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Everyone loves being trendy.

The clothes we wear, the slang phrases we say, even the social networks we’re a part of.  Not too long ago, it was very trendy to be on MySpace. Since then, that has completely shifted to Facebook, so much so that many people started thinking it was even a little uncool to still be on MySpace.

I remember as a teenager in the ’90s when baggy pants were the “in” style. And I’m not talking loose, I’m talking really, really baggy. Today, skinny jeans and other generally tight-fitting jeans are the trend.

Music follows trends as well. All sorts of them, in fact. Certain styles of music will blow up in popularity, sometimes for a short period of time, sometimes for a long while. One artist will come along and start the trend, then a whole ton of bands who sound similar get to come along for the ride while the movement booms.

It can be tempting to change your style to fit in with the current trends in an attempt to catch a ride with that wave while it’s rolling. In some ways it’s a great skill to have as an artist if you can adapt. For example, while you want to establish your personal fashion style, you also will look more “in” if you adjust your image to the trends. Some artists even successfully adapt their music as trends come and go. Think about people like David Bowie and Madonna who have enjoyed long, successful careers by constantly changing, becoming musical chameleons.

But that’s really difficult to pull of, which is why so few people have done it. There are also plenty of examples of artists who tried to adjust their style to something that was popular at the time, but it was just painfully obvious that it wasn’t them and nobody took them seriously. Anyone remember when MC Hammer took a stab at gangster rap? That didn’t work out too well for him, because everyone knew it simply wasn’t his style.

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If you’re hoping for success in this industry, you might want to take part in a little musical espionage:

If you want to pitch one of your songs to a TV commercial, study the music in every commercial on TV right now and learn it all by heart.

If you want to pitch a song to films, buy the soundtracks for ten films in the genre you’re interested in.

If you want to be at the top of the charts, listen to the top 50 songs every single week.  Know the charts so well that if I came to your house and woke you up in the middle of the night, you could tell me what was in the top ten that week. You might try subscribing to this Billboard Hot 100 – Top 50 Songs channel on YouTube–it will provide you with weekly updates on the top songs.

It’s not about copying — it’s about being aware

Knowing what other musicians are doing doesn’t mean you should be ripping off their material. All it means is that you’re doing your best to be completely aware of what’s already out there and, more importantly, what each industry is looking for.

Knowing that today’s action movies like including rockin’ metal songs with heavy guitar riffs is being aware. Knowing that most of the top songs on the charts have auto-tuned vocals is being aware. Once you’re aware of the trends and desires of the music industry, you can tailor your work to fit the scene.

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There are dozens of other music files formats other than MP3, such as: AIFF, WAV, WMA, MP4, ACC, FLAC, OGG, etc’… MP3 is the most common and compatible music format and is perfect for sharing your songs over the internet. If your music saved as a different file type OR if you want to import the music from a CD to your computer,  here’s a very simple way to do it:

Converting files and importing music from a CD using ITUNES:

(If you don’t have iTunes, Click here to download it for free from Apple’s website)

First, Set the right format:

Click on: Edit (on windows) OR Itunes (on Mac) > Preferences > General
Then, click on Import Settings…

Import Using: MP3 Encoder
Settings: Higher Quality (192kbps)

And click OK to save

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If you’ve set up a meeting with the A&R person of a record company, congratulations! That’s a great first step toward kickstarting your music career. But the work has only just begun… Setting a meeting was just part one of trying to convince them that you should be added to their artist roster. Here are some tips to keep in mind before you take on the A&R world.

1. Get centered
You’ll need to be in the right frame of mind going into your meeting. It’s only natural to be a little nervous, but you should do your best to minimize your jitters. Calm, cool and confident is the name of the game here. One way to help your cause is by being as well-prepared as you possibly can (see the tips below for more on that). One surefire way to let your nerves get to you is by not knowing exactly what you want to say!

You might try meditating beforehand as well. If you’ve never tried it before, it doesn’t take long to learn the basics! Things like meditation and yoga can keep your mind focused, keep you relaxed, and let you keep your eyes on the prize–you shouldn’t be flustered just because someone cut you off on the highway on the way there. Focus on your breathing and stay in a calm mindset.

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