Artists need to smarten up. The platforms make it easy to dumb yourself down. This isn’t a criticism against Tiktok. It can be beneficial. Fire is useful. It’s used to cook food but it can also burn down the house. TikTok is all about the daily trend. If you run out of ideas, they give you ideas. But conformists follows trends and individuality is lost in trends, whereas artist is all about individuality, freedom, self examination and self expression.

TikTok tells you what songs to use in your video. Tiktok will give you memes, monologues and challenges, If you don’t know what to feel or say in your video.

TikTok is playing the role of the artist setting trends, and the artist is behaving like a consumer following trends.

Think about it. The labels have a deal with TikTok and not the consumer, unless you are influencer.

Listen, if you want to jump on the algorithmic bandwagon and repost the meme “ You want me, I want you, baby My sugarboo, I’m levitating”…that’s fine. But make a statement, make it stick, and then jump off the wagon.

Olivia Rodrigo, is getting called by the ruling class to deliver a public service announcement. This needs to revert to the time when artists were above the ruling class. But she’ll follow the command like a faithful dog given by the master.

It’s easy to chase a trend and respond to the call. Don’t forget to say NO. Remember, NO is better than YES, and NO can pay dividends.

Stop being used. Use the platform to grow your base, not to embolden THEIR platform.

Members of the UK Parliament are calling for a complete streaming reset to assure artists are paid fairly.

Royalties should be split 50/50, instead of the current rate, where artists receive about 16% according to the report.

“While streaming has brought significant profits to the recorded music industry, the talent behind it – performers, songwriters and composers – are losing out,” said Julian Knight, MP.

“Only a complete reset of streaming that enshrines in law their rights to a fair share of the earnings will do.”

Streaming companies really don’t care who gets paid as long as they get their 30%. They pay out 70% to labels, publishers and artists.

The MP’s are calling for an equal split between labels and artists.

The committee also noted that streaming inequity bolsters the already successful artist and creates barriers to entry for a new artist……33% of the music streamed in the US this year were new songs.

Just when pop punk is near extinction, a new one pops up. Although it will not take the genre off the endangered species list Summer Years are worth checking out especially if you long for the days Blink 182 and Rise Against.

The San Diego, CA pop-punk 4 piece dropped “This Light“, the first single off their upcoming EP ‘You Can’t Live There Forever‘. The track landed on Spotify’s ‘New Noise‘ and ‘The Scene’ and Apple Music’s ‘Shazam’s Best New Music’ Playlists.

The album was helmed by a variety of producers and mixed by the infamous Chris Lord Alge (Green Day, The All-American Rejects) and Steve Rizun (NOFX, The Flatliners).

“Summer Years is rock music. Pop & punk rock-infused music, but at its core, it’s for anyone who likes to rock and enjoys lots of melody. We definitely operate with the energy and big rhythms of a punk band, but I think we will always be accessible to anyone. Kids who are just getting into guitar music or who have never listened to pop punk! I think our music is for everyone. Even soccer moms. Haha.” says the band.

They signed with ENCI Records (Beach Goons, The Joy Formidable, Fences).

Look out for Open Up by Alice Pisano. You’ll like if you want an upbeat pop track. The track landed on Spotify’s New Music Friday Italy as wells as New Pop Revolution.

Alice released her debut EP Celebrate Life in 2019. The self titled track clocked over 3.6 million Spotify streams garnering support from BBC Introducing andmDutch Radio NPO Radio 2.

“Open Up is about how I wish love was: simple and uplifting. After always writing about heartbreak, I wanted this song to be a positive anthem, a reminder that love doesn’t have to be dramatic and gut-wrenching, that you can meet someone who accepts you for who you are, someone who feels like home” says Alice.

The London-based, Italian born artist also notes, “I wrote it three years ago and played it live – an acoustic version of it – for about a year before recording it. I always had very positive reactions from people at gigs, which made me realise it was special! Part of it was recorded in the studio in London, part of it remotely during lockdown”.

Stream the track on KOAR’s Indie Invaders Playlist.

Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’, a song written 40 years ago just surpassed a billion Spotify streams. How many songs that are released today will stream big numbers 30 years from now? Certainly Ed Sheeran’s ‘Perfect’ and Lewis Capaldi’s “Someone You Loved” but it’s slim pickings. Blame culture, technology, and digital distraction.

But Don’t Stop Believin’ lives forever and it’s rediscovered by generation after generation. A great tune has no time stamp nor expiration date.

It’s easy to follow the trends and throw down a 30 second beat hoping some dimwit moves to it on TikTok. But do you want a 30 second rush or a 30 year journey?

If you look at writers today, they want 30 seconds of viral fame. A short term investment mindset. One and Done. A flash in the pan.

But I believe a new crop of artists are growing that are writing songs for a generation because they are in touch with themselves after losing themselves in the digital world. In world grown cold, artists are weary of the data entranced business.

I see it. I believe. Don’t stop believin’