The music industry is constantly evolving and growing with new emerging artists and songs. However, the number of unsuccessful music artists is still higher than the successful ones. It is quite an evident fact that not every music artist will become the next icon in the industry and that does not happen due to lack of talent. 90% of the talented music artists are not successful simply because they love music too much and unable to interpret its commercial side along with market demands.
Hard work, resilience, tough mindset, consistency, etc are the attributes that shape an artist and help to become a professional in the market. Failure can be hard but it is also a very common sight in the industry as not everyone gets the height of stardom. There are many reasons why many talented music artists fail to create a successful career and failing is just another lesson to do it right. If you are an emerging music artist as well, get to know these top 10 reasons why most music artists fail. If are able to avoid them, someday you can also become a star.
10 Reasons for Not Finding Success for Music Artists
• Not Understanding the Importance of Marketing
In this competitive digital age, marketing is not anymore an option for the music artists but has become a necessity to clear the clutter. A lot of bands and solo music artists are aware of the fact that effective music marketing strategies are required to navigate through the competitive landscape. However, only being aware of it is not going to do it unless you take actions to do it.
The market is introduced with new emerging artists everyday and marketing is needed to grow an audience base. With the help of music marketing, you can improve the number of fans and followers. It is more than just creating amazing music as you will need to understand the market demands and create music projects that resonate with the target audiences. The concept of music marketing is not new anymore and music artists should take it seriously.
• Expect It to Happen Overnight
One major mistake made by emerging artists is that they expect success to happen overnight. It is not the instant coffee that happens within a few minutes but the perfect wine that can take years. A music artist can fail multiple times before reaching stardom and the biggest failure is considering only failure but not a learning lesson to make it better next time. It takes a lot of time to build a successful music career from scratch.
Before jumping into anything, get your idea of ‘success’ clear. Is it the fame, money or the record deals that you are after? It is not just about creating a fan base but about creating a legacy that can also inspire others. Redefine your idea of success and do not just run after money as it will get you nowhere. A long-term successful music career is created when you love music passionately and enjoy the journey more than the destination.
• Not Being Consistent in New Music Release
Inconsistency is something that can easily put you off the track. While being consistent is hard, it is also one of the crucial ingredients of success, especially for emerging artists who still have a name for themselves. Consistency can help to instill more growth in your musical career and experience as a professional music artist. If you want to dominate the music industry, hard work, and consistency are a must and there should be insight as well.
Music artists can be worse at consistency as they need to focus on their craft at their own pace. But when you make regular releases, it can create anticipation in the market and keep the listeners seeking more of your upcoming music projects. Use social media to keep the fans updated and set deadlines to execute the projects. Break down your whole project into smaller chunks to get the task done smoothly. Make sure to post about the creative process and BTS which can keep the fans engaged. Showing up for your music every day is the greatest thing you can do.
• Taking Your Loyal Fans for Granted
The pop stars and the biggest rappers in the industry can earn millions because they have billions of fans. Fans are the main supporters who can make you successful and you should never consider them, for granted. If you want to be a better artist, start seeing your fans as individuals rather than just numbers. Create a strong bond with the fans through online activities like comments, likes, and timestamps and you can also reply to direct messages. Making fans feel heard, loved, and special can help you grow in the long run. You will be surprised to know to what extent loyal fans go for their favorite music artist.
Try to create real connections with real people and you will be amazed at the amount of love and support they offer. Staring from sharing your music with others, making creative posts, and opening fan pages, to creating playlists and writing blogs for your; fans can do anything. Your fans are the ones who will buy your tickets for the music tour. So, always be nice and humble without your fans even if they act a little crazy sometimes. Try to give more than you take and witness the rise of your empire.
• Playing it Safe without Taking Any Risk
While being in a safe zone feels comforting, it can be one of the biggest obstacles to growth. Music artists are creative rebels and they are meant to do things differently and more excitingly. The artists need to be fearless about their approaches and musical experiments. A creative person must learn to take risks which can open doors with new possibilities. While you might be afraid to do something differently to not hamper your numbers; taking that step might have offered more growth to your career. Be afraid not to think out of the box and then lose a few fans. If you are doing a good job with your music creations, the numbers will soon increase. Show the unapologetically you through your music and your authentic self will be liked by all. Take risks and overcome your fear of losing.
• Looking for Shortcuts Rather than the Right Way
There are no shortcuts or hacks for success but a sheer will and perseverance can help to make the journey better and more progressive. The more effort you add, the greater results you will get from the musical arsenal. It takes much time to gain in-depth knowledge and skills to identify the right way to success. Only 10% of talented artists who are successful in the industry are well aware of the fact that experience is built over time and repeating the same process with more creativity every time.
It is definitely a painstaking practice that comes with learning and proper music education. If you understand the fact there are no shortcuts to a full-fledged success that stays; then you are already surpassing the 90% of others. Do not look for shortcuts since there isn’t any, just focus on music.
• Always Comparing Yourself with Other Artists
Every other human being is a different individual and each of them has different talents, learning abilities, and creative processes. Even though everyone is a music artist in the scene, each of the artists has a different level and acceleration of growth. While some artists might want to release an album every year, others might just drop singles and mixtapes. It creative process is completely dependent on each artist’s personal ways of creating music and there should be no comparison.
If you keep comparing yourself with other music artists and their growth to feel good about yourself, you will always need to find someone who has just started. But there is no point in it because not everyone is going to stick to the same place. It takes a lot of courage to believe in yourself and once you learn to do it; you will be at more peace with yourself. There is no meter to gauge success and growth other than the satisfaction you get out of it. Constantly comparing yourself with others and judging your progress can lead to anxiety and put you off in the creative process. Use your time and do not waste it. Success might not be immediate, but it can be certain.
• Making Excuses for Not Doing It
Making excuses is a very human thing to do. Most humans are scared of failing or of their downfalls since they do not know the future or what to expect out of the situation. Humans are scared of making mistakes and they are more likely to make an excuse to avoid something rather than putting effort into doing it. There can be many times when you thought that social media platforms do not work and it is all vain efforts. But have you invested in yourself to find the root cause? The tendency to assume things on your own terms rather than finding the reality is what stops a creative person from unfolding their true potential. Whenever you face a problem in your musical career, you are supposed to solve it rather than look for excuses to get over it.
• Waiting for an ‘Approval’ of the Industry
There are no gatekeepers in creativity and do not let anyone define you or your music. Take authority over your own music and do not wait for the industry to provide approval for your music. Let the audiences be the judge of your musical creations and you will be able to find more users who would actually like and support your music. Whether it is about signing a record deal or getting a response from the tastemakers; you should always trust your music and be authentic about it. Everybody loves original creations rather than copied creativity.
Final Thoughts
Being a professional and successful music artist is not an easy task. It takes a sheer amount of dedication, consistency and hard work. However, do not lose yourself in the process and make sure to learn amount promotional tactics other than just music to support it effectively.
