Being a professional in the music industry is a tough career to embark on. Musicians can easily burn themselves out and lose faith in the industry, and it’s no mystery why. The industry is, quite frankly, a brutal place. Deals are hard to find, and other players in the game can be extremely cut-throat. It’s difficult to know who has your best interest in mind, so musicians need to work extremely hard to make sure they have their own best interests at heart. Musicians should empower themselves with knowledge about the industry from experienced professionals to understand how best to approach their careers. There is much more research to be done for interested musicians, but these six mistakes are among the most common and should be avoided by new musicians in the industry.
Know How To Upload Music
The first thing new musicians should be aware of is how to upload music to Spotify. Even if they don’t have music to release yet, it’s a good idea to be aware of the process, so they’re prepared when they have a finished single, EP, or album. Music distribution sites make it easy for musicians to upload their music to Spotify and other streaming marketplaces through a subscription-based model. From there, musicians can easily upload their music to be delivered to digital storefronts.
Network In Person
A lot of important networking happens online, but many new musicians spend too much time fortifying their social media presence over networking in person at shows.
The live music scene across the world is struggling, but it’s still a major part of meeting new musicians. New musicians who don’t network at local events are missing the opportunity to meet like-minded artists who could be valuable connections in the future.
Value Your Time
Many new musicians take on an enormous amount of work and projects. Fear of saying ‘no’ is one of the biggest reasons musicians burn out early. If they’re working a part-time job, rehearsing every night, and teaching on the side, that makes for a schedule that leaves virtually no room for self-care or personal relationships. Make sure to value your time and don’t take more than you can realistically sustain for a long period of time. If you don’t, you may find yourself exhausted and jaded about a career in music. Don’t burn out, and make sure to value your time!
Be Kind and Professional
Music is an industry saturated with ego and a lot of bad attitudes. The industry certainly doesn’t need more rudeness and it won’t help you get further to be demanding or unprofessional. To be a valuable member of the music community, it’s important to be both kind and professional. That means showing up on time, being communicative, and getting work done by the agreed-upon deadline.
Make Money In Other Ways
Another situation that can burn out musicians early on is by relying too much on their gigs and music money to sustain themselves. It takes time to build a network of sustainable income sources from music alone, and it’s always ok to need supplemental income while trying to achieve your goal of being a full-time musician. Often when artists rely on their art to make money, the quality of the work can suffer. You may end up taking gigs with undesirable collaborators or find yourself in bad deals just to make money. Find some other sources so that you can make more effective choices about the gigs you take.
Take Your Time
A career in music or the arts takes time to develop. Some musicians don’t make it until they are middle-aged, and some make it in their early 20s.
Much of the time, artists that find major success early on have some other force helping them along the way. Whether that be family connections or generational wealth, there’s a difference between aspiring artists who have to supplement their income with part-time jobs and those that don’t. Don’t be discouraged if it’s taking a long time to see success. Keep working, and you’ll find a pathway that works for you.
Conclusion
In essence, the best way to approach a music career is with patience. Careers in the arts can ebb and flow, and most of the major pop stars we see in the media are doing a lot of behind-the-scenes work in addition to promoting and performing their original music. Take your time, and make sure you allow yourself time and space to be a human as well as a musician. Value your own time, don’t overbook yourself, be professional, and don’t be afraid to supplement some of your income with side jobs or music-adjacent jobs that help pay your bills while you work toward your goal of being a full-time musician.
