Frustrated You Haven’t Made It Yet?

Over the years, Disc Makers CEO Tony van Veen has met so many musicians who are incredibly hard on themselves because they haven’t hit the top of the charts, or gone gold, or sold out huge venues.
Have YOU ever beat yourself up because you haven’t “made it” yet?
Well, Tony's here to help. If you’ve ever been upset by your lack of progress as an artist or your self-esteem has taken a hit because you haven’t achieved your lofty goals, this week’s 'Indie Music Minute' is for you. (And we're giving you fair warning, he's going to say something completely different from what you’re probably expecting…)
We hope you’ll watch the whole thing!
PS - Speaking of goals, if you want to successfully release and sell a new album before the holidays, there’s still time - but you have to get moving fast. My recent blog article and KZbin video [link to blog.discmakers.com/2020/09/2...] tell you step by step what you need to do to record, manufacture, distribute, promote, and sell your album successfully, and I even created a downloadable 90 day calendar that includes day by day instructions on what to do when. Check them out. We’ll be here when you’re ready.
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We are thrilled to be bringing our industry know-how to KZbin. So be sure to subscribe to keep up to date with helpful tips and advice from music industry experts, the latest music business trends and other important news that can help you make it happen.
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#musician #success #indiemusicminute #musicbusiness #goals #mentalhealth #Selfesteem #patience #dreams #selfworth

[@johngraham9878]

So true. At 69yo, I'm having the time of my life as an independent musician, producer, and audio engineer working from my home studio. I was a performing musician with bands and solo gigs in L.A. during the 60's, then I got drafted for the Vietnam War. I worked a "day job" for 50 years, keeping the music alive as a side hustle while raising a family with my beautiful wife. Now in retirement, I get to do music full time without having to sweat the rent, food, car payment, etc. I may not be living the life of Stevie Wonder or Sting who are my age, but I've never been happier. And by keeping at it, I've recorded and released 53 songs, 40 of which are still streaming today. And I've had the privilege of collaborating with other musicians who run the gamut of being at the top of their game (#1 R&B UK Charts, The Voice/Vox singers and International Music Award winners) to talented young people just starting out. It may not sound like much to others, but I've had over 3,200 streams in 68 countries - and that's so much more than I thought (as an adult) that I could ever attain. Just do what you love, as much as you can, every day. That's "Making It" to me.

[@RockwellDulcimer]

Awesome John!!! There are so many metrics we can use today to measure our success -- sounds like you have a good handle on a number of them. And some real landmarks as far as your collaborations go. And monitoring this stuff doesn't prevent you from creating more music or mixing a new session, or whatever else you do.....For me, I was watching my Spotify for Artists profile for two or three years in a row and my monthly listeners metric would go from 38 or 39 to 42 or 43 --- only to go back down to 35 or 37 !!!! -- now I'm doing a whole lot better, and that, in itself is extremely encouraging!

[@johngraham9878]

@@RockwellDulcimer Nice, Jerry! You've got to take the good news where you can find it! It's the little things that mean a lot...

[@tonyvv]

Great story. Keep on rockin!

[@ShroomFactory]

Making it could mean $20k / year, $40k / year, $100k / year, $100 million / year. Making it could also mean being broke, creative, & happy. I think we have to define 'making it' for ourselves.

[@tonyvv]

100% correct...

[@idelozier]

I am 84 years old and "making" it in the Christian Country music industry has never been a goal. Have been given plenty of awards and never had to take out of family budget to support our Ministry, even with owning a Band Bus. All I'm saying is, what ever style of music you love..stay with your craft and enjoy the ride, whether you play to 5 or 50,000! Thanks for sharing with us! Right on point!

[@uncomely]

"stay with your craft and enjoy the ride" :)

[@LEEDAVEY1984]

Great video. Who wants fame? Never being able to simply walk among people without being stared at. Recognition among your peers for your music abilities is priceless. I'd rather catch a break so that I could survive on my music income but not be a star. Fame is fickle. Success is key.

