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Post subject: Help with the essay
Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2018 1:36 pm
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Hey!

I am a college student, I study marketing and public relations. I need to write the process analysis, in which I have to describe, how does a music performer penetrate the industry and become a famous musician? It's quite challenging for me, since I am not in this business.

Can somebody help me with collecting the information? I need to get the consultancy according the self-marketing of musician and find some interesting cases.

Thank you!


Last edited by Juliane Beich on Mon Oct 22, 2018 3:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Help with the essay
Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2018 4:39 am
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Juliane Beich wrote:
I have to describe, how does a music performer penetrate the industry and become a famous musician? It's quite challenging for me, since I am not in this business.


Wouldn't it make more sense to ask some people who actually have "penetrated the industry to become famous musician"? The users of this forum generally have not, so we are not technically "in this business" either.


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Post subject: Re: Help with the essay
Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2018 5:35 am
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Yep... If we knew, we wouldn't be here :D
A big part of it is "right place, right time", who your manager is, and what kind of connections you have.
Notice that I did not include "talent" in that list. Talent can be produced into the final mix in most pop and rock situations.
I've known many very talented individuals and bands who never broke out of the local club scene.
I know a drummer who played with former members of KISS and Black Sabbath who recorded only one album with them.

And technology is changing what is going to be needed to penetrate the market. Youtube and Podcasts are driving this. It is easier to get your music heard... but it is also much harder to penetrate the din of hundreds of thousands of other musicians all wanting "their break"

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Post subject: Re: Help with the essay
Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2018 9:53 am
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First off welcome to the Forum, Juliane. That’s quite a first post. Both ghost_of_strings and Rich make valid points.

I’ve worked in professional studios amongst well known celebs, recording engineers, managers, and with disc jockeys, record distributors, publishing houses, and program managers who can get that air play. I’ve also worked amongst those who can promote TV coverage to be brief. That’s a lot of well connected people. I have no doubt that were it the case that I chose to go down that road, my chances were better than someone who didn’t have those open doors, all other things being considered though. I’ve sung and performed on stage and played on TV several times by request, but they didn't line up outside for autographs. :lol:
The formula is pretty mixed. Most times it comes with sacrifice. Today, even more, there are many roads to success. Talent? That’s something people notice for sure, and yet there are many failures with talent because they haven’t had the right management either business wise or with the proper connections. They may not have been reliable as an individual or band, or they just didn’t fit for a variety of reasons. It could be that they weren’t providing the music for the day.

Good looks? That helps, but there are superstars who prove this not to always be a requirement. It does help to have a look that suits the music though. Space outfits in a Country band look out of place as much as Stetsons look weird in a psychedelic band unless it is a parody or schtick that is intended. Song selection? Absolutely. Originality? Big plus. Being a relative? You figure it out. Unfortunately, in reality there is a dark side that, in a number of cases, includes vices as well; although, that is typical in many businesses. It comes with the territory, with a history, but is seldom, and there is a movement for change and a society shift. It does, however exist behind some of those doors of which we speak. Buyer beware.

Great musicians? Absolutely. Well, sometimes. There is a bit of a mystique going on in the music business. Some hits are made in the studio and not on stage. This means a completely different player such as a studio musician taking the seat instead of the performer on stage. It is not unlike the anchorman looking good as a performer while others do the work in the background. Look up the Funk Brothers and The Wrecking Crew for an example. Good producers, arrangers, and engineers with experience in the studio have a huge impact. Big stars also have producers for stage performance as well, whether it’s dance, vocal coaching, stage appearance and set design, or more. I worked with a producer from LA that could take a few or a lot and shuffle them and their performance in such a way that the performance flowed and had impact. That’s what he specialized in, and he traveled in high demand for live events. Believe it or not, many of these things are a bit of a science that has evolved through failures and successes passed on down with experience. This is where associations can help should the desire and need arrive. Much of this is for hire and can be found by word of mouth, trade magazines, web sites, and so on. It’s an investment in doing business. Sometimes the crap shoot works and sometimes you need the whole Casino (big or small).

As a former producer and director I will stop here by saying it’s the little details that count. The big ones will take care of themselves eventually.

Just know that there are plenty of popular artists that are not talented musically, but they have a show that is pulling in crowds, and recordings that are well produced (or not). Personality and crowd control plays a part.

In the recent past, unlike in the sixties, with exception, the average fame longevity was set for six months. Today the rules have changed. One great path to having a following and for opening doors is social media which doesn’t help if no one sees or hears it. Promotion, promotion, promotion. You can promote, but you better deliver.

In the end, it’s a business and many business methods, such as networking and budgeting, are not to be overlooked. A good lesson in business is likely to be as important as reading that fake book. Money definitely helps, Be methodical and diligent about your trade.

There are many more ways to reach the goal of becoming famous. On one hand there are more ways than ever to get your product out there; however, there are also players that are even bigger that can help you or prevent you from getting your slice of the pie. They’ll either include you, eat you alive, support you, or prevent you from performing on that big stage.

