It's all about the song
"I'VE GOT SONGS , WHAT NEXT"
One of the things that pretty much consistently I get is "I've been writing songs, now what do I do with them?" Many people "think" they are writing songs, only to find out they have only poetry (lyrics only) or have songs that totally don't fit a format, don't have any allies within the industry, are too long, negative, personal statements, out of date or time, or just plain not good enough to go forward.
Most people that have only written a few songs don't know this, and even though their families, significant others, friends, tell them "that is as good as anything on the radio," that is usually just an opinion. Takes a lot more than that to move up the ladder. Most people are trying to get to the following steps. Here are some of the road blocks you encounter:
SOMEONE TO HEAR YOUR SONGS.
Get evaluations. Join songwriter groups like NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International) join writer's web sites. Hire private teachers to do critiques. Make a trip to a music center.
ARTISTS.
This is the first thing you have to realize. If you are NOT an artist, you are going to have to have one. Songs are not disembodied elements just floating around and played on the radio. They have to have ARTISTS, who sing them, record them, are attached to them. So you have got to get songs to ARTISTS. And this can be much harder than it seems.
ARTISTS in this day and age, write a majority of their own music. They have THEIR own emotions, THEIR own experiences, THEIR own relationships. They don't really care for OTHER PEOPLE'S emotions, experiences, relationships. It is a "ME, ME, ME" world, with people putting every detail of their lives on the Internet, and absorbing themselves into their own experiences. So finding a way to PAIR UP with artists is a key.
That requires BUILDING PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS.
Many artists are not as good writers as they are artists. They might spend more time on being artists. They do NEED songs, but many times their own egos cloud their judgment.
ONCE THEY ARE SIGNED to a record label or even publishing companies, they are usually paired up with experienced or hit writers to write or pitch songs to them. If they are with major labels and companies those are the top writers in the business.
Major companies have HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OR MILLIONS OF SONGS so getting to an established artist is to say the least, very difficult if not impossible.
SOLUTION.
Finding new and up coming artists. Building relationships. Becoming FRIENDS, and ACTUAL SUPPORTERS of the artists. Helping THEM achieve their goals. Hopefully with YOUR SONGS.
APPROACH:
Do a GOOGLE SEARCH for "SONGWRITING" in your area. Go to coffee houses, music stores, bulletin boards, pubs, clubs, bars, places where music is shared.Even on Karaoke nights, you might find singers looking for allies.
Join SONGWRITER RELATED WEB SITES.
Just plain Folks, BMI's Songwriter 101 site, MUSIC STARTS HERE, SONGRAMP.NET, there are many. Usually one will lead to others.
PUBLISHERS:
Publishers now have split into two camps. Fee for service, "song pluggers" or "song services" That charge to pitch songs or place songs.
OR
LEGITIMATE publishers who promote writers and songs.
by Marc Allen Barnette