Quote:

Imagine this scenario.

There's a kid named Clem. He can sing. I mean REALLY sing. Clem isn't on a label yet because he can't get a good listen from anybody who can get him there.



I'm not sure this is a real scenario any longer. As far as I can tell, A&R types are paying very close attention to YouTube 'unknowns'. The internet has leveled this playing field significantly. Anyone with a smartphone that can REALLY sing can get on YouTube to show their chops.

As have the 'you name it' talent shows on TV. Nearly every person on those shows as finalists these days are totally unknown. There's one lady on one of them that has been a backup singer for pop/R&B acts, but the rest of them are unheard of for the most part. They've even let some freaky looking folks through because they can sing and perform. There's a dude on one of those shows right now that looks like the sax player from the Muppet show band. A cartoon in real life, but the dude can sing and make like Joe Cocker in a way, though that didn't go very far for the last Joe Cocker wannabee from American Idol - whatzhizname? Taylor something or other - guy with the salt and pepper hair that didn't catch on with the public.

It sure seems like YouTube is where unknown talent gets discovered these days. That's what is getting people on radio, TV, etc. There are no barriers there - or the barriers are incredibly low. Lots of independent artists are getting their material picked up for hip TV shows via social media.

Look at how the folks from Canada that did the cover of "Somebody I Used To Know" made THAT song popular, because of their clever YouTube video that they re-enacted at least once on several of the different talk-shows. What's their name? Fall Off The Earth or something like that? Just checked - Walk Off The Earth. Then the REAL artist got popular here in the US.

This isn't made to rain on anyone's parade, but ye olde 'get discovered' thing is very much different now than even 10 years ago. Fishing in the country music pond for a song to get picked up by a REAL artist is likely shoulder to shoulder with professional fisherpersons, perhaps even more than other genres because of the perception that there's more artists using others' songs in that genre than elsewhere.

If we could figure out how to fan the viral flame, then we would be on to something.

-Scott

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