[mihkay]

The secret to commercial success:-

Give them what they already know! 

Sorry, but that's it.
A little bit of impromptu research, and I'll admit it's a small sample statistically, but of all the songs I've put on-line on various sites the most listened to by a huge margin are the 12 Bar Blues variation and the slow "love song". Over the last two years and with no marketing or publicity my songs excluding these two have been listened to, in total about 2000 times. The love song has over 2000 all on its own and the 12 bar is racing towards 3500!
I'm trying to write personal and varied songs with the express purpose of trying in my limited way to express something original.....AND WHAT THEY WANT IS THE 'KIN  COMEDY 12 BAR and the SOPPY LOVE SONG.

What is the point? 

[flossie]

  Sorry but Hmmmm it does feel that way doesn't it.  I guess if original music sold as well then there would be more of it...!  Difficult and frustrating though. 
x

[Boydie]

The trick is to be different, but not too different! 

[Kafla]

Out of curiosity I looked at my soundcloud account and I have 4 songs with over 100 hits - the fact that you have some in thousands is incredible - sooooo jealous 

And I probably think the 4 are my best songs now

Weird but anyway well some on your hits 

[Dutchbeat]

Ha, Ha, Kafla,

you are going to hate me forever if i say that you need to tweak more on the production side to get so many views... no,no i am just joking, ok...

and of course, you need even more videos, preferably done in Dutchbeat style!

[estreet]

It's the way it goes .... When it comes to Youtube, by far my most successful videos - in terms of hits - are of me noodling about aimlessly on the guitar. There's one grainy webcam video of me doing a 5 minute Country and Western solo that's had over 20,000 hits. Meanwhile the songs/videos that I've sweated blood into like these:

Struggle to make 1000 ....

I'm determined to get a million hit video on there one day - but I think I may have to resort to a having a cute kitten dancing with a talking dog in a Star Trek parody to do it.

[mihkay]

Out of curiosity I looked at my soundcloud account and I have 4 songs with over 100 hits - the fact that you have some in thousands is incredible - sooooo jealous 

And I probably think the 4 are my best songs now

Weird but anyway well some on your hits 

Same here...less than 100 hits on almost all except the less challenging two!  This is mostly from my Jamendo account although the same seems to apply in Soundcloud.
I've listened to your stuff. It's great but not something that is obviously been heard before, therefore until it's popular is it won't be listened to but until it's listened too it wont be popular. arrghhhh.   

Estreet, I feel your pain.

It's the way it goes .... When it comes to Youtube, by far my most successful videos - in terms of hits - are of me noodling about aimlessly on the guitar. There's one grainy webcam video of me doing a 5 minute Country and Western solo that's had over 20,000 hits.

No matter what I post from now on I'm going to give it the TAGS "love song" "12bar" & "Blues" . It's false marketing but as out of the 3000+ hits, only 5 comments have been given, I don't think they liked the songs anyway, but I'll bet the hit rate goes up! And it only takes one to go viral! 

[S.T.C]

Interesting read..

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2010/oct/07/behind-music-secret-writing-hit

[Boydie]

That is an interesting read

The BBC series Guy Chambers did on song writing was quite interesting but I wasn't blown away by it

One interesting line that jumped out at me - as it is something I have been banging on about on the forum over the last few weeks...

Demos are dead, so only play an A&R person tracks that sound like they can go straight on the radio

This is why I am so passionate about the production stuff!

[S.T.C]

That is an interesting read

The BBC series Guy Chambers did on song writing was quite interesting but I wasn't blown away by it

One interesting line that jumped out at me - as it is something I have been banging on about on the forum over the last few weeks...

Demos are dead, so only play an A&R person tracks that sound like they can go straight on the radio

This is why I am so passionate about the production stuff!

Well..i know from talking with Mim Grey..and even when she reviewed the song,,she mentions it,,Demo`s have to almost be , chart/radio release quality...also she was signed on the say so of an A#R man...either at Ronnie Scotts or the 606 club,,not sure...

[Kafla]

That is an interesting read

The BBC series Guy Chambers did on song writing was quite interesting but I wasn't blown away by it

One interesting line that jumped out at me - as it is something I have been banging on about on the forum over the last few weeks...

Demos are dead, so only play an A&R person tracks that sound like they can go straight on the radio

This is why I am so passionate about the production stuff!

I think the talent on this forum is unbelievable - honestly I listen to some songs on here more than established artists

I am wondering if anyone on here believes that one day someone will become famous or make a living from it?

I have no real belief that I will one day write songs for a living - I simply enjoy it, in a way I have learned to enjoy Writing and recording my songs - I get a buzz

I think the one thing missing from the talent thats on here is the bullshit 'celebrity personality' or 'product' that you need - in a way your musical ability is of negligible interest.

I think the very fact that one A & R rep only listens to songs with titles he likes illustrates this. 

Anyway I am off to finish my new song - Nude Stunners in Playboy Machete Rain forest Lullaby 

[Dutchbeat]

That is brilliant title kafla, it will make people curious to listen..

you ask the question how many forum members still hope or expect that one day their music will get picked up...but i wonder how many of us actively attempt to make people who are in positions that could help in that listen to their music.

It could be that many of the forumites just enjoy making music but do little or no attempt at all, and that the people who want to make it (and have that as their main goal) are entering programs like "Idols" and the "X-factor"

Also, the cruel reality is that there apparantly are plenty of songwriters and songs to choose from for the industry, but there many songwriters out here that i think make material that deserves to be picked up (yes, and one of them is you Kafla IMO), but the first steps will have to be taken by the songwriter him- or herself to contact publishers and A&R persons. So, not much has changed in that respect....unless you have a video that is sooooo silly, different or cute that it goes viral...

but i don't know anything about that, my most watched video has 350 views, I think it was Flossie who had / has a youtube hit (many, many views) with a song about her father for father's day. And the of course, if so many people watch it and want to hear it would be nice if it got picked up by someone from the industry...(any developments on that front, Flossie?)

but i am very happy with just making music for the fun of making and playing it, but i am very happy with this forum that at least a number of people listen to the result and give feedback
(and yes, i do need to start reviewing other peoples songs, i am way behind)

[Kafla]

You know DB I think thats a brilliant point you make

It would be better to write say 3 really good tunes and then devote all your time to promoting these tunes

Rather than writing more tunes and enjoying ourselves on here

[mihkay]

I think I've found the reason why I'm getting nearly 100 listens a day on one of my tunes but no comments or downloads.

It's got the same title as a Rihanna song and an Olly Murs song (whoever he is) and half a dozen others! "Fool in Love"

So the kiddies are searching for Rihanna or Olly and getting a quick listen to my track and after ten seconds realising their mistake.

Oh well.... :-(