Dear Christian Music Industry,
There’s this really cool group of musicians out there, maybe you’ve heard of them. The “Independent” musician. Sometimes people like to call them “Indies” when they want to feel cool, and a lot of times it’s awesome to pass on their music to your friends so they think you are cool too. They call it “hip to the Indie scene” or something like that. All in all “Indie” musicians are pretty decent. They typically will tell you that they are ‘in it for the music’ and come across a little more ‘arty’ than other musicians. And I like that.
You know what else I like about Independent musicians? I like the fact that they care about their careers. You know why they care about their careers? Because if they don’t, they don’t get to eat. They have no record deals, they have no marketing team, and they have no money backing them, and they realize that it really, truly is up to them to succeed. They get that fire under them to create music and then they get that fire under them to spread the word.
And you know what happens when they want to spread the word, Christian Music Industry? They look way down at the bottom of web sites of artists that they feel are doing it right, and they find a logo. They find a logo of the company that these popular musicians are using and they email them wanting the same thing. Because if they get that same thing, they increase their chances of succeeding. Not only do they feel it increases their chances of succeeding, but in talking to this company they realize that so much of the work load of their marketing is lightened in doing so.
You know how I know all of this, Christian Music Industry? I know all of this because I have been on the receiving end of several emails from “Indie” artists over the past few weeks. Emails asking how to do what other artists are doing. How to get their music out to more people. And they want our help. Then we start to talk.
Today SkörInc launched a new site for another Indie guy named Elijah Stephen. He’s an artist who is starting out on the right foot and wants to do as much as he can to succeed. So he called, we talked, and now he has the same service that several other signed artists have. And he’s excited about that. Make sure to head over there and give a big fat hello to him.
Now, here’s the funny part, Christian Music Industry. Are you ready? Elijah paid for it. Yes! Can you believe it. This independent musician searching for ways to better his career paid for services that he thinks are valuable. And he’s getting them.
Now I know there are budgets and flow charts and projections and all that for the labels in the Christian Music Industry. I know that people are paid well to make decisions based on a company and ‘maximizing profits’ and all that. And I think that’s awesome. One thing I’m not too sure about though, Christian Music Industry, and maybe you can clear this up for me. I’m not to sure how an ‘Indie’ artist playing to thirty people or so a night can come up with the money for something valuable, but these major record labels seem to have a hard time finding the budget and need for something like a silly old blog. After all doesn’t MySpace have a blog feature?
Now don’t get me wrong. I know that some of your labels are forward thinking enough to jump on the train, but the majority of your labels refuse to see the need for oh… communicating with your fans… or creating a community or something like that. For years labels have looked at what Independent musicians are doing to succeed and taken those concepts and drug them into a corporation setting. And it doesn’t look like this will be any different. So it’s time to get on the bus Christian Music Industry labels. The hip “Indies” are doing it so why shouldn’t you?
Your Friend,
Brody
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