Widen the Target

Whether you are an artist or songwriter if you are reading this, you have probably been working towards a very pointed and exact target: Christian music. So when we work on our music we tend to write specifically in this genre. We work very hard to follow the rules, to write what we have heard, and to do it very well. The problem is that we sometimes write a very similar message and style over and over again. Perhaps the problem is not what we are trying to do, maybe it’s that we are aiming for too small of a target.

What I mean by this is that we write for the very tiny, tiny genre of contemporary Christian music, or gospel music and maybe we are painting ourselves, our music, and even our ministries into a box. Maybe we are not using our full skill set and growing to the best of our abilities because we are trying to write only for the small target of what is or would be popular in the Christian market.

The Fallacy of Christian Radio

Despite the fact that Christian radio is very hard to compete in anyway, most Christian songwriters and artists think that this is the pantheon of success. And so they write songs to compete with the other worship and Christian pop songs that are on the charts right now. The funny thing is not many people can or will work towards the quality it takes for radio. More so, they don’t write the kinds of songs Christian radio is even looking for.

The other big problem with Christian radio is that it really doesn’t reach the lost – only the believers. So is your goal just to write songs that will be enjoyed by other believers? I mean there’s nothing wrong with that I guess. But again, it’s a very small market. Can you do more?

Are You Really Going to Tour?

For years we have operated with every artist that they can tour to reach the lost, and to sell CDs and make back their album budget.

The truth is that it’s very hard to book yourself into events, especially if you are not doing it full time. So the act of contacting churches (which really don’t need more music) is quite mystifying and downright scary.

The Scary Low Digital Return

Anyone who has released music to digital sources like CDBaby, Spotify, and iTunes can tell you, you won’t be making rent payments with that money. Sure these numbers change when you have major radio play and touring, but as we outlined above that’s just not in the cards for most.

So what do we do? Maybe it’s time to consider some new options, and it might be time to make our music more accessible. I’m not saying lose your faith folks, but I am saying we need to be smarter on what we are writing, who our audience is, and our real goals of reaching the world.

The Dreaded Crossover

If you remember back in the 90s it was the time with Amy Grant and Michael W Smith were crossing over into pop (some would say secular) music. At the time, there were detractors and supporters on both sides. But no one can argue that Amy Grant widened her audience.

After all, reaching the lost is really our main mandate. The Great Commission does not say go where Christians are and play music that they will be comfortable with. So maybe writing some of our music that can be played outside the church isn’t such a bad idea.

Now, secular radio is even harder than Christian to try and get traction, but I’m not talking about radio necessarily.

The Hard Share

How many times have you wished you could share your music with your friends only to realize if you did it would be a hard conversation or perhaps uncomfortable situation you were not ready for. I’m not saying God did not call us to have hard conversations, but sharing with people at work, or family, or strangers is very difficult when you don’t know their where they stand as a believer.

Writing something and creating something that is more than just Christianese gives you the ability to reach a much wider audience with your message. Sometimes that can mean we have to be a little stealthy. But that allows us to get in doors that we could never get in with our normal message, which can sometimes offend ears that aren’t ready to hear it.

Reaching a Bigger Audience (And a Bigger Return)

Another area that is hard to get into and reach for Christian artists is the world of the film, TV, commercials, etc. Since most of this business is done in Los Angeles, it’s a hard sell to get a Christian song or even a song by a blatant Christian artist through the process that will get their music into a project. This is another reason to think outside the box when you are writing your songs.

This is another reason to think of a new way to say a message of faith, or love. Maybe a way that could be construed by a Christian audience as Christian, or by secular audience as just more positive faith and love.

Now I understand many of you may see this as being disingenuous, or even a cop out. But if the point is to make this a career (read: make income) and to really reach the world for God, then maybe we have to open up our box just a little bit.

Maybe your next song you can use ‘you’ instead of ‘Jesus’. Give the song a chance to reach a wider target of listeners. Believe me, God will not get His feelings hurt if you don’t use His exact name in all songs (besides those are our words not His.)

Just some food for thought. Would love to hear your comments below.

Have a great week!

EC
—
Eric Copeland is president of Creative Soul, a company that helps Christian artists and songwriters move to the next level in their careers. For more information on how to get started with us, click here.

What We See Out There

In a few weeks to open the year, we will be doing our “State of the Christian Music Industry” blog and PDF eBook. This will be a report in a way of what we have heard from the major labels, mid-level labels, and others throughout the Christian music industry. Some of those interviews are still going on.

But before I do, I wanted to share some preliminary things we are seeing in the industry from our side, especially in the strange year of change called 2016.

The More Things Change

“Things do not change; we change.” – Henry David Thoreau

What I am starting to see is despite the move from CDs, to downloads, to now streaming, nothing has really changed. Well, except sales. It used to be people had to buy a record, tape, then CD to hear music (other than the radio, and that’s the next topic). The surprising stat is that people are consuming music as much or maybe even more than they ever have. It’s everywhere. It’s not worthless, but we may have to think of it another way.

