After working at an independent record label, spending ten years at Sony Music, five years at Amazon Music, and now three years running my own consulting business, I’ve experienced the music industry from very different perspectives.

I’ve worked with emerging artists and established acts, inside major organizations and now directly alongside independent artists, managers and labels.

And despite how much the industry has changed, certain patterns keep coming back. Especially when it comes to understanding why some projects move forward while others struggle to gain momentum.

Here are six things I’ve learned along the way. These are simply my personal observations. 

1. Surrounding yourself with the right people matters. Trusting them matters just as much.

I won’t mention names here, but I’ve seen how much the right professionals can change the trajectory of a project, whether an artist is emerging or already established.

And I’m not just talking about their contacts.

Of course, a strong network can open doors. But if a project doesn’t demonstrate any distinctive identity or real momentum, even your best friend in the industry won’t necessarily convince someone to invest time or money in it.

The value of a great partner also comes from their experience, industry knowledge and ability to bring perspective.

Since I started working in music, I’ve met many artists who struggled to let go of certain aspects of their projects. And I understand why. Their music is their baby.

But trying to control everything can eventually slow things down.

Working with professionals means trusting them enough to let them contribute their expertise. It doesn’t mean delegating blindly, but building a relationship where everyone understands their role.

When people feel trusted and empowered, they’re also more likely to become fully invested in a project. Meanwhile, the artist can focus on what matters most: their music and their audience.

2. The most curious artists are often the ones who make the fastest progress.

This is something I regularly notice in my consulting work.

Artists who make progress tend to be curious about the ecosystem they’re operating in. They ask questions about distribution, streaming platforms, analytics, promotion and the role of their partners.

And more importantly, they experiment and innovate !

They observe what works, test new approaches and adjust their strategies instead of blindly following whatever advice is trending.

Artists don’t need to become marketing or data experts. But the better they understand the industry, the better equipped they are to make informed decisions and identify their own sweet spot.

Because what works for one artist won’t necessarily work for another.

3. Doing more isn’t always the answer.

I regularly meet independent artists trying to do everything: release music, create content, grow their streams, pitch playlists, organize shows and run advertising campaigns.

They’re working incredibly hard, yet the results don’t always follow. Their first instinct is often to do even more. But I’ve seen artists build their audiences through live performances, content, catalogue growth or collaborations.

There is no universal strategy. Before adding new activities, I prefer looking at what’s already working. Where are the most engaged listeners coming from? Which songs create a genuine connection? Which channels actually generate results?

Sometimes, moving forward starts with simply focusing your energy instead of spreading it everywhere.

4. Being independent also means learning how not to waste your money.

One of the biggest changes in the music industry is the freedom artists now have to develop their careers without necessarily relying on a record label.

But that freedom comes with responsibilities, especially financial ones. And when budgets are tight, you need to be even smarter about your decisions. I regularly see artists investing in music videos, advertising campaigns or promotional services because they feel they need to do everything possible to give a release a chance.

But what’s the actual objective? Is this really the priority right now? And how will they know whether the investment was worthwhile?

Advertising might make perfect sense for one project and be premature for another. Investing in production, strategy or community development might sometimes be far more valuable. Knowing where not to spend money can be just as important as knowing where to invest it.

Because the danger for independent artists is spending their entire budget before they’ve even identified what genuinely works.

5. Visibility alone doesn’t build a music career.

My years at Sony Music and Amazon Music allowed me to observe projects with very different promotional budgets and levels of exposure. And one thing became particularly clear: visibility doesn’t automatically translate into sustainable audience development.

A song can generate significant streams through a playlist, campaign or viral piece of content without listeners developing any real connection with the artist. Meanwhile, an artist with more modest numbers may actually be building a highly engaged community.

That’s why I’m interested in what happens after discovery. Do listeners return? Explore the catalogue? Follow the artist? Save the music? Playlists and promotional campaigns can be powerful accelerators. But they’re entry points. The real challenge is turning that visibility into a lasting relationship with an audience.

6. A music career is a marathon. And you can’t control the timing.

Artists often mention musicians who achieved spectacular success, almost as if everything happened overnight.

But what we don’t see are the years of work, financial investments, releases that went unnoticed, shows played to a handful of people and all the steps that came before that breakthrough. We see the success. Rarely the work behind it.

And I understand why this can be frustrating, especially when streaming platforms and social media make everything appear instantaneous. But building a music career takes time. Developing your identity, finding your audience, learning how to retain fans and building the right partnerships rarely happens in a few months.

There’s also something we can’t fully control: timing.

An artist can have a strong artistic proposition, a great team and a coherent strategy without immediately connecting with a wider audience. Sometimes, a cultural shift, a trend or an unexpected opportunity suddenly makes a project resonate.

That doesn’t mean sitting back and waiting. Quite the opposite. All the work done beforehand helps ensure you’re ready when that opportunity appears. You can improve your chances of success. But you can’t decide exactly when everything will come together.

What I’ve taken away from these years in the music industry

Looking back, I don’t believe the artists who make the most progress are always those with the biggest budgets or the strongest networks.

Of course, those resources can make an enormous difference. But I’ve also seen well-supported projects struggle, while independent artists gradually built something remarkable with limited means.

What seems essential to me is knowing how to surround yourself with the right people, understand your environment, focus your efforts and make decisions that actually fit your project. And perhaps most importantly, accepting that a music career doesn’t always develop according to your original timeline.

A quick exercise for your project: if you had to stop half your promotional activities tomorrow, which ones would you keep? And why? Your answer might tell you something valuable about your real priorities.