what are you guys aiming for charts-wise as far as music? mainstream or underground?

[certifiedhumane]

i find i am struggling lately with where i'd like my music to sit in the collective conscience of the world . . I am an aspiring producer for house/techno/club (possibly producing club music for more popular radio artists) and I always said I would never make this my full-time career because i would rather be that guy who spends 10 years on a track while working a day job at a grocery store only to have that said tune reach radio play and become a nation-wide hit because it's so good. . I really am not in it for the money however I do think about it all the time, I would love for people all over the world to dance to my tracks, whether these tracks are underground or mainstream . .

I notice all of the tracks I tend to like on Traxsource, beatport and such (even though I don't agree with Beatport's fees) are not ones that make it onto the radio and such . . However then you go the other direction, tracks such as Cascada's "Everytime We Touch" and realize maybe I could make it onto the scene . . Even all these mainstream artists these days are making club music (although it might not be the "best" sounding to us, it's still club music) so that's a direction as well that we could go in . .

Where would you guys like your tracks to sit music-wise in this stadium of club music, are you aiming for more underground type music up in the stands or would you like to be down on the field with tracks such as Cascada's gaining radio-play and such . . ??
Obviously the main goal for all of us is that people like our tracks and dance to them, but what are you aiming for?? Would you want to send your tracks to more famous mainstream artists and see if they like them (lady gaga or whoever you fancy who is mainstream radio)??? There are so many options for club music . . .

[Jonny_silva]

Im kind of a bit of both.

My dream is to make even just one song (but obviously Id like more lol) that is amazing and turns out to be a classic, but I guess everyone is like that.

But Id also wouldnt mind a bit of the fame and glitz lol and of course the money, I WANT music to be my profession. If I can make a name for myself and a bucket load of money through making music then id be a happy bunny.

[atma]

you're kind of assuming that all electronic producers make dance or club tracks. personally it would seem incredibly contrived to make a conscious decision to specifically aim for pop vs underground. my only interest in music is to create art that i feel expresses myself emotionally/intellectually/psychologically/etc., to the greatest extent of my own potential. but i guess everyone has different motivations.

[boon]

there's a chart?

[MarcB]

Originally Posted by boon

there's a chart?

I've heard of such things, though I always thought they were myths and legends

[SWAN808]

Originally Posted by boon

there's a chart?

haha!

I honestly couldnt be bothered with any of the stupid charts. They are beneath me. As long as Im top of my own chart - Im happy. Sometimes other people like whats in my chart and even want to put it into one of theirs - thats nice. Nice to get a few quid for it too. But thats beside the point for me.

One final personal opinion. Chart success is generally the hallmark of mediocrity. Not always - but generally.

It is no surprise to me that I find most highly 'chart successful' artists to be lackluster, unoriginal and uninspiring musicians-generally kicking out a stale template. There are some good ones of course - but you go to the beatport top 100 and most of the time I want to do a Van Gough but do the job properly and get rid of both my head wings.

Bit of a rant...I would say seriously tho - make music that inspires and excites you. Yes you can tweak it towards a 'scene' or genre...but generally - it must be authentic for you to get real satisfaction IMO. And that authenticity is what should ultimately create something good...
But Im one of those ones who doesnt look to music for a living. If you do - maybe you dont have the luxury of the above. You prostitue your art. CONTROVERSIAL!!!!

[acreil]

I'm going for academic electroacoustic/computer music that no one listens to. INA-GRM, Wergo, etc.

[StringBean]

Originally Posted by acreil

I'm going for academic electroacoustic/computer music that no one listens to.

where does that club meet every week?

[acreil]

Originally Posted by StringBean

where does that club meet every week?

IRCAM?

[Barfunkel]

I couldn't care less about charts. All I want is about 300 vinyl copies of my record to be liked by good DJ's and music connoisseurs. I'm still years away from that dream though, if it's ever happening at all.

[wwjd]

Number one's with a bullet, pop, dance, AC.
Jacking around with stuff *I* enjoy is always available to me in spare time.

[Ki-Lab]

I'm in the top ten...of my dogs' billboard charts.

[oldeanalogueguy]

Originally Posted by certifiedhumane

i find i am struggling lately with where i'd like my music to sit in the collective conscience of the world . . I am an aspiring producer for house/techno/club (possibly producing club music for more popular radio artists) and I always said I would never make this my full-time career because i would rather be that guy who spends 10 years on a track while working a day job at a grocery store only to have that said tune reach radio play and become a nation-wide hit because it's so good. . I really am not in it for the money however I do think about it all the time, I would love for people all over the world to dance to my tracks, whether these tracks are underground or mainstream . .

I notice all of the tracks I tend to like on Traxsource, beatport and such (even though I don't agree with Beatport's fees) are not ones that make it onto the radio and such . . However then you go the other direction, tracks such as Cascada's "Everytime We Touch" and realize maybe I could make it onto the scene . . Even all these mainstream artists these days are making club music (although it might not be the "best" sounding to us, it's still club music) so that's a direction as well that we could go in . .

Where would you guys like your tracks to sit music-wise in this stadium of club music, are you aiming for more underground type music up in the stands or would you like to be down on the field with tracks such as Cascada's gaining radio-play and such . . ??
Obviously the main goal for all of us is that people like our tracks and dance to them, but what are you aiming for?? Would you want to send your tracks to more famous mainstream artists and see if they like them (lady gaga or whoever you fancy who is mainstream radio)??? There are so many options for club music . . .

dont care what people do with them as long as i get lots of money for the music i do.

i would target the money not a genre.
if you want to be an arteeestah go for it.
i would aim to be commercial.

