Accepting the Facts: We only make time for great
Last night, I asked my friends on Facebook:
It only took about two hours for 15% of my Facebook circle to chime in and deliver, offering 200+ recommendations ranging from Jeff Buckley’s Grace to Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors.
Sure, tastes vary, but even metal heads offered records that made me pause and say, “Yep. I get it. That’s a 10 for that genre.”
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What does this mean for songwriters?
Nate Dorough from Fusion Show‘s has emphasized this to me, and Lefsetz has stated this many times in his newsletter and keynotes:
“Because of the Internet and streaming services, we don’t have time for good. We only have time for great.”
Artists are caught up discussing payouts from streaming services; maybe it’s more important to recognize the overwhelming reality that good isn’t good enough, now.
Seriously, are you going to listen to an OK record when you have all the great ones at your fingertips?
Since scarcity has disappeared, the consumer’s expectations have changed.
One thing hasn’t changed: New songwriters need to allow themselves time to work towards great, which takes a lot of practice and hard work to get there. Yet here’s some irony: the Internet has made it so easy to publish. Finished that demo of a song? You can share it with a few keystrokes!
But then crickets.
A great guitar teacher said her students ask her, “How long will it take me to learn this song?” She always says, “Longer than you expect.”
As a songwriter, I’m trying not to feel too overwhelmed by the challenge at hand: aim for, and only release great. It takes a lot of writing of OK and good songs before a great one is found.
Before we climb a mountain, we must see it; approach it; and accept the challenge.
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