Right or wrong?

NelsonP

https://www.guitarworld.com/news/billy-corgan-shares-advice-for-upcoming-bands-going-out-into-the-world-and-playing-down-the-street-dont-even-bother

maltingsaudio

Both ! The problem with doing it internet only is your first 30 seconds has to be amazing or people will just go to the next thing( swipe left in modern parlance). Live you have at least got them for more than a minute.

Case in point is a local lad who is just starting out. Seriously bonkers Tom Waits type stuff and trawling round the open mic scene. First time I saw him, waiting for my turn, I thought “this is crap”. Now having heard him several times I’m really into what he’s doing and think he’s great. His YouTube channel is   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP1Dzrt4hVyPNmSEgWJMRPA and bet you don’t spend more than 30 seconds looking.

The only way to succeed in this business is with hard work and luck, with a little talent and originality thrown in at the end.

digitalscream

He's wrong, because writing a song is only the first draft. Almost all great songs develop as they're played live, and the only way to do that is to gig it and see what works, and what doesn't.

He also misses the problem with going Internet-only - it's a game for the young and the independently wealthy. When your life develops to the point where you've got both professional responsibilities and family responsibilities, it's pretty much impossible to maintain the level of effort that Internet promotion requires; that's the awkward step between "a side gig" and "full-time" which most folk can't manage, because it requires constant content churn.

And then you still have to deal with the folk who insist that you're just a salesman the instant you make a sponsored video in order to pay the bills

PolarityMan

After seeing his insipid performance at download I'd agree he shouldn't bother.