Why Your Music Will NEVER Get Heard

Getting your music heard is easier than you may think. There is no denying that the road to get there is tough, but the process is quite simple.

For years I struggled with my direction, what kind of music I wanted to make, how I wanted to make it and I had no idea why I was making music at all in the first place other than the fact that "i like music".... yeah, but who doesn't?

This video will really help you get a better understanding of what you need to do in order to start getting your music heard and potentially why you haven't built up an audience for you music so far.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Enjoy :)

[beyondelectric]

A few months ago youtube recommended "Stop Trying To Become A Music Producer" and back then I was like hours away from giving up on this whole music making hobby because of how much I didn't believe in myself, and that video just somehow gave me the motivation I needed to continue on with my dream, and now I finished a record and released it because of that boost you gave me. I would just like to thank you for inspiring me sir ❤

[klinkske]

Moby said ‘make music for your friends’ - that totally works for me. And if i can listen to my music and enjoy it over new worldwide hits that sound irritating, i did not fail. No matter how small my ‘audience’ is

[singechamberlain]

It's a difficult balance. Personally I think you'll ultimately be happier making music you really connect with, rather than making music you think other people want to hear.

[gumbilicious]

Quite a long time ago I gave up of external validation and now I just make music for myself and the people who play it with me. Music has become a center point for my social life and personal gratification. Ever since then I have enjoyed making music much more

I will still get family members and friends asking “why don’t you try to do something with your music?” And my response is twofold:
1) my music is out there for free and my closest friends and family don’t even listen to it, the musicians that lay on it don’t even really listen to it. If that audience isn’t interested then I shouldn’t expect the general population to listen
2) why would I want music to be my pain-in-the-ass job? I make what I want when I want, it’s my fulfilling hobby right now and turning professional and playing crowd pleasing music would ruin my therapeutic hobby

My approach isn’t for everyone, but I did answer those “why” questions a long time ago and it gives my music purpose and makes it more enjoyable. And as a casual musician, I put quite a bit of hard work and effort into my music, more than many musicians that consider themselves more “serious”

[beatz]

Here's my #1 pro tip as a graphic designer that also applies to music: Build a frame in which your music making is only allowed to take place. Another term for this could be "voluntary constraints". In other words, before you even write or play the first note, you have made a conscious decision about the limitations you will apply to the song. This could be choices about which kind of sounds you gonna use, genre, feel etc. This way, you have built a frame that limits the choices you can make when actually writing a track. You could take this even further and make conscious decisions beforehand about which kind of audience the track should be for or for which market. When creating logos, luckily these kind of helpful restrictions are determined by the nature of the business i'm doing a logo for, their core values, their USP, their competition, their market, their customers etc. These predetermined restrictions allow me to not be overwhelmed with the "too many options" paralysis, something that could happen when making art for the sake of art, something logos are not. But you can apply the same idea to any kind of art: Simply set some rules before you even start. Believe me, there's a reason why i call this my #1 tip.

[TheSpeenort]

A friend gave my CD to the local lo-power FM radio station. Since then it's spread through all of the tri-state lo-power stations and even as far as Israel, Australia, and Russia... that I know of.

[CyrusShameliOfficial]

You're speaking facts here. As someone who is a music producer myself, I feel this way. You earned a subscriber.

[Bthelick]

If you want to make music for yourself, then you've already succeeded! That's it, done! It can be literally anything you want.
As soon as you complain it's not "doing well" or "being heard" then it's not for you is it! That's a completely separate thing. Adding external success factors as criteria have to inevitably change why it's made in the first place.

[LesKonley]

Having a direction and a plan sounds like it requires 100% commitment as you said in your other most recent video. I think the fear of commitment keeps me from choosing a direction and making a plan. Thus, as you said, it has become more difficult to find the motivation to make anything new or to finish my tracks. And if I don't change that mindset soon, then, well... I'm running out of time to see the fruition of my years of struggle. Thanks for the poke and dose of reality!

