I’ve posted about “the politics of music” before:
- Chely Wright’s Fan Club Lies To Promote SUV Song
- Songwriters Deserve Due Respect
But I just recently came across another, similar perspective about the process of getting a song on the radio — and it got my wheels spinning again.
Isn’t it interesting when you start to realize all of the behind-the-scenes favors and politicking that goes on in the music industry these days?
Thanks, Nick, for opening our eyes to the absurdities of the biz. Another book that did that for me was, Dreaming Out Loud by Bruce Feiler.
I can’t help but feel for:
- Those songwriters who don’t happen to have a “voice” and therefore work for peanuts for most of their life pushing songs up and down Music Row — while getting little or NO recognition along the way.
- Those singers who have the voice but not the “look” and who, therefore, will never even be given a chance to make it in the biz.
- Those singer/songwriters who’ve got every bit of what it takes, except for the connections or the money to make it on their own (and pay the bills).Yep, success in the music business comes down to one thing: Who you know! Okay, maybe two things: …and how much money you’ve got.In theory, if every singer/songwriter could afford to manage their music career “independently” (just like entrepreneurs in the business world do) it would create a much more level playing field — in my opinion. Instead, people are forced to buy and/or sell their way up the radio dial these days. It just doesn’t seem right.
Just thought it was interesting…
P.S. You Don’t Need Nashville
I came across another awesome explanation regarding what it takes to make it in the music biz these days. This one’s from a Christian Rock singer/songwriter/musician named Shaun Groves who lives here in Franklin.
On his blog, Shaun’s got a 3-part article series listing the reasons you DON’T need Nashville, or more accurately… why you MIGHT not need Nashville.
He provides a great insight into the biz, and he’s speaking from experience!
Why You Don’t Need Nashville:
We moved from Florida to Tennessee in 2001. All signs point to the fact that we will probably retire here — by choice. We L O V E Nashville! Our favorite places to live are just south of the City — we’ve had houses in Brentwood, Franklin, and Spring Hill. And we have properties in Leipers Fork, Cookeville, and Lewisburg. This site is where I share my best tips for moving your family to Nashville and/or visiting Nashville for the first time — with the ultimate goal of helping you find fun things to do in Williamson County and Davidson County. When I’m not out & about enjoying the Nashville area, you’ll find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites). To date, I’ve written over 500 articles on this site! Many of them have upwards of 100K shares.
