So You Want To Be A Rockstar

Pick Your Band Name After much thought and deliberation you’ve come up with a killer name for your band.

You almost don’t want to reveal it ‘cause it’s THAT good. You do anyway and realize people don’t like double entendres as much as you do.

Regardless, you are now: Reduction in Force!

It’s Happening Your First Act is in the rear-view mirror.  You’ve had a major identity makeover. Your connections on LinkedIn are on notice. The songs are real. The proof of concept is complete. Listeners replay them. Industry pros lean in. Marketers nod. Even the Algorithm gave you a wink (but no nod). You’re not asking if you belong anymore — you do.

But here’s the twist - you must choose your own adventure.

So, rockstar . . . grab your guitar and turn the page.

The Craft vs. The Game

You’ve got a free weekend (let’s face it, you’re “retired” that’s nothing new) . Do you:

• A (1 pt). Lock yourself in the studio, drilling vocals, guitars, and textures until the songs cut glass.

📖 Flip to Page 37 where you emerge with blistered fingers and your producer gives you an “atta boy.”

• B (2 pts). Spend it mastering TikTok transitions, Cap-Cut edits, and optimizing the frequency of your posts.

📖 Flip to Page 88 where someone will quantify exactly what number you need to go viral -- enough to make a difference in your bank account or you learn first hand that generational differences are there for a reason.

• C (3 pts). Write a case study breaking down how the Spotify algo actually works, so your Indie brothers and sisters can stop guessing and lead the revolt already.

📖 Flip to Page 142 where your inbox fills with pitchforks and suddenly you’re leading Act Two of the rebellion.

Your Audience

Your next single is ready. Do you:

• A (1 pt). Send it to your trusted fam and friends, trust the ripple effect, and let it find its way.

📖 Flip to Page 59 where you develop a loyal cult following - assuming you don’t burn them out by song 4.

• B (2 pts). Throw cash at ads, playlisting, and PR. Go loud . . . “I’M OVER HERE!!!”

📖 Flip to Page 104 where you’re either in Discover Weekly and broke—or just broke.

• C (3 pts). Treat it like an experiment: RiF as the first test in a micro-label MVP (shhhh. . . that was a secret!) . Track exactly what moves the needle.

📖 Flip to Page 301 where you’re half artist, half alchemist - all business (except in the back, you know, like a mullet).

The Big Bet

You’ve got $5k (or whatever your better half will let you spend). Do you:

• A (1 pt). Buy more gear, more studio time. Double down on the art. ‘Cause, as we know, the art is everything.

📖 Flip to Page 77 where your guitar reigns down hellfire and melts faces—but your fans consist of . . . your mom, your wife, a couple friends and your kids (when they aren’t completely embarrassed by you). Feels just like in the rest of your life so . . . no difference.

• B (2 pts). Make it rain RiF PR. Every outlet, every playlist and anything else that moves.

📖 Flip to Page 128 where you’re either popping champagne—or explaining to your loyal fans that you will be taking the next year off.  You know so your bank account can recover.

• C (3 pts). Hire a staff: a project manager, marketing SME, Sales, etc. Go all in on the secret formula that allows every artist to know what their audience looks like and every artist to decide FOR THEMSELVES whether it’s still worth it.

📖 Flip to Page 214 - “Welcome, my son, to the machine” (the good one, not the bad one) or  “Welcome, my son, to the machine” (the bad one, not the good one).

Your Musical Identity

How do you frame RiF?

• A (1 pt). The mysterious artist. Music only. Story?  We don’t need no stinkin’ story.

📖 Flip to Page 41 where your identity is debated on Reddit threads or, more likely, no one, how do I say this nicely . . . cares.

• B (2 pts). The anthemic alt guy. Big hooks, fresh sound, defining a lane, nay, a genre.

📖 Flip to Page 92 All Anthemic Alternative Rock roads lead to RiF, fists in the air or Yanni or John Tesh see opportunity, move in and crowd out the OG’s,

• C (3 pts). The architect. RiF as proof of concept for a new micro-label system called Singcubator (btw, that name’s mine you can’t have it!).  Indie musicians get a strategic playbook, with 5-7 SME’s guiding core subject matters, with an account rep “quarterback” stitching everything together and ACTUAL people helping artists execute against the plans.

📖 Flip to Page 187 such an insanely good idea that labels start emulating it and put you out of business or not such an insanely good idea and the labels still put you out of business.  Pitchforks anyone?

Tally Your Score

• 4–5 Points — The Purist. Basement legend. Just go play and forget that there even is a music business.  Share with friends and family - save yourself the heartache.

• 6–8 Points — The Gambler. First order of business, build out a budget ‘cause little to none of your spend is coming back.  ROI stands for “Rapidly Outgoing Income”

• 9–12 Points — The Architect. Didn’t you give this up when you left your First Act?! Go make some music!

🎸 Drop your score in the comments — but more importantly, I want to know why.

First, so I can see what I got wrong. Second, because the real fun of these books was flipping through all the adventures.