How hard is it to get into the music business?

How do I get myself in the music business?

• I mean I am a very talented 13 year old. I can honestly write my butt off . People tell me my songs/raps are really good. My question is what's next where should I submit these songs while getting full credit for them. I also can sing. My parents don't like youtube because not everyone in the music business came from youtube so I kind of want to get into this now before I get a little older and this interest may be lost. I mean I really want someone in the business to get to listen to my music so I don't know where to start I mean my mom she's with me about the writing and singing but she doesn't know anyone so what do I do ?

• Answer:

  First of all, if you don't think you are going to stick with music down the line, I'm not sure why you want to get into it. If you want to make money from music,you have to treat it like you would treat any job or career. Most people who find success in the music industry have to work very hard for many years, singing, playing and performing anywhere and everywhere they can. Musicians who make it collaborate with as many talented musicians as possible and make a name for themselves on their own -- even if it is just in their home town -- and start creating and distributing their own music in the hopes that they can find a market for it. It is the people who do that who attract competent management but usually only after they have demonstrated their ability to sell their own product. If you want to get serious about it, here are a couple concrete, very serious tips I can offer: NETWORK. Seek out and befriend people who make a living making music be they session players, band members, music executives (at labels, publishers, management companies or booking agents) or producer / engineers... The music business is all about your talent and who you know. In many cases people can get away with less talent if they know the right people and can convince them to participate in their projects. LEARN BUSINESS. Look at and learn all of the ways that money is made in the music business. A good starting point is Donald Passman's "All You Need to Know about the Music Business." If you understand where the money comes from in the music business it will be much harder for people to take advantage of you as you go forward...and they will try (especially if you have the attitude that you're just going to wait to get noticed without necessarily having the skill and work to back it up). You need to be prepared to do it on your own (and work really hard doing it), because there is no one to call to jump start your career for 99.99999% of the artists out there. And there's no "magic pill." The quicker you learn this the better off you will be. Check out some of the links below. They might help you