STAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE
This phrase also means someone or something that is out in the front with a new idea, or a new way of doing something. Something that will become popular or even common at some point in the future. To stay ahead of the curve, means that you continue to innovate to ensure you stay current, and keep tabs of what’s currently happening now within your business landscape – so you’re not left behind.
Today Artists no longer have to get past the gatekeepers of the industry in order to reach whatever heights they’re aiming for. The control is in the hands of the artist, to make the music, to produce the music, to release it.
“You have to be constantly reinventing yourself and investing in the future.”
The first step if you wish to stay ahead of the curve, is to know your audience and look after them. If you are giving them a positive experience, they’ll more likely to remain loyal which will keep them investing in you, and also letting their network know about you. They can help you stay ahead of the curve by giving you insight into how you can potentially improve your brand and achieve the results you’re looking for.
Many artists fail to stay ahead of the curve, because they don’t put a lot of energy into their audience with a targeted strategy. Don’t be a well-kept secret. Who is your ideal client? Focus on where they’re hanging out and how to reach them. What message will they resonate with?
How many artists naturally copy what the current trends are in there genre. Although this may seem normal and even feel like a fruitful exercise; by doing what everyone else is doing, you stay ordinary and unfortunately brand yourself as just another. To stay ahead of the curve, ensure you put aside time to innovate and look at things differently. What did the pioneers do different, that may work for me that current artists are doing?
To stay ahead of the curve with innovation, focus on your songwriting, your audience, your production, and the way you present yourself to the world.
Naturally, everything is changing around us and it’s the same in music. New artists pop up, technology rapidly changes, and the expectations of what our audiences want changes with it. Staying flexible, and not being locked into your ideas and processes is imperative if you want to stay ahead of the curve because it’ll ensure you won’t be stuck in your old ways and will continue to evolve as to where the world is moving.
The best leaders who stay ahead of the curve, continue to do so by investing in their personal development. The best investment you can ever make to stay ahead of the curve, is by investing in yourself.
The music industry has faced many tough moments, the invention of the internet, which threatened to bring the business to its knees. As the way we consume music evolved through vinyl and CD to MP3 and streaming, artists, labels and streaming platforms have learned to adapt or risk extinction.
“We’re fuelled by this passion for music. Honestly, the money comes and goes, but when you can’t exercise your passion out there, it breaks your heart. I miss performing for my fans.” French Montana
The independent artists who desires to make a living off their music are finding a variety of ways to do so. Not only are more musicians making their way in the business without the aid of a major label, but independent musicians are actually the fastest-growing sector in the music industry. The pandemic has forced artists to be more inventive, more mindful, in the process. We are seeing a rise in inventive programming from many musicians. From Miley Cyrus’s #BrightMinded series to Lady Gaga’s ‘One World: Together At Home’ which raised more than £102 million. The IG Live battle between hip-hop legends DJ Premier and RZA, which racked up a 850,000 views. Meanwhile, 275,000 people tuned in to see Billie Eilish chat to fans on her IG Live, the appetite for interaction is evident.
If you’re promoting an album/EP and merchandise sales are a part of your release strategy, how will your audience know to buy your merchandise if you don’t inform them that it’s available or direct them on how to purchase it or challenge them to access it for free which might be a funnel for a better offer. Sometimes the solution to our current predicament is not some gimmick, it’s all about taking the basic actions like telling your audience to “Click the link in your bio to buy your merchandise.
What role will record labels play as we look into tomorrow’s world today?
With the dependence to labels diminishing, there will be new key players and new ways of doing business, fewer managers and short-term contracts. Ditto music is a global online music distribution company that partners with 160 digital music stores, including Spotify, iTunes, Google Play, Amazon, and more. Passionate about artists’ rights, Ditto Music offers an unlimited distribution service that lets artists release recorded music to the world. Payoneer works with Ditto Music to ease music royalty payouts and tracking, letting artists withdraw earnings seamlessly and from anywhere in the world. Founded by musicians, for musicians, Ditto provides distribution, music video, promotional and label services, offering both 100% royalty and commission-based deals.
For artists, it means they can share their work with the world. This gives them the ability to make music and build their career at their own pace, and with their own personality. As an artist I always wanted to retain creative control over my music. Artists today have more control of their careers than ever before, and that kind of empowerment means that artists no longer see signing to a label as the only pathway to success.
Remember if the rate of change outside your business is greater than the rate of change inside your business then the end is already in sight.
In my time as an artist record companies positioned themselves as the gatekeepers between an artist and their dreams. However with the increasing amounts of streaming platforms, independent artists are using the internet as a global distribution platform while retaining the rights to their most valuable asset, their songs.
“You have to be constantly reinventing yourself and investing in the future.”
Procrastination is a thief of time. Write your goals down as a daily exercise, remind yourself why you do what you do. Plan your future as that is where your going to spend the rest of your life, but always be present in the moment. If you say your going to do it, then do it. Successful people do what they say there going to do.
- What should I do more of?
- What should I do less of?
- What should I start doing right now?
- What should I stop doing right now?
Basil Reynolds
Coaching Consultant
Finding the Music Inside