Numbers that dosen't matter.

Numbers, numbers, and numbers. People still think numbers matters. In some cases yes, but in many cases no.

Like a successful showcase is a filled gig room? I get that a lot. It was a great gig, it was packed with people. That is good but in this case, it depends on witch people. If it just a bunch of new fans and the room takes 150 people, hey not that good.
Is it 150 people that will affect your career? Supergood. But usually, that packed gig can be the reason that person that change your career never got in and missed the whole thing. So filled showcase, numbers not needed.

People interested in something. This you hear a lot, we have several record labels interested in us.
Good but no one has taken action. If you have one million people interested but no one to act on it the number is useless.  It's enough with one and they take big action to be much better.

Followers on social media. If you have a million followers but no one cares about your posts, they are useless. Actually, ten thousand followers that care about all your posts is tremendous much better.

So having 64 million passive listings on Spotify is not good. It's better with a million active listeners.

The point is many of the numbers people are bragging about mostly empty useless numbers if you look closer.

The problem is in the song most of the time.

It's not hard to find someone to do the radio plugging and take the money. The hard part is to find the plugger that actually get it on the playlist, said the artist.

I bump into this quite often. The error of no success is someone else's. I would rather think here that it's the song that doesn't hold quality enough for radio to play. In 98% of the cases that is where the error is.

Or that the story is not strong so the song can compete with songs in the same level. Well, it's the same problem that it's not good enough, just good to compete but failing in execution.

In all cases, it's not the Pr firms error. You can probably give an unreleased unknown great hit by Elvis Presley to any PR firm and they will get the song on rotation on most radio stations.

The problem is the attitude here. The artist is never wrong. All that they create are great. They are just misunderstood genius all of them.

I can prove that wrong also. Over time most artists get tired of their old masterpieces and the last record is now a piece of crap in comparison with the new they just wrote.

The change of release schedule.

We are writing a new album now. And we will tour again in March 2019.

Artists that write like that I guess doesn't have a cell phone just a pager. Since the touring cycle that they are talking about is from 1985.

Okay, let's be clear about it. It's not writing time, recording time, Pr time release time and tour with that album time. That is as normal as having a phone stuck with a cord to the wall.

Today you write all the time. You need more material so everything happens at the same time. Somethings are on hold some are ongoing. Still, it's all the time. If you only can focus on one thing at the time, you out of the game.

So forget the myth of sitting and write songs to next album sipping wine. Or a fully booked schedule for three months and then it's done.

No, we are here working full time all the time.

Sharks!

Oh, we are back to the sharks again. They pop up a bit here and there. This time it was one of my bands that just sent out a good single. Suddenly it came a mail from some dude that said that he could break them a record deal. They just had to pay the shark 2000 dollars upfront.

First, why do you need a record company? Well, a good one you can use, but anyone?
Here is the point the band is so good so it's not hard to get a record deal, the problem is to get a deal that put a lot of money into PR. And like I wrote around yesterday they don't have any numbers or things that are close to bringing in that kind of money. In the end, this shark maybe will find a label that just signs a paper release some songs and waits for things to happen? Worth 2000 dollar, don't think so.

So I look up this shark, and yes he has worked in the music industry. Yes he has worked with some big names. But nothing before 2010, to be honest, nothing big since 1995. that's before the internet, cell phones, and everything. I would easily question this guy knowledge of today's industry. he is old an has not done that much in the new world.

The festivals he also mentioned to visit to get the record deal, are the ones that are just totally out and just used by old people from the industry. Just here it smells fishy.

So I went to my secret weapon Linkedin. Yes if you searched him you had some mutual friends, still all that was mutual is old dudes that I know from the 90:s. No one of these is important today, yes they are names but not in the new economy that is building up now.

Ohh I really want to out these sharks and one day I will.

Here is more post about sharks.

Here is the secret to sucess in the music industry!

Yes, the secret to success is to understand that it works like any other financial market! I don't get how people think that someone would put in thousands of dollars in a project that clearly only will generate 100 dollars.

In their head s they will be signed to a record label that should put in a hell of alot of marketing (since that is what they are doing with Kate Perry) to their next release. Never crossed your mind that they can easily see that your past 10 releases never went over 500 000 streams which would mean that you have got in around 1000 dollars.

For that money, you can't even hire a good PR agent to send it out. Why do you think a record label would get on with such a lousy deal?

In reality, if the deal is shitty they won't do it. The laws of the finical things are here also. That we are dealing with art won't change anything. A famous auction house won't handle the shitty painting that some unknown painted. But a much uglier painting painted by Winston Churchill they would go for. Is it a newly discovered masterpiece of michalangelo , well they they really would go for it.

