The internet gives a platform to, well, anyone with an internet connection. When it comes to the music industry, there are A LOT of people weighing in on the discussion. That means you have to become a smart consumer. You're bound to encounter conflicting advice about your music career online. That's not intrinsically a bad thing - there's no one way to do something, and even people with plenty of music business experience disagree on the best approach to getting the job done. Further, different websites are geared towards different audiences, so the advice is different. You can use this disparity in advice to your advantage. Take it all in, weigh it all up, take a little from column A, a little from column B and come up with your own best plan.
That's the good side of the democracy of music industry advice on the internet. There are a few downsides. Here are just a few things to watch out for:
The All Business, No Music Approch: Sometimes, people with a business background, but no MUSIC business background offer advice on the industry. Musicians can almost always benefit from listening to words of wisdom from someone with some business management know-how, but many people who have not worked in a creative industry don't appreciate the differences between the arts and "regular" businesses. As a musician, you ignore these differences at your peril.
The Philosophical Approach: Brainstorming strategies is one thing, but don't get so wrapped up in convoluted conversations packed with business buzz words that you don't actually do anything. It's easy to run down this road, but look for solid, clear, actionable advice and try not to get distracted by lofty musings. It's fun to puzzle over aspects of the music industry, but just make sure you strike a balance between staying part of the conversation and accomplishing something concrete.
