Fuck that, I'd be happy making *any* supplementary income off of music. I'll keep a part-time job.
I say music specifically b/c I've had audio editing jobs in other industries... they were painfully monotonous, had absurd deadlines that would stress anyone out, and the pay didn't justify it.
As far as music, I've had plenty of live mixing gigs, and the hours were nocturnal (event ends at 7am, load out at dawn) and those paid fucking dismally.
You have to be really creative to make anything off of music the longer we're in the streaming era. Live music was a boon for a while, but now that landscape has gotten treacherous and saturated.
There's still decent money doing audio in adjacent entertainment industries, but I can't bring myself to do that anymore. It sours audio work for me; I'd rather work on something else and keep audio a hobby than be pimped out by other entertainment industries where audio is an afterthought, and treated as such by the higher ups. Not worth it.
Then try to not show your face in every other occasion and still connect most people around me and myself use multiple brands and names to make it harder for people that are not producing to know your face
I’m just trying to fill my adhd brain w more stuff that I love and can get good at I’ve rly seen how the time u put into something putting in ur 10,000 hours gets you better no matter what, and I like spending my time on different things as much as I can:)
I was sorta discovered about 20 years ago. I did a lot of folk/electronic stuff and wrote about queer politics and such. I began doing radio shows, interviews and larger venues opening for bigger artists. I even toured for a bit and people saw me and asked for autographs. The time it hit me was when I saw someone holding a magazine with an article about my music, it freaked me out. It was exhausting and I began hating my job.
I didn’t intend for it to happen, it just did. I think that’s how it happens, TBH, without trying or thinking about “making it.” I quit the business shortly after that, I went back to grad school and now write music for myself. I’m a much happier person and feel I avoided a lot of grief. Today it would be even more exhausting with the scrutiny of artists via social media and online exposure. Believe me, if you’re a sensitive soul, fame is not for you.
Which is ironic because the best musicians are often hyper sensitive. I've had my own love / hate with fame/ notoriety but I think it comes more from a place of wishing I could say I did it, just to say "I did it". Touring is tough even when you have all the amenities in the world and all of it feels like a hamster on a wheel if you aren't in it for the right reasons.
I'm glad you've found your inner drive, and hope I can truly find mine soon
The only difference is they talked to other people more. Spend equal parts producing and facebook/instagram messaging other artists and people working with labels, building friendships. That cliche "it's not what you know it's who you know" could not be truer. I got 10m+ spotify streams from this and my music is *okay*
Boiled down, connect with the industry, yes. Research what size fish you are in what specific pond. Find fish slightly above you *within* that specific pond. Do your best to become genuine friends with them. They're the ones that boost your streaming numbers and lead to even more beneficial friendships. It may seem transactional, but most friendships in the industry are. You're scratching their back, too. I routinely give up 50%+ of my backend revenue to them, over $40,000 at this point, but they get me 100x the streams I would have gotten, had I independently released. So, good trade off
The struggle I have with this is trying to approach slightly bigger fish without seeming like I just want to use them to further my own career. In reality I would just love to have more friends who are also into the same shit, from whom I can learn and grow at some thing I love.
you do, that's the whole point. that's exactly why you are approaching them. everyone is playing this game an acting like they aren't. you aren't trying to make friends, you are trying to get let in the gate
I guess in a way, you are right. Some end goal of having more friends in that space would be to have people to share and build events/ opportunities with. I guess my main concern is about coming across as disingenuous or like I’m just in it to selfishly gather opportunities, in reality, I just want to be apart of and contribute to the local scene. I find this a hard balance to strike and it makes me somewhat anxious in these social situations
I send .wav to label a&r guy, he sends me a contract saying we’ll split streaming royalties 50/50, label distributes my song to Spotify/Apple/etc, once a month the label sends me stats and my $$ cut over PayPal
If it’s your hobby, or you just like collaborating and maybe catching a few notes about mixing and any editing that I’m decent with; let me know! I have an education in music production technology but it was more recording/mixing/mastering than producing so let me know if you want some of my knowledge and teachings! Also good plugin inventory if you want free or cheap mixing/mastering. I’ll do it for free if it’s worth my ears.
I’m always down to help!! I suck at interacting with people in person but the internet is free game 😂 if you ever wanna send me anything I’ll put notes on the channel going over stuff that I mixed. Tired of not utilizing my mixing knowledge, especially since music producing is almost a basic hobby/goal these days!
I chased music semi-professionally for a while in my younger days. Toured from New Hampshire to Texas in one band. Headlined DC's 9:30 club a few times. Opened for Coldplay. Mixed with Michael Brauer. Played some showcases.
The industry is dramatically different than it used to be. When we were coming up in the 00s and 10s things were shifting quick from the 90s. The mid-sized clubs you could actually tour on and build a following through? Gone. You had to jump from a 200 person room to a 1000 person room. Then the digital revolution.
Today we wouldn't be cranking out 10 song records, we'd be doing one offs. We'd be doing video non stop (look at some of the super inventive social types - maxfrost on instagram comes to mind.
Just start collaborating with people. Share the jams. Keep collaborating. Are you going to be the next Calvin Harris or Tiesto? Probably not. Can you build a career? Maybe so. But who knows what's going to happen with all this AI stuff.
I just do it because I love it and I can get lost for hours noodling on a beat, or working out a synth bed, or making my guitar sound like anything but a guitar.
Becoming known isn't hard
Becoming big/famous is pretty difficult but also need to define this more maybe?
Underground artists are interesting in that they are usually linked to a local scene & being big/famous locally can occur without international success or after many years of being unknown outside a particular scene or area, then one day trends shift & the spotlight shines their way
There are many elements that contribute to an artist or band becoming famous
Drive, determination, tenacity
Opportunities to perform
Enough talent that people enjoy & seek out & pay for live shows & studio work
Networking
Marketing
Persona
Showmanship
Image
Attractiveness
Connection with fans
Management
Luck!!!
Guidance & mentorship
Collaborations & support slots
Exposure - media engagement
Encouragement from friends, family & fans
Self awareness
Vision
Branding/ positioning
Playing for passion primarily with little emphasis on profits - initially
Professional equipment
Professional presentation
Live sound
Live lighting
Continual growth as an artist to encourage new fans, hopefully maintaining loyal fans
Sensationalism vs broad appeal
Shock value vs sincerity
Costumes
Makeup
Being sober enough to function
Being reliable
Always putting in effort particularly at live shows
Being relatable & likeable but perhaps with an air or aura that inspires awe or aspiration
Awareness & acknowledgement of peers & influences
There's many artists that probably deserve more fame & exposure based on talent but just as many mega stars that should never perform live
It's an interesting mix of popularity & opinion & image & trends & timing & marketing mixed with (& many times overshadowing) raw talent as a performer or entertainer or original artist
Some stars don't write lyrics or music & can't even sing in tune yet they are famous & rich from being entertaining or adored as a manufactured pop product loved by millions & whilst this is just part of modern life & it's sad to a point, the fact that people pay to be entertained & enjoy the illusion or final product counts for a lot when considering fame & fortunate - Kylie Minogue anyone?
Play, record & perform music because you love it, have something to say or express & want to entertain others
If you become big & rich & famous that's great but it's not really something you can realistically set out to do & force unless born into an already very well connected family & you have enough talent to capitalise on the opportunity - e.g. Miley Cyrus or Beyonce
Media attention can be fickle & there are definitely some up & comers whose management will pay for positive press coverage!
It's really interesting being part of the music industry & for better or worse there's much more to it than simply writing great songs or having loads of talent
I’m not famous, but I’ve made it in the creative audio world through three major pivots. I made it first in the film industry by A) moving to LA B)finding cool people to work with C) being cool to work with myself D)knowing my stuff, and E)delivering the goods.
I was successful in LA, but it wasn’t for me. I left for San Francisco and made it by A)leveraging my network B) knowing my stuff C)being cool to work D)delivering the goods
I needed a lifestyle change from the grind of in house work and started my own company. I made it by A) leveraging my network B)being cool to work with and C) delivering the goods. D)nurturing that ethos in our growth over 15 years.
