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I want to talk to you about something that has been bothering me for quite while. As seen tonight there were only 5 listeners on our radio for the release of Spacehawk’s new album. I know Anton has been posting the announcement in several Facebook groups as promotion for the event. Also he posted it on other social media like Instagram where he has a lot of followers. The posts on Facebook got quite a bit of likes and reposts, but as we have seen this didn’t result in any new visitors on our website. My question: what meaning does a like have?

As you might have noticed I have not made a new album this year, and to be honest, I don’t think I will ever produce a new album again. Simply because I don’t think it’s worth it anymore. I don’t want to be all negative: I still enjoy making music and new releases are coming, but the production of an entire new album is too timing consuming related to the sales and support I get.

For example: I have 8500 subscribers on YouTube, 1000 followers on Instagram and 500 likes on my Facebook page.
Now guess how many albums I sold last time? About 35 including the ones I gave away for promotion or trade. I needed at least 50 sales to break even on the production costs. So I ask you once again: what is the meaning of a like, subscription or follow?

Maybe it’s just recognition I want? Let me tell you a story…
One day I was asked to come to a big italodisco event in Italy. The record company thought I should be there. Of course I was very flattered by this and said: yes of course I will be there!
So when I asked some more about what, where and how… it turned out I had to travel there myself, pay for my own hotel and food, and needed to buy tickets to the event itself even, because the organizers of the party didn’t recognize me as an “italodisco producer” … So much for the glamorous life of an artist.

I know… we should make music because we enjoy making music and not for the money or likes. But believe it or not I actually appreciate it when people like what I do. It helps me to keep me motivated.

Actually I am a bit scared for the future of music. Hopefully you all have different experiences with it then me, and I wish you all big numbers in sales, much likes and the most important: much fulfillment and joy while making music!

I completely understand you statement my friend, but let's also face the truth. Spacesynth is not a big genre. Only few people listen to this, most of them are us, the producers, and then you got a forum (you know which I'm talking about) that write awful and hateful reviews to artists because their names just didn't happen to be Michiel van der Kuy, Erik van Vliet and Marco Rochowski. I know I'm not a great musician, I know I'm not known at all and I also have recieved reviews and messages that made me hate my work and myself too. But as you can see, I still made a new album with much love and passion. Not because I'll get money from it (I'm not even famous in the genre to sell something) or the arrows of the "lovely" and "faithful" listeners and fans (you know who are they) but because of me. I find some peace, some calm, an escape that I need from reality while doing music. I know I won't get the recognition you have and I'll never get, I know I won't sell many albums (not even a few to be honest) but somehow I don't really mind. About the facebook and insta likes... well, it only takes a sec to hit the button and almost no emotion. When you premiered my album here I can't tell you how happy I was. Not because it was the premiere itself, but because I could share it with my friends here that I really love. I couldn't wait to read thoughts from each and everyone of you, because after all in a way or another, you helped me learn about this genre and even how to produce it myself.
As for the CDs, although I'm quite young, I tend to be different from my generation but let's face the facts... With the internet, bandcamp, youtube, spotify, etc you have everything "under your nose" with a click of button. The CDs are somehow expensive and people try to avoid that.
I know I wrote a lot here, but it was also a chance for me to open a little.
And one last thing, when someone says that he will stop making music, I can't tell you how sad I really am, especially from this family, so as a listener and a great fan, I'd suggest you not to stop (Chris). Especially when you love what you are doing

@Gregory: Thanks for your honest and open opinion on this. I agree with your thoughts. I am a bit old fashioned (or just old ) and remember the romance of getting a new cd album from my favorite artists, listening through it for the first time, reading the artwork and booklet… ahhh the nineties
But that time is gone, I know. Also the attention for a new album fades very fast. People listen it once or don’t even open the package and put it in a drawer as a collectors item. It has become more of a souvenir nowadays.

And don’t get me wrong: I won’t stop making music, I just don’t produce entire albums anymore

P.s. this was not a cry for attention, I just wonder what you guys think of this.

Both of you are 100% correct. I’ve learned pretty quickly all those years ago that the internet can be ruthless.

Thick skin helps but my advice is that: make music for yourself, don’t try to please anyone, release for your own pleasure. Don’t expect to turn this into business - learned that on my own example , if some money comes, that’s a bonus, not a given thing.

And don’t get upset with a bunch of morons who never did anything creative, but are always first to criticise.

Binary Ghost wrote: ↑Fri Mar 03, 2023 2:38 pm Both of you are 100% correct. I’ve learned pretty quickly all those years ago that the internet can be ruthless.

Thick skin helps but my advice is that: make music for yourself, don’t try to please anyone, release for your own pleasure. Don’t expect to turn this into business - learned that on my own example , if some money comes, that’s a bonus, not a given thing.

And don’t get upset with a bunch of morons who never did anything creative, but are always first to criticise.

I totally agree. When I got all those hateful words from that one forum (and unfortunately I'm not the only one who is in their "blacklist" I decided to make music just for me and my soul. The only people I'd like to share my progress and my current knowledge of music (to read more of your advices for course) is the guys in this forum. Because I know they are very supportive and that really motivates a lot. I also agree with Chris, I also love when I get positive feedback but the priority is to be happy with myself

I see we all see the "problem" in almost the same way.
"Likes" - many click because they think they are doing us a favor. Often they won't even go to
the given link and listen to the composition. They click "like" because they think it's appropriate?
Because it's a "friend" composition?
As already mentioned in this forum. Positive comments motivate us to a large extent,
because we know that someone liked our work. The unflattering ones at least prove that someone took
the trouble to listen to at least a fragment, and if they are constructive criticism, they somehow tell us
what we could change or improve.
As for sales... It's such a "nice gift" for me.
It showing, that someone appreciates what I do, and he tries to "pay" for the time spent on creating the song they just listened to.
As mentioned above - the internet is cruel and ruthless. Many people think that anything on the web is free.
I myself had a situation where I released a CD. My intention was to selling the digital version after I will sold the CD edition.
Unfortunately, one of my "fans" bought the album and after a few days it was available for download "for free"
on one of the file sharing websites.
The fact is that Spacesynth is a niche genre of music at the moment and it is very difficult to make a career in it,
and counting on selling thousands of CDs is a mission impossible.
Even ZYX currently releases their compilations in a maximum of 2000 copies and they don't always sell everything....

So...
Let's love what we do and do what we love.
The rest just let it happen.

You must also realise that there's now much more music than ever before. In the early 2000s when I was introduced to spacesynth it was possible to listen to all new releases because there simply weren't so many in monthly basis (and i also had more time). Since then the Internet has exploded with all kinds of art for us to consume. Now we have so many more artists trying to get attention and often new tracks simply don't get that many listeners unless it's something truly special.

CD sales have dropped dramatically years ago. Here in Finland record stores don't have that many cd's if any. Instead, vinyls have taken the space. And I think it's allright because vinyl is pretty much the ultimate physical format. But vinyls are not cheap to produce unfortunately.

I agree with Binary Ghost. Make music for yourself. Money is a bonus. It's the only way to stay sane