MADE

One of the reasons I don’t listen to the radio much anymore is because it seems like everybody’s trying to be the next somebody. Hip hop artists are guilty of this more than anyone. As soon as somebody comes out with something that’s a bit different, every bitch and their mother has to try to copy him…lol.

Doesn’t it seem like everyone in hip hop is going nuts right now with auto tune? T-Paine put it back on the map. Now everyone wants to be like T-Paine. Ughh! Pure homogeneity. What a bunch of tools.

The problem with trying to be the next whoever these days is that the way in which people consume music has dramatically changed. There’s so much choice out there that people don’t care as much  as they used to about the next whoever. People are into their own personal playlists. They want stuff that’s good. You stand alone now. Thank you, Steve Jobs! You’ve singlehandedly killed the megastar. And you’ve breathed life back into the indie music artist.

In his magnificent book Tribes, Internet impresario Seth Godin talks about the 5 pillars that the music industry was built on:

1. Free radio promotion
2. A small number of competing music labels
3. High cost of production, requiring musicians to get financing from labels
4. The top 40 hits based focus of the baby boomer generation
5. A high margin, non reproducible medium(the LP)

The one word that pops out at me when I look at those 5 pillars is “limiting.” God awfully limiting! These pillars form a sphincter like closed system that makes it extremely difficult to innovate. Try going up to any major record label and convincing the A&R rep that you’re worth taking a look at.

The old music industry, because it was such a closed and conservative system, rewarded people who sounded like other people because it was safe. You sound like Biggie? Ok, great, we’ll try you out and see how that works. With rules like that, why wouldn’t you want to be the next whoever?

Now? Huh…nobody cares. It’s all about innovation. About being different not because you’re trying to be different, but because you really are and you love it. It’s easy to tell the real ones from the wannabes.

Today, if you’re a singer and you sound like, say, Mariah Carey, it won’t make much of a difference because the distribution and marketing channels that would take advantage of that aren’t effective anymore.

And online, you get punished more than you get rewarded for trying to be like other people. The motto is “Wannabes Go Home”. The great thing about the Internet is that it keeps people honest.

A great parallel to all of this in the business world is Microsoft. They lost the search game to Google because they were late. They ignored the trends the same way the record labels did because they thought they were invincible. Steve Balmer, CEO of Microsoft, said, “Google’s not a real company. It’s a house of cards.” Then, Bam!! Google sucker punched them. Right in their glass chin.

Balmer also said, “There can’t be any more deep technology in Facebook than what dozens of people could write in a couple of years. That’s for sure.”

And what about the Zune? Know anybody who owns one? I don’t. That’s because nobody does. The fine people at Microsoft just copied Apple. The only problem is they’re not Apple. Microsoft is like the old crusty John McCain GOP of 2008. Apple is like the cool slick Obama machine. McCain tried to copy Obama. Didn’t work. Who would you rather buy an mp3 player from? Apple or Microsoft? Go figure.

Microsoft is now developing Bing. It’s costing $100 million. It’s supposed to be the next Google. I looked at their demo. Dumb shit. It’s just another search engine. I’m just thinking to myself, anything they do different, Google’s just going to do…and better. You don’t beat another man at his own game. Only problem with trying to be the next Google is that Google is the next Google. You can’t buy your way to success in the Internet era. You innovate your way to success. You have to be different and real.

The future is whispering in your ear Steve Ballmer. It’s saying “Screw you and your Microsofties!” Same goes to you Clive Davis and your band of fascist elves…lol.

My advice to you is this: Be you. Trying to sound like someone else works against you now. In your elevator pitch, don’t say, “Well, we sound like a bit of Weezer mixed in with a bit of Coldplay…” It’s boring. You definitely need to have an elevator pitch, but make it sound like you. Because it really is you. In this day and age, people want You, Inc.

By: Twitter Buttons