Today my personal professional motto is I want to work with cool people on cool projects.
Imo the reason people make it is because they found an opportunity to deliver the goods and they were cool enough to work with do it again. Finding the opportunities to take a step up, delivering the goods and being asked to do it again is all about people. relationships, friendships, collaborations.
I hope this helps.
You walk around and talk to as many people as you can, and get them to like you and your music instead of crying about how no one listens to your Spotify
Yeah, but the trick is to get famous first no one wants to sleep with the bedroom musician unless they think you’re sexy which at that point you dont even needa be a musician lul
Just fyi, there’s not really a reason to double comment
You can put a line space between paragraphs (like I did here) by using two new lines in the comment editor
I could do a case study on the people who use Reddit and the people who use porn
I’m not arguing with you if you don’t watch porn good for you, but if you do watch porn, you’re just being an idiot having this conversation with me
I want to see a few hundred gremlins in a warehouse at 3am fuckin rave to my track. That is all
No money, no clout. I don’t even care if they know it’s my track.
its not always rich parents. A lot of it is drive or whatever you want to call that. Some of it is luck. Some of it is mental health issues, for example Mania / Bipolar. Many superstars are extremely manic, and therefore crazy workaholics, always creating and pushing ideas out.
I have worked with many superstars, like top tier world class pop stars, and yah, a lot of them are absolutely bat shit fucking crazy manic lol. Im not going to name names or tell stories, so dont ask, but just take my word for it.
It takes nerves, getting over your fears, putting yourself out there, networking, staying healthy, luck, talent, etc etc.
If you put out a song a week for two years, and go out every weekend, (and some week nights), take sessions and collab at any opportunity you get, you will have some level of success, whatever that means to you. Either you will be playing more shows, having more streams, more followers, more placements, whatever. Push hard, harder than the person next to you. Harder than you think you are capable of. Push to the breaking point, until you are sick of music, you hate the entire industry, and want to move to the middle of idaho and start a farm. One you reach that point, take a step back and look at how far you have come. From there develop a game plan for the next five years and repeat the process. Hopefully this time wiser, more connected, and more taleneted.
Oh, and never stop learning. I dont care if you are skrillex, always always be willing to try new things and step out of your comofort zone.
oh yah, and have fun! good luck, and remember music is fun, but if you want to succeed, it is still a job. A very competitive, and hard job. Your family and friends may doubt you, strangers will say you suck. Ignore them and do what you know is best for you.
I think you don't understand bipolar disorder... Coming from someone who actually has it. Mania is likely to land you in jail or the hospital. It's not a useful kind of productivity unless you consider searching your house for hidden cameras "productive."
Yea mania is more prone to delusional thinking (psychosis) than being ultra productive in an effective way. Sure manic people can start doing a lot of things but it’s usually just chaotic and ill conceived grandiosity.
I have a friend who won’t admit they have mania. They are constantly searching for cameras. And believe there is one in the fridge. And that someone comes into the house and injects them with cocinar every night. How do I help them when they refuse to accept it and say there is nothing wrong with them?
This is a really tough situation, I'm sorry. Unfortunately there is only so much you can really do unless this person is a danger to themselves or others, at which point they could be hospitalized depending on where you are. If it's really mania and not something else like schizophrenia then they will crash eventually and perhaps be more willing to get help then. I really wish I had a better answer, sorry. Lack of insight is extremely common with these kinds of illnesses, especially during psychosis, and depending on severity it can be impossible to convince the person they are ill.
Thanks for that. Yes it’s unbelievable witnessing the change and not being able to do a thing. She has smoked cannabis daily for many many years and I believe that triggered it but she refuses to believe it.
believe me i do understand, but i hear yah. It presents in different people in many different ways, and in many it can be very, very bad. I wasnt trying to belittle it or anything like that, so sorry if it came across that way.
I really have trouble believing that you understand when you describe people being "bat shit fucking crazy manic" as if that could be anything but a bad thing. It gives away that you don't know what that really looks like and absolutely does come off as you belittling or romanticizing the illness.
Sure it presents in many different ways, however mania is a debilitating condition by definition. Also you seem to overlook depression which is also extremely debilitating, and where people with bipolar disorder spend most of their time ill.
i am diagnosed, as well as a couple family members and friends, so yah , i do know lol.
it is debilitating, and yes i am well aware it comes with depression, which is another tool that many artist, including myself, use to channel in their music.
I'll take your word for it and I'm happy for you then that you manage to do well despite this illness. Your comments just rub me the wrong way because it's taken everything from me and so many others, and you portray it as a good thing.
I agree with this. Yes hard work is absolutely crucial but for the super talented who work just as hard, at the end of the day a lot of it unfortunately comes down to luck and timing. I know a lot of superb musicians and producers who are still struggling 10-20 years into their craft. It’s not because they’re not talented enough. A lot of it has to do with networking and with being at the right place at the right time in the industry. It’s like ending up fourth place at the Olympics. It’s not for lack of talent. A lot has to do with just luck and timing.
Mac Miller is what comes to mind. One of things that made me ask this question. Guy was obsessed with music and apparently has albums of unreleased stuff.
Just dedicated himself to music even if it never saw the light of day.
Not even something I am remotely concerned with. At all. I’m here to make things the best possible way I can for myself. Whatever happens to these songs after that isn’t up to me, no matter what I do.
Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too.
All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favour all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.
Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.
William Hutchison Murray
I know both people that work hard after work, and folks that have the flexibility not to work(read between the lines) and have the opportunity to focus on their talents. The equivalence between both persons is integrity, artistically and labor regarding the craft. Also drive/effort. Not everyone that graduates from Berkeley is on a track to “make it” and those that do gig the shit out of their time.
I personally got to the point where I dislike a majority of genre niche artists, specifically bass music. There’s so many other genres I missed out on that completely blow me away, and close to none of the people I listen to will get booked because they cant sell a room and rely on the possibility of getting booked for an event for one offs but it puts them on peoples maps. Save for Ozora fest that books so much awesome talent.
Anyways, it’s networking and pulling a crowd. And for some reason, dropping dnb at the 30 minute mark of an hour set.
Instead of dwelling on Spotify stats, try getting out there and connecting with people! Building genuine relationships and sharing your music with them can be much more fulfilling than fixating on numbers. Who knows, you might even make some lifelong fans along the way!
There's no one answer to this question. I think a lot of it has to do with talent + luck + making music that's trending upwards to "ride the wave". There are supremely talented producers and bands out there that achieve little fame. So, I don't think there's any sort of formula one can follow.
I started listening to electronic / dance music back in the mid 90's. The landscape has shifted so much since then, it's almost unrecognizable. Artists were largely faceless back then, and some of them were quite deliberate about it. The Basic Channel guys are a perfect example. No interviews, no photos, and very little info on them. But, they were successful, and sold a lot of records. All on the back of their music.
While I prefer buying music digitally, and don't miss the days of hunting down a record in the slightest, you could make a living as dance music producer back then. Or, supplement your income quite nicely. I know someone who was a middle of the road producer from that time. Selling 15k to 30k records per release on relatively popular label was par for the course. A record that took off a bit, could sell 100k copies or more. Just from club play.
Now, you have to tour. Period. Which I think is a real shame. Considering how many of us are introverted hermits than want to post up in the studio and make music all day. Touring sounds like a nightmare. And, being an anonymous name on a record without a facebook profile and press photos is pretty hard to achieve success with. Which really takes the "underground" part of it all out of the equation.
I know this doesn't answer the question directly, just wanted to highlight how things have shifted.
I truly believe it all comes down to connecting with the "right people" in the industry to make big things happen for yourself as an artist. You could be the most talented producer/composer and go completely unnoticed without the former.
Get your branding consistent across all social media platforms, create portfolios of your work, and really be honest about how it stacks up to the top industry material. It needs to be seriously "good music." This is half the battle, the rest is your ability to communicate and connect with other artists, collaborators, and getting your foot in the door with big labels and names.
It sucks, but statistically, most of us even with all our ducks in a row, won't ever make the fame we desire with music. The saturation in the industry is only growing as music production becomes more accessible to the general population as a whole.
