Bulldozers tearing down buildings to make room for new buildings. That’s the norm in Nashville these days.  Like the old Warner Brothers (Crittendon) building on Music Row. Some call it disruption.

In the music industry, the same thing is happening- the old get pushed out or knocked down to make way for the new. Which team are you on?

Bulldozers/Badasses

If you’re an artist or songwriter seeking your own way, and trying new and different ways to get noticed and heard amidst the din, you’re a bulldozer, a badass.  Not content with the status quo, you make your own way and continually get your music out there any way you can: lyric videos, live videos, streaming, CD’s, mp3’s and the like.

Bulldozers and badasses are unafraid to create their own team to assist them in this journey.  They know the best way to move forward is to allow each person on the team to ply their own strengths.  Let the artists be the best artists they can be; let the publicist be the best publicist; let the manager. You get the idea.

Bulldozers find the right way to get in the door and get noticed.

Buildings

Buildings aren’t only the structures and old ways of the music business, they are also the people stuck in the past. I’m specifically talking about artists and songwriters who are afraid.  They’re unwilling to try new ways to get noticed.  They keep playing the same clubs expecting “The Guy” to show up and discover them. They still cold mail (or WORSE, cold email with attachments) their music to labels and radio stations without knowing anyone on the inside thinking this will get them noticed.  I see them waiting in the lobbies at labels hoping to get a meeting (and they’re the lucky ones! They got past security!).

In my humble opinion, these strategies will work the same day that monkeys fly out of my butt. (Try to get that image out of your head anytime soon.)

Believers

Here’s the bottom line to this rant.  You need to adjust to the new playing field.  Build a team of like-minded believers to surround yourself.

The industry has changed and you can choose to move forward or be left behind.  The choice is yours.

In the coming weeks, I’m going to introduce some bulldozers of the new music industry to you. Hopefully, you will model them and find success.

#TakeTheTwenty

Maybe I’m the guy to be on your team of believers.  Maybe not.  But isn’t your career worth at least taking these steps to find out?

1) #TakeTheTwenty This free step will help you and me assess where you are and where you need to go from here.

2) Reach out to me chris@chriskeaton.com  Let’s discuss how I may be able to assist you.

4) Let’s get moving.

 

Photo Credits: Cover, c. 2017  Twitter.com; Bulldozer, c.2017 YP.com ; Building c.2017 Syracuse.com