…and according to the majority of you (54% to be exact), labels need to focus on Artist Development and nurturing artists for the long haul if they want to turn their fortunes around. In second place was the rather novel idea of releasing some good music (22%), third place was focusing on digital distribution (13%), and bringing up the rear was the notion that labels need to hunt down illegal file swappers (6%).

As for me, well, I agree with most of you. If labels signed artists they planned on developing and working with over the long term rather than putting out albums that contain one single and a whole bunch of filler, hoping they can get enough bang from the single to make a quick buck, they might find they can sell more records overall. Even the most dedicated music fan will get tired of handing over their hard earned cash for albums that just phone it in eventually, and they will stop buying.

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, when people talk about The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones or any such band that has found fans in generation after generation, they talk about ALBUMS, not singles. These bands that have stood the test of time all had proper artist development behind them. They’re STILL selling records – how many number one artists in recent years can say that even now?

Thanks to everyone who voted! Got more to say? Leave a comment here or take it to the forum.

Article Source: http://musicians.about.com, Written by Heather McDonald

For more education on careers in the music industry, check out: www.Music-Career-Guide.com

***

You often hear the phrase, “Location, location, location!” with regard to real estate. The term refers to the value of a piece of land or house. In essence, to determine the value of a house, one of the most important factors is its location. A house in the middle of a city will usually have a higher value than the same house in the middle of the woods. A house positioned near other beautiful houses in a nice part of town will have a higher value than a house positioned near a warehouse in an undeveloped part of town.

You can have a great house, but if it’s in a bad part of town, trying to get someone to buy it will be next to impossible.

This principle applies to the arts as well. For example, TV show execs are always looking to position their show in the schedule near other successful shows. Once you’ve got your show in a nice “neighborhood,” it becomes more likely that audience ratings will rise. If your show winds up on a Saturday early morning 2 am slot… well, that’s the equivalent of trying to interest people in your house that’s stuck out in some isolated part of town. Location is everything.

How does this analogy apply to songwriting? Think of your song as a house. Imagine if you could get a celebrity TV real estate show to feature your house; your sale potential would go through the roof! You need to do the equivalent in the songwriting world. How?

The fact is that even though there are people who make it by singing their own songs, the songwriters who become big successes are the ones who get established performers interested in their stuff, at least at first. That’s the equivalent of location in the real estate world, because you’ve taken a house, and managed to get a celebrity to endorse it. And once you’ve done that, you’re at the start of a potential career of writing hit songs.

You may be a wonderful singer, but until the rest of the world knows it, you’ve got to get your songs into the hands of experienced and trusted celebrities. Protect your songs first, and then get them out there!

Article Source: http://garyewer.wordpress.com

For more education on careers in the music industry, check out: www.Music-Career-Guide.com

***