Markets

These days, music is becoming increasingly niche oriented. One look at Billboard magazine bears this out. A genre such as country has branched out into many sub-genres; modern, traditional, Americana, bluegrass, newgrass, alt-country, etc. I won’t waste a whole page listing all the different genres of rock and pop! So, figure out what you do the best and then determine what niches that your music fits into.

There are several ways to think this through. The first is if you plan to write and record for yourself or with a group. In that case, simply write what you do best and market your wares to the right niche. Remember—you will never please everybody! Even top charting artists can be as hated by one group as they are loved by another. You don’t have to please everybody—just the people in your selected genre. And—be true to yourself.

The second is if you plan to write for a particular market, but you don’t plan on being a recording artist yourself. If this is what you intend to do, then it is important to know what will fly in the market you select. Another thing—you need to know which musical styles still use outside writers and plan your approach accordingly. Country and pop still use outside songs, as do many niche genres.

You might also think about being a performer and using your work as a networking tool. If you write well enough, bigger fish in your pond will sometimes notice your work and want to cover something special that you wrote.

Whatever you do, let your music speak for itself. You can never make someone record your song if they don’t love it first. If you want to pitch your songs, I recommend getting a publisher. I also recommend making friends in a musical circle that you can fit into. Build friendship and trust first, and let the music pitches and business dealings come later. 

Don't be fooled by generic stereotypes. Putting cliches in songs-like chickens and farms in a country song or bling and drive by's in hip hop misses the point. It is a mistake that people who aren’t really conversant with a genre make when they try to write it—based on a very general stereotype. Music styles don't always sync to the demographics you assume. Cliches thrown into any style of music can hurt you. “Keep it real” is good advice, no matter what style you choose to write.

Different musical styles have different do’s and don’ts—including different value sets. Be aware of them. Country, Gospel (including Contemporary Christian) most pop and bluegrass stay away from explicit language that might be considered “morally corrupt”. Rock and hip hop are more open to explicit language. Get to know your market and your audience in these terms. If you think you may offend someone with something you are putting in your song, chances are you will. But the real question is how will it fly with the demographic that you are aiming at? Is your audience young, hip and urban or Bible belt conservative? Or somewhere in between? You need to know.

If you are aiming a song at a particular artist, ask yourself if your song is something that will fit with the artist’s image. All artists have a public image. What might work for Kid Rock could be a huge mistake for Michael Buble. Artists like to sing songs that reflect their chosen values and image.

Remember, too, that there are still rules in place for radio play. If nothing else, record a clean “radio friendly” version of your work. Without it, your song will not get radio play, no matter how good it is. 

Should you wish to take on a genre of music that is new to you, don't make assumptions. Take plenty of time to listen and to study a new style. When you do run across cliché elements, my advice is to steer clear of them. Using clichés in the wrong way can make the listener feel like you are belittling their lifestyle. 

Instead, ask yourself what hasn't been done to death. Go for the fresh angle. Having something new to say will create more interest than worn out clichés.

When you want to write in a new style, also take time to make a study of the rhythmic patterns that are commonly used. Catalog what you discover. Rhythm is a big part of musical styles and each genre has it's tried and true staples. On the other hand, don't be afraid of using a hip hop groove with a blues song or a reggae beat in a pop or country song. Sometimes mixing elements can create something fresh and unexpected.

As you take stock of who you are as a writer, ask yourself where you think you fit in the broad panorama of musical niches. In time, you will know which direction you are naturally suited for. You may even discover that your songs overlap into more than one category. Maybe you are blues and r&b, or country and Americana, rock and pop or a mixture of folk and rock. That can be a good thing because it expands your potential audience. “Crossover” may be a dirty word to music critics, but it is golden to the music industry.

Eventually, your catalog of songs will answer the question: “Who am I?”  Your personal artistic voice may be different than the music you listen to. You may love contemporary rock but find that your songs are really folk, or blues or pop. At some point, you need to come to terms with what defines your music. When you find out what that is, embrace it and learn to do it like no one else can. Then, you will be developing your voice—and the music that makes you unique. Having that special and unique voice is at the core of what separates you from all the people trying to clone what others have done to be special.