Music Industry-Related Stress
This section is an update to the original Big List of Musician Stressors! I can’t believe we missed these huge stressors in the original post! Pittsburgh producer and songwriter Lauren “Shay” DeMichiei brought our omissions to our attention, and we’re glad. She felt that what was missing from the original Big List was “the overwhelming feeling of learning and not knowing where to start.” Ugh, YES! That got the mental wheels turning and the heart strings pulling…next thing you know…here’s a new section of musician torments stressors. These stressors definitely affect those new to the music industry, but they continue to haunt even veteran musicians as the landscape of the music industry changes. (Sorry, but it’s true.)
- Learning to:
- Navigate the scene
- Book shows
- Find venues
- Deal with venues
- Deal with other artists
- Get paid
- Earn money
- Earn fans
- Promote yourself
- Sell yourself
- Retain dignity
- Retain balance
- Get followers
- Get “likes”
- Get supporters
- Do social media
- Do social media right
- Make your music available on digital outlets
- Not get completely screwed over by digital outlets
- Find the best way to record (DIY or finding someone)
- Understanding and/or utilizing:
- Press
- Marketing
- Labels
- Distribution
- Booking
- Understanding your legal rights and responsibilities as an artist
- Copyright
- Taxes
- Other legalities
- Not getting screwed over
- Dealing with feelings of:
- Futility
- Insignificance
- Frustration
- Fear
- Oversaturation
- Overstimulation
- Creative ruts
- Creative hyperactivity
- Burnout
- Disingenuousness
Let us know what you think of this addition to our Big List, and feel free to add anything we missed in the comments or by contacting us! Soon, we’ll present a Big List of Musician Stress Relievers for you to try!
Thank you for reading! Be well!
of music & mind 