Dick Dale, as with others, suggested that you should know your business and that you should not relinquish ownership. Great advice to follow, but that’s a difficult path to travel (although, not impossible). Sometimes, that hit song might be a catalyst for the producer/distributor or other to reap the rewards. It is said that the Colonel had Elvis sing songs that the Colonel presented only to find that Elvis didn’t maintain the rights and the Colonel got his credit and ownership of the song(s); but, I digress.

Remember these three things:

1) It’s a business.

2) It’s the right people (Any success I’ve had I owe to surrounding myself with good people at the top and bottom).

3) Promote, and face to face appearances are very important; but, make sure the spokesperson is worthy of the task and omit those who aren’t comfortable or up to the task.

4) Be kind and approachable to the fans.

5) It’s also luck and timing.

6) Did I say “It’s show business?”

Good luck with your essay, Juliane. I’m sure others here will be able to add answers to your question.

FSB

I like the old adage:

It’s hard to soar with the Eagles when you’re surrounded by turkeys. - Longfellow Deeds

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Post subject: Re: Help with the essay
Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2018 2:37 pm
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Who's your favorite performer/band? Find a contact and shoot them a few questions, you never know.
Talk to your schools local budding performers/bands, I'm sure there are a few.
Welcome and good luck.


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Post subject: Re: Help with the essay
Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2018 4:15 pm
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How does a music performer penetrate the industry and become a famous musician?

The methods by which that process works have changed over the years.

There was a time when plenty of talent and/or having something interesting to contribute were enough by themselves.
Marketing was also a fairly important ingredient.

Now sexy good looks and strict adherence to a musical formula are enough by themselves and marketing has become the lion's share of it.

At all times, regardless of then or now, luck plays a huge role.

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Post subject: Re: Help with the essay
Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2018 4:56 pm
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sfceric64 wrote:
Who's your favorite performer/band? Find a contact and shoot them a few questions, you never know.
Talk to your schools local budding performers/bands, I'm sure there are a few.
Welcome and good luck.
Good suggestions, Eric. A lot of those favourite performers are reachable and/or approachable contrary to common belief. That’s not to say they all are, and some will be a PITA; but, if you are sincere, and don’t take advantage of them you may get lucky. They are pretty savvy. They usually won’t take the bait if you are motivated to ask the questions for the wrong reasons. The reward is certainly is worth the effort. IMHO. All they can say is no.

As sfceric64 suggested talking to band members local or otherwise will give you an alternative perspective and you’d be surprised at how the connections can take off at times. It might be through a relationship or a connection a band member has, or a techie, or a girl or boyfriend, or a music store rep., or an agency, or a receptionist, or a promoter . . . well, you get the idea. :wink:
FSB

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Post subject: Re: Help with the essay
Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2018 6:24 pm
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BMW-KTM wrote:
How does a music performer penetrate the industry and become a famous musician?

The methods by which that process works have changed over the years.

There was a time when plenty of talent and/or having something interesting to contribute were enough by themselves.
Marketing was also a fairly important ingredient.

Now sexy good looks and strict adherence to a musical formula are enough by themselves and marketing has become the lion's share of it.

At all times, regardless of then or now, luck plays a huge role.
BMW-KTM is correct here. For pop/rock it certainly rings true. We have a glut of Bob Fossey dance moves, singing and/or lip syncing to studio tracks (not always because vocals are poor, but sometimes because breath when dancing is compromised), and grinding. As BMW-KTM said, “formulated”, but not just for today. We saw what I call Factory bands rolling out of Los Angeles with the Glam Bands complete with tinsel hair from Tinsel Town. They were cranked out with promises that fame was as close as your performance teachers and fashion Gurus in that warehouse or studio down the street ready to take your money for lessons in the art of Glam Rock.

But wait! This was nothing new from the record companies’ perspective. In the early 60s Fabian and Frankie Avalon were also fabricated to reach the audience at a close distance. Pop singers crossed over. Pat Boone emulated Elvis, and soon there were others. One thing that was different is that many back then had talent because of simple recording methods and simple stage productions. They were the highlight of the show so they had to have at least a smidge of talent.

However, there were plenty of celebrities that were simply personalities that had that thing called charisma. How did they get from zero to the top? Promotion. Saturated promotion. It worked then and it does today in the same way. Between the early days of rock and the latter days of rock, there was sophistication IMHO, and it stands out with longevity.

That brings us to the money. If the audience buys into promotion over substance, why be concerned about the talent? Hey! If there’s talent - BONUS.

Obviously, there’s an audience for both. Sad. YMMV.

Promotion is mighty powerful. We buy into bad stuff all the time based on promotion. Cars, cellphones, computers, TV, politics, food, fashion, and, yes, even music.

FSB

Note: Disney played a role with Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello’s promotion. Where did Britney Spears, Christine Aguilara, and Justin Timberlake hone their craft? Hmm? That’s called a formula.

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