The Industry Doesn’t Want You to Be an Artist—They Want You to Be a Brand

You didn’t sign up to be a content creator. You wanted to write songs. Perform. Connect. Bleed into lyrics and maybe make someone feel less alone.

But somewhere between your first upload and your 14th TikTok this week, it started to feel like no one cares about the music, just the metrics.

Because here’s the hard truth: The industry doesn’t want you to be an artist. They want you to be a brand.

Artistry is Messy. Branding is Clean.

Art is complex. Emotional. Nonlinear.Brands? They’re digestible. Palatable. Predictable.

That’s why so many labels, A&Rs, playlist curators, and even fans subconsciously favor artists who “fit” into something. Something they can package. Something they can monetize. Something they can sell.

You’re not being scouted for your sound anymore. You’re being evaluated on:

• Your aesthetic consistency

• Your engagement rate

• How well can you describe yourself in one sentence

• Whether your face will look good on a crop top
  

Your Spotify bio matters more than your bridge. And if you’re not “on brand,” you’re not marketable.

There used to be space for mystique. For evolution. For artists to find themselves over time.

Now? You'd better have your brand story locked by your second post. Are you the sad indie who loves astrology and sings in lowercase? Are you the chaotic one who makes garage pop and cries on Live? If not, the algorithm doesn’t know where to put you. And if the algorithm can’t place you? The industry moves on.

Make no mistake: if you're successful, the next step isn’t just a bigger tour, it's a merch line, a brand collab, a skincare drop, maybe a CBD product. You're not just selling music anymore. You’re selling a lifestyle.

And while there’s power in ownership, let’s not pretend that every artist wants to be an entrepreneur, strategist, designer, AND social media manager just to be taken seriously.

Some of us just want to make damn good music.

Not Everyone is Meant to Be a Brand

There’s this dangerous idea floating around that if you’re not “building your brand,” you’re not serious. But that’s a lie the industry tells you to push volume over vision.

Your art is valid even if:

• Your grid isn’t curated

• You don’t go viral

• Your brand is “evolving” (aka you’re human)

• You refuse to monetize your trauma for views

You don’t have to commodify yourself to prove your worth.

The music industry doesn’t reward artists, and it rewards consistency, marketability, and momentum. That’s not your fault. But it is your choice how much you play the game.

So if you’re feeling the pressure to become a brand before you’ve even finished your EP, take a breath.

The best music in history didn’t come from content machines. It came from weirdos. Rebels. Visionaries.People who couldn’t be boxed in. So be an artist first.