Shocking title, ay? Not so much if you’ve been active on social media in the past decade. Social media alone has taken the power from the hands of the classic A&Rs, otherwise known as gatekeepers, and placed it into the hands of the people. Sure, those with more resources, like all times in history, have a much higher chance of making it. But almost equal to them in power and strength are the individuals who are fearless, creative, and interesting to watch. Being bonafide entertaining as a music artist can and will repay you as much as someone with the cash to invest. So read on to comfort yourself in realizing you’re part of the new music business if you’re an independent artist.
10. Artists are starting to understand that a music career requires the same effort as opening a restaurant.
Meaning it’s a business. More and more artists want to know what makes one album sell and the other flop. How come certain indie acts become world-renown off their music while so many never leave the obscurity of the little town they grew up in. Asking these questions can only lead to incredible discoveries and unimaginable action. If you want it bad enough, you’ll find a way to make it happen. Subsequently, music artists are increasingly comprehending the value of branding, marketing, a good lawyer, an even better accountant, and continuous multilateral music development.
9. And they are getting good at running other businesses too.
Because when you come to think of it, musicpreneurs are fundamentally developing the same skill set that’s needed for entrepreneurship in any field: self-discipline, organization, management, innovation, creation, purposing, hiring, firing, selling, marketing, etc. With so much unlimited online access to all kinds of courses and masterclasses, in some instances even degree programs, music artists can and are becoming excellent multi-tasking investors. You’d be surprised how many musicians are now funding their own careers and succeeding too.
8. Sponsors and brands want to sell their products to specific audiences.
Listen… It’s much easier to sell Hello Kittie earrings to the fans of an Electro-Pop indie singer who knows her 10k fans by name than it is to sell them to the fans of a famous someone. Oh, you’d be shocked by the real value these mainstream folks bring to the table: very little. Our team managed to sell 100 book copies from advertising with a Gen Z micro-influencer with only about 5k followers and 0 (yes, ZERO) copies from advertising with a famous Italian actress with over 60k followers. Mind you the latter has done it all, from being on the cover of Vogue Italia to being the special guest of a plethora of TV shows and radio. And yet, she moved ZERO product despite her numbers and apparent fame. If we bumped into this result, so must have many other small businesses which means more and more dollars will go towards the indie musicians rather than the mainstream ones because of the tight communities they form around their brands.
7. People get bored FAST.
Ugh… The good and the bad that we had to accept with the reign of social media over all of our lives. While your fans will get bored of you and you have to constantly put out new music and visuals, they get bored of famous people too. And that’s fantastic news! Due to the ever-so-shorter attention span of just about everybody, you have a higher chance of replacing an A-lister on a playlist. Seriously, if you market your music to the right audience, you will fastly be added to their top favorite artists or even replace them.
6. Societal perception changed regarding record labels.
If once upon a time being signed was seen as the “have made it” trope, now it’s seen as the cheat code to a music career just about as hesoyam replenishes your health, gives you a free $250k, and repairs your car in GTA. This public perspective of the record labels that paints them as the evil guys from the shadow has become so ingrained in music fans’ minds that record labels fake self-made artists. Many of the top charters were not actually created through sheer talent and self-reliance but through extensive funds, label help, and the crafted impression of a self-made career.
Make sure you check out Part 2 as well!
Blue Rhymez Entertainment ©2022
If you’re on Spotify, help indie artists out by streaming the playlist below. Yes, your time and attention are just as valuable as a monetary donation, and in case you forgot, we offered you this article for free 😀