Really nice to see a channel like this. This past summer I took a song I wrote and recorded to be mixed and mastered by a member of the band OK GO. He did a great job. Then I got it approved for a bit of radio plugging. Again, another very competent professional, a legend in the business actually, managed to get my song played on over 1200 radio stations worldwide. Big stations, little ones, public radio, college radio, satellite radio, military bases, churches, mosques, everywhere. It was a major accomplishment for me. But it transferred into about 20 listeners or so on Spotify. It put me into debt, but I'd do it again if I had the chance. A 'starving artist' making it in music is a thing of the past, if it ever even happened.
Thanks so much! What a great experience, and achievement, and radio royalties can be more than Spotify, but profit can be hard to crack in the economics! I'm enjoying your channel - my fave - Fear of Missing Out - on our TH-cam Indie, Over 50 playlist :)
Thank-you for reinforcing the importance. I have lots of music, but have been stuck trying to settle on an Artist Name for months. I thinkI’ve got it and aim to upload /schedule my first release before year end, presumably to come out early in the new year.
Another 2 years then i'll let you add my music, great you have this channel, at 47 I managed to get a song I wrote on Sydney Radio, so there is always hope. if your in Australia you must upload to AMRAP for free.
Thanks so much. And yes I’m keen to check out your music asap. Pleased to have had radio royalties because of them. TripleJUnearthed and AMRAP both great for Aussies.
Thanks for the info! I turn 60 this year. I’ve never used Spotify, but after watching this, I might have to give it a try! I did 20 years producing commercials for a CBS affiliate. I also did jingles (which was much more fun for me 😂). Anyway, thanks for the encouragement! I’m counting on “It’s never too late” being an accurate statement.😂
Thanks Taggart, greato to have you on board! You are definitely in the never too late zone - with good company! And you have so many skills and knowledge from jingles and producing! All the best with it :)
Thanks for making the time to make this video. I've found that marketing or paying for ads is generally a good strategy if you have money to spend. It can be extremely effective and organic growth can come AFTER paying for Meta Ads for instance. However, growing and cultivating a dedicated fan base from the bottom up is a much more rewarding strategy in the long run. Of course it takes far longer and requires a great deal of discipline to learn how to self promote and get good at content creation, but it is undoubtedly better than spending money on ads if you're low on funds. Organic social media promotion is better but just takes a lot more focus and consistency to see results. You can think of it sort of like compound interest adding up over time. Most people just quit immediately or shortly after not seeing the results they want immediately.
Interesting point about Meta Ads - I have only recently invested - and - early days - started to see the difference in building more engaged listeners than playlisting. Once I have more feedback I'll prepare a video. You are right - if you can do self promotion with great content - organic (free) growth is awesome - but comes with a lot of discipline and dedication required, and many will give up along the way. PS - love your channel name!
@@IndieOver50 Thank you for taking the time to respond to my comment. I love your channel! Keep up the great and informative content. You’ve made a ton of sound judgments and I resonate with you. what you’re saying is very thought provoking. I appreciate you saying that about my channel name. Being a musician, I tend to pour a lot of time and thought into my branding and image.
@@ericeracleous9404 Wow. Thanks for letting me know Eric. I will test. In meantime I added your “Still feel the rain” to the TH-cam playlist - awesome!!!
hey, my spotify link seems to be disapearing too. Im an over 50 guy too and just released my first single with my band. Its on spotify. Jackson Jeffrey Jackson - (when the funk is just) Around the corner. Tx
Thanks so much for your email - I have had a few that cant share Spotify links - not sure if it is OS or format - TV/Tablet/Phone/PC issue??? Love your story in your new song andhave added to two Indie, Over 50 playlists.