[UltimateMoralizer]

You’ve made some good points. I’m an underground Greek conscious artist hip-hop artist who’s 0% successful, and I can say for a certainty that it all comes down to who you know. You can make commercial hip-hop songs till the cows come home, but nothing is going to happen if you don’t have contacts. You can’t just market yourself online without knowing anyone and without a fan base. It just doesn’t work that way. I’ve accepted the fact that I’m never going to be successful and that conscious hip-hop is only for a chosen few who have ears to hear and eyes to see!

[cf]

Who is more likely to be content: the artist or the craftsman? True satisfaction comes from the taking on and fulfilling of responsibilities. If you understand that your responsibility as a musician is about mastering your craft, you will find greater success and fulfillment.

[briancassey]

No matter if your audience listen to your music or not, staying obsessional to your passion forces you going forwards at all costs.

[mtennantmusic]

I know the reason I make music and where I want to go with it. I know how to arrange music that's dynamic and interesting and I can finish a song 90% of the time I start one. I just don't know what I'm doing wrong beyond that. And I'm not saying that everything is perfect and that I don't have more to learn or room to improve. I just don't know how to attract an audience and cultivate a fan base. But I'm also willing to accept that people just don't like what I'm putting out.

[talentohumano]

*When You Give, You Receive*
As Simple As That

[Magluss]

Thanks for the questions and thanks for your honesty. These words that you convey from your truth are very much appreciated.
And I totally agree in all, especially with the question and the final answer.
It's a pleasure to follow you, and your inspirations in feelings and words really resonate with me. Total appreciation.
When you add years, in my case, the current moment of immediacy with music and networks, everything you say makes even more sense. Thanks.
As I always say; we hear each other through this sound universe.🙏🏾👌🏾🌠🎶😊😉

[papayerc]

true! i ask myself similar questions everyday and by doing that i really got my priorities in check! Over the years ive learned that incentivizing my health and family/loved ones and GOING OUTSIDE really improved my musical output/experimentation, as well as my personal sense of direction as an artist. I know what its like to take long studio hours to the extreme, or those days of locking yourself away to just make music for myself. Ive gained so much confidence in myself by proving my versatility in private, but when its all said and done, my audience is just my handful of clients ive built through engineering and producing locally. They might like my music because they like me personally but because i never aimed to entertain a particular group of people with my music i just got caught up in making new stuff all the time and never thinking of the follow up for a proper roll out.
A friend of mine is a pretty successful musician and ive got to pick his brain for hours on end and he made it very clear to me that he knows his target audience and who and what he makes his content for. Its not about making the perfect song that feels the most personal and emotionally immersive, its about setting a goal, running trials, analyzing performance and adding and subtracting variables.
You can kind of look at it like you have to make sacrifices to get success. If your music is very personal to you and you want success as a musician you have to exploit your interests while chasing your dreams before you end up in a situation that exploits YOU!
Stay focused my friends! I believe in you all! :D

[huntoriginalmusic-wyrc]

As a composer, I really appreciate your dead-on approach and wisdom. You nail it exactly as it is. I've watched a few of your videos and I have to tell you, you my friend are brilliant and I'll click subscribe right now. I am fortunate to get as many people listen to my stuff as I do. But I have given up trying to get "hits". Means nothing. I just write, produce and perform and as you say "fuck it". Just enjoy whatever happens even if it's nothing. I'm not sure why you write, but I write for therapy. Having said that, would enjoy listening to your music. It has to be good cause you are.

[hadookin]

Well said, wanting an audience and successful career as a musician or any other artists requires so many other skills and knowledge, and being able to understand people

[deepschulzz]

Every word is right. I made exact the same experiences.

[JayemelMusicUniverse]

Speaking the truth and in love mate. This resonates with me so much.

I make music of course for myself but also that my peers will hear and enjoy it as well and plus they motivate me to do better and grow my sound. And definitely for my late dad who instilled a joy for music and really has been healing and another great creative medium that i truly can put focus and effort into learning and growing.

So i totally agree when someone says they make music just for themselves, the motivation wont last long as opposed to a purpose and joy. Thanks as always for your insightful videos that speak what many of us are feeling but cant verbalize. Thank you!