The first kind of artists are the ones who hurt to do what they do. It hurts to write. There is pain involved. There’s experience, and there’s blood.
The second kind of artists is the kind that imitate the ones in pain
The third kind of artist are the kinds that just do what somebody tells them to do. Learn this step. Wear this wig. Shake your ass. Watch yourself.
The first kind of artist are the ones who are more popular than the amount of money they receive. The second kind of artist is generally the rich ones, and the third kind… They get dropped from the label because there are a million of them walking around.
- Erykah Badu
I came across this doc late last night on topdocumentaryfilms.com while I was trying to kill some time, and it made some great points. Yes, it is a little dated, and it may repeat some things that you already know, but if you’re willing to sit through the YouTube playlist format (US readers have a HULU option) you just might come away with a more renewed spark for what you do.
Or, at the very least you might learn about a new artist or two. =)
Not to beat what I would consider a dead horse, but here is another great comment on the music industry in terms of how it has been set-up, where it is now, and where it is most likely headed.
As a top-notch producer with plenty of credentials behind him, Young Guru’s words at this gathering have been getting a lot of buzz online lately, and rightfully so. Without truly demonizing the industry, which is made up of people just like you and I, he clarifies the relationship between label and artist quite well.
Yes, there are benefits to being involved with a major, and sometimes those outweigh the cons, but those times are fewer and far between now. As Young Guru points out, you are responsible for your own career and your interests may not be the same as other people who want to sign you. Don’t expect them to be as passionate about what you have made just because you have a contract with them. At the end of the day the only one who will truly believe in you as much as you feel they should is you.
On a side note, it is great to see that these words were heard by people who most likely are passionate about music more than money. Too many times the influential words are spoken in big conferences where ears are closed and pockets are deep. It’s nice to see a simple mic and amp set-up instead of a PowerPoint presentation and a headset.
I hope most of you have already read this by now. If not, then start picking up Exclaim! In fact, if you see a free publication related to music, you should be reading it. When you’re on tour, make sure to pick-up the local weeklies just to get an idea of who plays where, where to buy music, what people are talking about, etc… Plus, you’ll get contacts for the publication to use for the next tour stop there.
Alright, back to the topic at hand: sales. Unless you’re going the completely pure and altruistic route of simply wanting your music to be heard and expecting nothing back in return except the smiles of your fans, you need to learn how to do the numbers. The article from Exclaim! is a little more in the medium to large-sized band category in terms of record contracts, distro, etc… but it is something you should have an understanding of at any level.
For a better idea of all of this, and so much more, I highly recommend All You Need to Know About the Music Business by Donald Passman. I read the book a few years ago, and I think I’m due to pick up the new edition. It should be one of your bibles, and if you’re in a band it should be required reading for the whole group.
In an ideal world, you can make a living as a musician. In the real world, you should know how to make as much money from your night “job” as you do bussing tables at the diner in the day.
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