Thats interesting, they usually work. Other option is IndieOver50@icloud.com I found you on Spotify though and added Driven to Indie, Over 50: Eclectic
Do you accept over 60 ... but an "AI artist" ?? Don't hate me. I'm doing a little experiment: making first the whole song and video concept with AI and if it works, then I'll do a cover with real people and instruments. I don't have many years left of life and frustrations. Meanwhile, check one example: th-cam.com/video/N4c9UYYdmLE/w-d-xo.html
I'm 61 so I sneak in too! No hate for AI - imagine how painters felt when the camera was introduced, how Sinatra felt when multi-tracking started, how graphic artists felt with the Mac, how most musicians felt when Midi was introduced, digital FX - each evolution of technology has unleashed extraordinary creativity and opportunities. I understand the rightful fear and concerns about AI - it will threaten careers again, and it is a serious issues for copyright and regulators to deal with. My question for you is "how?". You can prompt AI with "give me a song about driving down the road into the sunset" and it will create a song! Or you can provide all your lyrics, and it will produce a song in your preferred style - rap, pop, big band! I am not aware you can take your chords, melody and lyrics and have AI produce it - although band -in-a-box has been doing that for years but it requires musical and computing skills.
@@IndieOver50 Hi! In case your question of "How?" was not rhetorical, here is the answer: I come up with a concept or an idea for a song or series of songs (LP). For example "Reality has become Satire" (th-cam.com/video/1533dVaKwRE/w-d-xo.html) then I write some ideas that I can think of for it, then I ask ChatGPT or Claude to look up for recent examples that illustrate the topic. Then I ask them to write original Lyrics (my native language is Spanish so I have problems with rhyming and counting syllables in English), then I review it and ask for changes. I edit the structure of the song (name tags within brackets) for example: [Intro: instrumental], [Verse 1], [Chorus], [Outro] and so on. Then I imagine which genre and style would fit it best, a lot of trial and error playing with prompts until something I like comes up. In the case of the aforementioned song, the prompt was this: "Dark dance, bass-line, textured vocal grit female vocalist, pad synth, offbeat rhythmic guitars, wide spatial percussions", and patience. My day work is graphic designer, so people pay me for the aesthetic choices or decisions that I make, the same here with the final result of the song. Thus the term "AI Artist", but it is pretentious, I know. I do compose music, playing keyboards but it is very far from radio-ready... Later on I will produced it more by playing over it to make it more personal. Greetings from Mexico.
Definitely not rhetorical - thanks for your answer. So effectively you have "prompted" the song. An idea, or prompt, for a song - eg. "boy meets girl, falls in love" - can't be copyrighted. AI has generated the lyrics and melody - the two essential elements of copyright. So the interesting issue here is - who owns the copyright in this song? I have seen many TH-cam videos on this subject. You probably have the "mechanical" rights, but if someone used that lyric/meoldy in their song - would you have the right to sue them for breach? Or would Suni/Udio/etc chase it down? And if you go into a recording studio and reproduce with real musicians etc - it would still not be your original lyric nd melody. Answers are not clear at this point. I am happy to add this song to the playlist. Personally I recommend you are upfront about use of AI for lyric and melody in your description. Though I do see the "altered or syntehitc content" declaration. And g'day from Sydney, Australia :)
I'm not 50, yet, but I'm old enough to know that interesting people do not shop for music like a new shirt. You can't buy an audience with a marketing budget. You'll just get passive clicks from bots and people who are bored as F. Find some success without a single dollar of paid ads first - learn what it takes to actually connect with people first....don't try to buy them.
Thanks Jason, interesting take - not sure that any record company exec would agree you cant buy an audience (subject to a great product). Though point taken on where and how you are presented and level of engagement. Definitely lots of free options to build audiences - just a question of scale and your objectives.
Sorry I must disagree. Don't waste your time and money on trying to market mediocre or bad songs. Just write better songs. A very successful songwriter once told me, you can't stop a hit. If you write a great song people will listen.
I have a request: Would you consider also making a playlist of artists over 40? I'm not 50 but I relate to much of what you're saying in these videos. I just have one album so far- by the time I was done I was so excited but I quickly realized how little I knew of marketing. Here's my "family and friends" intro video: th-cam.com/video/qfJz7V9TN0A/w-d-xo.html
Hey Thomas, thanks for reaching out and making that suggestion! Not sure what could rhyme with Forty???? :) I dont check birth certificates - so you are in a safe space! Congratulations on your Album - Love your intro video - such a great idea! I have subscribed and follow you on Spotify as well now. Love Majesty! Listening to rest now ...
