How NOT To Get Signed by Youth

 

Let’s face it…this is an important issue. As soon as someone is ‘signed’ in some capacity everyone jumps into a thread to say ‘congratulations’, ‘well done’, ‘you deserve it!’ I cannot really give you any information on getting signed BUT I can – based on my experiences and observations – tell you what will not get you signed so if you’re interested in NOT achieving musical success or in factors that might hold you back from the achievement of that success read on…

 

The truth is that 90% of people on music hosts would like to achieve a record deal of one sort or another…Actually going by the popularity of sites such as mp3unsigned, Soundclick, Besonic, Broadjam, Taxi, IUMA, mp3 (in the recent past) the list is getting bigger everyday…90% of internet users seem to want some sort of a deal. Will it happen that they get signed?

 

We ALL know it is like a lottery. We all realise that the odds are greatly stacked against us BUT still retain that hope that we’ll win after all ‘it could be you’! Now, couple with this with the fact that a lot less than 1% will ACTUALLY get a deal and the further fact that ONLY 3% of SIGNED artists actually make any money over and above what a McDonald’s employee could easily earn AND you have a pretty harsh picture of what you are up against. It doesn’t matter what you think of currently signed artists or producers. It doesn’t matter that YOU think your music is great! What matters is whether someone with money is willing to invest in the risk of your music. It is far more likely that you will remain unsatisfied, unheard (in a professional sense) and unhappy. So, why do we continue to put ourselves through the pain of constant disappointment and how can we attempt to alleviate some of the difficulties in the music lottery?

 

Many would suggest that the first step has to be getting your music heard…ACTUALLY the first step has definitely got to be MAKE A DECENT TRACK. What makes your music worth marketing? Is it different yet identifiably worth putting out? Is it a typically well selling genre BUT better (in some way) than what is out there? Does it have a following that would justify the costs of production? Does it have a novelty value? Are you so gorgeous that people will be bamboozled by your looks and sex appeal sufficiently to ignore your music? Does it have the X-factor that will make it a hit? Is it memorable? Are you stinking rich already and able to ignore everything because you could put out an album if you wished?

 

Although it is true that probably some combination from above motivates you, in my opinion many suggest that their music is better than the existing music within a well selling genre be that Dance, Hip Hop or whatever. In other words they have jumped on a bandwagon BUT think that their particular wagon is the band to follow. What makes them different in thinking this? EVERY group or musician believes the music done by them is the best but that does not get them signed…They need genuine feedback on whether their track is worthy. Unfortunately most internet musicians are like those clingy parents who live out their fantasies through their children. You want to tell them that their child is too ugly or annoying to make it BUT you know that they are likely to be over sensitive and hit back. Hence, we come to our first rule for those wishing to get signed:

MAKE GOOD MUSIC AND THEN LISTEN TO ALL POSSIBLE CRITIQUES IN ORDER TO IMPROVE IT

It is after all, very unlikely that the first draft of a track will be the final episode in your particular saga. Another rule of thumb is keep improving the track until people you respect and value say ‘leave it alone!’

 

So, now you know that you have music that is worthy of a listening public, what now? At this point a very important decision has to be made. Are you an artist or a producer? Artists are expected to perform their portfolio whilst producers go about the task of composing, recording and generally producing the music of others as well as themselves. Why is this important? Well it will define exactly how you go about seeking a deal. In the first instance you need to protect yourself and in the second instance it will dictate whether you seek a publishing or recording contract. Once you realistically express your role you need to spend money (around £200 in the UK) to join a suitable organisation (The PRS/MCPS Alliance in the UK) who will contract to collect certain earnings on your behalf. ‘But I haven’t earned anything’…I hear you scream. Nonetheless you need to protect that which you hope to earn money from.

 

So now you’ve produced/performed music that is appreciated by some and you are around £200 out-of-pocket…GREAT! Well the truth is now you’re in a position to pursue a career in music. Not only is it a widely held belief that the record industry is full of sharks that would eat their own mothers if it would benefit them…IT IS TRUE! Some lads I worked with were recently ripped off to the tune of £75, 000 twice over (£150k in total) by people that were seemingly very close to them. I cannot name names as it is an ongoing police investigation but it serves to highlight the very real pitfalls of the recording industry. Consequently, the second rule is:

PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR MUSIC

 

Now you are ready to start doing whatever your role dictates. If you are a producer you need to get prospective artists or clients interested in your music and if you’re an artist you need to perform and get airplay. Now, your mere presence on the internet is unlikely to be sufficient to get you signed although it can provoke response from prospective artists for those wishing to pursue production. Better not to leave anything to chance. You must be precise in your research. Are you hosting your music where it is likely to achieve the sort of response you want? When some artists got deals via the internet they did so through hosting their music in appropriate places and NOT through trying to get high in some useless charts or getting bogus downloading. A lesson can be learnt by many: one download – if it’s the right one – can be far better than a million that do not provide you with what you seek. Too many budding producers and artists do not research or take the appropriate steps in order to be taken seriously. A further problem is that far too many now do not take steps beyond the internet. Put your shoes on, go out and talk to people in record shops, people that run club nights, publicans, local radio stations…the list is almost endless but the lesson is that most deals occur in the real world so it cannot be ignored. You ignore this step at your own peril. So the third rule has to be:

PLACE YOURSELF AND YOUR MUSIC IN APPROPRIATE SITUATIONS AND LOCATIONS

 

To recap, the three rules that should be followed by all artists aspiring to be signed are:

1. MAKE GOOD MUSIC AND THEN LISTEN TO ALL POSSIBLE CRITIQUES IN ORDER TO IMPROVE IT
2. PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR MUSIC
3. PLACE YOURSELF AND YOUR MUSIC IN APPROPRIATE SITUATIONS AND LOCATIONS

If you do not follow these rules then you are doing really well in the stakes NOT to get signed! BUT what if you are following these rules. What if your music is good, protected and it is being played and performed in the right places? The deals will roll in won’t they? NO!!! But that’s a matter for another time in the HOW NOT TO series…