Bob Lefsetz has been described as a music industry curmudgeon. He’s the only person I’ve ever seen who had the balls to tell an audience full of artists that “most of you suck.” Read a few of his articles, though, and you know he’s a true music fan, with some often important insights about the music industry.

In this article Bob describes the “New Reality” of being a music artist.

A key point and maybe the overall theme is that it’s so hard to get noticed these days, that you better be in the music business for something other than fame and fortune.

I agree that a self-sustaining, long career is a much better strategy and investment of your time. And if that is your goal, you’ve never had more tools and information at your disposal. If you can find the right balance between improving your artistic skills and working the business/marketing end of things, it is possible to make a memorable and profitable living in music.