When an artist creates music they think just because they put it out the money is going to come rolling in. I’ve seen this happen time and time again with artists over the years. That’s not the way it works, there is so much more to it
I recently heard a motivational speaker talk about how past generations appreciated hard work. They knew in order to live they had to put in work. That same speaker said this new generation thinks they are entitled to things without working hard for them. I think this entitlement mentality is media driven. We have easy access to professional athletes, musicians, actors, successful businessmen and entrepreneurs. We get to look at the lives they present, the cars they drive, the homes they live in and the money they make and we think it’s so easy to obtain. The problem is we don’t see the sacrifices they made and the price they paid to get to where they are.
Lets talk about getting honest feedback about your songs. I can hear you artists saying “I get feedback on my songs, my family and friends tell me they love my songs”. Let me tell you that family and friends are the worst people to get feedback from when it comes to your songs. Your family and friends don’t want to hurt your feelings so they are not going to tell you the truth about how they really feel. I know feedback is subjective but you should get feedback from people who are not part of your family and friends network. From these people you need Honest feedback and you have to be able to accept the feedback given to you. It’s their opinion and you have to take that opinion so that it can help you grow. Don’t get bent out of shape or get your feeling hurt if someone doesn’t like your song. Ask them what is it about the song that not touching them. When you’re open like this you can get some very good feedback from people.
Stay away from the attitude that people don’t like your music because it’s different. Different from what? Everybody has a style, you may think you don’t but you do. The reason people don’t like your music is it’s not good, plain and simple. Again use the feedback to grow. There are a lot of people out there saying you have to have great songs but whether your song is great or not is subjective. One thing your song has to do though is touch somebody. If it doesn’t, people won’t buy it or stream it.
When you do get feedback get it from the general public, not musicians. Musicians tend to give you feedback based on how good they think you are compared to them. Musicians aren’t going to buy 10,000 copies of your EP/Album but the general public will.
Are you going to pay the price and make the sacrifice to write songs that touch people?