Are you concerned with popularity or originality?

I'm primarily concerned with making what I consider great music.

Quality originality might be the toughest accomplishment IMO. There's not much out that I consider original and good. I might be able to name 10-15 producers I considered original at some point in their careers. But everyone's definition is different. Inspired by but different is what I typically aim for. I haven't had a successful, original track yet.

Popularity would be great, but I can't stand most of the hip hop that's popular now. No way I could bring myself to make it. And I have a way to go before enough people hear my stuff for a chance to become popular.

So, great, original & popular, in that order.
 
It's a fine line between both. On one hand you have the rapper who cares about popularity and that's all they know how to do: make a good song. On the other hand you have people who wanna evolve as an artist. Neither is bad nor good in my opinion. Its about how you balance the two.
 
Im all about bein original any one concerned with only with getting attention will never be that good and stop doin it at some point because the odds of them failing to reach that goal is high and they wont realize it til the very sad end i do it for the love goin 10 plus years strong having a great time
 
i think, if you're true to what you love, nothing else matters. if you chase the music, the money will (hopefully) follow. if you chase the money, you miss the joy of making music. and if the money doesn't come, you have nothing to feel good about.

it's a crazy game; too many artists, producers. so i figure, do what i love, grind hard... and enjoy the process. whatever does (or doesn't) happen, i will enjoy just going for it...
 
Originality in this context is extremely slight variations of long established popular concepts and practices. So even when your primary intent is "originality" you're still producing content that is essentially derived from "popularity". Except in very rare cases you are producing for popularity, from popularity, and originality is mostly delusional. Standing on the shoulders of Giants and such...
 
To be honest when producing i have zero thoughts about originality or popularity of what im making. I just make the beat based on what feels right to me. In the end im making music because i love to do it
 
It used to be about the music maaaan.....First it depends on how one thinks something becomes the new "hot" tune or what charts. Is it cause its catchy and people just naturally dig it, I can name hundreds of songs that to me are way catcher than all of the tracks produced by Dr Luke, or Khaled.
So does part of it has to do is one willing to sell out to the corporate music machine, or maybe not so much selling out but having the same tastes in music as the A & R guys tastes. ( you could argue that the internet has changed this but I dont think we are all the way there yet)
I think alot of being popular or getting that cash behind you is about being in the right place at the right time, or "who" you know, who your parents were ect.....
If its about following trends I think you should follow what moves you. It would be nice if one could do what they love and still make it big but Ive seen to many cases where it doesn't work out that way.
As for originality I think Elvis Costello once said "Every musician is a magpie and a thief", however for me it is more important to strive for originality.
 
We try to predict the curve of where music is going and start there. Originality over all because fads fade and those who created their music around it will turn irrelevant.

You can be original and popular, take K-Rino for example.

Peace
 
Being original is nice and all but at the end of the day, bills don't pay themselves. So it's a bit of a balancing act. If you can be original and be popular then all the best to you.
 
Originality can be very lucrative if done right. Like early Kanye or something.
Depends on your goals though, some producers may want to move with the times, me I just like to make what I enjoy, and I find the more I do it I start to get my own sound.
 
Back
Top