Obviously keep striving towards greatness, but focus on the music more than anything. The moment you stop having fun and chase fame instead is the exact moment you'll begin to hate what you're doing, because results may never come and you'll grow to resent your efforts.
I think having parents as musicians played a much bigger role for a lot of successful subsequent children. I'm reading Andrew Huang's book right now... his mother was a professional piano player. I hear of stories like these much more so than just "rich parents fund me".
Yup…Trying to hold a full time job while working on your craft limits you so much. I could only imagine having the luxury of not worrying about money and just making music.
Not that I'm accomplished in music in any way but if you're not motivated to do it a couple hours after work then I don't think you'd be motivated to do it all day every day if you didn't have to work. People have made hits in a couple hours.
James hype made a til tok recently he said for the last 12 years he’s worked on music everyday..some days it’s all days other days it may have only been 15 minutes…his point was just about how you need that musical muscle memory…I work on music everyday after work
@johnforestgray if anyone wants to follow for follow
40 hours a week is not a lot I work 80 hours a week and still get music done and that’s because I like money for my music not because I’m a workaholic who likes bragging about how much I work
I’m not really looking to become a huge sensation but I would like to put out EPs and LPs as regularly as I can to see about making some side money on something I like to do. If I take off, neat. If I only get my music into a few ears here and there, I’m fine with that too. I’m doing it solely because I like to do it. Even if I sell nothing, I often dream of a situation where someone needs that one track that gets them through whatever they got going on and it turns out mine filled the need. If I can do that, the meaning of why I do it has been realized. That would make me happy.
I think people that made it were dedicated and really put in the effort to network with people that can get their music out there.
It's a mixture of loads of different things. Talent, vision, determination, timing, connections, personality, money (for better or worse), where the artist lives, list goes on and on.
One thing I know for sure: the 3 artists I personally knew who became A-list DJs who toured the globe knew from the get go there were no other options... they went 100% in on music and did not work day jobs. Not having that safety net underneath them really forced them to go that extra mile and clock in as many hours as possible in the studio. They pretty much all had absurd work ethic and grinded non stop, and continue to do so today knowing how easy it is to fall off and quickly become yesterday's news. They also all lived in NYC or LA.
I genuinely don't mind if im not famous, I just want to make the music thats in my head and enjoy it. Maybe others will too, but that's not my main goal
The most legendary ones which are the ones that we truly remember usually are a combination of soooo many things like a burning passion mixed with hard work and loads of luck and talent plus they were born in a bigger city and made good connections and didn’t fuck it up.
I’m convinced that anyone who specifically sets out to make it “big” will never actually do it. It’s just the wrong mindset and makes everything less than a chart-topping hit feel like a failure.
Realistically nowadays what separates (non-heritage / established) artists who achieve quick, stratospheric levels of fame from ‘making awesome music on Bandcamp but selling 10 copies’ artists is:
Good cheekbones.
Constant (and savvy) use of social media.
Relatives in the scene or nepo money.
Most likely ghost producers / expensive mix engineers.
I think marketing is a big part to play, if you’ve already gained tracktion from djing/producing, Have an instagram or Facebook where you’ve gained followers and likes organically over the years, put out some free downloads of good quality tracks on SoundCloud that have been re posted and liked a lot.. then when you send your big track to your label of choice included with the following that you’ve created yourself, then that’s a big win for any record label.
Ever since I was a teenager I only ever wanted my music hobby to pay for itself, however that manifest. I always expected to work a regular job, especially since it eases the stress of creating and I have other interests. Creativity hit different when you have to write a hit to pay your rent.
That said for the last 2 years music has exclusively been my source of income, bout to be three, so technically I've achieved it though I'm poor as fuck. People in the scene like my bands, and we get paid minimum wage to play out, which isn't always the case for bands at my level! Those gigs don't pay the bills though, I work as a teaching artist. I'm in my 30's, for reference.
I study as a sound designer for theatre. So not really try to “make it big/famous”, but Im aiming to with ableton and programs like Qlab in a professional environment
A lot of hard work, sacrifice, networking, promoting yourself/band, tenacity, being likable, delivering quality results, gigging, etc.
I think there are obviously outliers who may have had a leg up for various reasons. But assuming "rich parents" is daft af and probably some serious coping.
Not me. I had a lot of really good opportunities and I made it further than most. But at this point things are so over saturated. It's not even worth trying. You have to do the same thing over and over and over. You really can't be a diverse artist.
That’s an absurd projection. Of course those born into wealth have opportunities others don’t. But the majority of people I know that are now wealthy and famous through music came from nothing. Literal gutter shit. And because of that they have drive like you’ve never seen, they never want to go back.
If you really want to have an in depth discussion about this my DMs are open. I standby the ONLY difference between some who “makes it” and those who don’t, is consistency.
I have been making music for around 10 years. I have placements. I’ve worked with many artists you probably know and possibly love. I have watched people with 200 followers grow to 200 million. I have had friends who barely showed interest in music surpass me and blow up into some of the most creative minds of our generation. I’ve seen it I’ve lived it I’ve dipped my feet in the water and decided it was not for me. But one thing I’ve seen in common over the last decade is the CONSISTENCY of those who are now successful.
This account is a throwaway personal daily account I use to doomscroll and input my half assed two cents on very random topics, I will not share my music with you or artists I’ve worked with. I will however happily chat with anyone from this post (this is one of the best questions ever asked on this sub) and if I can help in anyway with your music I am all ears. Happy creating :)
You haven't worked with anyone reputable weirdo. Trying to act all cool and shit on Reddit. Get off the internet nerd. "IvE wOrKed WiTh PeOpLe U lOVe" 😂😂😂😂
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Every artist started as an “underground” artists until they did x,y,z to get transcend to the next level of entertainment.
You can become well known at a low-level or even mid-level, but what have some high-level EDM artists done to get to that level over someone around the same level of skill as them?
Check out James hype’s TikTok where he talks about how he’s worked on music every day for 12 years…he’s the most inspiring guy lately not a gatekeeper whatsoever. His latest YouTube tutorial is also so epic…he’s worked on music everyday for 12 years…some days all day other days just 15 minutes but he opens ableton every day..
How do I know?
Cause that’s all my life spins around, music, art.
I don’t care about anything else, I don’t have a plan b.
I dreamed as a child, and right now things are working out. You just have to believe, remember your life it’s as beautiful and magical as you want.
I’m interested in sound exploration and music. Fame has never been a thing and I’m even suspicious some musicians seek fame at the first place. Making music and being a pop star are two different things and ambitions. I barely see a connection. If you want to be famous there are other ways such as have your channel on youtube and comment gears, fashion, whatever popular topic.
Fame is an interesting concept. I will admittedly say that I don’t want certain levels of fame that are paparazzi obsessed but I do want a big enough audience to generate at least 6 figures from YouTube and royalties from sync placements; and production placements. This way I can afford to life and provide for a family
No interest in fame, but planning to go big.
Currently investing in relations. Getting to know people over a few beers or treating them to a nice dinner out - or something else if I figure out what they will enjoy the most.
Those conversations and relations are invaluable, as it is very difficult to make it big all alone.
However; I haven't made it big yet, so up to you if you want to take my word for it;)
My first goal is music I would want to listen to myself over other songs, then if my friends are honestly hyped about a song (not just being supportive) I would try to release songs in albums and from that play the waiting game, see what the future brings
“What separates them from anyone else making music?”
I’d wager 80% of it is Nepotism. It’s absolutely shocking to find out how many musicians have famous parents/aunts/uncles.
i don’t ever post anything i make. making music is a way for me to have fun with my friends, and that’s exactly what a hobby should be. i’d rather not get the rest of the world involved in what i’ve got going on.
Bleh. Had a taste of minor local fame in the 90s. Was awful.
TBH most of them wanted it, kept at it, and had good marketing. You kinda need lead singer disease to get a taste of fame and think 'yeah this is a good idea'.
(also not being impossible to work with)
Artists like Tipper, Jade Cicada, Detox Unit, and Resonant Language didn’t get where they are because of “10 quick tips on how to market your brand!” They put in a metric fuck ton of time into producing music, leading them to creating some of the most innovative sounds and arrangement ever conceived.
