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.
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