[PapiBlack]

I'm aiming for #23

[newguy1]

Write the hits!

Don't bag groceries and noodle around saying "I'm being true to myself and I'm at the top of my own charts," thats kinda lame.

Step up, learn all the skills, make a conscious decision to write big songs in a way that's both cool to you AND connects with many many others, and go as big as possible!

[PapiBlack]

Originally Posted by newguy1

Write the hits!

Don't bag groceries and noodle around saying "I'm being true to myself and I'm at the top of my own charts," thats kinda lame.

Step up, learn all the skills, make a conscious decision to write big songs in a way that's both cool to you AND connects with many many others, and go as big as possible!

**** that.

That's why everything sounds the same, everybody aiming for the chart topping sound. Write for yourself and make something you're proud off. Then maybe music would have some variety and creativity.

[Slash Asterisk]

dude, you'll be lucky if you can get someone to take 3 seconds to click a link and listen to your track no matter how amazing it is and even luckier if you can get them to listen to it a second or third time. Just make sure you enjoy the road and your having fun and everything will be fine.

[Syltagogotronix]

Originally Posted by PapiBlack

I'm aiming for #23

I lol´ed.

[birdloveskitten]

our first goal is to have fun. After that, it'd be cool if a few people hear our songs and like 'em. If we are lucky enough, maybe we can get on local college radio. That's how we are looking at it.

[certifiedhumane]

wow its nice to see the discussion i doubted anyone would join in

atma: i am all about passion and doing it for the music, but i believe it's still fair and right to wonder or question where your music will go . . i also think it's fine to "aim" for a particular direction. i guess my whole point is i just started realizing how all of these mainstream artists (whether it's lady gaga, ke$ha (isn't that how she spells it, haaha?!?), j-lo, katy perry, rihanna...etc..) are producing club music now. i literally despise all of these "club" hits but not because of the lyrics, because they all sound like they were made up in an hour at the desk of some guy who has a formula for writing these types of things, so i'm sitting here thinking, jeezus, maybe i could write a truly "house-sounding" track that would do house justice and give true house-heads some hope and maybe i could send this track to one of these artists. . even if i don't fully enjoy one of these artists music at least it would possibly get this type of music into the mainstream and get everyone around the world liking it . .

i mean think about it, all of these club tracks coming out these days sound the same to us because we are into the deeper, true-er house tunes so we can really tell when something sounds rushed or like it was made in a mainstream "factory" so what if one of us decided to push that envelope and really craft a truly "good" house track and see if one of the mainstream artists would take it . .

of course this is just me thinking about the possible roads I will walk down, it doesn't mean i actually want to send a track to some "famous" singer . . . i'm really struggling trying to figure out where I want my music to be . . i DO know i don't want to produce music for commercials and such, or movies..... that i do know, other than that I could literally see myself being like Danja (the guy who wrote Britney Spears' "Gimme More" track) . .

alright BREAK . .

[Jet]

Originally Posted by certifiedhumane

we are into the deeper, true-er house tunes

Oh for ****'s sake. That's like saying "we" are into the deeper, truer vomit.

[Jet]

Anyway, my target audience is other nuns.

[erikdrink]

Originally Posted by Jet

Oh for ****'s sake. That's like saying "we" are into the deeper, truer vomit.

[boon]

Originally Posted by Jet

Oh for ****'s sake. That's like saying "we" are into the deeper, truer vomit.

lmao

[Schwarzwald]

LMFAO@This entire thread.

People confuse musical integrity with comfortability.
No one can judge you when you're banging out your psuedo-intellectual bullshit. However, if you put in the work to do a pop song and it flops, you get that judgement hammer thrown at you.

As far as me, LADY GAGA FAMOUS.

[ksandvik]

Writing music for charts is the worst boring music you could find. And especially odd as a goal as most songs ending up on the charts are unique and interesting sounding *).

*)Well not always interesting, but they are unique at least.

[oldeanalogueguy]

Originally Posted by ksandvik

Writing music for charts is the worst boring music you could find. And especially odd as a goal as most songs ending up on the charts are unique and interesting sounding *).

*)Well not always interesting, but they are unique at least.

and spending those filthy greenbacks on groceries is a drag too

you can be a starving arteeest if you want
i would rather be a well paid commercial sell out

[DSK]

I make the stuff that I want to listen too.

It's not selfish is what my heart ask for. If I don't love it who will???

This road (making music) has put me in amazing places that have nothing to do with fame and fortune but all with inner riches.


Also I payed with music almost half of my gear .... so that's a good start for a passion.

[Eric J]

Originally Posted by ksandvik

Writing music for charts is the worst boring music you could find.

Originally Posted by oldeanalogueguy

and spending those filthy greenbacks on groceries is a drag too

you can be a starving arteeest if you want
i would rather be a well paid commercial sell out

Well, at least you admit to having no integrity...

[fooddude]

I didn't read all the posts....but, I agree with the person that said, being happy with just one song to be a Classic, timeless and remembered.

Im a n00b..but I really think that's the main thing..just one classic hit, then all your other stuff will be sought after.

Examples where artists made one big hit, a classic, remembered forever, while their other songs, although good as well, aren't always so close to as good as their "Classic" that made them very popular:
Osunlade - April
Spinna - Shaun Escoffery - Days like This remix
Armand Van Heldon - you Don't Know Me
Fingers - Can You Feel It
....etc., etc..... those songs made them popular and famous..and their other songs (although really good still I repeat) just are never gonna stack up to those classics.