely accurate. You might have written the best song you believe possible, but it might not connect with listeners for one reason or another. Likewise, you may give what you feel is the performance of a lifetime, only to look at Twitter after the gig and read tweet after tweet complaining about the sound. It’s incredibly easy to take a defensive stance in times like this, but to do so would be an error. Accept that not everyone will experience things the way you do and try to see things from the outsider’s perspective. Be humbled by the fact you received any response at all, as most never do, and ask yourself how you could improve or change what you’re doing in the future.

The key to this step is honesty. It’s okay to say you love something that your fans do no, but do not blame them for not feeling the same. Art is subjective, but if you listen to your audience, you should find a way to do what you want while still playing to their demands. Of course, you don’t have to, but most great artists find a way to compromise that satisfies everyone.

Look for the positive, no matter how small it may be.

Let’s say you wanted your new album to sell ten thousand copies its first week, and it only sold fifteen-hundred. That disappointment would be quite a sting, especially from a financial standpoint. Still, considering less than 1% of all the albums released in any given year sell more than a thousand copies, you’re among the most famous musicians in the world. You may not have ten thousand people clamoring to purchase your new album, but fifteen-hundred consumers is an achievement. There are towns and villages worldwide that have populations far below fifteen-hundred people, and even fewer people outside those communities know they exist. You may not be where you want to be, but you are farther along than most, and that is something you should never take for granted.

The point is, there is also an upside. Your new demo may have gone over worse than Jar Jar Binks, but at least by sharing it with fans, you learned something new about what they expect from you and what they hope to hear from any future material. This knowledge can and should inform future recordings, which, in theory, will be received better than whatever came before.

Do not be afraid to take time away from the internet.

There are often two negative comments for every positive one on pretty much every song, video, or think piece posted online. People are far quicker to complain than they are to compliment, especially in a public forum, which is why you should consider taking time away from the constant barrage of commentary social media provides when things take a turn for the worse. If you know the incoming messages will be negative, there is no reason to wallow in the hurt feelings such commentary can cause. Absorb enough to understand why people are upset, then step away and take time to reflect on how you can improve your efforts in the future. You do not need the internet to do this, and in our opinion, you shouldn’t use it. Stay offline until you have something new to share, and if that doesn’t go over, then feel free to take more time away. Take as much time as you need. The internet will still be here when you return.

Whatever you do, keep creating.

No matter how you initially react to failure, you cannot let the ensuing negativity defeat you. Keep producing, always, and do not stop until you decide you are finished. There will still be someone in the world who thinks you are not good enough, but you cannot let the opinions of a select few stop you from expressing yourself through art. Creativity is a gift that is all too rare in this world, and you should share it at every opportunity. Don’t let the haters win.

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Discovering Flaws In The 1,000 Fan Theory [Video]

Many music business strategists preach the 1,000 fan theory as gospel, but is success as easy as it sounds? 

Pick up any music success book, attend any industry conference, or study the music business in college, and someone will inevitably bring up the 1,000 fan theory of success. It’s the scientific equivalent to telling someone, “anyone can do it” when discussing their dreams. Very few studies have been done to test its accuracy, but today we’re going to see what, if anything, we can learn by taking a closer look at this frequently promoted idea.

In 2008, Wired Magazine’s Kevin Kelly proposed that all an artist needs are 1,000 loyal fans to maintain a fruitful, if unspectacular, career, thereby relieving the artist of the need for a day job.

Kelly’s idea is that if an artist can find 1,000 fans who spend an average of $100 per year supporting them, then they’re more or less living the dream. That amounts to $100,000 gross income per year, which would leave a livable wage even after taxes and expenses. 

The trick, or one of them at least, is finding how to accrue that many fans willing to spend money to support your career.

There are a few issues with Kelly’s theory that we should address.

Your 1,000 fans need to spend an “average” of $100 per year.

Some fans will spend $500 to support you in a calendar year. Others may only pay $20. Generating enough income to make a $100,000 gross will require you first spend money. You have to print merch, record music, and promote your content, all of which costs money that you have no guarantee of recouping. 

The theory doesn’t work as well for duos or groups.

$100,000 gross may be enough to give one artist a comfortable living, but the idea falls apart when you add more people to the equation. A four-member band, for example, likely needs far more fans to create a livable wage.

Expenses can really add up.

Let’s say you earn a gross of $100,000 as a solo artist. The expenses you need to subtract from those earnings can include a manager (on average, 10% of the gross), booking agent, publicist, recording costs, “hired gun” musicians for studio and tour work, promotional fees, merch costs, and upkeep for your tour van/bus. All that, plus taxes, will take a substantial bite out of the initial gross. 

People are spending less per artist than ever.

Kelly’s theory came about before the streaming age, back when people paid $10 or more for albums. Artists make a decent amount from physical media sales, but that marketplace has cratered since Spotify and similar streaming services became the most popular way to consume music. Today’s listener gives an average of $10 per month to the streaming platform of their choice, which pays fractions of a penny per stream to artists. A fan can listen to their favorite artist thousands of times in a year, and that musician will not earn anywhere near $100 from their consumption.

That is why, as many of us know, artists rely heavily on live performances and merch sales to make ends meet. It’s not enough to have a fan attend a show. It would be best if you had fans buy a ticket, convince their friends to come along, and (ideally) buy merch at the gig. 

Attrition is a problem.

