{"id":4658,"date":"2022-04-12T16:49:24","date_gmt":"2022-04-12T16:49:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/04\/12\/7-challenges-musicians-face-in-2022\/"},"modified":"2022-04-12T16:49:24","modified_gmt":"2022-04-12T16:49:24","slug":"7-challenges-musicians-face-in-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/04\/12\/7-challenges-musicians-face-in-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Challenges Musicians Face in 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"p3\">After two years of pandemic anxiety, quarantine and false starts, musicians who want to reboot their careers are facing some new challenges.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">It remains to be seen how many of these are temporary or permanent.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">But as you get back into <a href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/musician-tips\/book-gigs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">performing<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/music-career\/how-to-record-and-produce-music-at-home\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">recording<\/a>, or <a href=\"https:\/\/release.cdbaby.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">releasing music<\/a>, here are some of the things you should be prepared for in 2022 and beyond:<\/p>\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\n<div class=\"iframe-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/04\/12\/7-challenges-musicians-face-in-2022\/#1_Hyper-online_audiences\" >1. Hyper-online audiences<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/04\/12\/7-challenges-musicians-face-in-2022\/#2_Fiercer_competition\" >2. Fiercer competition<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/04\/12\/7-challenges-musicians-face-in-2022\/#3_Psychological_costs_of_the_pandemic\" >3. Psychological costs of the pandemic<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/04\/12\/7-challenges-musicians-face-in-2022\/#4_Economic_troubles\" >4. Economic troubles<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/04\/12\/7-challenges-musicians-face-in-2022\/#5_Closed_venues\" >5. Closed venues<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/04\/12\/7-challenges-musicians-face-in-2022\/#6_The_Great_Resignation\" >6. The Great Resignation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/04\/12\/7-challenges-musicians-face-in-2022\/#7_Lost_momentum\" >7. Lost momentum<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"p3\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Hyper-online_audiences\"><\/span>1. Hyper-online audiences<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p3\">To state the obvious, we went even MORE online over the past few years. That includes nearly every aspect of musical interaction too (even shows). This was an accelerating trend already, but the pandemic put it into overdrive.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">As a result of this deepening digital dependence, our attention has been completely scattered and our online relationships can feel one-dimensional at best. Many artists are siloed and unfocused. Yet we\u2019re told the only way to succeed is to be even MORE online \u2014 that the only way to connect is to do more, better, faster, pushing out <a href=\"https:\/\/podcast.cdbaby.com\/2022\/01\/288-is-social-media-dead-for-musicians\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a constant stream of content with diminishing returns<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">But music is a physical phenomenon. Sometimes it\u2019s meant to be experienced socially, with other humans in a room. In contrast to the internet, there is a slowness to IRL gigs and conversations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">Artists will need to figure out how much they want to be online and how much they want to be in the \u201cmeat space\u201d (web slang for real life). There are pros and cons to both, and it\u2019s not like there\u2019s a right answer. Just that the balance you think is right for you might not match the new reality of your audience\u2019s expectations.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p3\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Fiercer_competition\"><\/span>2. Fiercer competition<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p3\">Like I said, there are more things than ever competing for our attention. And we only have so much attention to spare. This means it\u2019s harder for you as an artist to get noticed. And once you have someone\u2019s attention, you have to fight harder to keep it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">Between streaming networks, games, social media, the news, and the bevy of other things available to us online and offline, it\u2019s difficult to focus on anything for long. When you post something on Instagram, you\u2019re not just competing with other musicians in your genre. You\u2019re competing with everything on the Internet.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">You need to improve your <a href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/music-promotion\/music-marketing-2022\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">music marketing<\/a> to cut through the noise, which of course has measurable benefits, but it also means you\u2019re back to confronting challenge #1 above.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p3\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Psychological_costs_of_the_pandemic\"><\/span>3. Psychological costs of the pandemic<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p3\">The entire world has just gone through a collective trauma. People are anxious and depressed, and political divisions have gotten worse. Add to that concerns about war, injustice, the economy,\u2026 the list is long.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">Not only do you need to deal with your own feelings of anxiety, you also need to acknowledge they could exist in your audience. Not everyone will be on the same page about the past few years, and not everyone will be on the same page about how to move forward.