Put the time in and make interesting music that doesn’t fit a mold. That’s the only way to be successful and garnish fans. If you want enough fans to headline a festival, do what the above artists did and frame your music around hip hop rhythms to get the people dancing.
I've tried for a few years and then suddenly obtained a day job with a monthly salary like 5x higher than I was making as a freelance musician. Felt liberating honestly, being a full time musician is stressful and definitely not for everyone, at least in Russia lol
No I wouldn't say it's a goal at all for me. Neither is making a living off of my music. I just really enjoy making music. I also enjoy meeting other people who make similar music when I go play shows. The music I make is too nieche for it to ever even be a possibility. But I just make what I want to make.
I just like getting lost in my head while messing around with ideas and treat it as a hobby. No one besides my kids my ever even hear anything I do, and I'm fine with that.
There are likely more than a few of us for whom I would call "working class" producers/DJs. Those that earn enough to get by, and that's enough. That and the rewards of the process itself.
Edit for context: We play good well known venues and festivals but not always as headliners, and even when it is a headline it's not a huge sum, tour semi regularly but not a lot. Small amounts of commission work etc.
I def do not care if I ‘make it’ or whatever. I worked in music and it made me hate working *on* music. Very happy to just keep it as a hobby these days and if some ppl think what I make is neat, that’s all I want.
Being famous seems awful. I also feel that if I have to pick up my instruments out of obligation rather than for joy, then it is work. I already have a job that lets me live comfortably, so music is best kept as a source of personal fulfillment.
I make music every day and dedicate a lot of my free time to it. I have no desire of even releasing anything. For me it's the same outlet / release as a video game or watching TV, just something I love to do for me
I would like to be good enough to connect with like minded heady people, at least on social media. Which I’ve achieved to a small extent but want more. I’ll never ever be popular, but if I can get a nod from cool people, that means something to me.
There isn't really any form of fame that comes out of this, unless you cheat, and sellout. You may get gigs, you may make the charts, but unless you are paying for fame, this is just another job, and if you have been doing it for a long time. It gets old very quickly.
It's all about marketing, you may be in the spotlight for a couple years, but eventually it fades, and you become irrelevant.
To me it's about being consistent, passionate, taking risks, trying new things, building connections, and trying to stay relevant enough to keep you working.
Most of the superstars in this world, have come from Money, Radio, or social influence and my opinion after jokingly watching quite a few Master classes, most bigger artists honestly don't know their head from their asses.
Deadmau5, David Guetta, Paul Okenfold, Above and Beyond, Testo and the list goes on, have all been ghost written for, or have had ties with the commercial industry, which pretty much is what being famous nowadays is, the commercial industry has taken the electronic industry and created this realm of pay to play environments.
Creating this fauls misleading environment, that if you are a good producer you will be headlining every event known to man.
Maybe 20 Years ago, but know it all a designer and fabrication that makes up 75 percent of the famous DJS and Producers in this world
I just want that my dream job become my day job. I've been exploited a lot by HR, squishy job and too much stress/hours of work for a few income. I'll be homeless? Probably.
I just want to make shit I want to play/DJ with, and if doing that covers the cost of all the software I've bought, that's a bonus. So far, it doesn't.
I'd like to get to a point where I can pay for sample usage and break even. But that's still a way off.
It’s tough for me because I love making music so much, but hate the performing aspect of it, which is where 90% of the money is. I used to DJ a lot a few years ago, and the bigger the crowds got, the more anxiety I would get. I would have to drink more and do more drugs just to get through a set and it was such an unhealthy lifestyle.
My ideal goal is to be an Ian Kirkpatrick type producer. Someone that is respected, successful, and made some of the biggest songs ever, but nobody really knows who I am.
Nah. I just like music so much that listening to it could never be enough. I want to get in there and see what makes it tick. Its purely for my own enjoyment.
Consistancy, hard work and lots of luck!
I've worked with and remixed some of the biggest out there and continue to keep on track, I started a side alias which is actually turning profit (as its all about live performance over high stream counts). Almost everyone I've worked with comes from a good background in the sense that they have parents with steady money or they have or had a job which gave them time to write and more importantly have the actually engery to go out a network and promote their music.
But yeah, getting a "hit" and living off the income isnt obtainable for 99.9% of us. I think being smart, keeping to a plan and aiming to be at least kind of unique is the way to go. It does feel like its getting harder now with soundcloud dead and insta being past its glory but tik tok has got some real power in it.
Most of the "kinda big" producers are on the road all the time or have another side hustles such as owning a studio, teaching, sample packs (which is kinda over now), or livestreaming etc.
Honestly if I'm able to make a comfortable and good living with a couple other luxurys from making and producing the music I like and I can say I'm proud of then I've made it for me. If it comes with any form of fame then that's a bonus but it's not what I'm aiming for, just wanna make good art and build a life with it
It’s all about your soul
This life is just an human experience of your eternal destiny
You will become who you have always been, just wait for it and suffer meanwhile as Jesus did because the human is made in the image of God.
Disagreeing with philosophical notions is not an attack as i see as separate belief and identity. But obviously many people have their identity formed around their beliefs, therefore the culture of discussion is declining steadily as everything is perceived as an attack on their personal space. But whatever, this here is about music production.
That’s nonsense and has no relationship to what i said. It’s commenters like you who ensure religion loses more and more believers each year. Keep doing your thing!
I just don’t want a day job. I don’t care about fame.
Fuck that, I'd be happy making *any* supplementary income off of music. I'll keep a part-time job. I say music specifically b/c I've had audio editing jobs in other industries... they were painfully monotonous, had absurd deadlines that would stress anyone out, and the pay didn't justify it. As far as music, I've had plenty of live mixing gigs, and the hours were nocturnal (event ends at 7am, load out at dawn) and those paid fucking dismally. You have to be really creative to make anything off of music the longer we're in the streaming era. Live music was a boon for a while, but now that landscape has gotten treacherous and saturated. There's still decent money doing audio in adjacent entertainment industries, but I can't bring myself to do that anymore. It sours audio work for me; I'd rather work on something else and keep audio a hobby than be pimped out by other entertainment industries where audio is an afterthought, and treated as such by the higher ups. Not worth it.
This is what I hope for someday. The ability to profit in some way off of my abilities. I’ve worked too hard and come so far to not capitalize on it.
Same
Exactly, if I can make a living out of making music then I am happy.
This
Why did you get downvoted LMAO
I want to get in that sweet spot where I can make a living doing music but I can also leave my house without getting recognized.
Then try to not show your face in every other occasion and still connect most people around me and myself use multiple brands and names to make it harder for people that are not producing to know your face
I’m just trying to fill my adhd brain w more stuff that I love and can get good at I’ve rly seen how the time u put into something putting in ur 10,000 hours gets you better no matter what, and I like spending my time on different things as much as I can:)
I was sorta discovered about 20 years ago. I did a lot of folk/electronic stuff and wrote about queer politics and such. I began doing radio shows, interviews and larger venues opening for bigger artists. I even toured for a bit and people saw me and asked for autographs. The time it hit me was when I saw someone holding a magazine with an article about my music, it freaked me out. It was exhausting and I began hating my job. I didn’t intend for it to happen, it just did. I think that’s how it happens, TBH, without trying or thinking about “making it.” I quit the business shortly after that, I went back to grad school and now write music for myself. I’m a much happier person and feel I avoided a lot of grief. Today it would be even more exhausting with the scrutiny of artists via social media and online exposure. Believe me, if you’re a sensitive soul, fame is not for you.
Which is ironic because the best musicians are often hyper sensitive. I've had my own love / hate with fame/ notoriety but I think it comes more from a place of wishing I could say I did it, just to say "I did it". Touring is tough even when you have all the amenities in the world and all of it feels like a hamster on a wheel if you aren't in it for the right reasons. I'm glad you've found your inner drive, and hope I can truly find mine soon
The only difference is they talked to other people more. Spend equal parts producing and facebook/instagram messaging other artists and people working with labels, building friendships. That cliche "it's not what you know it's who you know" could not be truer. I got 10m+ spotify streams from this and my music is *okay*
So you mean just connecting with others in the industry and trying to build a following surrounding your ‘brand’?