The fans that support you in 2021 may not help you in 2022. Some listeners won’t discover your music until your second or third album, and they may only pay to see you or pickup merch on one occasion. You cannot rely on a single set of 1,000 fans to support your career over time. Instead, your goal should be to make new, financially supportive fans faster than you lose them. Do that, and your job has a fighting chance of thriving.

Kelly’s theory is much easier to achieve with fan clubs.

Services such as Patreon, which give fans access to exclusive content from an artist in exchange for a monthly fee, can create reliable revenue streams. It’s easier to ask someone for $10 per month than it is to request a single payment of $120. 

So, can Kelly’s theory work? 

Yes, it is possible to survive with 1,000 fans supporting your music beyond merely streaming it online. However, finding and retaining those fans is a tricky proposition that Kelly’s idea ignores in favor of simplicity. 

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How Musicians Can Succeed in 2021 [VIDEO]

2021 is right around the corner, and we’re sharing everything you need to do to make the next year your best yet.

2020 has been an incredible year. Nothing has gone as planned, but artists found a way to adapt. No touring due to COVID? Livestreams. The label won’t release the record? Drop singles and continue to write. Can’t afford to record? Keep writing, keep demoing, and continue developing your voice.

If we learned anything this year, it’s that nothing can stop musicians from pursuing their craft. The world tried incredibly hard to break the spirit of creatives everywhere over the last twelve months, and the vast majority stood their ground. 2021 may try even harder, but music and the people who make it are not going anywhere.

In this episode of Music Biz, host James Shotwell discusses what artists can do to succeed in 2021. He talks about the simple things every musician should do annually, but he also considers the bigger picture. We cannot go back to the way we did business and chased dreams before 2020. We are living in a new world, and with it comes new ways of building an audience. Those who embrace the now will get ahead, but how do you do that? We’ll let James explain.

Brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Join today and receive a one-month free trial of the same service Bruce Springsteen, Slipknot, blink-182, and thousands more trust to share their music with the press. Visit http://haulix.com/signup​ for details.

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Understanding Success Through The Failure of Others

Want to get ahead in music? It’s better to learn from those who fall short of success than those who top the charts. Let us tell you why.

Human beings always want to be the best, so it makes sense that we would look to the most successful among us to learn how we can get ahead. Whether in life or art, people follow leaders because we believe they know something we do not (and in many cases, they do). However, only following the most successful artists and humans will give us an incomplete picture of success.

Consider Drake and Billie Eilish, for example. Both artists exist at the top of their game, both play to sold-out crowds everywhere they go, and both lead the kind of lives that artists on the rise often seek. There is a lot to learn from the things that work in their careers. Drake and Billie are both original voices who share their perspectives on the world with catchy songwriting back by superb production. You can emulate everything about them and find success to one extent or another, but you’ll never be as big as either is right now because you’d merely be a clone of someone else.

To really succeed in music we must look to the artists who never made it big. We have to look at the “would-a,” “could-a,” and “should-a” talent to learn what they missed so we don’t fall victim to the same mistakes. Why do some artists hit it big once and then disappear? Why do talented musicians grind their bones to dust living in vans only to burn out before their careers reach the heights their talent suggests they should? If you can answer questions like that, then you will be prepared to navigate the incredibly tricky terrain of the music business.

On today’s episode of Music Biz, host James Shotwell explains survivorship bias and how it applies to musicians. Check it out below or on our official YouTube channel.

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Miranda Lambert’s Secret To Success [VIDEO]

During a rare extended interview in Nashville, Miranda Lambert shared the one thing that makes all the difference in her career.

There is no one way to succeed in the music business. Some artists rise from obscurity like a rocket shooting toward the stars, while others slowly build a community of fans that elevate them to headliner status over many years and countless performances. Some artists never become as big as they should, but others get a taste of success and almost immediately fall into obscurity. The beauty and the pain of this business is that you never know what will happen, which can make some feel as though they have no control, but that is also what makes it so exciting.

Miranda Lambert understands the unpredictability of music as well as anyone. She has overcome countless obstacles throughout her journey to become a country superstar, including deals gone awry and songs that never connected the way she expected. Through it all, however, Lambert has kept her head held high. She respects the process, and she appreciates that every day presents a new set of challenges that must she must overcome if she wants to develop as an artist.

Recently, Miranda Lambert sat down for a rare extended interview at CRS 2020 in Nashville. During a conversation about her experiences in music, Lambert was asked what advice she has for musicians and music professionals alike. Check it out:

Lambert told the crowd, “If it’s a maybe — it’s a no.” But what does that mean? 

You cannot convince someone to believe in something you do not believe. Likewise, you cannot make someone love something you do not love. Authenticity is everything in the world of music, and it is crucial to be as real as possible with fans in every aspect of your career. Human beings have an innate ability to detect honesty and passion, even in recorded music. When you try to ‘fake it,’ for lack of a better phrase, your fans recognize the falsehoods and reject them.

If you want to make it in music today, then you need to be real with yourself and your fans. If you are not entirely into a deal or offer that comes your way, walk away. If the song you’re writing isn’t resonating with you, please take a break and approach your work with fresh eyes. Maybe you need to take the elements that work and use them elsewhere instead of continuing to develop something you do not believe in with every ounce of your being.

Does this approach to creativity mean it may take longer to get ahead than if you said yes to everything? Possibly. Will your fans respect you more for remaining true to yourself and your artistic vision? Absolutely. You don’t want to achieve success on anyone’s terms other than yours. Be patient, work hard, remain honest, and you will find success.

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