There were a lot of discussions in this blog regarding the relationship between artists and record companies and generally how the show business works today.
In summary we have supported that the record companies restrict the artists a lot and the way the music is promoted today is different than 30 or 40 years before, more competitive but there are alternative ways for the artists.
Here I would like to give some tips of what the new artists can do in order to have their own career in music.
First of all it would be necessary to start music lessons and practice. For those who want to pursue a career as singers it would be more advisable to learn another instrument such like guitar or piano because this could help them with songwriting. Apart from that not only the show business is the way for a music career. It could also be music education or something related to education and music which requires music knowledge (teaching, music therapy).
The best thing that a young artist can do is to do everything independently because:
1) The major record companies do not care about unknown artists, furthermore they are not looking for skilled artists but mainly for people who can recycle easy, fast-food music. They promote only people from their own circle, people recommended to them and they don’t invest in new artists if the artists don?t already have an audience, if they?re not famous. Most of the small record labels have collapsed because of music piracy and those that still exist, cannot afford to support new bands as they know that nobody (or very few) will buy their albums. In addition to that, many of the small labels have been bought by the major labels.
2) It is 99% certain that the label will claim all the royalties from the record sales and put the artist/band in a strict program of lives from which the artist can get satisfactory income only if he/she becomes very famous.
3) The talent shows work good only if you have very strong connections and it is not the ideal society as the drug-sex culture is very often present.
Accounts like Myspace, and Youtube (others like Soundclick, Reverbnation) are necessary as there are a lot of people who visit to view videos. As I mentioned above, independence is the best way, but that requires self-advertisement which is expensive. However, sometimes the best advertisement is the word of mouth. That can be done with concerts, gigs etc? Itunes should also be used for music distribution providing the songs are properly produced. There are a lot of companies that distribute music to online stores such like iTunes, Amazon, Emusic etc. They get paid per month with a very small fee and never claim royalties. (A good suggestion is the Songcast Music Distribution)
A good way for the evolution of the artist is via education. That doesn?t mean that the artist has to remain a music teacher but via a music school there are a lot of opportunities. For example a music school can organize gigs or sponsor festivals where some teacher could perform. After a long time of teaching experience you can be a lecturer and, don?t forget, some bands are teachers (Rush, Dream Theater). Studying music in a prestigious school of music is certainly an asset as more career paths can open among high-level musicians.
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August 10th, 2009 at 8:08 am
I don’t think the labels will ever focus on the talented singers because all they want is to make money producing easy listening music but cheap which is more accessible from the public rather than something good which is focused to a specific more musical audience (limited buyers). Check this out, it is very well outlined what happens in the music industry today.
Apart from that between the 60s and 70s there were a lot of progressive movements in order to brake the conservative establishment but it was not enough. We rest on one’s laurels and adopted an “easy” life style which was good only for the profit makers.
August 10th, 2009 at 7:22 am
There are so many bad singers that make a fortune who can’t sing well at all and just lip synch like Hillary Duff,Selena Gomez,,Vanessa Hudgens among other Disney stars who lack vocal training from experts,don’t have a musical background nor musical education and don’t know how to play an important instrument like the piano that is essential for songwriting nor the guitar.
It’s so sad that these famous actresses from Disney are marketed and become ultra rich,meanwhile real talents out there are not given a chance by labels. I think that in the 1950’s record labels used to seek real singing talents,now they just give contracts to so many untalented singers. New artists that you can say are really good singers are counted like Bianca Ryan and Charice Pempenego (among few others)and the winners of American Idol and America’s Got Talent who seem to be all really good singers.
Do you think labels will ever focus just on getting singers with a really great voice/real talent in the future?
June 28th, 2009 at 10:46 am
This blog has alot of useful information more uninformed artists that do not know what there doing and think they do should read this
May 28th, 2009 at 10:31 am
I dont have all the answers really, I am just expressing my opinion after having given the matter a great deal of thought.
If we exclude the education option, then self promotion is the best I guess, and of course the musician must have faith in him/herself and have songs that really stand out….
A record deal is not absolutely excluded if it is favorable. I personally would not sign if they told me “you’ll get no royalties, you’ll do whatever we say, you’ll be our puppet” NO
May 27th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
Hi Jaci
If somebody has the ability to perform really well, it doesn’t really matter if this musician is self taught or not. The audience would not pay attention to the procces (how he/she was taught). It’s the product that matters.
However, when a talented musician is not involved in education (which means he/she is self taught), then he/she just excludes this way.
May 27th, 2009 at 9:04 pm
Informative blog. But what about the self taught musicians who have the talent and have been told by so many people they have it but who are constantly coming up against barriers. It can be sole destroying at times.
May 17th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Love the blog! In every facet of life, there’s always more than one route from point A to point B. Thanks for enlightening us all.