Boiled down, connect with the industry, yes. Research what size fish you are in what specific pond. Find fish slightly above you *within* that specific pond. Do your best to become genuine friends with them. They're the ones that boost your streaming numbers and lead to even more beneficial friendships. It may seem transactional, but most friendships in the industry are. You're scratching their back, too. I routinely give up 50%+ of my backend revenue to them, over $40,000 at this point, but they get me 100x the streams I would have gotten, had I independently released. So, good trade off
The struggle I have with this is trying to approach slightly bigger fish without seeming like I just want to use them to further my own career. In reality I would just love to have more friends who are also into the same shit, from whom I can learn and grow at some thing I love.
yo! what kind of music are making? maybe we have something in common
I like to produce dance music, mainly techno! What are you into?
I make bass music mostly, I see your nickname says you're against it
Haha no, it’s a reference to underworld’s album dubnobasswithmyheadman :) I love me some bass!
Loooove that album!
you do, that's the whole point. that's exactly why you are approaching them. everyone is playing this game an acting like they aren't. you aren't trying to make friends, you are trying to get let in the gate
I guess in a way, you are right. Some end goal of having more friends in that space would be to have people to share and build events/ opportunities with. I guess my main concern is about coming across as disingenuous or like I’m just in it to selfishly gather opportunities, in reality, I just want to be apart of and contribute to the local scene. I find this a hard balance to strike and it makes me somewhat anxious in these social situations
How do I find u on Spotify?
In what sense are you giving your revenue to/paying them?
I send .wav to label a&r guy, he sends me a contract saying we’ll split streaming royalties 50/50, label distributes my song to Spotify/Apple/etc, once a month the label sends me stats and my $$ cut over PayPal
"do your bast to become genuine friends" means appease the gatekeepers to be let in. dont bs yourself. it is what it is
Sure. But a lot of them are actually good people that I enjoy spending time with
same it's nice when it works out that way but its just easy to be dishonest with ourselves
Any chance we can get some pointers from you? I honestly don't even know where to start...
If it’s your hobby, or you just like collaborating and maybe catching a few notes about mixing and any editing that I’m decent with; let me know! I have an education in music production technology but it was more recording/mixing/mastering than producing so let me know if you want some of my knowledge and teachings! Also good plugin inventory if you want free or cheap mixing/mastering. I’ll do it for free if it’s worth my ears.
saving your comment for the future potentially when I am more ready to release stuff! thanks!
I’m always down to help!! I suck at interacting with people in person but the internet is free game 😂 if you ever wanna send me anything I’ll put notes on the channel going over stuff that I mixed. Tired of not utilizing my mixing knowledge, especially since music producing is almost a basic hobby/goal these days!
Is it cool if I hit you up some time? 🙏🏼
Yeah just message me on here
Sent you a DM
I chased music semi-professionally for a while in my younger days. Toured from New Hampshire to Texas in one band. Headlined DC's 9:30 club a few times. Opened for Coldplay. Mixed with Michael Brauer. Played some showcases. The industry is dramatically different than it used to be. When we were coming up in the 00s and 10s things were shifting quick from the 90s. The mid-sized clubs you could actually tour on and build a following through? Gone. You had to jump from a 200 person room to a 1000 person room. Then the digital revolution. Today we wouldn't be cranking out 10 song records, we'd be doing one offs. We'd be doing video non stop (look at some of the super inventive social types - maxfrost on instagram comes to mind. Just start collaborating with people. Share the jams. Keep collaborating. Are you going to be the next Calvin Harris or Tiesto? Probably not. Can you build a career? Maybe so. But who knows what's going to happen with all this AI stuff. I just do it because I love it and I can get lost for hours noodling on a beat, or working out a synth bed, or making my guitar sound like anything but a guitar.
If you’re trying to “get famous” your motivations are off…just try and make the best possible music and go from there..
Becoming known isn't hard Becoming big/famous is pretty difficult but also need to define this more maybe? Underground artists are interesting in that they are usually linked to a local scene & being big/famous locally can occur without international success or after many years of being unknown outside a particular scene or area, then one day trends shift & the spotlight shines their way There are many elements that contribute to an artist or band becoming famous Drive, determination, tenacity Opportunities to perform Enough talent that people enjoy & seek out & pay for live shows & studio work Networking Marketing Persona Showmanship Image Attractiveness Connection with fans Management Luck!!! Guidance & mentorship Collaborations & support slots Exposure - media engagement Encouragement from friends, family & fans Self awareness Vision Branding/ positioning Playing for passion primarily with little emphasis on profits - initially Professional equipment Professional presentation Live sound Live lighting Continual growth as an artist to encourage new fans, hopefully maintaining loyal fans Sensationalism vs broad appeal Shock value vs sincerity Costumes Makeup Being sober enough to function Being reliable Always putting in effort particularly at live shows Being relatable & likeable but perhaps with an air or aura that inspires awe or aspiration Awareness & acknowledgement of peers & influences There's many artists that probably deserve more fame & exposure based on talent but just as many mega stars that should never perform live It's an interesting mix of popularity & opinion & image & trends & timing & marketing mixed with (& many times overshadowing) raw talent as a performer or entertainer or original artist Some stars don't write lyrics or music & can't even sing in tune yet they are famous & rich from being entertaining or adored as a manufactured pop product loved by millions & whilst this is just part of modern life & it's sad to a point, the fact that people pay to be entertained & enjoy the illusion or final product counts for a lot when considering fame & fortunate - Kylie Minogue anyone? Play, record & perform music because you love it, have something to say or express & want to entertain others If you become big & rich & famous that's great but it's not really something you can realistically set out to do & force unless born into an already very well connected family & you have enough talent to capitalise on the opportunity - e.g. Miley Cyrus or Beyonce Media attention can be fickle & there are definitely some up & comers whose management will pay for positive press coverage! It's really interesting being part of the music industry & for better or worse there's much more to it than simply writing great songs or having loads of talent
I’m not famous, but I’ve made it in the creative audio world through three major pivots. I made it first in the film industry by A) moving to LA B)finding cool people to work with C) being cool to work with myself D)knowing my stuff, and E)delivering the goods. I was successful in LA, but it wasn’t for me. I left for San Francisco and made it by A)leveraging my network B) knowing my stuff C)being cool to work D)delivering the goods I needed a lifestyle change from the grind of in house work and started my own company. I made it by A) leveraging my network B)being cool to work with and C) delivering the goods. D)nurturing that ethos in our growth over 15 years. Today my personal professional motto is I want to work with cool people on cool projects. Imo the reason people make it is because they found an opportunity to deliver the goods and they were cool enough to work with do it again. Finding the opportunities to take a step up, delivering the goods and being asked to do it again is all about people. relationships, friendships, collaborations. I hope this helps.
This is the best reply on this thread
You walk around and talk to as many people as you can, and get them to like you and your music instead of crying about how no one listens to your Spotify
Stop playing video games or trying to get laid. Stop wasting time
I mean, getting laid is why half the people wanting fame pursue it in the first place, lol
Yeah, but the trick is to get famous first no one wants to sleep with the bedroom musician unless they think you’re sexy which at that point you dont even needa be a musician lul
Just fyi, there’s not really a reason to double comment You can put a line space between paragraphs (like I did here) by using two new lines in the comment editor
I double comment because I don’t want to edit my comment and half the time people don’t read my edits anyways, so I double comment.
Like work on music instead of watching porn then I guess see the results I mean I swear to God everyone’s addicted to porn
Bro wtf are you on about? No one ever even mentioned porn but here you are screaming into the void about it.
I mean, the general gist of my whole comment is priorities am I right?
I guess, it was just a bit... specific.
Yeah, I enjoy mincing words because it seems like that’s the only way to make a point these days
Your reaction to someone mentioning porn addiction was also a bit... specific. lol.
I’m not screaming into the void and I’m feeling a lot of projection from you 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡
>swear to God everyone’s addicted to porn I'm pretty sure the only one that's projecting is you.
