There is no shortage of talented musicians wanting to “make it” in music. What’s rare are the musicians who work on all four parts of music success.
Music
Not surprising, the first part is music itself and the requirement here is also not surprising: be great.
Of course there are untalented stars, but they are rare and they don’t last.
The first part of music success is to be great. Period.
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Performance
The second part of music success is to put on great live shows.
Entertaining, engaging and exciting performances connect people on a personal level, drive merchandise sales and create lifelong fans.
A few additional thoughts:
- Understand that there’s an art to putting on great live shows that goes far beyond playing or singing well. If you can, get help. For the best information on this subject, check out Tom Jackson Productions.
- You’re not off the hook if you’re a “sideman” or studio player. Of course it’s not the same as if you were headlining Madison Square Garden, but there’s always a level of expectation surrounding the experience, engagement and excitement of your playing.
Career
The third part is the actual building of a career and doing this well is a must for long-term music success.
There’s an art to building a career too, and yes there’s lots to learn, but all you have to do is act like a CEO:
- A CEO is responsible for the overall health of the business. Keep control of your business and you’ll be fine.
- CEOs also guide the message of the “brand” and yes, you have a brand. Always remember to communicate who you are and what you want in everything you say and do.
- Lastly, CEOs protect the core of the business.
Which means:
You
No amount of success in or out of music matters if you’re not:
- Happy
- Healthy
- Growing
- Living
To learn more about parts three and four (and how to balance one and two), check out my book here.
Which one or two of these have you been neglecting and what will you do about it now that you know?
