‘It’s going to be hard: but it doesn’t mean it’s impossible’
When I was still studying music at university, back in 2012, I had no idea how complex the music business really was. Sure, I knew about its sectors (publishing, record labels, distribution, etc.), but I had no scope of how they were all interconnected and how they really functioned. I didn’t know how I’d place myself in it, I was just winging my career and seeing where it goes. Thinking my music would be enough, and the cold hard truth is that it wasn’t. And no matter who tells you, the music is just not enough. It took me a while to grasp this concept, cause us, artists, we’re so close to the art, that the business is more of an afterthought, like an enemy of some sort. In this article, I want to save you YEARS of disappointment and get YOU on track to actually making income from music, as well as how to place your skills in it. Build your business, brick by brick.
Two questions I’d like to ask you first is:
- What is it that you really would like to do in the music business? Give me every detail to the bone.
- How are you building your career (business) towards that goal? Give me every detail to the cell.
In order to arrive at a destination, we must know where we are heading and how we’re getting there. I now want you to focus on what market value do you provide within the chosen marketplace you want to be in (songwriting, production, AR, etc.). How does your skill or product disrupt the marketplace? If you honestly know that you’re average, the odds of you thriving in business are slim to none, and even if you do, an average product equates to average results (market saturation).
Next step, once you’ve placed yourself in the ladder, is there any way you can improve you or the product so it can compete better? And if so, why aren’t you? If I came out with a new toothpaste that has average benefits/marketing/branding, do you really think I can compete with the likes of Colgate? Of course not! Most of you probably don’t even think twice when you go to the supermarket. You just grab Colgate without even thinking of other brands. It’s not even a competition. Colgate has become the toothpaste AKA the product. Do you see how that analogy compares to your music career?
I have to mention artists that I’ve come across in the past that had publishing deals, management, record labels behind them that had and average work ethic and music. And not to take anything away from them, they were good, the music was good. But is good, good enough? I sometimes follow up with these cats, and some of these same artists have now either: become stagnant, settled, lost, or even worse, quit music. That’s the reality we’re in. It’s a damn competition. And it’s fierce. You see the music business is constantly evolving, and we have to evolve with it. Adapt or die. The moral of the story is that you have to treat your career like a business. In order to even compete and have a long term career. It is your responsibility to want to make sure your product is the BEST it can be. You only get a first impression once. What’s it going to be? The choice is yours…
Here’s to more music and success,
Jonathan Milanes
If you would like to know more about me, or just connect and chat, come say hi (@jonathanmilanes):
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For more free advice and tips to take your music career to the next stage, head over to: https://soundprise.com/