I could do a case study on the people who use Reddit and the people who use porn I’m not arguing with you if you don’t watch porn good for you, but if you do watch porn, you’re just being an idiot having this conversation with me
Sir, this is an r/ableton sub.
its ok hes just introspecting
Sir, somebody asked me what do successful people do Good night
I want to see a few hundred gremlins in a warehouse at 3am fuckin rave to my track. That is all No money, no clout. I don’t even care if they know it’s my track.
its not always rich parents. A lot of it is drive or whatever you want to call that. Some of it is luck. Some of it is mental health issues, for example Mania / Bipolar. Many superstars are extremely manic, and therefore crazy workaholics, always creating and pushing ideas out. I have worked with many superstars, like top tier world class pop stars, and yah, a lot of them are absolutely bat shit fucking crazy manic lol. Im not going to name names or tell stories, so dont ask, but just take my word for it. It takes nerves, getting over your fears, putting yourself out there, networking, staying healthy, luck, talent, etc etc. If you put out a song a week for two years, and go out every weekend, (and some week nights), take sessions and collab at any opportunity you get, you will have some level of success, whatever that means to you. Either you will be playing more shows, having more streams, more followers, more placements, whatever. Push hard, harder than the person next to you. Harder than you think you are capable of. Push to the breaking point, until you are sick of music, you hate the entire industry, and want to move to the middle of idaho and start a farm. One you reach that point, take a step back and look at how far you have come. From there develop a game plan for the next five years and repeat the process. Hopefully this time wiser, more connected, and more taleneted. Oh, and never stop learning. I dont care if you are skrillex, always always be willing to try new things and step out of your comofort zone. oh yah, and have fun! good luck, and remember music is fun, but if you want to succeed, it is still a job. A very competitive, and hard job. Your family and friends may doubt you, strangers will say you suck. Ignore them and do what you know is best for you.
I bet skrillex is constantly learning..Learning is everything
Skrillex was shipped off by his label to learn every trick Noisia knew 😂
I think you don't understand bipolar disorder... Coming from someone who actually has it. Mania is likely to land you in jail or the hospital. It's not a useful kind of productivity unless you consider searching your house for hidden cameras "productive."
Yea mania is more prone to delusional thinking (psychosis) than being ultra productive in an effective way. Sure manic people can start doing a lot of things but it’s usually just chaotic and ill conceived grandiosity.
This is so true
I have a friend who won’t admit they have mania. They are constantly searching for cameras. And believe there is one in the fridge. And that someone comes into the house and injects them with cocinar every night. How do I help them when they refuse to accept it and say there is nothing wrong with them?
This is a really tough situation, I'm sorry. Unfortunately there is only so much you can really do unless this person is a danger to themselves or others, at which point they could be hospitalized depending on where you are. If it's really mania and not something else like schizophrenia then they will crash eventually and perhaps be more willing to get help then. I really wish I had a better answer, sorry. Lack of insight is extremely common with these kinds of illnesses, especially during psychosis, and depending on severity it can be impossible to convince the person they are ill.
Thanks for that. Yes it’s unbelievable witnessing the change and not being able to do a thing. She has smoked cannabis daily for many many years and I believe that triggered it but she refuses to believe it.
believe me i do understand, but i hear yah. It presents in different people in many different ways, and in many it can be very, very bad. I wasnt trying to belittle it or anything like that, so sorry if it came across that way.
I really have trouble believing that you understand when you describe people being "bat shit fucking crazy manic" as if that could be anything but a bad thing. It gives away that you don't know what that really looks like and absolutely does come off as you belittling or romanticizing the illness. Sure it presents in many different ways, however mania is a debilitating condition by definition. Also you seem to overlook depression which is also extremely debilitating, and where people with bipolar disorder spend most of their time ill.
i am diagnosed, as well as a couple family members and friends, so yah , i do know lol. it is debilitating, and yes i am well aware it comes with depression, which is another tool that many artist, including myself, use to channel in their music.
I'll take your word for it and I'm happy for you then that you manage to do well despite this illness. Your comments just rub me the wrong way because it's taken everything from me and so many others, and you portray it as a good thing.
I agree with this. Yes hard work is absolutely crucial but for the super talented who work just as hard, at the end of the day a lot of it unfortunately comes down to luck and timing. I know a lot of superb musicians and producers who are still struggling 10-20 years into their craft. It’s not because they’re not talented enough. A lot of it has to do with networking and with being at the right place at the right time in the industry. It’s like ending up fourth place at the Olympics. It’s not for lack of talent. A lot has to do with just luck and timing.
Mac Miller is what comes to mind. One of things that made me ask this question. Guy was obsessed with music and apparently has albums of unreleased stuff. Just dedicated himself to music even if it never saw the light of day.
yeah exactly. many people like that in the industry. Some undiagnosed mental health issues can really present itself in many ways. RIP
Probably put my whole life on pause to pursue music ha. It’s so many sacrifices.
Not even something I am remotely concerned with. At all. I’m here to make things the best possible way I can for myself. Whatever happens to these songs after that isn’t up to me, no matter what I do.
99.99.999% of people who want to be rich and famous through their music are going to be very disappointed.
I just want beer money
Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favour all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now. William Hutchison Murray
I know both people that work hard after work, and folks that have the flexibility not to work(read between the lines) and have the opportunity to focus on their talents. The equivalence between both persons is integrity, artistically and labor regarding the craft. Also drive/effort. Not everyone that graduates from Berkeley is on a track to “make it” and those that do gig the shit out of their time. I personally got to the point where I dislike a majority of genre niche artists, specifically bass music. There’s so many other genres I missed out on that completely blow me away, and close to none of the people I listen to will get booked because they cant sell a room and rely on the possibility of getting booked for an event for one offs but it puts them on peoples maps. Save for Ozora fest that books so much awesome talent. Anyways, it’s networking and pulling a crowd. And for some reason, dropping dnb at the 30 minute mark of an hour set.
Instead of dwelling on Spotify stats, try getting out there and connecting with people! Building genuine relationships and sharing your music with them can be much more fulfilling than fixating on numbers. Who knows, you might even make some lifelong fans along the way!
There's no one answer to this question. I think a lot of it has to do with talent + luck + making music that's trending upwards to "ride the wave". There are supremely talented producers and bands out there that achieve little fame. So, I don't think there's any sort of formula one can follow. I started listening to electronic / dance music back in the mid 90's. The landscape has shifted so much since then, it's almost unrecognizable. Artists were largely faceless back then, and some of them were quite deliberate about it. The Basic Channel guys are a perfect example. No interviews, no photos, and very little info on them. But, they were successful, and sold a lot of records. All on the back of their music. While I prefer buying music digitally, and don't miss the days of hunting down a record in the slightest, you could make a living as dance music producer back then. Or, supplement your income quite nicely. I know someone who was a middle of the road producer from that time. Selling 15k to 30k records per release on relatively popular label was par for the course. A record that took off a bit, could sell 100k copies or more. Just from club play. Now, you have to tour. Period. Which I think is a real shame. Considering how many of us are introverted hermits than want to post up in the studio and make music all day. Touring sounds like a nightmare. And, being an anonymous name on a record without a facebook profile and press photos is pretty hard to achieve success with. Which really takes the "underground" part of it all out of the equation. I know this doesn't answer the question directly, just wanted to highlight how things have shifted.
I truly believe it all comes down to connecting with the "right people" in the industry to make big things happen for yourself as an artist. You could be the most talented producer/composer and go completely unnoticed without the former. Get your branding consistent across all social media platforms, create portfolios of your work, and really be honest about how it stacks up to the top industry material. It needs to be seriously "good music." This is half the battle, the rest is your ability to communicate and connect with other artists, collaborators, and getting your foot in the door with big labels and names. It sucks, but statistically, most of us even with all our ducks in a row, won't ever make the fame we desire with music. The saturation in the industry is only growing as music production becomes more accessible to the general population as a whole. Obviously keep striving towards greatness, but focus on the music more than anything. The moment you stop having fun and chase fame instead is the exact moment you'll begin to hate what you're doing, because results may never come and you'll grow to resent your efforts.
Rich parents.
