Skip to main content

Why is it so hard to get your songs noticed?

During some of the informal conversations we have with Indie artists, we often hear questions regarding what it is that they could do differently to get their music noticed. 

In todays article, Kapa Freeman addresses one of the biggest challenges that many Indie artists are facing and is actually stagnating the growth of their music careers. 

Happy reading!

Why is it so hard to get your songs noticed?

by Kapa Freeman 

Why is it so hard to get your songs noticed?
One word holds back more songwriters than anything else... It delays some music careers by years.... It destroys others.

I'm speaking from experience. It took me 15 years to figure out that my first publishing deal could've happened 15 years earlier. Unfortunately, there was one word that was keeping my songs from the quality I needed, if I wanted anyone to take me seriously.

So what magic word kept my music career in limbo? The word is "multi-tasking." I made the classic mistake that most indie songwriters make.... Trying to do it all!

It took me forEVER to release anything I was even remotely proud of, let alone anything that would make fans or publishers take notice.

Why?

Because on every track, I was the songwriter, the singer, the producer, and I was playing all the instruments too! 

There's one GIANT problem with this approach. Every single one of those roles is a separate career. Each one built on skills that can take years to do at a professional level, and at a professional SPEED. It could take me a week to get a half-decent recording of me singing. Pro-vocalists could do it radio-level in an afternoon. It could take me months to arrange, record, edit, and mix my songs. Seasoned producers could do it in a weekend. Guitar parts could take me days to get right using virtual instruments, and a pro guitarist could do it in one take.

So songs would take me months to complete because of "multi-tasking..."

But when you start to focus on being a pro at ONE thing... the ONE skill that has the most impact on your chances of success... and leave the rest to the specialists, then you will have better recordings of better songs and you'll have them a lot sooner.

But the most professional singer with the most professional band, in the most professional studio....will NOT sound professional... Unless the song does.

Thankfully that's a learnable skill... and that doesn't have to take years to learn.




Kapa Freeman is the Founder and Songwriting Coach of The Intentional Songwriter, whose goal is to help musicians become publisher-ready songwriters so they can access songwriter-only income streams that pay more money for less of their time.

After taking an "assembly line approach" to songwriting, Kepa added consistency to his songwriting and went from song rejections to publishing deals over the course of a year. Now he uses this same approach to help musicians go from beginning to publisher-ready songwriters in a matter of weeks.

https://www.prosongsonpurpose.com/

Popular posts

Riley Clemmons - Stuck Inside My Head - Single Mix (CCM)

Riley Clemmons has released a Christian Contemporary Music (CCM) track called Stuck Inside My Head - Single Mix. The song 'Inside My Head' was born out of a season of pain and healing. As a result, the song has a way of speaking about life's difficulties that is accessible and relatable to everyone.  "As I was writing and dreaming up this record, "says Riley, "there was never a plan to create anything but honest music, born from hurting, growing, and healing. I collected songs for this body of work much like I collected every experience I found myself in the middle of over the past couple of years... the highs & lows, the conversations with God, the questions about my identity, the heartbreak, and the healing." Although the music addresses life's hurts, it does much more than that. The trials of life, according to Clemmons, are ordained by God so we can draw close to him. "The thread that began to connect them all quickly became the idea tha...

'Lonely Dirt Road' by Dax: A Journey to Solitude and God

Dax's 'Lonely Dirt Road' is a conversation that Dax has with himself and God. Dax shares his journey of turning mental health walks into healing solitary drives. As you listen, you can almost feel the cruise, where it's just you, your thoughts, and God.  The chorus is so relatable: 'When I need space, that's where I go, a place to escape that nobody knows.' What do you do when life's pressures stack high? Do you also have a space where you can let go? That lonely dirt road that Dax sings about symbolizes solitude, but it is also an incredible opportunity for connecting with God.  Dax's honesty is raw and relatable. 'I didn't want my family to see me cry… dealing with the pressure of trying to provide.' There are times when we all put on a smile to hide how challenging situations may be. Like his father, Dax says that he finds peace on this lonely road, where challenges become opportunities to grow. This shows the core of our faith: that...

'Bless God' by Brooke Ligertwood: Immersing in an Ocean of Sacred Gratitude

In her uplifting contemporary Christian song 'Bless God,' Brooke Ligertwood beautifully encapsulates the heart's unwavering adoration for the divine, creating an anthem of praise that reverberates throughout the heavens and touches every soul on earth. It is a compelling call to immerse oneself in the validation and glory gifted by Jesus, our Savior. As the lyrics cascade from her voice, they etch a poignant, spiritual journey. 'Blessed are those who run to Him...He won't forsake them' she sings, illustrating the divine promise that we were never meant to walk our paths alone. With each verse, Brooke articulates the joy of surrendering and dedicating every moment of existence to Jesus— 'And for Him only...Oh Jesus, all for Your glory,' she proclaims. Her invitation to praise, framed with utmost sincerity, resonates deeply with an eager spirit, 'Come on and lift your voice with me... He's worthy of all our praise.' Such heartfelt declaratio...