Keep it real
I have been reading a crapload of articles lately on what artists should be doing in order to survive. Not only has the traditional music industry crumbled, but people are still weary about spending money, and music will be continue to be a low priority in this regard.
I personally believe that all these changes are leading us to great places, and the place I can most easily identify at this time is one where we will be rewarded for innovation and creative thinking. This transition is going to open up opportunities in all facets of art and business.
Now, I can understand why people are re-evaluating what kind of music they are producing or DJing. They might be thinking it's time to do something more commercially viable. I think it is more important to focus your energy on striving to create something "better", rather than more profitable.
The thinking behind going after a hot sound is that if you can make it in that area, it will open doors in the styles of music that you really like making. Sadly the case is the opposite, as once you have made your fan base and everything is going well, most people have a hard time pulling a 180 on that.
My point is that in this era, there is no need to bullshit yourself. There is always a big component of making music where you have to satisfy the needs of listeners, but some people have walked the line too far. They have taken it to the point where their success is good on paper, but in the long run have done little to change the way people think about music. Do not get me wrong - a lot of artists have done a great job of finding that middle ground, and I think that makes them some of the best out there.
If you believe you are making the music that needs to be heard, I urge you to stick with it. If you like elements of music that is popular these days, experiment with using some of those ideas in your own work. But don't lose site of your overall vision. Keep it real!
Have a great weekend everyone, and I hope to have some more good content up on the site by the end of it.