[@headhunter1240]

I think that recognition among peers was all that Clapton was after somewhere near his start.

[@danjo2253]

Great job Tony! That's why you're the CEO! When I was 25 I bought a 12" Disc package of 2500 records, and later 500 more for one of my groups. I put my all into my work and had many people tell me I was going to make it. Never happened. I also had, as a producer, co-produced a song that was on an album about to be released by a group managed by one of the biggest producers of the 90's. Went to the record release party, signed contracts and everything. But a few weeks later, his top group known as "TNKOTB" took off and he immediately shelved any and everything else! That's when I woke up, and moved on. I realized how funny this business can be, and it 's not to say your not good enough, but "Are you lucky enough"?! I still make music today, but for my own personal enjoyment. I really take my hat off to Mr. 70, for having the drive and keeping his dream alive!

[@tonyvv]

Music is a reward in and of itself. Sometimes we just need a reminder...

[@mountainbluesbrothers6515]

Hi Tony, I love this video. I am 72 years old. I came to music later and it has really enriched my life. Our band has been able to get paid to perform hundreds of concerts the past few years, we have written music and recorded. Our audiences are small, but they are very appreciative of our music. While everything is at a smaller level, I feel that we have had a successful music career which has brought much joy to our band and the audiences we perform to. Thanks for your videos!

[@tonyvv]

That's the right mindset!

[@RussPaladino]

Thank you for a well needed video Tony. I think many of us who have been musicians, especially from the 70s through today, have had an unrealistic sense of what “making it” is, or could be. The fact is that today it’s easier than it’s ever been in history to write, record, manufacture and distribute music globally. There’s no more gatekeepers, so if you’re willing to put your music out there, and it’s good, you can find and build an audience with some hard work and energy.

[@DavidMorales-cv2jn]

No BS advice. Thx for this reality check.

[@AlchemyMusicConcept]

I'm 67 and have been playing guitar most of my life. Whether I'm playing for myself, or in a band... When I truly feel successful is when I'm in the zone and that feeling that comes with it. When you forget yourself and flow within the soundwaves. Then I've succeeded.

[@Bultacoproteenie]

This video link that arrived in my inbox today was SO appropriate! I'm staying for a couple weeks in a relatives apartment in Miami Beach. I still write & record & release music regularly, fanatically at age 60. I still feel like I could make a connection and "make it" at some level. Then, a friend told me, "Hey, did you know Barry Gibb lives in Miami Beach?" What??!! The 2nd most commercially successful songwriter in history behind Paul McCartney lives about one mile from where I'm staying??!!?? (I googled his address!) I felt like such a loser/wimp/wannabe!! Then I thought: No one, not one single human will ever again achieve that level of success... so why am I comparing myself to that example? Then seeing this video sure helped my perspective. Thanks Tony!

[@omgmazin]

Making it to me is just creating music that resonates with someone probably not everyone but having a fanbase and finishing what i started,overall being financially secured.

[@LEEDAVEY1984]

Such a great comment. I have never wanted cameras poked in my face and to be so-called 'famous'. How cool would it be to create music that resonates with certain people and if that generates an income from a fanbase, then that is the cherry on the cake. Think of songwriters out there like Bernie who writes all of Elton John's lyrics. He can go about his daily business, yet Elton steps into the street and is hounded like a material object. Fame can be the price of success sometimes.

[@darrenbailey4015]

"The artist's soul, purpose is to give birth to creations, with no other expectations." "The more one gives of one's gift, the more gifts one receives."

