Different Paths for Different Artists

In light of the discussion surrounding Ian Roger’s recent address about the New Music Business Equation (that was yesterday’s required reading, remember?), I think it’s a very important point to emphasize that there isn’t a reliable ‘model’ to follow anymore. There probably wasn’t ever a single model, but there was at least a pretty straight-forward path you could take to “get signed” and it was more or less the same path for everyone.

Today’s music business is in constant flux (and I’m willing to bet that will continue ad infinitum). Likewise, today’s musicians will have to stay on their toes. What worked last year isn’t going to necessarily work this year. That is why it is so important to stay involved with what is going on in your local music communities and on top of the awesome tools that are being developed online.

You don’t have to bog yourself down with every new service that comes out (it can be very overwhelming, I know!), but you should probably at least be aware of what’s out there so that you can then decide which services would be best for you to leverage for your particular goals.

Mark Montgomery said it best in his blog:

“If you want to be Kanye or Bon Jovi, the path is much different than if you want to be Over the Rhine or Slaid Cleaves. I don’t believe that anyone sets out to be “small”, but getting to a self sustaining business is much different than being on the cover or Rolling Stone and playing the Garden.”

Just some food for thought for all of you trying to figure out how to navigate this new music business. On the bright side, there is basically a level playing field for the first time in the history of the music business, and it’s all about making your strategy personal.