Where The Streets Have No Name- U2
Rehab- Amy Winehouse
Hello- Adele
Piano Man- Billy Joel
Every artist wants to be known for a song. A calling card. A song where when the first few micro seconds of the intro begin, everyone instantly knows it and freaks out.
Being known for a song is a good. It’ll keep cashflow happening and if you have a good manager you can really build a good living for being known for a song.
But for all the fame that ‘being known for a song’ can bring…what about ‘being known through a song’.
At the heart of every artist is a desire to ‘be known through’ more than ‘be known for’.
Being known through a song is the truly romantic, personal, painful, thankless, vulnerable part of being an artist.
Artists may write and track some lowest-common-denominator stuff, and thats fine…but that’s simply the part that wants to be known for and is afraid of being known through (or at least side-stepping being known through).
I hope you have both. I hope your smash is the song that you always wanted to be known for and also a song that you can be known through.
The idea of being known through a song is scary because if the song doesn’t become a hit, then you never get the pats on the back and the cashflow for putting yourself out there. You just put yourself out there for the sake of putting yourself out there. No accolades. Are you willing to do that?
Being known for is great for your career.
Being known through is great for your artist heart, soul, and life.
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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com