@ thanks mate, appreciate it. I’m a bit slack with doing TH-cam vids of my songs, it takes so much effort and editing videos is not my strong suit! I have written and recorded 21 songs this year though, so I have loads of material. I’ve decided I’m going to do some simple acoustic versions of my music for YT and try to drive people to the fully produced versions on the streaming platforms from there. :)
I'm not over fifty, just shy of it by a few years. I have been making music most of my life as a drummer. About twelve years ago I began composing and producing original music under the moniker the Hypocrite Orchestra. I wanted to thank you for making this video and to share with you my newest single, "The Mystic." @ th-cam.com/video/NBrhjTwZp6I/w-d-xo.htmlsi=hHYzhfvczK7pEJXZ
Congartulations - loving The Mystic and added to our TH-cam playlist. My core instrument is drummer as well, love seeing how you have progressed and produced such as a massive song! Whilst grounded in Latin, you have created a very distinctive and contemporary production and vibe in this song. All the best with it!
I think you nailed it. When I put out a song there are 10 others in the trash, but any marketing I do is a one shot deal cause I have no idea what is good or what isn't. Take one of my heaviest and best songs: Desperate Times. I spent weeks on it, got one of the best vocalists to sing on it and one of the world's best rock drummers (Jason Bitner) to play on it. It's about the destruction of the music industry (of course!) even when I released it on Vimeo it only got a few hundred views, and on TH-cam, nothing as you can see. Spotify and the others ignored it. Can be rather frustrating! :) th-cam.com/video/VGCKoiPc_4Y/w-d-xo.htmlsi=gTM0nhavjdOSkC8l
Interesting - and I just watched “The Playlist” on Netflix about the rise and fall out of Spotify. Great clip. I will add to Indie Over 50. Have you tried a small investment in play listing with Groover and Submithub? You get specific feedback as well as playlist opportunities.
You nail this on the first 20s! Good stuff here is my latest song video for your consideration: th-cam.com/video/NvPwkc2RxIE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=s0Wx-zYAaAZeUC_e
Thats very nice of you! And thanks for sharing "My Mess Your Purpose" - have added to Indie, Over 50 TH-cam playlist - th-cam.com/play/PLiRT_bMGCY0D4JZgICJ2Alv3Y_vxpYUgD.html&si=OGlYnbQJrpsCx7T7
Drop your TH-cam videos or Spotify links in the comments below, or submit to IndieOver50@icloud.com and I may add them to our Indy, Over 50 playlists
How do you post a Spotify link? 🤔
If the link can’t paste please email me at IndieOver50@icloud.com Thanks for letting me know :)
@ awesome, thanks :)
Thanks John, just subscribed. Love what you're doing.
th-cam.com/video/T2rwMfDiK7w/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/ezQjSQw3zkI/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/rDrbDySVfsQ/w-d-xo.html
Really nice to see a channel like this. This past summer I took a song I wrote and recorded to be mixed and mastered by a member of the band OK GO. He did a great job. Then I got it approved for a bit of radio plugging. Again, another very competent professional, a legend in the business actually, managed to get my song played on over 1200 radio stations worldwide. Big stations, little ones, public radio, college radio, satellite radio, military bases, churches, mosques, everywhere. It was a major accomplishment for me. But it transferred into about 20 listeners or so on Spotify. It put me into debt, but I'd do it again if I had the chance. A 'starving artist' making it in music is a thing of the past, if it ever even happened.
Thanks so much! What a great experience, and achievement, and radio royalties can be more than Spotify, but profit can be hard to crack in the economics! I'm enjoying your channel - my fave - Fear of Missing Out - on our TH-cam Indie, Over 50 playlist :)
@@IndieOver50 Thanks for taking a listen. I look forward to checking out more of your videos.
Thank-you for reinforcing the importance. I have lots of music, but have been stuck trying to settle on an Artist Name for months. I thinkI’ve got it and aim to upload /schedule my first release before year end, presumably to come out early in the new year.
Awesome. Really cool to know that and look forward to hearing your music when you are ready :)
Another 2 years then i'll let you add my music, great you have this channel, at 47 I managed to get a song I wrote on Sydney Radio, so there is always hope. if your in Australia you must upload to AMRAP for free.
Congrats on your song getting played! I’d really love to hear it! Link?
Thanks so much. And yes I’m keen to check out your music asap. Pleased to have had radio royalties because of them. TripleJUnearthed and AMRAP both great for Aussies.
