The Future of Music blog has a post about a new business model being pioneered through CBS. I encourage you to read to catch a glimpse of where your industry is heading. In a nutshell, CBS is relaunching the CBS Record Label with the express purpose of integrating their artists songs into CBS and CW television shows. There’s a bunch of industry insight in the article, so be sure to check it out.
However, a completely unrelated subject jumped out at me. In the middle of the post, an artist named Will Dailey is being apprehensive and resistent to the thought of “contributing to the soundtrack of “The Young and the Restless.””
That is until his appendicitis left him with $50,000 in debt.
This struck me as a cool topic to discuss because it’s based in reality. It’s so easy to get high and mighty and/or romantic about a career in music. And though I don’t want to take anything away from that – it is art afterall – but, it’s okay to live in the reality that this is how you want to support your living. In fact, I BEG you to live in this reality.
Your career choice puts you in the middle of an industry. An industry every bit as business like as automobiles, computer chips or agriculture. And just like the millions of people that work in those industries, your number one concern should always be putting food on the table and a roof over your head.
I hope you enjoy every glorious moment of being a musician, but treat it like a business that provides your life support – because that it what it is.