[@dirkjohnson1113]

Tony, I am a moderate skill musician, and I teach guitar, but I am also a businessman like you. Too many artists think that raw luck or just dogged determination is what it takes. These days, all preforming artists who want to make it as performers are *business owners*, and MUST take control of their marketing, from top to bottom. Most do not. That includes not only their product (the music, it must be special), but the promotion of it. That means staying late at gigs to make connections, mixing it up before gigs instead of hiding out in the green room or their RV to make a big entrance. Responding to fans. Managing and using email addresses, social media, fan teams, you name it. The ones who do this correctly usually end up with large social followings, and they can sell hard tickets before they show up in a city. That is what attracts record companies. Or the artist might then decide to keep plugging on their own, putting the money in their own pocket, self producing, self promoting, etc, as the record company will likely drop you like a bomb if trends change.

[@johnkostle5090]

I am 67, and the older I get, the importance of "making it" in music gets less. I am now happy at my age to do maybe half a dozen gigs in a year. It is difficult for me to understand the appeal of a lot of todays music however. There are so many musicians today that quite frankly are lousy singers and yet they can somehow make it. So many of them have to add excess syllables to the words they are singing, and also end up shreiking at the end of lyrics.

[@uncomely]

:))

[@rogerflavell9227]

Songwriter Musicians ... Just keep writing and giving birth to those songs and pieces of music. The success is in that!

[@ethansellersmusic]

Mostly good advice/perspective. One caveat I would add, though, is that it's often hard to "enjoy the ride" when the day-to-day reality is often far too little of the fun stuff (writing/composing, playing, producing) and entirely too much of the not-all-that fun stuff (constant self-promotional activities, booking, etc.). Speaking just for myself, there's a trade-off between efficacy and enjoyment and the 2020 model of the music industry (where the artist has to be a self-promotion machine left in the "on" position, often with little revenue to show for it due to streaming) - and it's *far* too much on the side of soul-destroying self-promotional drudgery.

[@RockwellDulcimer]

Thanks for this Tony!! All very good points!!! I am 70 so this really hit home for me. You mentioned specific goals and that is something that has worked for me -- watching my Spotify for Artists stats and trying some new directions in promoting the playlists I curate, sharing social media tips with other musicians who are in the same game, and so on. This has led to a decent upward movement in my streaming income, so it is encouraging. It is not anything like "making it" though, so maybe the expectations have to be "adjusted" somewhat -- you are not abandoning your goals if you get a tiny bit more rational, right???

[@anewsongofpraise]

Beautiful and well said. As for me, it's about contentment. It's about the satisfaction of what you do and the excellence you can achieve with your means. I've written over 50 songs in almost 20 years and now is when God has allowed me to start publishing and distributing them. Am I going to go crazy thinking that I have only been able to produce 4 of them this past year? Am I going to look back and say I should have done it sooner? NO! Rather I will be grateful and say, thank you Lord for using me to write your songs. I will move forward as far as you will allow me. I will go on with the hope of knowing that you are my provider and the one who has always ordered my steps. I'm content with the thought that maybe at least one song will touch one soul. Thank you for your segment "Frustrated you haven't made it yet?" I really enjoyed it. 🎵🎵🎶🎶

[@pauljsmith2113]

This may be your best message yet, Tony. Well done.

[@pauljrogersmusic]

I totally agree 👍

[@Lachenmann7]

This definition of "success" is wholly and completely wrong. Billy Joel's definition applies to all of the arts (and all genres): "I can make a living with my art". That's it. Whether that's teaching, playing to a handful of people; etc... If you can eat and pay the electric bill you've succeeded. In fact, getting the art "out" (of the body) to one's satisfaction is actually "success".

[@Aliengroover]

Agreed, but I think he's dead on with focusing on smaller goals amd the journey. I think at the end of the day. as you said, if you can make a living doing what you love, that's a major success. I know a few people who do just that. They're not "names" but they perform, release music, record, DJ, or whatever and are able to keep the lights on and bellies full. Wanting that isn't a bad thing.

[@Lachenmann7]

@@Aliengroover I don't think he is. In fact, he begins with a 'definition' that indicates an 'end'. (An absurd end.) There is nothing else other than the journey, and the 'small steps'. Nothing else exists. In fact the term 'success' is too loaded-- and misses its intended mark too profoundly-- to even employ in our thinking.