Great channel concept - liked and sub'd 👍 excited to see this endeavor grow and looking forward to growing along with it
Cheers to the 3ManCult - we're all on a journey - welcome aboard :)
Thanks for the info! I turn 60 this year. I’ve never used Spotify, but after watching this, I might have to give it a try! I did 20 years producing commercials for a CBS affiliate. I also did jingles (which was much more fun for me 😂). Anyway, thanks for the encouragement! I’m counting on “It’s never too late” being an accurate statement.😂
Thanks Taggart, greato to have you on board! You are definitely in the never too late zone - with good company! And you have so many skills and knowledge from jingles and producing! All the best with it :)
I might add that Colonel Saunders only started Kentucky Fried Chicken at 65….
Always inspiring story - I listend to a podcaat about it and it was fascinating! Even how they came up with the catchphrase "finger looking good"
Thanks for making the time to make this video. I've found that marketing or paying for ads is generally a good strategy if you have money to spend. It can be extremely effective and organic growth can come AFTER paying for Meta Ads for instance. However, growing and cultivating a dedicated fan base from the bottom up is a much more rewarding strategy in the long run. Of course it takes far longer and requires a great deal of discipline to learn how to self promote and get good at content creation, but it is undoubtedly better than spending money on ads if you're low on funds. Organic social media promotion is better but just takes a lot more focus and consistency to see results. You can think of it sort of like compound interest adding up over time. Most people just quit immediately or shortly after not seeing the results they want immediately.
Interesting point about Meta Ads - I have only recently invested - and - early days - started to see the difference in building more engaged listeners than playlisting. Once I have more feedback I'll prepare a video. You are right - if you can do self promotion with great content - organic (free) growth is awesome - but comes with a lot of discipline and dedication required, and many will give up along the way. PS - love your channel name!
@@IndieOver50 Thank you for taking the time to respond to my comment. I love your channel! Keep up the great and informative content. You’ve made a ton of sound judgments and I resonate with you. what you’re saying is very thought provoking. I appreciate you saying that about my channel name. Being a musician, I tend to pour a lot of time and thought into my branding and image.
You said to drop a link to our music. Why does my link not show?
@@ericeracleous9404 Wow. Thanks for letting me know Eric. I will test. In meantime I added your “Still feel the rain” to the TH-cam playlist - awesome!!!
www.youtube.com/@WalkerHornung NYC
Thanks so much - added "I need love" to our Indie, Over 50 playlist :)
@@IndieOver50 thanks so much
hey, my spotify link seems to be disapearing too. Im an over 50 guy too and just released my first single with my band. Its on spotify. Jackson Jeffrey Jackson - (when the funk is just) Around the corner. Tx
Thanks so much for your email - I have had a few that cant share Spotify links - not sure if it is OS or format - TV/Tablet/Phone/PC issue??? Love your story in your new song andhave added to two Indie, Over 50 playlists.
@IndieOver50 thank you!
I'm almost 39, but that's old for a rapper right?
Love it! And love your channel title - have subscribed! Never too old to rap :)
Apologies if I’m spamming my Spotify link, but it seems to keep disappearing
Thats interesting, they usually work. Other option is IndieOver50@icloud.com I found you on Spotify though and added Driven to Indie, Over 50: Eclectic
@ thank you
Do you accept over 60 ... but an "AI artist" ?? Don't hate me. I'm doing a little experiment: making first the whole song and video concept with AI and if it works, then I'll do a cover with real people and instruments. I don't have many years left of life and frustrations. Meanwhile, check one example: th-cam.com/video/N4c9UYYdmLE/w-d-xo.html
I'm 61 so I sneak in too! No hate for AI - imagine how painters felt when the camera was introduced, how Sinatra felt when multi-tracking started, how graphic artists felt with the Mac, how most musicians felt when Midi was introduced, digital FX - each evolution of technology has unleashed extraordinary creativity and opportunities. I understand the rightful fear and concerns about AI - it will threaten careers again, and it is a serious issues for copyright and regulators to deal with. My question for you is "how?". You can prompt AI with "give me a song about driving down the road into the sunset" and it will create a song! Or you can provide all your lyrics, and it will produce a song in your preferred style - rap, pop, big band! I am not aware you can take your chords, melody and lyrics and have AI produce it - although band -in-a-box has been doing that for years but it requires musical and computing skills.
