This drummer I like who gained popularity covering songs on YouTube released a video stream with his new band’s entire first album on it. Sweet, I thought. I’ll get to listen to the whole thing while I’m making dinner!
Shortly after it started, though, I realized my disappointment. The album sounds like a cover band, except it’s not even covering hit songs.
All the songs sound good. I would like a little more harmony from the guitars instead of just power chords, but that’s a style issue. The problem with the album, as I see it, is that there’s nothing that makes it stand out from all the other rock albums it’ll be compared to, except this one doesn’t have the hit song that made the other albums popular.
I’ve learned this before, this lesson about differentiation, that if you don’t sound different, look different, feel different, or make someone else feel different, then – in a marketplace where you’re trading art for attention – you’re going to die.
And right as I realize this and begin thinking of posting about it, a second thought hits me: the same is true of what I’m saying here. Everyone harps on the importance of standing out, just like I’m doing now. In other words, even this post on standing out doesn’t stand out.
Good thing it”s not trading art of attention.