[@Lachenmann7]

I just read this excerpt in an email focusing on La Monte Young: "'La Monte Young's' steady forward momentum has seemingly never stopped. He and Zazeela still are living and creating in their Church Street Dream House, taking on students and collaborators. Those who know him say that it's hard to know where his pursuit of art and his life begin and end." (The last sentence is key. It's the 'pursuit of art'. An artist has no choice but to engage in that pursuit. 'Success' effectively has no meaning to an artist..

[@dansheehan8754]

@@Aliengroover I don't know that it's all about paying the bills. I know people who are players, and they play various types of gigs to pay bills, and they enjoy that. I know others who are songwriters, want to create art, would rather have a day job then depend on every possible type of gig to sustain them as musicians, so that when focused on music they are focused on their particular craft. Different priorities. I did the 20 something thing of being fully invested in the band, currently have put my music experience into becoming a music professor teaching production. I continue to put out music but without the pressure of so much hustling and I'm able to live a good life without the constant hustle, just doing the music I want to do. I guess you could argue I'm paying the bills with music if you count music education. I could choose to different stuff musically and make more money, but would be less satisfying. I think it's more about overall satisfaction than paying the bills.

[@Aliengroover]

@@dansheehan8754 Well, you are paying the bills with music, but no, it's not about that. It's about doing exactly what you said. This video speaks to failures and how not to see that. I think as a whole, many of us don't like to see the money side of things or are very narrow minded in that. Being a music educator is not only a fantastic thing, but again, it is income from your talents. Paying bills with music doesn't require you making music you don't like, it's simply redefining what you do. IF you love music, you can do a wide number of things without compromise. You can record people, mix, do live sound, score, etc. You can also find your peace working a 9 to 5 and releasing music for fun. At the end of the day, I loved music. I've worked regular jobs for others and myself, I've worked for other studios and my own. I've made music for artists and my own music. All the same. That's my success story. Doesn't involve millions of dollars, or even a decent bit, just an appreciation for the journey and music itself. Cheers!

[@musicbyhavens]

Maybe your best video yet, Tony! Thanks for this, I needed it. I've been trying to "make it" since I was 15, and I'm 27 now. I was in a bit of denial about how much luck plays into a music career. You can only do your best, and the rest is really just up to luck. No need to beat yourself up because it's possible to work hard and do all the right things but still not "make it". Having the freedom to do your art on your own terms while making a living doing something you enjoy is a lot more rewarding than killing yourself to "make it" over the course of a lifetime.

[@earthcar-music]

"It's the climb"

[@shadowsearcy]

1.) Don't quit 2.) Be grateful what you have and every opportunity that presents itself 3.) Take stock of yourself and think of the reasons why you can succeed 4.) Routine os critical - do the small things as suggested 5.) You will become what you think about.

[@DangerousDevilOfficial]

In this new world of music, you can still make a good living if you figure out how to make social media work, for your music, without having to tour anymore. There is a lot of independent artists making a living. And some making a very good living, releasing new music and releasing it on social media. Specifically, places like KZbin. As I am older now. And my health has declined a fair bit, I still love music. But I also realize the days of being out on tour and living that very hard life (up super late at venues, finding places to crash, not having regular hours, ect.), are probably behind me. I may still have enough gas in the tank to do smaller, closer to home tours. And shows. But mastering the social media is where we can kill it today!

[@zero-project]

Thank you for all your videos, Tony, they are more than helpful. I appreciate your time. Best regards from Greece.

[@davidmclachlanmusic]

if you're doing it, you're making it...great message

[@JasonArvanites]

I'm chuffed if some person from some faraway land, whom I'll never meet, downloads one of my throwaway tunes, presumably because he likes it. That's good enough for me.

[@celestewortes]

Thank you for the real talk!❤

[@stevengovorchin]

Great commentary! Thanks for the encouraging words.

[@ElyseMillerMusicOfficial]

Thank you for your encouraging videos, Tony!

