For over eight years, many Clay Aiken fans have been trying to learn all they can about the music business. Because the fans want the best for their favorite singer, they read, discuss and try to find the experts that will help them understand the complicated field of professional music.
As someone who has spent almost all of her life as a professional musician, I am the first to admit that I know VERY LITTLE about the ever-changing business of popular music. All that I can say with confidence is that it is a time of change and what was the right thing to do 5 years ago might not be correct today. And, I admit…I am a “Pollyanna.” I am excited when I read about some of the fantastic opportunities that are a part of the future of popular music.
One of the experts that I follow is Bob Lefstez. Bob wrote a blog on June 14th about the sales results for Lady Gaga’s latest album. I read the blog, but was excited about many of his statements. I don’t care about Lady Gaga, but I do care about Clay Aiken and as I read, I thought about how much of what Bob said, “rang a bell” for me.
I have taken certain quotes out of Bob’s article…I hope they make you think and discuss. I took the quotes out of the article without changing the spelling or grammar. I also tried to keep them in order.
I hope you will read the entire article. You can find it at Bob Lefsetz
Sales are only one piece of the puzzle.
IT’S ABOUT THE MUSIC!
Doesn’t matter how many Twitter followers you’ve got. If Twitter was about talent, Ronnie the Limo Driver would be bubbling up, hell, he’s got over 100,000 followers!
Twitter followers and Facebook friends are like MySpace friends. A number that’s got nothing to do with talent and has everything to do with self-promotion.
It’s hard to create great music.
But when you do, the public rallies around you, especially when you’re coming off a fresh round of success.
Yes, this is what’s wrong with big time fame today. It’s about marketing more than music. Play to the middlemen, the ignoramuses at the newspaper, which are run by Luddites and are on the verge of going out of business.
A hit touches people’s hearts. Doesn’t matter if you tour, doesn’t even matter if it sounds like anything else. You hear it and want to play it again. Others hear it and ask what it is.
Great music sells itself.
What makes an artist different is the talent, the creation.
A musical star is nothing without the music.
FAME IS NOT EVERYTHING!
MUSIC IS!
Make music your calling card. No amount of talking about music, whether it be in e-mail or on Facebook or Twitter, is going to make a good song a hit.
Music is the one art form that goes straight to the heart, that can resonate with a person more than any other.
Respect the music. Make greatness your goal.
Nothing triumphs like great music. Ticketmaster fees are irrelevant when the act’s hot. People don’t care about cost, they just want to get closer.
That’s music’s power.
“Luddite” is a term describing those opposed to industrialization, computerization, or new technologies.
What do you think of these quote?