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">You don\u2019t need to have any actual answers, of course. But you don\u2019t want to assume your whole crowd is ready to party like it\u2019s 2019.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p3\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Economic_troubles\"><\/span>4. Economic troubles<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p3\">Many people lost their jobs during the pandemic. If you\u2019re a touring musician, you were mostly off the road for two years, which likely hurt financially. Now that you can get back <a href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/musician-tips\/gig-preparation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">on stage<\/a>, gas prices are skyrocketing. Inflation is worsening. Supply chain issues are causing delays with many products we took for granted before.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">As DIY musicians, we\u2019re already on a tight budget. Now we\u2019re going to have to be even more careful with how we spend our limited resources.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p3\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Closed_venues\"><\/span>5. Closed venues<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p3\">Many venues couldn\u2019t make it through the pandemic and went out of business. That makes competition for <a href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/musician-tips\/book-gigs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">booking gigs<\/a> even more fierce, because EVERY artist is trying to hit the road at once with fewer places to accommodate them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">And even if investors come along and open up a bunch of new venues, it\u2019s going to be a long time before they\u2019re all up and running.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p3\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_The_Great_Resignation\"><\/span>6. The Great Resignation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p3\">You\u2019ve probably seen this on the news or read about it in the countless op-eds: Many workers used their pandemic downtime to rethink their careers. Some went back to school, some moved to another town, and others switched industries.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">In your own music network, that means many of your contacts have likely moved on. When it comes time to start <a href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/musician-tips\/the-rules-of-music-networking-in-2022\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">networking<\/a> again, you might need to edit your spreadsheet of contacts or build a new one from scratch.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">And pointing back to challenge #5, some of your go-to talent buyers may no longer represent the venues you used to play. That could lead to feelings of\u2026<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p3\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Lost_momentum\"><\/span>7. Lost momentum<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p3\">There\u2019s been a huge break in continuity with all the closures, reopenings, reclosures, etc. Almost all artists lost momentum. If you\u2019ve been playing in your scene for some time, you\u2019ve put a ton of effort into building your reputation and gaining the respect of your peers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">While that trust hasn\u2019t eroded, chances are you\u2019d developed some productive habits and built a sense of momentum that quickly came to a halt in spring of 2020.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">It\u2019s easy to get discouraged even as you\u2019re excited to begin again. In some ways you\u2019re starting from scratch, which can be intimidating. If you\u2019re feeling deflated, just remember almost every other musician is in a similar boat.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">There\u2019s work to do. And there are many ways we can support and encourage one another along the way.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p class=\"p3\"><em>For more tips on how to reboot your music career in 2022, watch or listen to our full DIY Musician Podcast episode \u201cThe Post-Pandemic Plan for Musicians\u201d:<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\n<div class=\"iframe-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"iframe-container\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"p3\">How are you navigating the challenges of the music industry in 2022? Let us know in the comments!<\/p>\n<p>The post <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/musician-tips\/music-challenges-2022\/\" target=\"_blank\">7 Challenges Musicians Face in 2022<\/a> appeared first on <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">DIY Musician<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After two years of pandemic anxiety, quarantine and false starts, musicians who want to reboot their careers are facing some new challenges. It remains to be seen how many of these are temporary or permanent. But as you get back into performing, recording, or releasing music, here are some of the things you should be prepared for in 2022 and beyond: 1. Hyper-online audiences To state the obvious, we went even MORE online over the past few years. That includes nearly every aspect of musical interaction [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"h5ap_radio_sources":[],"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4658","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-best-seo-blogs"],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":false,"author_link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/author\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4658","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4658"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4658\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4658"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4658"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4658"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}