[@phoenixatlantisentertainme1269]

Dude....Thank You!!!

[@diegooriglia]

Thank you Tony for your beautiful words and that very wise perspective of music. Best regards

[@loiswilcken1758]

Musicians in genres other than pop have challenges as well. Imagine being a drummer from a dirt poor community of Haiti, trying to make it as an immigrant in New York. But my late partner, Frisner Augustin, did that. He didn't achieve huge success, but he did earn much recognition within his niche. I hope we might address that strategy of the niche market. It can be artistically and spiritually rewarding. Thank you, Tony!

[@bushmaster7810]

thanks for the video. haven’t been keeping myself up recently with my craft, glad to hear it’s okay

[@izmadi22]

Thank you, I needed this pep talk for a while now. I've made peace years ago with the fact that I'll never become a Spice Girls level popstar. I'm now in my early 30s and, while I still don't see myself twerking on stage anytime soon, I do sing as much as I can to as many people who would listen. I still have it in my heart to write and dance, as well. And that's rewarding in itself.

[@busroads]

Best vid yet. Thanks.

[@gregorymudzinski1612]

Thank you for this inspirational kick.

[@MatthewDFritz]

Of all the hundred's of music industry advice videos I've seen, this takes the cake. Almost brought tears to my eyes. Thanks for such a heart felt and encouraging word that is grounded in reality and inspiring and uplifting at the same time. I'm gonna watch this every month like taking medicine for the "got to make it somehow" fever I catch on a regular basis.

[@tonyvv]

Glad it was helpful! Keep moving forward, but enjoy the journey...

[@KelseyLeeCate]

Hey Tony! Your videos are great! Thanks for showing up and sharing consistent, valuable content. We appreciate you! “There’s beauty in every [performance] situation, so long as you make a true connection with your fans.” “Enjoy the journey.” “As musicians, we’re really fortunate to have music be an integral, constant ongoing part of our lives.” Beautiful. Thanks again. :)

[@tonyvv]

Thanks... Glad it resonates and I’m not just saying these things to myself. 😂

[@PriestForever]

Amen brother. Great post!

[@BrianKlobyGuitar]

Thanks for posting :)

[@fastheartmartvideos]

Great video! Thank you :)

[@PolarThaWhiteOfficial]

Thanks, Tony. 39 here and still have plans and goals. But the 👑🦠 agenda has to go so venues and travel get back on course.

[@carzywill]

Great video!

[@kcsquarebiz]

Well done, well said my freind.

[@conradswartz]

Ah, Buddha, I did not recognize you in your fit and healthy looking body but now I see you for your philosophy. Your words concern music but your concepts are about the meanings of our lives. When I see or hear my creative works I see meaning in my own life, but other people can see only information or hear amusement. Only I can attach meaningfulness.

[@tonyvv]

LOL...

[@KikoJonesUSA]

I'm decades younger than the 70-year old gentleman referenced in this video. You could recap my career as 'always the bridesmaid never the bride' with 'left at the altar a couple of times' sprinkled in. My dream was NEVER to be a star. Never interested me. Not one bit. All I have ever wanted was enough of a fanbase to make an OK living. What I wanted was to be a working musician, as in make a record, go do a little tour, come back and produce somebody in the same boat or maybe score an indie flick, or tour with somebody, and then it would be time for me to make another record and do it all over again. But as I have learned, the little dream is as hard to achieve as the big dream because the number one obstacle to establishing yourself in this business is LUCK. In this business, the talented and non talented fail; the hard working and the lazy fail; the rich and the poor fail; the smart and the dumb fail; hell, even talented people WITH CONNECTIONS fail. But the lucky ones...ah, that's it right there. So what am I doing? Writing, recording and releasing records that only a handful of people will ever listen to, despite knowing there's an audience out there I haven't been able to tap into. (Not at the moment; I have in the past to a certain extent.) As long as I can create, God bless. But I'm not happy about this. C'est la vie.

