Don’t work unless the track is a hit.
In case you missed it, the idiot who tattooed Harry Styles on her face is reveling in the fact that she got all that attention, I’m sure you saw it and thought WHAT KIND OF PERSON DOES THAT?
Turns out the tattoo was a fake. See the whole story explained here:
“How I rocked the entire world for $300”: bit.ly/2MIH2vV
But that video only has 85,421 views, far from the entire world. In other words, people were interested in the stunt, but not the track, which is far from close enough, never mind no cigar.
This paradigm was started by drummer Josh Freese. He too got attention for inventing what came to be known as the Kickstarter paradigm, i.e. different perks for different donations, but has anybody ever heard the music?
This is different from Radiohead doing their name your own price deal with “In Rainbows,” as Radiohead were already superstars with a dedicated fanbase.
But the nitwit with the Harry Styles tattoo did this for the attention. Believing it would springboard her to musical success. But it don’t work that way anymore. But this is evidence that the only way to get mass attention these days is to set yourself on fire, shy of that you’re dependent upon the work, and that’s a long hard struggle.
Like the Killers track “Land Of The Free.” Not only is the band known, but I think the song is a hit, but it isn’t, there are only 1,767,322 views on YouTube. And only 1,998,422 plays on Spotify. In other words, the track has no traction, only fans and looky-loos have partaken of it. What are the odds for a newbie? LONG! Especially if they don’t make hip-hop with known suspects.
So what’s a poor boy to do?
Certainly not play in a rock and roll band.
But if you choose to go down this path…
You’re in the worst era ever in the history of making it. People have too many options, and they’re not only music, we’re living through the golden age of television. As for help… Major labels only want to sign that which is easy to break, and that’s hip-hop. So, chances are you’re not going to get any help and you’re going to have to do it yourself.
In other words, you’re gonna have to think really small. Your family and friends.
And if the word spreads, you play live.
Playing live is the best way to make it if you’re not a hip-hop act. But it’s really hard to get gigs, and it’s hard to get an agent, but if you get a response, you’re on to something.
One of the biggest bands in America has never had a hit, the Tedeschi Trucks Band. Sure, Derek Trucks got traction playing with the Allmans, but I’m pointing out this paradigm as one to pursue. The act goes on the road with way too many players to get rich, but it’s about the show, and it’s building, however slowly.
But in the age of social media influencers, no one wants to put in the work. Ironically, the easier it is to make and distribute it, the harder it is to get it heard.
Change always comes from outside. One act can skew the entire universe. As Nirvana did. So we’re waiting for something to break the hip-hop hegemony.
But it’s not going to arrive via stunting.
The internet loves a train-wreck, kill yourself, dismember somebody and you’ll be all over the news for half a day. THEN WHAT?
The faster you gain attention, the faster you lose it. MTV made acts big overnight, most of them faded just as fast, whereas those who took years to make it on rock radio before video are still around.
Life is about paying your dues, now more than ever, even though it doesn’t seem that way. There’s only one real social networking company, Facebook, with its original service and Instagram, expect Snapchat to buckle and sell, and there’s only one real search engine, Google, and one real shopping site, Amazon. Because if it works, everybody gravitates to it. Same deal with hits. The curve of adoption is ever so steep.
So you don’t play in everybody else’s arena, you do something new.
But just like in tech, if you don’t get a minimum of traction instantly, you pivot or give up. That’s right, if these companies don’t succeed, they literally go bankrupt or are sold for pennies on the dollar, so if no one’s paying attention to your work…
And most of these companies start off being free. If you’re thinking of money, you’re putting the cart before the horse.
But the truth is human beings are always looking for something new, and they want to tell everybody when they find it. But making the connection between producer and consumer…is harder than it’s ever been.
