Great question. With so many ways to get your music out to the public it should be easier to break into the music scene, right? Definitely Wrong!

We could write an entire book on the importance of your team as an artist.  For the sake of brevity and sanity, let’s focus on networking and management for this post.

The number of individuals who post music to Soundcloud, YouTube, Facebook, ReverbNation, HypeMachine, Spotify, Pandora, MySpace (I think that site is still live), etc. is staggering. So while it is definitely easier to get your music on-line where it may eventually (randomly) be heard by the public, it remains just as difficult, if not more so, to actually get traction and make a career out of being a musician.

There is no one or best answer to this question.  Unfortunately a lot of what permits an individual to “make it” in music depends on connections.  So much of what happens in music is still based on who you know.  While there are many stories of individuals grinding it out in coffee shops, selling cds out of their trunk, submitting demo after demo until, finally, someone with some clout (aka money) opens the magic gates to true exposure, the majority of musicians that have made it take a different route. Networking, schmoozing, pestering etc. are as important as great lyrics, production and stage presence. Going to panel discussions, meeting the right people or people that can lead you to the right people is hugely important.  Please don’t mistake the necessity of having great music. You can be the best networker in the world and get your music in front of the exact right people, but if that music is not up to par, the door will quickly be closed.

Let’s assume your music is great and you just need the right people to hear it.  What should you do?  We at L4M consistently advise our clients to pick the best team members when embarking on a musical career.  Try to find the right fit and figure out exactly who/what you need.  A lot of artists assume they need a manager immediately.  If the right manager is selected and he/she is utilized correctly by the artist, a manager can be an essential key for success.

Managers can quickly become a crutch or an excuse for an artist. Why am I not getting any gigs? Why am I not getting a publishing deal?  My manager must not be doing something.  While a good manager can secure some opportunities, a manager at the beginning of a musician’s career should be there to offer advice, tough love and help set up a plan for future success.  Connections are a huge plus but having a level head and understanding the artist and his/her goals is equally if not more important.

Other key team members include a booking agent, lawyer and publicist.  We could write long articles about the importance of each person, but in the very beginning of a music career, these people will most likely come with a certain modicum of success.  L4M is obviously partial to lawyers being part of the team, but you will know when you need one (first deal, or band agreement or manager agreement).  A good manager should be able to make introductions to all of the other team members you need.  In fact, a good way to judge the skill set of your manager is to find out who he/she knows that can help build this team.

How do you find a good manager?  Ask around.  Don’t rely on websites (many of the best management teams don’t even have a website).  Find an artist you admire and see who is on their team.  Chances are that Scooter Braun isn’t going to take you on, but find out who he is taking on for clients.  Those artists did not start with him as their manager.  Reach out to people that know.  Lawyers, publicists, other musicians should be your target when trying to find the best management fit.

Remember that there are two sides of a career in music:  first and foremost the music followed closely by the business of music.  If your music is great, your business skills and team need to be up to snuff.  If your team is below par, your music will not get to the masses and you will sadly be lost in the (sound)cloud.