In order to determine why many indie artist fail in the pursuit of their dreams, we must first define what success is, because goals can differ among different artists. Some are looking for a major label record deal, some want an independent deal, and some just want to be able to play on the weekends as a hobby. For the sake of this discussion, let’s say that success in the music business means making a living through one’s art; not necessarily being famous, but making enough money through music to pay the bills. Even with this liberal definition of success, it is true that the vast majority of indie artists will fall short for various reasons. Let’s examine at a few typical examples.
The first and possibly most important reason why an indie artist may fail is that they may have no sense of the business that they are in, or even that they are in business at all. Every band or solo artist is its own small business, whether they realize it or not. If you’re making music with the intent to make money off of it, then you are a company providing a product and/or service to your customers (your fans). There are legal implications that go along with this, and certain standards expected from the people you will be dealing with, such as promoters, distributors, venue owners, agents, etc. So it pays not only to learn about business in general, but specifically about the music business, and to acquire a manager and/or business team when the time is right. These are things that many indie artist fail to recognize, which is sad because most of the information can be obtained for free on the internet. It just takes a little motivation to search for it.
A lack of perspective is another part of many musicians’ downfall. Some indie artists try to copy the sound or style of major label artists, even trying to imitate their marketing techniques. And while there’s certainly nothing wrong with being inspired by those who have had success, a sense of perspective is a must. You can’t do what an artist backed by a major label can do. You can put your video on Youtube, but don’t expect people to be randomly searching for it. When they find it and realize that you sound completely like another artist, do expect them to post negative comments. Know your potential fan base and how big it is; target them exclusively. Don’t ever think you’re bigger than you are. You’re trying to create positive buzz about your music, not turn the people who already like you off.
Here is one that artists never really want to hear, but it is often true: your music sucks. Of course, that’s mostly a matter of opinion and interpretation, but the point is that some indie artists try to get into the big leagues before they understand the basics of step one: creating music that the intended audience will enjoy. Any artist that is open to feedback and constructive criticism will increase their chance of success dramatically. And not just be open, but change your methods accordingly when it seems appropriate. Once again, you are a business, so it’s supply and demand. You need to give the people what they want, at least sometimes, even if it’s not what you typically do. There is a market out there for your kind of music, whatever it is. If you are open to the ideas of the people in your network, they’ll help guide you towards it.
Books have been written on this topic; obviously, what I have provided here are just a few general examples. I know about these pitfalls, because they are mistakes that I have made on my journey as an indie artist. It’s really a trial and error process. I like to think that I have learned from my mistakes, and it has better prepared me for my future endeavors in this business. And that is probably the best bit of advice I can give on the subject: make mistakes and learn from them.