CHALLENGE

Getting attention.

REWARD

Barrier to entry nonexistent.

CHALLENGE

Getting publicity.

REWARD

Publicity is nearly irrelevant and the means of spreading the word are at your fingertips.

CHALLENGE

Making money.

REWARD

Successful artists are making more money in adjusted dollars than they ever were, just not as much as bankers or techies. Furthermore, there are many avenues of revenue. Endorsements, merch, privates…and live pays better than ever before.

CHALLENGE

Only Top Forty counts/can make you go nuclear.

REWARD

We’re disruption ready. Radio will embrace the left field, the public wants it, if you can do something different well, you can break through. But you must be persistent.

CHALLENGE

Takes forever for a track to move up the chart.

REWARD

You can continue to release new music for no cost on YouTube and nearly no cost on streaming services to satiate your fans and bond them to you.

CHALLENGE

You’re competing against the history of music/greatest music of all time.

REWARD

Separates the men from they boys (and the women from the girls!) If you’re not good enough, drop out. And ignore those not good enough. Today you have to have a great voice and great tunes. The bar is ever higher, but if you can reach it…

CHALLENGE

Fake news.

REWARD

Art is about truth, ignore the hype. Don’t feel bad when someone else gets a review in the “Times” and you don’t, it doesn’t matter!

CHALLENGE

You can’t get booked.

REWARD

Festivals need undercards. Believe me, Bowie, Blondie and a whole host of acts could have broken out of festivals. Not only does your performance/music have to be good, you have to have a show, you must assault the audience, wow people.

CHALLENGE

You can’t get paid.

REWARD

Unless you make Top Forty music you don’t need a label and streaming services pay regularly and fairly. You can make 70 cents on the dollar if you own your rights. Ignore the old farts with their disinformation campaigns decrying progress. They just want to suck at the tit of the old record company CD paradigm which is not coming back.

CHALLENGE

Record labels rip you off.

REWARD

Not for long, new systems employed by millennials are coming online. They believe in transparency. A boomer cries peace and love and stabs you in the back a millennial will pay you your cash as long as they make some.

CHALLENGE

Getting on Letterman.

REWARD

Late night is meaningless. But YouTube is your tool, and it’s FREE! It’s better than MTV.

CHALLENGE

Being heard.

REWARD

Go back to the basics, the Beatles could sing, write songs with changes and looked good to boot. Adele sells ten times what everybody else does, because she focuses on songs and melody and she can sing!

CHALLENGE

Me-too business.

REWARD

Don’t work with the usual suspects, do it your own way, the means of production are at your fingertips, experiment, failure is forgotten, keep striving for the stars, see what resonates.