An article in Digital Music News back in 2014 claimed that a massive 91 percent of all music artists are completely undiscovered. Why?
The answer is, undoubtedly, complicated. So, we asked artist development experts Ghostcraft Music, a veteran production team whose credits & experience spans a plethora of music industry companies including Warner, Island Records, Cleopatra Records & The Orchard and a host of big-time artists like Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross, Cash Money’s Caskey, Future and even 2000s rockers Alien Ant Farm.
King Wizard (@iamkingwizard), resident genius & maestro pianist:
“I strongly believe that almost anyone could achieve almost anything. But 99.9% won’t. Talent is helpful, but it’s not the defining factor. Without the right knowledge and work rate, talent is literally useless.
The first key is having a clear goal. Without knowing EXACTLY where you’re headed, you cannot assess how you’re doing in your journey and make adjustments. Another problem is a lack of self-awareness. If you think your backside smells like a rose, you will never be great. Leave your ego firmly at the door. In the words of Judo’s founder Kano Jigoro: bury me in my white belt. That is the mindset of a master – always humble, always learning.
Another key is mentorship. A great mentor will point out your blind spots, and show you a swift route up the mountain. Finally, you must learn to embrace the journey. Becoming a successful artist is logically too much work to be worth doing. Love the work itself and you will persevere.”
LX Xander (@lxxander.thegr8), company founder & dark beats specialist:
“Aside from the fact that 99% of artists don’t make good enough music – and that is a huge factor – the majority of the 1% that do have absolutely no idea how to navigate the music industry. Half have this wild mindset that they shouldn’t have to ever pay for anything and many more of them don’t have the money to invest anyway. And there’s also another huge percentage of artists who have this anti-label mindset… so they have no money to invest, no idea how to invest it if they did AND they’re not willing to let someone else invest in them. Good luck.”
Oliver Harvey (@bigpapaharvey), business manager & A&R mogul:
“There seems to be this ignorance surrounding the path to success, most likely caused by media making things look easier than they actually are. I’ve spoken to many artists over the years who’s only strategy is to create music and then wait for the magic record deal to appear. You have to get out of this unicorn mindset and move into a business one. Consider all aspects of your artistry from a business perspective, your branding, product, structure, staff and most importantly – your capital. Starting a business in any other industry requires capital for investment, why do you think the music industry is any different?”
Find out more about Ghostcraft at ghostcraftmusic.com
