20 Things I Learned About Being a Musician in 2020

This year was a lot of things for a lot of people.

Shocking, heartbreaking, eye-opening, transformational, busier than ever and slower than ever.

But 2020 was also a year of learning.

As the global pandemic hit, we saw the music industry shift. The music world went through an earthquake. 

Open mics and tours halted. Venues and promoters had to shut down. Tons of musicians scrambled, trying to figure out how to pay rent and bills.

And the music industry will never be the same.

But now that we’re here at the end, it’s time to look back. Let’s learn from it — for the sake of our music careers.

So here are 20 things I learned about being a musician in 2020…

1. Your music must be great before you do anything else.

2. Give yourself less time to make music — it can make the music better.

3. Collaboration is difficult, but it will make you better.

4. Diversifying your income is the best way forward in today’s music industry.

5. Authentic money that takes longer to get is better than quick money that makes you feel icky.

6. Automated income is the most appealing type of income for me.

7. It’s okay to just do one small thing for your music career today if that’s all you can do.

8. Social media will suck your time, and you’ll have less time to make music.

9. You have to adapt to today’s music industry, even if a global pandemic hits. 

10. Starting and finishing are both hard, but continuing when you don’t feel like it is even harder.

11. You can record pro-level music from just about anywhere with just about any equipment.

12. Breaking big goals into smaller tasks is the best way to be productive.

13. Mental health is extremely important, especially for musicians.

14. You cannot expect someone to “discover” you — your music career is in your hands.

15. Patience is key.

16. The biggest obstacle for most indie musicians is self-doubt.

17. Musicians can do a lot of things remotely.

18. Calendars are better for your productivity than to-do lists.

19. A music career game plan is the engine of my music career. 

20. Having fun takes precedence over everything else.

Being a musician today is tough, exciting, discouraging, rewarding, and super fun.

So here’s to a productive new year and an upward trajectory of your music career.

---

Find your path

Grab this FREE worksheet. Move toward your music career goals.

Email Address Get the FREE worksheet