5 BIG challenges for independent musicians
Chirs Robley of CD Baby says some of the hardest things about being an independent artist and how to overcome them.
by CHRIS ROBLEY from CD Baby’s DIY MUSICIAN
Let’s be honest, there are some things about being an independent musician that kinda suck.
So on a recent episode of the DIY Musician Podcast we talked through a lot of the most common personal and professional struggles that go hand-in-hand with creative pursuits.
We griped, felt a little catharsis, and then tried to figure out how to move beyond these unique hurdles that musicians face.
Some of the difficult aspects of running your own music career include:
- Money and social currency are still king
- Jealousy & bitterness lead to burnout
- Audience attention is scarce
- Even “success” doesn’t cure us of doubt or dissatisfaction
- Being the “face” of your music can fuel your insecurity or vanity
- It’s too easy to say yes to the wrong things
- Time is always running out
- Agism and other forms of discrimination
- Living in the gap between your vision and reality
- Perfectionism
- Making all the decisions yourself
- Juggling too many roles at once
- Haters, criticism, and condescension
Wait! That’s a lot more than FIVE things?!
True, but many of the struggles above come from the same root causes. Thankfully, there are ways to sidestep, conquer, and even grow from these challenges.
Want to hear our advice on dealing with all this stuff? Want to know if there are silver linings? Check out the podcast discussion above. You’ll probably relate to at least some of it, and I think you’ll actually find it encouraging.
And let us know: What do YOU struggle with the most in your musical pursuits?
Chris Robley is the Editor of CD Baby’s DIY Musician Blog. I write Beatlesque indie-pop songs that’ve been praised by No Depression, KCRW, The LA Times, & others. My poems have appeared in Poetry Magazine, Prairie Schooner, The Poetry Review, & more. I live in Maine and like peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, a little too much.
Yikes, yes all of the above. However, “jealousy” depends on the location, I have found. There’s a lot less in Los Angeles than in Germany for instance. It’s connected to scarcity thinking and lack of self-reflection. I especially hate being overwhelmed by having to fight for a presence on social media and psychologically struggle with being “the face”, as you mentioned. It’s almost not about the music…
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