3 Harsh Realities About The Music Industry
Intro
In my short time as an adult, I’ve been able to try different roles & wear quite a few different hats in the music industry. Obviously, nothing completely life-changing has come around (yet), but I’ve done many jobs in the form of music journalism, being a label rep/intern, producing for several years & much more. With that being said, all of these jobs have taught me similar lessons about the music industry business as a whole. There are many stories you hear about the field that are exaggerated or simply not true, but there are still some things that remain true. Thankfully today’s music industry at least provides different options for music creatives who don’t seek a career in the industry or desire mainstream success. Here are some harsh truths I learned about the music business:
Almost All Relationships Are Transactional
This is something that applies to many different industries both inside & outside of entertainment. Due to the nature of the business being so competitive, most people are understandably looking out for themselves. Some may walk over others to get ahead or use people for selfish purposes. This is simply an unavoidable reality that anyone interested in the commercial side of the music business should be cautious of when networking. There are genuine professionals out there, but most are truly only interested in the things/value you can give them. Operating with this in mind keeps business-relationship expectations manageable, but also helps discern between potential partners or people using you.
Making The Music Is 10% Of The Job
So many people think the life of musicians themselves is spent with days of making music all the time & being as free as a bird. In reality, being a musician is similar in many ways to running a business whether you’re independent or signed to a label. A record label can provide artists with a staff/team that will help relieve the workload for artists, but there is still so much work to be done that ends up being more important than making the music itself. Ultimately, the music is what matters most though & should still be high quality. But I know from personal experience how much more time is spent on things like promoting or budgeting compared to the amount of time I spend recording.
Making music also costs money & time which are not infinite either, although there are many ways to reduce costs & save extra time. In short, the amount of work a musician must do 24/7 can be overwhelming & making music ends up being a small percentage of that. With that being said, it’s not necessarily a bad thing & it helps to cherish the moment once you’re finally back creating the art. This also means that you should be prepared & ready to execute whenever given the time & opportunity.
A Lonely Journey
Most people working in the entertainment industry are commonly seen as misunderstood or a little crazy. Both of these labels are often misused, but there are a lot of things about this career path that are foreign to those in other professions. For example, most people go to their regular 9-5 job & go on with the rest of the day, but that 8-hour shift is the only scheduled time of work. Most smaller musicians & music industry do this too, but typically you’re still working throughout the entire day before/after your day job too. This can make it hard to plan with friends, maintain healthy relationships & not be mistaken for a recluse with a reputation for ignoring others.
Your dreams are also very “unrealistic” & too daring for the regular working citizen to comprehend. It does take a certain level of delusion & healthy confidence to make a sustainable career. This is especially true if you’re an artist, producer, or anyone else on the creative side. If you don’t work in music but know others who do, it always helps to check in & reassure them that they have your support. Artists are (or at least should) be very busy people on the daily.