It's all that we expect what should come in. To get that deal with anyone you need to creat a plan a momentum so we people are ready to invest in you. Are you still just a couple of thousand followers on Facebook and just 10000 streams on Spotify and a couple of hundred streams on youtube. That tells us all that we shouldn't spend that much on you at this time.

would you buy these?

Are you really put everyting on your career? Obstacle

Right now I feel I have this communication with several people in several layers. No, the post is not about you even though it touches the subject. This week I just dedicate the blog to the most common things that are pretty good sign that you are not putting everything on your career.

I get so many times that people are really serious about their careers. They are doing everything to get a spot with the stars. They are really putting everything on it. They want to know how to get to "the next step".
At least that is what they say.

One thing to see if they really are putting in the time in careers is to see how they look on obstacles. So you won't write perfect songs! Are you ready to move forward to co-write with others? Or even worse get songs for songwriters just to perform?

If you find the right solution to move forward you are putting the time in your career. Too many are just stubborn to try to keep a broken thing to work. I seen so many careers go to hell because they artist couldn't get into their head that tehy wouldn't write good enough songs, or just need to change the style.

You maybe need to kick out that producer that you are best friend with? Yes, the one that is going for a career is willing to get around the obstacles instead of getting stuck there. In retrospective, you hear a lot of these stories how the artist that failed blame someone else. In reality, if you look closer it's usually because they didn't want to get around an obstacle.

Are you really put everyting on your career? Boring things..

Right now I feel I have this communication with several people in several layers. No, the post is not about you even though it touches the subject. This week I just dedicate the blog to the most common things that are pretty good sign that you are not putting everything on your career.

I get so many times that people are really serious about their careers. They are doing everything to get a spot with the stars. They are really putting everything on it. They want to know how to get to "the next step".
At least that is what they say.

Yes, your career will be full of boring things! And you will be the one who is doing them. So many artists talk how much they work but as soon you get to the boring stuff like updating the homepage, going through email lists and getting gigs suddenly there is no time for that.

Too many are just prioritizing the fun stuff. What that differs, but sitting in the studio recording music is usually one of the more fun stuff. Promote that music later is not that fun, but essential.

If you really are putting all on your career you will even do the boring things with a smile. You will be so interested in the whole process that you sit up all night just working on it. I know myself I was on the tip to burned out just because I loved the whole process so much that it was no stop to all the stuff I wanted to do.

Still, it's a very big problem that you just want to focus on parts of the career. One of the most common things is that the cool stuff is alright like shooting a video, photo shoots and hanging in the studio is the most favorited ones. In the end, they are the small parts of what is needed to put everything on your career.

Are you really put everyting on your career? Relationships...

Right now I feel I have this communication with several people in several layers. No, the post is not about you even though it touches the subject. This week I just dedicate the blog to the most common things that are pretty good sign that you are not putting everything on your career.

I get so many times that people are really serious about their careers. They are doing everything to get a spot with the stars. They are really putting everything on it. They want to know how to get to "the next step".
At least that is what they say.

This problem comes a bit down the road. In the beginning, you can put your relationships aside. But in the end, it will be strained. You will be that person who misses all parties. The one that comes on any birthdays. In the end, your old friends will not call you anymore when they re doing something, they know you will just answer you can't be there.

In the end, it will come to a bigger event. That birthday when your best friend turns even and a party where everyone will be at. You are in a shotty club in a city you never have heard of.

Here are the ones that put their careers will do it. the other ones will suddenly start to say no to these gigs because it's more fun on the other thing. Yes, I have seen people in bands cry on tours when tehy call home and miss their child's birthday. Hey, I even pushed my mothers funeral for this career. Yes, you will be selfish but it's in the reality you have to be.

The worst is partners, girlfriends, boyfriends that are left behind and are making your life miserable. I usually tell people that I can't count all the relationships I have burned over the years of my career, and i'm not even touring. You need a very understandable partner.
No, you can't bring them on tour every time. Not even the bigger stars can do that. If you put your relationship before your career, you are not putting things on your career. You are going for a home life with a secure job, and it will crash along the way. You can't joggle this one.
Kids, no you won't see them. You have to choose, be with your kids or do a career. Yes, 99% will choose the kids. Still, we are looking for that 1%.

Are you really put everyting on your career? Work...

Right now I feel I have this communication with several people in several layers. No, the post is not about you even though it touches the subject. This week I just dedicate the blog to the most common things that are pretty good sign that you are not putting everything on your career.