[@12OLDROCKER]

Thanks so much Tony. Sometimes, it’s easy to get carried away with unrealistic expectations about where we should be.However, when I look back over my life in Music. In my own little way, I think I’ve probably achieved quite a lot. Thanks to the wonders of modern technology: Moat of that is just in the last 6 months🙏🙏

[@pauljrogersmusic]

I really loved this. Thanks so much Tony. At 49 yo I can really relate 👍

[@AC5SH]

Good advice :)

[@unconsciousprophet]

I know I won't be a successful musician during my life but certainly after - I have peace in remaining creative and true whilst being alive; once I pass, people will swarm to my creations and be ultra motivated. Great video!

[@PatrickLewOfficial]

Success isn’t based on fame and fortune in the “traditional” commercial music industry. Like having top 40 hits and selling out arenas. I’m 35 and I define success by being able to get my music featured on blogs online and keep continuing to perform locally and record new material at home. I do a type of rock and roll music that isn’t appealing at all in the mainstream. I’m not on MTV, I’m not on top of the charts, I’m not touring the world and selling out arenas, but I’m content with how everything turned out with my musical journey. I base success something different apart from what the commercial music industry presents it as. I make passive income doing what I do. But I’m definitely not mainstream or a famous celebrity or anything. People should define success in music differently than how the “mainstream” presents it as. With today’s digital age, there’s plenty of formats for indie artists to get themselves out there. It’s up to the individual or group to decide for themselves what “success” really means to them. Best of luck to all indie artists. I support. This video was a wake-up call for me and others for sure.

[@sixstringsolution]

Great video Tony, but even a greater reminder of why we ever picked up an instrument or put a pen to paper. Thanks.

[@tarabird4551]

What does it take to make it in the music business today? "A hair stylist and a wardrobe" ~ Frank Zappa.

[@ronnyron007]

People don't want to believe this about life but the fact is life is mostly luck. A billion different things can happen to you on your journey. And you , somehow, have to be able to consistently pick the right thing to do...it's never gonna happen. The only thing you got is the journey....so if you don't like the journey....do something else.

[@petecolorado5387]

If you feel you've got the talent and have learnt your instrument well. You can write good songs and have invested in broadcast quality productions in good studios. Entered song competitions and won, or close too. You look different, and do not follow the crowd. Have a great band or act. Do everything that a successful Artist has done. Play all the gigs and sell your music to an aspiring audience. Don't waste your time looking to be discovered. THEY WILL FIND YOU.

[@rogerbourne4377]

A lot of people here know EXACTLY what you're sayin here Tony and yes we do beat ourselves up when we get repeated rejections and we know the songs we are doing are better crafted than much of todays radio is playing. I wrote a song a decade ago called 'I forgive Myself' for writing what I WANTED to write, songs that made me happy and satisfied that no one else could have written. All this stuff about meeting up for half a day with 3/4/5 other writers to come up with a song for someone--the results are usually pretty pathetic--those songs don't come from the heart or soul--just to pick up a pay cheque ( or in American paycheck ) I had 20 years playing in different bands/ groups/cabaret and though no of us knew and the time they were the days of our lives. Thank God I had them! Song writing becomes an obsession and for me has cost me more than money if it gets out of control but I still do it 20-30 songs a year and just started having a bit of luck.. It's said LUCK HAPPENS WHEN PREPAREDNESS MEETS OPPORTUNITY. This I agree with but there are still too many doors that only open one side by talentless people who are only in it for the money. Thanks again Tony YOU ARE THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS.

[@tonyvv]

You're making me blush, Roger. But your story illustrates my point: be mindful of the journey, the good times, and the joy you experience WHILE on the journey. To use another cliche: the journey is the destination...

[@sambana88]

One out of infinite ways of saying: if you dont do it, it wont happen

[@vincedamiano312]

Iwouldlove captioned

[@johnnymattmusic]

Tell them to listen to the Climb Podcast