Please don't waste your time trying to go "viral". Trust me, you don't want it.
Sure, it's a sexy buzzword. Sounds downright fun to get a million youtube hits in a week; "Woo woo! We're gonna get a million dollar record contract now, lets go out and buy golden toilets!"
Sure.
Speed of adoption is inversely correlated with longevity. Or, to put it more plainly:
The faster you rise, the faster you're gone.
The Beatles didn't "Go Viral", they worked their asses off on their music night after night after night. Michael Jordan didn't make a video of a cat playing a keyboard next to footage of him playing; he worked his ass off on his game night after night after night.
I'm not denying that the idea of getting your "Big Break From The Internets" isn't sexy. I've fantasized about the magical "discovery of our band" too. Sounds fun.
But don't forget how short memory is on the internet. Getting attention for the sake of attention is a waste of time. The only endurable way to build your musical future is to get attention because you've worked your ass off night after night after night, when your stage performance is so brilliant that anyone who sees you will tell their friends "Hey man, these guys are INSANE on stage! I want to steal their garbage they're so good!"
Exhibit A: Soulja Boy
ReplyDeleteExhibit B: Tay Zonday
Are you saying that Chocolate Rain was not, in fact, the most memorable song of the decade?!?!
ReplyDelete"Going viral" I think will eventually go the way of "Think outside the box", it'll become a meaningless phrase used around offices when describing a marketing plan.
ReplyDeleteThat a way to be a team player, Mike!
ReplyDelete