I get so many times that people are really serious about their careers. They are doing everything to get a spot with the stars. They are really putting everything on it. They want to know how to get to "the next step".
At least that is what they say.

Work! This is where many fail in the beginning. You manage to get a gig in another town. It's not the hottest gig but ok. The payment is ok but is not pay any rent or anything. But any gig is needed, also the artist has been nagging about getting more gigs and be able to been seen in front of more people. Also, all gig is part of a story around the artist. You present that for the artist.

Suddenly that gig is not that important. They have trouble to get off work. It's fast away and not cool enough. They could take it another week or if it was closer.

When your work is going before your opportunities, your career is not first, it's your job that is first. This I meet a lot. Artist gets a pretty nice well paying job and the opportunities are sorted around the job.

You know what, I always took my jobs in second hand to be in my position that I'm in today. Yes, I have burnt many bridges and many of my old bosses would not recommend me in any way. Just because I put everything in my career in the music industry. Not as an artist but behind the scene. I can't count all the times I have said no to things or called in myself sick just to be on that festival or that showcase that propelled me forward. And Yes I expect the artist to do the same if they are serious with their career.

You just have to make things work and put your career first. that is the only thing that is the right. You cant be a hard-working artist and have a nice job on the side. Not even if it is a job with music connections for the government. You won't be able to combine the both you have to choose.

When you hear that their regular job is in the way for an opportunity you know they are not putting their career first. This is mostly shown when they can get time off for something they think is cool but not for the regular stuff.

Are you really put everyting on your career? Showcase...

Right now I feel I have this communication with several people in several layers. No, the post is not about you even though it touches the subject. This week I just dedicate the blog to the most common things that are pretty good sign that you are not putting everything on your career.

I get so many times that people are really serious about their careers. They are doing everything to get a spot with the stars. They are really putting everything on it. They want to know how to get to "the next step".
At least that is what they say.

The problem is that people don't get how much you have to spend on your project to succeed. It's not about finding the right people to involve. It's all about how you work and how hard you really want it.
The answer will still be that yes they really want this and it's the only thing that occupies their mind.

Still just with a couple of small tests they fail at the first step.

The first is usually not take the chances. You give them an opportunity to play at a showcase somewhere on the other side of the world. Actually, they have been nagging for a while that they are ready for the big leap and playing abroad would be a cool thing. Of course, this is not the easiest task so it could take some months before the opportunity arise. You spend a lot of work to get them on and in the end, you get a small favor and the last spot is open for your new coming band to play.
You get back to the artist and get the great news that they are on.

You just expect that they will be happy and just get the things going. Instead, you get a barrage of different excuses.
-Will they pay for our airfare and hotels?
- Of course not, you are just lucky to get a spot. You wanted to get a break, so take care of the airfares and get an Airbnb.
- What is the backline, did we get a "good" place to play and is it at a good time?
- Probably not, but what is a good spot? You are small so I guess you should just be lucky to start to take the first step. The Backline we have to check later.
-Well, I don't know. It's a lot of money to get over to this festival, is it the right thing to do?
- If I was a fortune teller I might be able to say. But if you don't play you won't win.
- Since it's important maybe we should bring people to quire behind us?
- No make it as simple as possible to save cost, you just told me that you thought it was a lot of money.
- Yes but we sound much better with a drummer and a quire behind us!

Then it just goes on and on and everything is scrutinized in minutes detail. Of course, you lose interest, instead of doing your job you answer questions and clam them down. Every second question is if we are meeting the right people, getting the right stuff. In the end, they will pull off since tehy are uncertain that is the right thing.

People that are doing a career and need a safety belt to do are in reality not put everything on their career.

The Talibans of music!

I guess music is like a religion. and when it comes to a religion yes there will be extremist. And whatever you believe is the right believe.

The music is a bit in the same way. People that claim to know what is good, what is pure and what has a soul. Also, they believe that what they like is the best for everyone else. in these circles they usually talk about sellout and stuff like that. Money is not to be mention yet it's still there.
Here you have the parallel with the church. You should give away money to the poor be merciful and don't claim too much. At the same time, the church is doing the opposite.

With the music Taliban is that the artist can't be too big, then it's a sellout at the same time the Taliban tells everyone to listen to, in the end, the artist will be big. Then the Taliban leaves the artist and thinks it's too commercial.

I guess that is the reason, the fear of that the artist will make it big, they choose artists that in reality doesn't have any chance of success. And the frustration leads to them to become something in the music industry like a small booker on an obscured club or music critic in a newspaper. Where they can preach what is the right music for the people. Music that people, in reality, don't want to listen to.