Read these two letters below:
From Bob Lefsetz
Everyone keeps blaming Spotify for an existential problem in the music industry.
There’s too much supply and not enough demand. Musicians used to make money from royalties when record sales were driven by listener demand. Nowadays, there’s so much music and listeners don’t want more.
Indie musicians made the mistake of believing that if they released enough product, they could stand out in a crowded marketplace. One song a month. One song a week. But since everyone is doing it, the effects are minimal.
Streaming is like an advertisement for your project. Not an income source. We’re entering an era where streaming is the result of demand, not the driver of it. Playlists used to be a ticket to a larger audience on Spotify. Not anymore. Now you have to build your own audience, build your own fanbase, play shows, build community, and make people give a sh*t before they’ll even think about streaming your songs. Streaming is for the fan’s convenience, not your pocketbook.
The future is in the niches, not the mainstream.
By Nicholas Roberts
Nobody is entitled to make a living from music.
First, find your audience.
Nobody who signed a deal 30 years ago should expect to be still making a living from their recordings in 2024.
But because streaming makes their music available again, they complain about streaming rates.
Well: first, find your audience.
Again.
Just like when you did the club and bar circuit back in the day, today’s recording artists find their audience online. And they work hard at it.
And if they get the numbers, they get the streams.
Success is about communication with an audience.
First, find your audience.
It’s really very simple.
By Paul Phillips
Martin Myers 
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