It can be tough dealing with rejection. If you feel you are the only one facing rejection you are wrong, almost all successful people have dealt with rejection and simply stuck to what they believed in by being tenacious.
If your music is being rejected by the industry it could be because of several factors. Here we list a few that are worth considering before you decide to scrap your song and start over!
Poor quality songs
Of course there is no escaping it, if your songs are poorly written or performed, you will struggle to gain the music industry’s attention. If in doubt, it’s worth getting a professional song critique to see what might be letting your music down.
A&R changes focus
It’s not uncommon for industry professionals (such as A&R personnel) to change their minds and schedule on a dime.
They move from artist to artist, project to project and there can be lots of last minute changes, all of which can mean your music might have been perfect last week, but this week it’s not ticking the boxes!
Specific
Industry professionals are usually looking for something very specific. They may receive a great song, but it might not be quite right for their current project (or brief).
Having your song rejected doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s a bad song. It could be that it’s not 100% what they are looking for right now. The song might be perfect for a future project and I believe a great song will always be great song!
Poor quality production
In the pop music world (R&B, Dance, Pop) the production quality (the overall quality of recording) is very important because it can be a contributing factor in the songs saleability. If a song is immediately clearer, louder, fuller and more professional sounding it will, of course, stand a better chance of being picked out of a pile of demos.
As much as a lot of people don’t like to admit, having a fully produced and ready to release demo is a huge bonus! The song is, of course, the main component, but from my experience working as A&R, production quality goes a hell of a long way to getting spotted.
There are three basic stages to achieving great song production;
1. Ideas
The producer will have an ear for what does (and does not) work. He’ll know which instruments to leave out and which to accentuate. The producer will also ensure that the arrangements, performances and recording quality are all correct and of a high standard.
2. Mixing
The mixing engineer will take the files from the producer and make sure each instrument and vocal part is balanced and not competing for attention. The mix engineer will work on volumes, EQs, effects and make any corrections that are needed. A good mix can turn an average production into something very professional.
3. Mastering
The final step is the mastering. The effects of a good song master is typically a louder, warmer and more professional sounding song. This is achieved by working with compressors, limiters, equalizers and other audio mastering tools in order to improve the sound translation on all playback systems.
London’s Apple Beam record studios offer professional audio production, mixing and mastering
Poorly written EPK
As boring as it is, having a well written Biog on your profile (EPK) makes a big difference. A&R want to know who you are, where you have performed and what your goals are.
We see so many EPK’s that have spelling and grammatical mistakes. This doesn’t give a good impression. Think about it, you have put all your effort into creating great music and now you are trying to find someone to invest in you. Why risk making a bad impression at the last hurdle by having spelling mistakes! Learn more about getting the most out of your Audio Rokit
Not read listing and sent wrong style
We encourage our listing posters to be specific in what they are seeking so that our members know exactly what they are submitting to. Despite this, some people don’t read the listings carefully enough before submitting their music!
Obviously, if the music you submit is not on brief, you’ll get a rejection. Make sure you read listings carefully and only submit suitable material and you’ll have a better chance of avoiding rejection. There’s no point sending someone something they don’t want!
2 Comments on "Reasons For Rejection"
or the band is way ahead of the A+R twats and what they think is going on or what folk really what to here.who cares as they are nearly as extinct as the Dodo is anyway.Music industry is on its knees as it once was.Sony Distribution Warehouse going up in smoke in the riots has seen that nail go in the coffin..Its a free for all and the Internet is the way..and getting a good PR/Agency for gigs.The days of getting signed to a Label that helps a band grow with Financial backing like in the 80′s is over.% album growth deals for rock bands..GONE..DIY is the way and getting payed nothing for playing as a professional Band.
The music industry is fragmenting. This is good for musicians in that their are more and more small and medium sized labels able to compete.
It’s very easy to say that the DIY approach is the way to go, but DIY bands rarely break through to the mainstream. Yes, there are a handful of examples, but not many.
It’s easier than ever to release a song, but that’s the problem, it’s easy for everyone!
We found a great article about this debate here:
http://www.musicthinktank.com/blog/what-are-the-odds-of-succeeding-without-a-record-deal.html