So You Wanna Be a Rock Star? A Business Primer for Wannabe Rock Stars By Matthew Pruitt
U
tah has been a wellspring of musical talent in recent years. Such bands as The Killers, Imagine Dragons, Neon Trees, David Archuleta, Lindsey Stirling, Panic! At the Disco, The Used, and Meg & Dia all have roots of some type in Utah. In northern Utah, the music venue Velour has become a mainstay in the community as a place to develop great talent. Here in southern Utah, the scene grew with Jazzy’s Rock N Roll Grill, and while that has since closed, other venues have stepped up to take its place. Having worked closely with several of the aforementioned artists, I’m often asked what it takes to make it in the industry. Making it in the music industry is much like making it in any other business: you need a quality product, a solid team, good marketing, and good business fundamentals. All too often, musicians buckle down on perfecting their craft while forgetting the rest. An established artist may have the freedom to do that, but for an artist starting out, close attention needs to be paid to every aspect of the business. That said, having a quality product is the most critical aspect of them all. If you open a restaurant and the food is not good, no one is going to eat at your restaurant. In the same way, if your music isn’t any good, no one is going to listen to it. Artists need to understand, though, that not all good music is marketable. Artists should conduct a market analysis related to their music and have reasonable expectations for the market size. True artists might scoff at being marketable, but they should think of marketing as finding the people who love their music and learning how to communicate with them. You wouldn’t take a hard-rock or hip-hop tour to senior care homes. Find your market, learn what they want to hear, then craft your art and messaging to better appeal to them. Don’t be afraid to let your music evolve. Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons wrote acoustic singersongwriter music and even dabbled in hip hop before forming Imagine Dragons and developing their sound. Artists are often too concerned with how to get a record deal, but not all music needs a record deal. I have helped many clients who have been able to make good livings having their self-produced music sold to film and TV by indie publishers. Making a living in music no longer requires a major label and widespread fame. Continued on Page 16
Legal Section Sponsored By 14 Southern Utah Business Magazine :: Summer 2022