@@IndieOver50 Hi! In case your question of "How?" was not rhetorical, here is the answer: I come up with a concept or an idea for a song or series of songs (LP). For example "Reality has become Satire" (th-cam.com/video/1533dVaKwRE/w-d-xo.html) then I write some ideas that I can think of for it, then I ask ChatGPT or Claude to look up for recent examples that illustrate the topic. Then I ask them to write original Lyrics (my native language is Spanish so I have problems with rhyming and counting syllables in English), then I review it and ask for changes. I edit the structure of the song (name tags within brackets) for example: [Intro: instrumental], [Verse 1], [Chorus], [Outro] and so on. Then I imagine which genre and style would fit it best, a lot of trial and error playing with prompts until something I like comes up. In the case of the aforementioned song, the prompt was this: "Dark dance, bass-line, textured vocal grit female vocalist, pad synth, offbeat rhythmic guitars, wide spatial percussions", and patience. My day work is graphic designer, so people pay me for the aesthetic choices or decisions that I make, the same here with the final result of the song. Thus the term "AI Artist", but it is pretentious, I know. I do compose music, playing keyboards but it is very far from radio-ready... Later on I will produced it more by playing over it to make it more personal. Greetings from Mexico.
Definitely not rhetorical - thanks for your answer. So effectively you have "prompted" the song. An idea, or prompt, for a song - eg. "boy meets girl, falls in love" - can't be copyrighted. AI has generated the lyrics and melody - the two essential elements of copyright. So the interesting issue here is - who owns the copyright in this song? I have seen many TH-cam videos on this subject. You probably have the "mechanical" rights, but if someone used that lyric/meoldy in their song - would you have the right to sue them for breach? Or would Suni/Udio/etc chase it down? And if you go into a recording studio and reproduce with real musicians etc - it would still not be your original lyric nd melody. Answers are not clear at this point. I am happy to add this song to the playlist. Personally I recommend you are upfront about use of AI for lyric and melody in your description. Though I do see the "altered or syntehitc content" declaration. And g'day from Sydney, Australia :)
I'm not 50, yet, but I'm old enough to know that interesting people do not shop for music like a new shirt. You can't buy an audience with a marketing budget. You'll just get passive clicks from bots and people who are bored as F. Find some success without a single dollar of paid ads first - learn what it takes to actually connect with people first....don't try to buy them.
Thanks Jason, interesting take - not sure that any record company exec would agree you cant buy an audience (subject to a great product). Though point taken on where and how you are presented and level of engagement. Definitely lots of free options to build audiences - just a question of scale and your objectives.
Hope you like the two songs I sent link to
Thanks for the great video
All the best
Great to discover some fellow Aussies - love these - added to Indie, Over 50
The second video: th-cam.com/video/h2M2fFz_J3o/w-d-xo.html
Great clip, great songs, subsribed, good luck wth the album! Added to Indie Over 50
@@IndieOver50 Thanks! At this point, our only objective is 'Screw it. Let's have some fun.'
th-cam.com/video/SG3Jtt3ip4w/w-d-xo.htmlsi=NXHABBdSBHock8w4
I’m a Dutch singer-songwriter, age 51.
Beautiful - Added "Letting Go" on TH-cam and Spotify playlists
@ thank you, John! I follow you on Instagram now, as well. But your Project Reverb account on Instagram is gone, isn’t it?
Sorry I must disagree. Don't waste your time and money on trying to market mediocre or bad songs. Just write better songs. A very successful songwriter once told me, you can't stop a hit. If you write a great song people will listen.
It appears that we do agree. The first P in the four Ps of Marketing is Product! Which is the song :)
I have a request: Would you consider also making a playlist of artists over 40? I'm not 50 but I relate to much of what you're saying in these videos. I just have one album so far- by the time I was done I was so excited but I quickly realized how little I knew of marketing. Here's my "family and friends" intro video: th-cam.com/video/qfJz7V9TN0A/w-d-xo.html
Hey Thomas, thanks for reaching out and making that suggestion! Not sure what could rhyme with Forty???? :) I dont check birth certificates - so you are in a safe space! Congratulations on your Album - Love your intro video - such a great idea! I have subscribed and follow you on Spotify as well now. Love Majesty! Listening to rest now ...
