I am wondering if anyone has advice on getting songs recorded (or even listened to) if you have very few/no connections. I have written and sent out several songs in the past. Fourteen of them were published by a nationally known publishing company and some of them recorded by two different regional artists. I have had positive feedback from publishers and a few major artists as well…but I’ve not had a major cut yet.
Do artists actually listen and really give a chance to unknown writers? Or are they so bombarded with one-note elementary lyrics that they don’t listen unless they recognize the writer’s name(s). It seems artists use the same writers for project after project and many times I feel like they get in a “rut” musically by doing so.
Do artists actually listen and really give a chance to unknown writers? Or are they so bombarded with one-note elementary lyrics that they don’t listen unless they recognize the writer’s name(s). It seems artists use the same writers for project after project and many times I feel like they get in a “rut” musically by doing so.
I agree with you about the rut. I see this happening a lot. I also think some artists figure if one writer gave them a number one song, then they will stick with that writer, regardless of whether it is the best song for them or not.
I hope things haven’t changed in the last 10 years or so…but what I was always told was, yes, artists do listen to what is sent and by sending songs directly to the artist you have the best chance of your songs being heard. I agree with your comment about artists being bombarded with one-note elementary lyrics, too. For that reason, I don’t think they have the time to respond so you never know how the songs were received or indeed, if they were listened to. My understanding is that when they DO hear something they like, you’ll hear from them.
i am a songwriter and artist so i know the problem you are having. unfortunetly, the record companies have what is called staff writers, if they find a pretty good writer they hire them to work strictly for their company and pay them a salary. so everything the writer writes is for that company. so when an artist comes to them for a new project, who do you think they are going to push first, writers they have already invested in, or a song someone has sent in for them to listen to.
it is true the artist do listen to songs, but only after they have been through their management personell. if they think it is a song that would do well, they give it to the artist for consideration. of course there are great artists like reba mcentire, i hope i spelled her name right. that do not write, and she will listen to a couple of hundred songs to find one she likes enough to record. and even tho you may be writing a great song, every artist has their own style and sound they are looking for, so they look for only material they like. it is hard to guess what sound for each artist and what they would like. it is tuff to break in to the songwriting to get major cuts. if you look at the songs out there they are a hand full of writers getting most of the business. also a lot of artists are writing their own songs, they make a little more money and they have complete control over the song.
the best thing to do is keep sending it to the independants trying to get any cuts you can, and sooner or later when a song is released, it will get enough attention, some one in the majors will check you out.
hope this helped, wp smith
It’s interesting, the last time I recorded and then sent songs out I attempted to find contact info. for publishing companies with little luck. So I went on “blind faith” and sent songs out to major artists. Again, positive comments but no cuts. And common sense tells you if the same artists are using the same writers/publishing companies for every project that $$ has a strong influence.
Who knows, maybe I should write a few country tunes and send them to Reba?!?!
We have to weed through many of them, but have actually found a few jewels. Perhaps you might want to go to the site and find out about joining gospel songwriters.
I’ve gotten several songs from Dee Gaskin through the site.
Not sure why you had a hard time finding publisher information. If you go to http://www.singingnews.com and click on “links” then “music publishers” you’ll find just about everyone you might be looking for.
We are a small SGM group singing and ministering here in Southern California and we mostly get our songs from the 60’s & 70’s. We had a friend who wrote a wonderful song, we recorded it and it had become one of our repertory and it goes nowhere. We have several folks who routinely send us songs, mostly bad, but every once and a while we get a jewel which we can use and adapt to our style of singing. I’d just say keep trying, every No is one No closer to a YES!
I think the key (and this may sound smart-alecky, though it’s not intended to) is to write a great song. A great song that stands head and shoulders above its competition will find a home. Writing a great song, not just a good one, will cause people to stand up and listen, and they’ll want to record it.
Also, more and more I’m convinced that a great demo helps a song get attention. 20 years ago you could make a demo on your cassette player and artists would listen to it and consider it, but now artists have come to expect quality demo productions. Especially since many new computers come with “Garage Band” software on them to make demos.
Also, more and more I’m convinced that a great demo helps a song get attention. 20 years ago you could make a demo on your cassette player and artists would listen to it and consider it, but now artists have come to expect quality demo productions. Especially since many new computers come with “Garage Band” software on them to make demos.
I agree 100%. People want to hear finished products, complete arrangments these days. Also, poor musicianship and poor quality recordings are not tolerated as in the past. Even though a writer is trying to sell the song and not the performance, an out of tune guitar or a poorly mixed home recording will get your demo thrown in the garbage 9 times out of 10. It’s sad, and not really fair, but a so-so song with a good production will get listented to more often than a great song with a poor production.
I don’t think you have to go into a studio and spend thousands on a first class production. You can get a listenable, good sounding demo fairly cheap.
Well I know one thing, there are a “few” groups or soloist out there that will definitely listen to your song, but there are those that will slam it right back in your face so to speak! I had three songs handed straight to a group one time, and I’m talking a group that is on every single Gaither video made, and the lead group member turned and pitched it into a garbage can! That really hurt and it was so humiliating! I certainly lost all respect for that group! They are still great singers but that let me see a side of them that I did not want to see! A now well known singer/songwriter with many #1’s told me that before he go his first radio release, he spent about 5 years trying to pitch his songs to groups but noone seemed to be interested in them at all. He said he got so frustrated and felt that noone cared! Well he and his group put their first album on the charts and they haven’t stopped yet! Now many groups and soloist records his songs! And one more thing, I feel that when a writer puts the $ sign at first priority ahead of the cause of the Gospel, then the money isn’t going to benefit them in the long run anyway! It will most likely come to a head somewhere down the road! But the right cause will keep it going and going and going! And then, the big reward in Heaven will come! Wow ain’t that something to look forward to! God Bless, Bobby
Rex Nelon reportedly advised artists to listen to every single song they got in the mail or handed to them at concerts. His thinking was that you never know when your next big song will be the one that someone sent or gave to you.
...the lead group member turned and pitched it into a garbage can!
So long as it didn’t hit the sides of the can, that’s called “perfect pitch” in the music business. Hey, may as well bring some levity to the report of such a rude display!!!
