Striking big in Hollywood is tough; there is definitely no denying that. That is why several struggling artists have turned to odd and sometimes drastic measures to make sure that their careers survive the cutthroat environment that is Hollywood’s music industry. Many of these artists will never tell you the things they did to keep their careers alive, but if you want to know the tricks of the trade that keep their records turning, then read ahead.
BUYING OUT SUCCESS
For musicians and artists, topping the charts mean more than just earning some degree of recognition. It also means making money for yourself and for the label that represents you. According to Tommy Boy Records president Tommy Silverman, record labels would often buy out their own artists’ songs to boost their popularity. They make this investment to make sure that they can keep the prices high for their artists’ songs, concerts, and other deals, thus making them more money in the long run. We know it sounds like it’s taking away artistic credibility, but that’s just one of the many dark and twisted secrets of the Hollywood music scene.
EMPLOYING SONGWRITERS
Singers employing the help of songwriters and lyricists isn’t that big of a secret, but it’s something most of us fail to remember. Sure, many artists deserve recognition for bringing those songs to life, but actual lyricists don’t get that much credit for creating out of nothing but thin air. It’s kind of sad if you come to think of it, but then again, it’s one issue that many industry heavyweights would much rather brush under the rug.
UNDERPAYING ACTUAL WRITERS
While we’re on the subject of employing lyricists to produce hits for signed artists, let’s also talk about how they’re basically working for free. Although they do receive credits under the artist’s albums, their pay is usually just half a penny for every stream. It’s a tragic situation and one that is being experienced by so many aspiring young talents nowadays. Take Andre Lindal, for example. The man was behind Justin Bieber’s As Long As You Love Me, a song that garnered over 34 million views on Youtube and 38 million streams on Pandora, and yet he barely made $500 in royalties. If you live in a city like Los Angeles or New York, that paycheck will barely cover a month’s rent.
RAKING UP MONEY FROM ENDORSEMENTS
Hollywood artists are, first and foremost, artists. Then money-making machines come second. While big artists like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé do make money off of their music, more than half of their actual income still comes from deals that have nothing to do with music at all. Complete Music Update’s Chris Cooke even revealed that one of Beyoncé’s biggest revenue sources comes from her perfume investments rather than her music merchandise. Artists like Taylor Swift and Jennifer Lopez do the same thing. It’s important to note, however, that striking deals like this do not discredit the artist’s work. It’s simply a business move.
FEUD HOAXS
The music industry is rich with two things; music and celebrity beef. While celebrity beefs are entertaining to witness at times, it’s important to remember that these explosive encounters are usually orchestrated publicity stunts created by their team of publicists. You can say whatever you want about these little theatrical stunts, but you can’t deny how effective they are at driving attention to the artists involved. Remember Solange Knowles’ little Jay-Z meltdown? Not real. But at least it promoted Beyoncé and Jay’s On The Run Tour and boosted Solange’s album sales by 200%. The next time you see two big names beefing out of nowhere, just think it’s probably just a publicity investment made to promote some upcoming album.
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