@@IndieOver50 Thanks! "There's a Horse in the Basement" appears to be the most successful song thus far.
Love that lyric - added to Indie, Over 50: Rock
Comment not showing up?
Welcome - seems to work now
th-cam.com/play/PLVW6S2W_beKL0zq3GCT0h_3yu-4tiMXiY.html&si=AFHTlh-3WzOnjiL5
56 with over 36 years of professional experience and I'm still trying to figure out this digital age!!..... th-cam.com/video/eWKcsIs-wXU/w-d-xo.html
You have sorted the digital for Dark Love - looks and sounds great - added to Indie, Over 50 playlist - thank you!
I put my music out there and I’m totally sure that no one is ever going to listen to it 😂
@@officialWWM Love your site name! Subscribed and looking forward to listening :)
@ thanks mate, appreciate it. I’m a bit slack with doing TH-cam vids of my songs, it takes so much effort and editing videos is not my strong suit! I have written and recorded 21 songs this year though, so I have loads of material. I’ve decided I’m going to do some simple acoustic versions of my music for YT and try to drive people to the fully produced versions on the streaming platforms from there. :)
I’m 58 btw
th-cam.com/video/Xj3SvuVesPo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=rY6mVC1prnISRdf_
Great song - added to Indie, Over 50 playlist on TH-cam
th-cam.com/video/NCsaMKYgfqo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=vBNCXXr731D6ZO4s
Thanks and added "Center of the world" to Indie, Over 50 TH-cam :)
stop the whooosh sound effects - overused but too many ppl..............
Fair feedback :) I’ll whoosh less!
I'm not over fifty, just shy of it by a few years. I have been making music most of my life as a drummer. About twelve years ago I began composing and producing original music under the moniker the Hypocrite Orchestra. I wanted to thank you for making this video and to share with you my newest single, "The Mystic." @ th-cam.com/video/NBrhjTwZp6I/w-d-xo.htmlsi=hHYzhfvczK7pEJXZ
Congartulations - loving The Mystic and added to our TH-cam playlist. My core instrument is drummer as well, love seeing how you have progressed and produced such as a massive song! Whilst grounded in Latin, you have created a very distinctive and contemporary production and vibe in this song. All the best with it!
@@IndieOver50, I appreciate the kind words and thank you for adding The Mystic to the playlist. Much Love & Light, Brother
I think you nailed it. When I put out a song there are 10 others in the trash, but any marketing I do is a one shot deal cause I have no idea what is good or what isn't. Take one of my heaviest and best songs: Desperate Times. I spent weeks on it, got one of the best vocalists to sing on it and one of the world's best rock drummers (Jason Bitner) to play on it. It's about the destruction of the music industry (of course!) even when I released it on Vimeo it only got a few hundred views, and on TH-cam, nothing as you can see. Spotify and the others ignored it. Can be rather frustrating! :)
th-cam.com/video/VGCKoiPc_4Y/w-d-xo.htmlsi=gTM0nhavjdOSkC8l
Interesting - and I just watched “The Playlist” on Netflix about the rise and fall out of Spotify. Great clip. I will add to Indie Over 50. Have you tried a small investment in play listing with Groover and Submithub? You get specific feedback as well as playlist opportunities.
You nail this on the first 20s! Good stuff
here is my latest song video for your consideration: th-cam.com/video/NvPwkc2RxIE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=s0Wx-zYAaAZeUC_e
Thats very nice of you! And thanks for sharing "My Mess Your Purpose" - have added to Indie, Over 50 TH-cam playlist - th-cam.com/play/PLiRT_bMGCY0D4JZgICJ2Alv3Y_vxpYUgD.html&si=OGlYnbQJrpsCx7T7
th-cam.com/video/E5uf5c5UBF0/w-d-xo.htmlsi=GU0_Q2k8rJ5s2_M_
Awesome - Added to Indie, Over 50 TH-cam playlist
th-cam.com/video/oMRlSV3qSgU/w-d-xo.htmlsi=5tmoEVsuxY55Y69a
Welcome aboard - I have added to Indie Over 50 on TH-cam :)
@IndieOver50 Thank you!