Moreover, live music being performed for people has never been more popular. This is not a change, from like….ever. Music has always been consumed en masse in live settings.

Even though there has been a whole century of recorded music that has seen an industry rise, stumble, and now get back on somewhat even footing, there has always been live performance. Every artist still judges their success not by how much they sell, but how busy they are. They are informed by how much demand there is for them as an artist.

So things have never really changed, even in the 20th century from the phonograph all the way through streaming in the 21st century. It still comes down to how much people come to see you.

Radio Rules

Yes, I can’t believe it either. But traditional, terrestrial radio is still THE thing that labels seem to invest in the most for the promotion of their artists. When you think about it, it’s not that hard to understand. I have a 2016 vehicle that still defaults to the radio, even if my fancy Bluetooth or USB cable is interfacing with my phone. So many times, if the station I have as default is playing what I like, I’ll leave it on.

And I’m a music person, who cares every second what my ears are hearing. Moms taking kids to soccer, or folks going to work who don’t “live” music like the rest of us are just happy to have something on. They don’t care what it is. So, when the new Lauren Daigle song comes on, then sure they are happy to give it a listen.

Since the labels are so focused on the Top 30 radio stations and networks, fighting over it against themselves, there is no room for indies. We still lose out on that game in the major radio audience. But there may be a market and way to reach other smaller radio stations. It just costs money and is very hard to know what you’re getting for your money. And it may not matter without touring and…

Publicity and Marketing

These are also areas of the industry that have changed…but not changed. Sure, there is Twitter, and Facebook, and Instagram, and YouTube, and they have changed the way we get the word out there. But are they really any different than TV commercials, junk mail, or ads in newspapers? All the social media tools are just current delivery systems. One day even they will be replaced by holograms, virtual reality, or some other thing.

The thing that never changes is there still must be a story. There must be something unique to tell about the music.

Less is More

One change we are seeing is the trend that in this new culture of streaming and less sales, artists are choosing to do singles and smaller projects like 5 song EPs more. We have noticed this trend at Creative Soul and are trying to serve it.

Now, it may still make perfect sense for traveling or busy artists to do full projects with 10 songs. They simply sell better at your table than EPs or singles.

Well, that’s enough for this post. But we have more info coming. Stay tuned. Follow this blog to the right, or join our mailing list for more current info and opportunities.

Have a great week!

EC
—
Eric Copeland is president and lead info hound at Creative Soul, a consulting, production and marketing company devoted to building and supporting Christian music ministries for over 25 years. Find out more about us at http://www.CreativeSoulOnline.com

The State of the Music (Ministry) Business

Every single day, folks call, email, or get in touch with us through social media about how to get started in Christian Music Ministry and what that means. They want to know what they might be getting themselves into, can they still get signed, how, where, and even if they should record music, and mostly, how they can find success in the new, kind of confusing world of music.

The music business itself is in a state of turmoil, yet still thriving if that makes any sense. People may not be paying what they used to for music, but they are listening as much as ever. Apps like Pandora, Spotify, and Apple Music are the new radio, and people are listening in this new way. Music is everywhere we are, from restaurants, to movies & TV, all over our phones and mobile computing devices, and in our cars.

There Are No Rules

“There are no rules. That is how art is born, how breakthroughs happen. Go against the rules or ignore the rules. That is what invention is about.” - Helen Frankenthaler

It used to be easy to become rich and famous as a music artist. You played in front of that one guy, who realized your genius and signed you on the spot so nobody else could get you. Sure it took the alignment of the stars, an unlikely sequence of events, and the luck of the Irish, but it happened.

They spent lots of money on you, recorded that gold record, and off you went, riding the waves of the music business. Development, marketing, publicity, radio, touring, distribution, and then repeat the whole process. It was a set plan that had been perfected over 100 years.

Well, then physical product (CDs) stopped selling. Downloads and now streaming have changed the landscape of the music industry. A&R guys are now signing artists very few and far between, or, never. Even the major labels will tell you the landscape is more unpredictable on how they do things now.

In fact, the more I have meetings with producer, artists, A&R, publishers, and other various industry folks, the more I know one thing – nobody knows anything!

There just aren’t any hard and fast rules anymore on how to find success for your music and ministry.

It's All About You (Finally Right?)

Although you may not be so crazy about it being you after reading this.

This for all Creative Soul artists, or any artist really, who has put out a CD, or music product, to retail, wholesale, trunk of your car, iTunes, or elseways.

This is for those people who are pulling their hair out (yes, extensions and toupees count!) trying to figure out why their CDs are NOT jumping off the shelves (as if there are any), getting play on the radio (as if it was very possible and anyone was listening), or finding open ears on the world wide web.