Originally Posted by Guitarhacker
Yeah.... very few people make any (significant) money in songwriting. It's mostly just cathartic for me. I just enjoy it. It's certainly not a source of income for me or most folks, I would imagine.


The publishers and songwriters make money from the recordings, the musicians do not, unless they also wrote the songs. Before The Beatles, it was uncommon for the musician to sing his/her own songs, instead the professional songwriters supplied that, like those in the Brill Building, Tin Pan Alley and others.

Plenty of one-hit wonders rode their wave for a few years and then ended up needing a regular job to make a living.

It's pretty much the same for everyone in the music business. Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen can make billions in the music biz, but for every fat cat, there are thousands who barely eke out a living, and millions to don't make enough to make a living at it.

So, if you are writing your songs because you enjoy it, and don't expect to make a significant amount of money at it, AI songwriting will have a minimal effect on you.

But for those who make a living at it, songwriters will cut into your job like it did the Grocery Cashiers, Gas Station Attendants, Catalog Clothing Models, Auto Assembly Line workers, and so many other jobs.

I've seen DJs, Sports Bars, Open Mic Nights, Karaoke, and so many other things shrink the demand for live musicians. When I started in this business, ever singles bar, every hotel from a Holiday Inn up, and every larger than a tavern club had bands employed 5 o4 6 nights a week. The only TVs in bars were a small set for those with a dozen or so bar stools and perhaps a table or two.

Those of us still working have adapted to the changes, I suppose professional songwriters will adapt or get another job.

It seems big business wants to eliminate labor costs everywhere. My question is this, if they eliminate all our jobs, who can afford to buy their products?

Bob "Notes" Norton smile Norton Music
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