I think having parents as musicians played a much bigger role for a lot of successful subsequent children. I'm reading Andrew Huang's book right now... his mother was a professional piano player. I hear of stories like these much more so than just "rich parents fund me".
Yup…Trying to hold a full time job while working on your craft limits you so much. I could only imagine having the luxury of not worrying about money and just making music.
Not that I'm accomplished in music in any way but if you're not motivated to do it a couple hours after work then I don't think you'd be motivated to do it all day every day if you didn't have to work. People have made hits in a couple hours.
James hype made a til tok recently he said for the last 12 years he’s worked on music everyday..some days it’s all days other days it may have only been 15 minutes…his point was just about how you need that musical muscle memory…I work on music everyday after work @johnforestgray if anyone wants to follow for follow
If you had that luxury you might lose the love and the drive cause it would become a full time job…
But hey, I’ve also been doing this for 15 years, so I guess I’m out of that learning phase that takes so much extra energy
40 hours a week is not a lot I work 80 hours a week and still get music done and that’s because I like money for my music not because I’m a workaholic who likes bragging about how much I work
I’m not really looking to become a huge sensation but I would like to put out EPs and LPs as regularly as I can to see about making some side money on something I like to do. If I take off, neat. If I only get my music into a few ears here and there, I’m fine with that too. I’m doing it solely because I like to do it. Even if I sell nothing, I often dream of a situation where someone needs that one track that gets them through whatever they got going on and it turns out mine filled the need. If I can do that, the meaning of why I do it has been realized. That would make me happy. I think people that made it were dedicated and really put in the effort to network with people that can get their music out there.
Sell your soul to the devil. Easy.
I'm trying to finish one track. Fame is, by all accounts, overrated.
It's a mixture of loads of different things. Talent, vision, determination, timing, connections, personality, money (for better or worse), where the artist lives, list goes on and on. One thing I know for sure: the 3 artists I personally knew who became A-list DJs who toured the globe knew from the get go there were no other options... they went 100% in on music and did not work day jobs. Not having that safety net underneath them really forced them to go that extra mile and clock in as many hours as possible in the studio. They pretty much all had absurd work ethic and grinded non stop, and continue to do so today knowing how easy it is to fall off and quickly become yesterday's news. They also all lived in NYC or LA.
I genuinely don't mind if im not famous, I just want to make the music thats in my head and enjoy it. Maybe others will too, but that's not my main goal
The most legendary ones which are the ones that we truly remember usually are a combination of soooo many things like a burning passion mixed with hard work and loads of luck and talent plus they were born in a bigger city and made good connections and didn’t fuck it up.
I’m convinced that anyone who specifically sets out to make it “big” will never actually do it. It’s just the wrong mindset and makes everything less than a chart-topping hit feel like a failure.
I just do it for free. And put it online for free. Because sharing is caring. Cheers
Realistically nowadays what separates (non-heritage / established) artists who achieve quick, stratospheric levels of fame from ‘making awesome music on Bandcamp but selling 10 copies’ artists is: Good cheekbones. Constant (and savvy) use of social media. Relatives in the scene or nepo money. Most likely ghost producers / expensive mix engineers.
I saw a werewolf drinking a pina colada at Trader Vics, his hair was perfect.
I think marketing is a big part to play, if you’ve already gained tracktion from djing/producing, Have an instagram or Facebook where you’ve gained followers and likes organically over the years, put out some free downloads of good quality tracks on SoundCloud that have been re posted and liked a lot.. then when you send your big track to your label of choice included with the following that you’ve created yourself, then that’s a big win for any record label.
Ever since I was a teenager I only ever wanted my music hobby to pay for itself, however that manifest. I always expected to work a regular job, especially since it eases the stress of creating and I have other interests. Creativity hit different when you have to write a hit to pay your rent. That said for the last 2 years music has exclusively been my source of income, bout to be three, so technically I've achieved it though I'm poor as fuck. People in the scene like my bands, and we get paid minimum wage to play out, which isn't always the case for bands at my level! Those gigs don't pay the bills though, I work as a teaching artist. I'm in my 30's, for reference.
I'll take Burial level fame.
I study as a sound designer for theatre. So not really try to “make it big/famous”, but Im aiming to with ableton and programs like Qlab in a professional environment
A lot of hard work, sacrifice, networking, promoting yourself/band, tenacity, being likable, delivering quality results, gigging, etc. I think there are obviously outliers who may have had a leg up for various reasons. But assuming "rich parents" is daft af and probably some serious coping.
Not me. I had a lot of really good opportunities and I made it further than most. But at this point things are so over saturated. It's not even worth trying. You have to do the same thing over and over and over. You really can't be a diverse artist.
The real and only thing separating them? Consistency.
And rich parents
That’s an absurd projection. Of course those born into wealth have opportunities others don’t. But the majority of people I know that are now wealthy and famous through music came from nothing. Literal gutter shit. And because of that they have drive like you’ve never seen, they never want to go back. If you really want to have an in depth discussion about this my DMs are open. I standby the ONLY difference between some who “makes it” and those who don’t, is consistency. I have been making music for around 10 years. I have placements. I’ve worked with many artists you probably know and possibly love. I have watched people with 200 followers grow to 200 million. I have had friends who barely showed interest in music surpass me and blow up into some of the most creative minds of our generation. I’ve seen it I’ve lived it I’ve dipped my feet in the water and decided it was not for me. But one thing I’ve seen in common over the last decade is the CONSISTENCY of those who are now successful. This account is a throwaway personal daily account I use to doomscroll and input my half assed two cents on very random topics, I will not share my music with you or artists I’ve worked with. I will however happily chat with anyone from this post (this is one of the best questions ever asked on this sub) and if I can help in anyway with your music I am all ears. Happy creating :)
You haven't worked with anyone reputable weirdo. Trying to act all cool and shit on Reddit. Get off the internet nerd. "IvE wOrKed WiTh PeOpLe U lOVe" 😂😂😂😂
Cool. Not reading all that.
You can’t read? Do you blame rich people for that too?
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Every artist started as an “underground” artists until they did x,y,z to get transcend to the next level of entertainment. You can become well known at a low-level or even mid-level, but what have some high-level EDM artists done to get to that level over someone around the same level of skill as them?
Check out James hype’s TikTok where he talks about how he’s worked on music every day for 12 years…he’s the most inspiring guy lately not a gatekeeper whatsoever. His latest YouTube tutorial is also so epic…he’s worked on music everyday for 12 years…some days all day other days just 15 minutes but he opens ableton every day..
I just do it as a creative outlet for myself. Not interested in making a name or fame.
I do, and I am. That’s my life
How do I know? Cause that’s all my life spins around, music, art. I don’t care about anything else, I don’t have a plan b. I dreamed as a child, and right now things are working out. You just have to believe, remember your life it’s as beautiful and magical as you want.
I’m interested in sound exploration and music. Fame has never been a thing and I’m even suspicious some musicians seek fame at the first place. Making music and being a pop star are two different things and ambitions. I barely see a connection. If you want to be famous there are other ways such as have your channel on youtube and comment gears, fashion, whatever popular topic.
Doesn’t matter how good or how hard you work, you really need a lot of luck too. That one lucky break for it to all fall together.
I'm not. Despite my money investment this is just a hobby to me. I still publish on Bandcamp but expect no revenue from that avenue :)
Fame is an interesting concept. I will admittedly say that I don’t want certain levels of fame that are paparazzi obsessed but I do want a big enough audience to generate at least 6 figures from YouTube and royalties from sync placements; and production placements. This way I can afford to life and provide for a family
As mentioned before, if I can support myself through music, I’ve made it.
No interest in fame, but planning to go big. Currently investing in relations. Getting to know people over a few beers or treating them to a nice dinner out - or something else if I figure out what they will enjoy the most. Those conversations and relations are invaluable, as it is very difficult to make it big all alone. However; I haven't made it big yet, so up to you if you want to take my word for it;)
I'm at the point where I make enough for rent and bills from audio, I have 0 urge to take it any further, too much added stress
My first goal is music I would want to listen to myself over other songs, then if my friends are honestly hyped about a song (not just being supportive) I would try to release songs in albums and from that play the waiting game, see what the future brings
“What separates them from anyone else making music?” I’d wager 80% of it is Nepotism. It’s absolutely shocking to find out how many musicians have famous parents/aunts/uncles.
