RADIO IS DYING.

RADIO IS DYING.

IHeartMedia, formally Clear Channel, and the biggest radio operator in the world, is in debt up to their eyeballs. 20.6 BILLION to be exact! 
If you are an artist depending on radio play right now, you need to start thinking about your 5-10 year moving forward strategy NOW! Radio is dying, and it's never coming back.
And as far as programming goes, they are taking Spotify's lead. Whatever ends up in the Top Global 100, ends up on radio afterward. They aren't pushing the envelope at all. 
This has been happening for a while, yet artists assume it doesn't apply to them. Christian and Country artists are the worst about it, thinking KLove will just be around forever, that it is different for their genre. 
You are right, it is much slower. You still need radio. And radio might still be the best tool for breaking a Christian Artist. 
But what about in 5-10 years? 
I think making music to sell to the Klove demographic (middle-aged women) might have short term success....but it is not a sound long term strategy. Perfect world, you grow old WITH your audience so you can have a long career.

People fight the old ways so much...why? I totally get if you are fighting for family or religious traditions...but with your business, you will die!

The first artists that embrace the new world and figure out ways to win, will dominate. I'm not saying to take your music off radio today. Radio is still a thing! But just don't leave the future to chance. 
Start thinking about it. Start asking questions. And start making plans as to how you are going to survive without it!

FOR THE LOVE.

It's so easy to forget why.
With deadlines, bank meetings, marketing tactics, competition trying to bury you, business strategies, employees to whom which have families, workman's comp insurance and a barrage of a hundred other different things lined up ready to take you down, it is sooooo easy to forget why I helped start Soundstripe

When you start something, gravity will try it's damnest to do its job. You will hit roadblock after roadblock , detours at ever which way, and you will get tired. Oh the saying is true, if it were that easy, everybody would do it...

And to be frank, this doesn't get easier. The more successful you become, the bigger the problems, the more fires you have to put out, and the more important the issues become.

One of the only ways you will be able to prevent burnout and push through these times is constantly reminding yourself of your purpose and your "WHY". And your purpose can't be to get rich and famous. It has to grounded in something real and something important. If you truly believe in your why, the setbacks will not detour you.

Last night I was watching the Oscars with some friends and listening to Sara Bareilles sing Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" as they honored the ones that had past, and it moved me. And I was so happy for LaLa Land's young composer for receiving an Oscar for best score.

My deep love for music and it's creators is the thing that gets me up in the morning. It makes this all not seem like work. Music has this innate power to change hearts and minds and tell stories of people that need to be told. It is one of the only universal languages, understood no matter what language, race, religion, or creed. Music truly brings people together and I'm so honored everyday to help advance the message of music and storytelling by providing music creators an outlet to create and get their music heard.

I can't find your why and purpose for you. You can't watch a Youtube video and find your why and you can't be taught your why. Only you can figure it out for yourself. If you are starting anything, it is the most important question you will ever answer.

Because your answer will end up being a strength booster when you need it the most. And oh, will you need it...

And if you need more proof, read "Start with Why". It is a game changer.