TPS #051: Respect the Art.
Author: Andre Mullen - 4 min Read
March 1, 2025
Good morning. Today, I’m going to talk about respecting the art. I’m also talking about KOSIGN, a silent album, and what people are really saying about respecting the art.
Respect the art.
Respect requires a lot.
In my newsletters, on panels, and in consults, I often point out a pain point of my own with in the music industry.
And that is, the amount of artists that I see that don’t respect their art.
With the amount of artists in the current music marketplace, it is troubling to see how the majority are solely focused on likes, shares, and marketing to an audience with whom they do not engage.
I have to admit: In my 30 years of being in the industry, I have not seen or heard artists who are so drawn to the idea of just releasing music for volume purposes instead of creative ones.
And due to majority of music being listened to passively, many artists find themselves stuck trying to turn these passive listeners into active ones.
But in order to do that, there are principles artists must embrace in respecting the art.
Let’s take a look.
Virality isn’t art.
Let’s be honest: We all love viral moments. Especially artists who experience them.
“Viral moments” speak to the strength of a song, lyric, or melody literally fitting into a moment in time. However, even the most viral moments that generate the most exposure – followers, replays, reposts, etc. – are known to take the least time to create.
However, viral moments do not mean you respect your art.
Here are 3 qualities you need to embrace that demonstrate your respect for your art:
1. Pause
2. Plan
3. Produce
The above qualities seem obvious. However, understanding how each of these qualities play into your career as an artist will help you pace yourself and create art in which you are extremely proud to share.
Let’s look at each of these qualities, one by one.
#1: “You’re not afraid to pause.”
We all know the pressure artists have to release music.
That same pressure often clashes with the desire to make music you are proud to present to the world.
And stopping is often associated with death.
However, your creativity is like a tank that needs to be refilled consistently.
When you intentionally pause, you stop creating to allow yourself to be refilled with fresh insight and inspiration.
Whether it’s taking a walk, journaling, or engaging in an activity you love, pausing from creativity provides balance to your life, your creativity, and ultimately, the music you release.
Respecting the art is understanding art is inspired by elements and forces outside of itself. And the only way to embrace those elements and forces is to pause and engage in those things.
#2: “You embrace planning.”
Planning – an overused word that creates anxiety and dread in most people.
We all have heard that without planning, you’re doomed to fail.
The irony here: The whole creative process is planning from start to finish.
Planning doesn’t scare you. In fact, planning allows you to think big about your music.
The refill of fresh insight and inspiration compels you to plan.
You find your planning takes on a life of its own as you create and design lyrics, sounds, timelines, and more to support the presentation of your music to world.
Respecting the art is putting together all of the supporting pieces. Planning builds the structure and the story of your creativity so your audience experiences what you may have created in a moment.
#3: “You are determined to produce.”
A very hard practice for artists is releasing music.
The reasons are numerous and range from fear to lack of resources.
These reasons cannot stop you from releasing your music because you believe in sharing it with the world.
This creates a determination to produce.
All the time given to thinking and planning art you are excited about becomes top priority to expose to the world.
Tapping into your resources, gathering the pieces, and putting them together to support your release is what makes it all worthwhile.
Respecting the art is delivering on sharing what’s on your heart and mind at all costs – not because you have to fulfill a requirement, but because your art is you.
Just as your emotion comes out with every song, your attention to your creative process comes out with every release when the art is given first place.
Respecting your art is the way your fans are able to grow with you as you grow as an artist.
And no one can respect your art if you do not.
Related: One of the iconic music producers of all time, Rick Rubin, has often shared his views on respecting the art via his creative process. August Bradley shares how he has applied this to his own work.
THE LATEST
Kobalt releases KOSIGN, a music publishing administration platform for indie artists & producers
• Collecting Your Share of the Art: Music Business Worldwide reports Kobalt released their music publishing administration platform, KOSIGN, to help indie artists collect missing publishing royalties.
• “Show the Art Respect”: Digital Music News reports more than 1,000 UK artists are releasing a silent album in protest of British AI laws.
• “Put Some Respect on the Art”: The Guardian is reporting Spotify Discovery Mode gives artists more visibility in exchange for a 30% royalty reduction.
WHAT ARE THEY SAYING
• “Sure, life has joy and celebration. It also has pain and reconciliation. I want to hear humanity in your art.Without the full broader display of the human experience, I find it hard to believe in the authenticity of your art.” – @JeredSanders
• “Respect to the artists who prioritize their values over the spotlight…some choose to shine bright in the moment, while others build a legacy by standing firm on what matters most.” – @japhngk
• “Artist don’t just make art – the must make it. It’s not a choice, it’s a compulsion. Respect to every artist who shows up here daily – creating, sharing, and shaping the world.” – @eli_schein
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