It is widely known that the music industry is competitive. Musicians may have an idea of how hard it is to obtain a record deal, but what are the real standards once you have been signed? Musicians are often told to give the label what they want, but there is much more to what that statement really means. There are aspects about being a musician that aspiring artists are not aware of until they have sunken deep into the trench of standardization.
Paula Skyers, an independent jazz musician and vocal coach, has had her own taste of the music industry. “Getting a record deal is not the easiest, but that’s not the biggest issue,” Skyers said. “What’s harder is keeping up with what the record label wants you to do once you are signed, and following the rules they’ve set up for you.”
What are these rules? Well, let’s begin with what the industry is really after.
“Most of the time they start you out when you’re young and vulnerable,” Skyers said. “As a 10 year old, the music industry seems like this energetic amazing world where you do what you’ve always dreamed of, but then you’re 20 and you realize, ‘shoot, I’m stuck in this black hole and there’s no way out’, because the industry already owns rights to everything you do, and they just want to keep making money out of you.”
Justin Bieber can be seen as a perfect example of a celebrity who rose to fame at a very young age. At only 12 years old, he was already working with his buddy and mentor Usher, signed to Raymond Braun Media Group (RBMG), a joint company between Usher and Bieber’s manager Scooter Braun. Under their wings, Bieber released several albums and embarked on worldwide tours. While it might appear that he has all the world’s gold, he has less control over his career than one would think.
“I think it comes to a point where you have to sell out. You can’t be successful on your own terms,” Skyers said. “It’s about who has the image, the personality, but more importantly, who’s marketable. Once you sign up with the industry, it’s like your owned by them, and you have to maintain an image that can’t be altered. That’s why all these artists go berserk.”
We’ve seen musicians go berserk on several accounts, namely Britney Spears. After shaving her hair off and attacking the paparazzi back in 2007, it really makes you wonder how intense the pressure can be. According to Metro magazine, Spears has recently rebelled against her management after stating that her music managers were forcing her to act ‘slutty’ in her new music video for “Work Bitch”. In regards to that, she said, “A lot of sex goes into what I do […] I have children, and it’s just hard to play sexy mom while you’re being a pop star as well.”
However, sometimes musicians get caught up in their success; they will do anything to keep their careers alive. “Once you get the money you become addicted, and you will do anything for that fame and response from the public,” Skyers said. “The music doesn’t even matter anymore. It’s about staying up until four in the morning hoping your vocals will sound better during the new take, only to find out the next morning they were auto-tuned anyway. It’s about putting on a show in order to get people’s mouths moving.”
Alongside having an image the industry approves of, the actual creative process of being in a studio diminishes once you are part of a major label. “There’s no room for originality. You’ll come in with a song idea, and it’ll be torn down,” Skyers said. “They’ll give you something and you’ll have to like it, because the contract tells you that you have to.”
Many artists have been subject to this harsh reality in the studio. Kelly Clarkson, who has won several Grammys for her work, has had issues with her record label and head label executive Clive Davis. She wrote a blog post in response to Clive Davis’ memoir The Soundtrack of My Life, which she insists contains false information about how he treated her. In the blog post she discussed her experience with him, and how he hated her own song, “Because Of You”, which ironically, ended up being one of her biggest singles on her Breakaway album.
“[He] told me verbatim that I was a ‘shitty writer who should be grateful for the gifts that he bestows upon me.’ He continued on about how the song didn’t rhyme and how I should just shut up and sing,” Clarkson wrote. “This was devastating coming from a man who I, as a young girl, considered a musical hero and was so honored to work with. But I continued to fight for the song and the label relented. And it became a worldwide hit. He didn’t include that in the book.”
The industry doesn’t have to butt in and tell you what’s right and what’s wrong. They think they know what the public wants to hear, but do they really? They just want a money-making machine.
Not only are artists rejected for including their own material on an album, but songwriters often don’t get the credit they deserve. “A good friend of mine, Annie, was working in Los Angeles with several songwriters, writing for other artists,” Skyers explained. “They told her she would get writing credits and half of the profit, and was later told she would only get ten percent. She doesn’t even know what the song morphed into or even if her name is on it at all.”
Not only is this true for songwriters, but musicians make barely a fraction through record sales. According to James Scott, writer for Ultimate-Guitar.com, most artists don’t receive credit where it is due when they are part of a major label. “That’s the downside of a major label deal. They’ll give you a lot, but take a lot in return, often from 95-99% of the retail price [of the album] after all deductions,” he stated. “The emerging UK artist that sells 100,000 copies will only make 10,000 from record sales if they’re signed to a big label. They’d literally make more money flipping burgers.”
However, there is some hope for upcoming musicians who refuse to get sucked into the standardization tube. Today, a lot of independent musicians are building their own home studios with simple music editing software programs, even ones equipped with electronic instruments. “If someone is looking to be a musician for the sake of music itself, it’s much better to just do it on their own,” Skyers, who has a mini studio in the comfort of her own home, explained. “With your own equipment, not only can you do whatever you want, you learn the skills, and you don’t have to rely on anyone. It’s raw material that no one can mess with.”
With different media platforms such as YouTube or Facebook, it is easy to put yourself out there without the pressure of a label influencing you. Today, anyone can acquire a camera and learn the basics of recording with the help of online tutorials.
Although it may seem difficult to upload music on YouTube since thousands of people are competing for the same recognition, Skyers suggests otherwise. “You never know who’s going to listen. But, it doesn’t have to be about how many views you have or even how many people are supporting you,” she said. “It should be about the passion you have for your craft. If you’re looking for the money, or the big dream, you might as well sign up for a record label, because it’s not the music you’re after at that point.”
“You can be an independent artist and still have success,” Skyers said. “The industry doesn’t have to butt in and tell you what’s right and what’s wrong. They think they know what the public wants to hear, but do they really? They just want a money-making machine.”
“You don’t have to sell out to sing. It’s possible to be your own person and live your dreams without getting sucked in. You don’t have to go after the big prize to be successful and happy.”
Word Document: The Music Industry
Edited by: Katharine D’Adamo