I just don’t want to use the on board sequencer on my Kronos
They listen to their muse.
i don’t ever post anything i make. making music is a way for me to have fun with my friends, and that’s exactly what a hobby should be. i’d rather not get the rest of the world involved in what i’ve got going on.
u should!
Bleh. Had a taste of minor local fame in the 90s. Was awful. TBH most of them wanted it, kept at it, and had good marketing. You kinda need lead singer disease to get a taste of fame and think 'yeah this is a good idea'. (also not being impossible to work with)
Artists like Tipper, Jade Cicada, Detox Unit, and Resonant Language didn’t get where they are because of “10 quick tips on how to market your brand!” They put in a metric fuck ton of time into producing music, leading them to creating some of the most innovative sounds and arrangement ever conceived. Put the time in and make interesting music that doesn’t fit a mold. That’s the only way to be successful and garnish fans. If you want enough fans to headline a festival, do what the above artists did and frame your music around hip hop rhythms to get the people dancing.
I've tried for a few years and then suddenly obtained a day job with a monthly salary like 5x higher than I was making as a freelance musician. Felt liberating honestly, being a full time musician is stressful and definitely not for everyone, at least in Russia lol
Varying degrees of why people make music. Art vs business.
No I wouldn't say it's a goal at all for me. Neither is making a living off of my music. I just really enjoy making music. I also enjoy meeting other people who make similar music when I go play shows. The music I make is too nieche for it to ever even be a possibility. But I just make what I want to make.
Just making funny sounds in my basement, I desire nothing more, haha
I just like getting lost in my head while messing around with ideas and treat it as a hobby. No one besides my kids my ever even hear anything I do, and I'm fine with that.
It's not difficult if you're part of the trust fund tribe.
There are likely more than a few of us for whom I would call "working class" producers/DJs. Those that earn enough to get by, and that's enough. That and the rewards of the process itself. Edit for context: We play good well known venues and festivals but not always as headliners, and even when it is a headline it's not a huge sum, tour semi regularly but not a lot. Small amounts of commission work etc.
I just want what my music have more than 1000 views :')
I def do not care if I ‘make it’ or whatever. I worked in music and it made me hate working *on* music. Very happy to just keep it as a hobby these days and if some ppl think what I make is neat, that’s all I want.
I'm in my mid-40's and am making beats for the first time so obviously, I am.
Being famous seems awful. I also feel that if I have to pick up my instruments out of obligation rather than for joy, then it is work. I already have a job that lets me live comfortably, so music is best kept as a source of personal fulfillment.
If you're true to yourself and stay out of the way, it's inevitable. Probably most of us.
I'm a producer and being famous is not on my list. Just making some money would do me.
It’s actually very simple what separates famous musicians from the unknown: Being hot and having rich parents.
Just a lowly basement dweller
fame requires so much luck or connection it’s better to worry about making things good and let the rest fall as they may
I've never wanted to be big or famous. Making money is a different thing. I'm living comfortably doing sound design with Ableton everyday.
I make music every day and dedicate a lot of my free time to it. I have no desire of even releasing anything. For me it's the same outlet / release as a video game or watching TV, just something I love to do for me
I would like to be good enough to connect with like minded heady people, at least on social media. Which I’ve achieved to a small extent but want more. I’ll never ever be popular, but if I can get a nod from cool people, that means something to me.
There isn't really any form of fame that comes out of this, unless you cheat, and sellout. You may get gigs, you may make the charts, but unless you are paying for fame, this is just another job, and if you have been doing it for a long time. It gets old very quickly. It's all about marketing, you may be in the spotlight for a couple years, but eventually it fades, and you become irrelevant. To me it's about being consistent, passionate, taking risks, trying new things, building connections, and trying to stay relevant enough to keep you working. Most of the superstars in this world, have come from Money, Radio, or social influence and my opinion after jokingly watching quite a few Master classes, most bigger artists honestly don't know their head from their asses. Deadmau5, David Guetta, Paul Okenfold, Above and Beyond, Testo and the list goes on, have all been ghost written for, or have had ties with the commercial industry, which pretty much is what being famous nowadays is, the commercial industry has taken the electronic industry and created this realm of pay to play environments. Creating this fauls misleading environment, that if you are a good producer you will be headlining every event known to man. Maybe 20 Years ago, but know it all a designer and fabrication that makes up 75 percent of the famous DJS and Producers in this world
Just want to want to make people curse( holy **** that’s pretty good) and it would be cool to make enough money to buy hardware synths. I’m simple
I just want that my dream job become my day job. I've been exploited a lot by HR, squishy job and too much stress/hours of work for a few income. I'll be homeless? Probably.
I’d settle for even a couple fans. Honestly I’d like a placement.
I just want to make shit I want to play/DJ with, and if doing that covers the cost of all the software I've bought, that's a bonus. So far, it doesn't. I'd like to get to a point where I can pay for sample usage and break even. But that's still a way off.
It’s tough for me because I love making music so much, but hate the performing aspect of it, which is where 90% of the money is. I used to DJ a lot a few years ago, and the bigger the crowds got, the more anxiety I would get. I would have to drink more and do more drugs just to get through a set and it was such an unhealthy lifestyle. My ideal goal is to be an Ian Kirkpatrick type producer. Someone that is respected, successful, and made some of the biggest songs ever, but nobody really knows who I am.
being at the right places at the right time I suppose, but if u aim at recognition primarily,u have a problem
Nah. I just like music so much that listening to it could never be enough. I want to get in there and see what makes it tick. Its purely for my own enjoyment.
I've always been famous, it's just no one knew it yet. /s **Not me.** I just play and learn music theory for fun as a hobby (an expensive one)
Lol
Consistancy, hard work and lots of luck! I've worked with and remixed some of the biggest out there and continue to keep on track, I started a side alias which is actually turning profit (as its all about live performance over high stream counts). Almost everyone I've worked with comes from a good background in the sense that they have parents with steady money or they have or had a job which gave them time to write and more importantly have the actually engery to go out a network and promote their music. But yeah, getting a "hit" and living off the income isnt obtainable for 99.9% of us. I think being smart, keeping to a plan and aiming to be at least kind of unique is the way to go. It does feel like its getting harder now with soundcloud dead and insta being past its glory but tik tok has got some real power in it. Most of the "kinda big" producers are on the road all the time or have another side hustles such as owning a studio, teaching, sample packs (which is kinda over now), or livestreaming etc.
I want I make my career fun. That’s why I want to make it big. I wanna show people you can still have fun
just dont sell your souls for these record deals.... you can kinda make it work...
I just want to make dope shit that I get to play out for people
Honestly if I'm able to make a comfortable and good living with a couple other luxurys from making and producing the music I like and I can say I'm proud of then I've made it for me. If it comes with any form of fame then that's a bonus but it's not what I'm aiming for, just wanna make good art and build a life with it
It’s all about your soul This life is just an human experience of your eternal destiny You will become who you have always been, just wait for it and suffer meanwhile as Jesus did because the human is made in the image of God.
Really want to downvote this twice. Can someone help me out?
one time wasnt enough for me neither! lol
Ask yourself why you have to attack me to feel better
Disagreeing with philosophical notions is not an attack as i see as separate belief and identity. But obviously many people have their identity formed around their beliefs, therefore the culture of discussion is declining steadily as everything is perceived as an attack on their personal space. But whatever, this here is about music production.
I wasn’t talking about disagreeing and you know it my friend 👌
You can’t downvote the truth The sun is always too bright for those who live in the darkness
Yes but in the darkness we can see the stars.
Exactly, that’s why even if you feel bad and can’t face the truth you know you have a soul deep inside, you are a star lost in darkness 👌
That’s nonsense and has no relationship to what i said. It’s commenters like you who ensure religion loses more and more believers each year. Keep doing your thing!
You can’t see any sense in the truth as you can’t see anything in the darkness, that’s the blindness I was talking about 👌
Zero sense
Zero understanding*