Why it seems like no one likes your music, (when some folks actually do like it).

For the homies,

This one is for my musician friends, and maybe there’s something for the rest of us here too. 

I’ve talked to other musicians who feel bitter their songs don’t seem to stick. Maybe they don’t get the money they were hoping for. Maybe there’s a lack of interest. Maybe the internet is like a giant nest of baby birds with their mouths open waiting for food. A song just doesn’t cut through. Whatever the reasons, there are a lot. But it’s not reality, most times.

Our newest tune. We got to be a choir. I love music.

Are you certain no one likes your music?

Most of us have a fan or two, maybe more. A lot of us talk to people everyday who know us as songsters. Considering how packed it is out there with indie music and robots, I’d say that’s pretty good. Although it may not be what we’re looking for.

I want you to imagine liking a band no one’s heard of. Maybe a song of theirs gets you going or turns on your emotions. Now imagine reading the band’s social media and they complain no one likes them as so many bands do. How does that feel? As a fan of indies who don’t notice ANYONE liking them, I think it’s unfortunate. I don’t blame them for not noticing or caring, but I do think that’s unfortunate.

Maybe it’s wanting thousands of clicks on something?

I suspect social media has inflated our sense of what a successful musical venture is. I like playing in the living room. Whoever’s there might tell me it sounds cool. Success. Not a lottery win, but definitely a success. 

I’ve been around music a long time, since the mid-90’s, or so. It’s been really fun to get together at social functions centered around music that aren’t giant corporate events. In jr. high, I was in a bluegrass club with my grandpa. It was a bunch of seniors, their spouses, and some friends, one night a month. In San Antonio, the bands were tight when I was there. We all talked about starting a Union when folks like us were getting paid 6 dollars for a whole show. lol.

Think about community.

These clubs or groups give us a real sense of community. They also give us presence. When we cross a threshold in attendance, magic usually happens. We need a bigger room. We make a charter. We become a team. This has happened all throughout U.S. history and it was even said to be a great thing about us. Was even said to be why we are successful. It was everywhere. Bowling, Bridge, Jazz Band, Barbershop Quartet, feeding folks, church, sports, working on cars, tinkering with computers, on and on. I’ve been to a lot of clubs. Until social media. I don’t know if your experience lines up with mine, but I’m willing to bet it does for some of you.

The USA is historically strong when it is knit together. These clubs and groups have largely gone away or changed to an unrecognizable form. It may sound obvious, but we seem to do better when we hang out together doing stuff we like. All the connections in all the clubs in a town fortify the place. Now we are mostly vulnerable. Coincidence?

Try it!

You may think there’s no place in your life for folks who see things differently until you try to muster some folks for a game of bridge. Then you might need them. By doing that, you are strengthening the community, congratulations. You might have also been turned on to the notion of most folks not being “all bad” or “evil.” This is the first step in learning tolerance, in my opinion. Once folks aren’t good or bad, they aren’t being judged anymore. All from a game of cards!

To be clear, there’s plenty of jackasses out there. They even run the country. But they aren’t in search of games of Bridge close to their neighborhood once a week. They’re trying to own people. That’s different.

There’s this quality vs quantity thing folks do. What about real vs fake?

I have found, bringing it back to music, that I enjoy embracing the community happening around me as much if not more than the one online. It feels good, sure. But it also feels revitalizing. It is strengthening. It’s nice to talk to folks, who’d have thought?

If you are a band and you happen to get online complaining about how music sucks or how no one listens, maybe you don’t know that folks actually do listen for now. They may quit if you keep shouting over their heads.

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