Why Music Should NOT Be Given Away For FREE! 

I'm so glad you covered this topic CK! Giving away our art gives consumers and fans 0 reason to pay you for it smh What are these people thinking??

"She Belongs to the Streams!"🤣🤣

I agree this is why I don’t listen to all these “business podcasts” telling artist to give their shit out for free. I spent hours perfecting my craft. Know your worth artists and please stop listening to people who aren’t artists tell us what to do with our creativity, we putting a stop to this starving artists shit this year.

It doesn’t matter how old you are, or how long you’ve been grinding. If you want your music to outlive you and reach generations, don’t give it away. God gave you a gift, don’t devalue it.

Spot on again! It's nuts to tell everyone art is free. I went to movie theater yesterday. Guess how much the ticket was, NOT free. 😆

"If you're good at something never do it for free." - The Joker

After all these years, I see it now. It's time to make all my projects 100% DIY DtC. Bro, create a tutorial on how to become a DIY musician. This could be helpful :) much love!

Mach Hommy is a great example of sticking to what he thinks his music is worth. Some of his albums and physicals releases cost hundreds of dollars, and although his fanbase isn't SUPER large, they appreciate him as an artist so will pay those prices and support him. They treat it like collectors pieces.

If I were going to give away my work and music, I might as well just not release it. These folks…. I’ll be damned…. This was a damn powerful assessment bro Curtiss and it is much appreciated. Peace!

This morning, my homeboy and I had a conversation about this. He mentioned that you have to have high-quality production, which must be released with intention behind it (whatever that means), for free, are crucial for attracting an audience and securing performances. I mentioned that marketing is equally important and uniquely tailored, which plays a huge part in building your fan base and getting performances. However, my overall issue is that I'm not going to keep putting out music for free. If that's the case, we may as well get signed and try to figure it out like Frank Ocean did.

The "Home Movies" idea is really clever.

This mentality has devalued every aspect of culture/art in our society.. watching people speak so confidently that don’t believe in anything is wild

👏🏽💯I agree! This crazy idea around art should be free, should stop. Let it be free if that's your business model. But to recommend many artists to do that is crazy to me too. At the core of it all, everything an artist does requires work. We don't see McDonald's just giving burgers & fries away for free just because....hunger. It's value! We can do things others can't/don't want to do and charge people for that value IF they want it.

It's like calling your body of work content...My music is more than that. I hear that word thrown around so much that I feel it begins to devalues your body of work! Also it's ok to fund music from other sources. I even went back to school to get a better ROI to fund this shit financially and technologically. I ain't playin dammit

Feeling this deeply recently. Thank you for having a discussion about this!

1st off: as an indie artist, your sentiment is felt and understood. Love you for your guidance and transparency for us. On the other hand: Music is a means of promoting. It’s lost a lot of its value amongst the average person. What The Cheat Code was getting at was “use music to draw attention, but have ancillary items like merch for people to support with their dollar”. This even hurts for me to say bc i am someone who has worked on their craft for years. I’ve realized that, at large, music is of little monetary value to people.

Awesome Show Mr King... 1. "The people saying that are not making music"... Powerful bcoz these are people who are not artists telling artists how to be artists. 2. On the research of Jamal Williams the neuro scientist.(Shout out to him) ... Remember Music is recorded and so are Memories... There's a deep relationship between the two in the mind.

Literally the same shit I’m on family. Intersectionality of personality, nostalgia and lifestyle. Shoutout to Curtiss. Make sure y’all are paying attention.

The light has came on in my mind now.great video,this is in on the real.

it’s usually the ones that don’t put to much effort into their art that promotes this rhetoric

I’ve stopped doing solo releases on Spotify since august and been fortunate enough to where it’s transitioned to my RU-vid channel and iTunes which been successful. Now I’m looking to do a full website and you’ve been a blueprint in it✊🏽👊🏽🐉

In terms of the Neuroscientist, I beleive most musicians use music for an escape, to mark time, to motivate us, and to share thoughts with others. I connect each one of my music purchases as a child to a specific memory. This is why I am able to organize my music by a feeling and the time period I purchased it. Great expose.

Facts 💯

Appreciate you. The strangest thing happened this morning. This morning I had the lyrics of like 8 rap songs going through my head in the first 20 minutes of being conscious today and I was conscious of it! Like dang . There are literally dozens maybe 100 of songs in this brain. Right. neuroscience, memories, spirit, time etc etc. Real artists with real talent deserve to be compensated. For sure!

Yes I have been in a store and doubled in pain because the song playing in the background hit my body before it hit my conscious mind , especially important or traumatic moments will permanently attached themselves to whatever was playing in the background when things happen. That’s why you can put on a song from your youth and feel young, or hear a song that devastates you because it was playing at the wrong moment.

fellow producer here. 5 years deep and addicted. growing with amazing artists while spreading my message of self-love. peace and love from Japan.

Man you hit it on the nose when you said that about people saying stuff like that are usually the ones not making music. Sad thing about that I've heard that from most "so-called" artist I've tried to work with that has yet to put out ANY of the music I created beats for. I've done over 25 to 30 beat packs for 10 artist over the course of 7 years and only have 1 out of the 10 who is actually making moves in TX to get some motion going for themselves. They finally have gigs lined up. A plan on how they are going to put out or roll out their music and have talked with several individuals behind how to get into the SXSW showcases as an upcoming artist, video shoots for songs created with my beats, etc. So I have for a while now went the other way with most of the idea of working with artist and I do my own thing in regards to simply just creating music to put out for myself but so far that artist I mentioned is the only artist I've been working with for the last 3 years or more and we've never met in person.

Thank you for covering this story Curtiss 🙏🏼

Um, I make music…I’m in that video, & I said it! I wished you watched the entire episode instead of judging based off of an actual “clip” would love to hop on a live and unpack your view, verses mine. LMK family!

🤦🏽 they destroying the artist and actually getting away wit it

Your content gives me clarity, healing, & hope for the future of independent art. I should’ve never sidelined myself, I needed to get a job. But I need to get in studio. Time to DIY this ish frfr.

wendy day is a legend. thank you for covering this. i feel the same way

You’re my favourite channel for music content. I’ve been taking it slow in how to pursue a music career the last 2 years and focused on RU-vid now with music being a product not a content machine It costs so much time or money to make good quality music, on all tiers of beginner to billboard top 10. So yeah not releasing music as quick because I want to make money back from my investment and creation, or product…even if it’s just making even is important to me

Keep spreading the truth brother 🙏🏼

Yo Curtiss!! That bad habits track is fire 🔥 brother

Excellent - thank you for tackling this subject! ❤

I own a music production studio and a business advisor told me I should offer a free production as an incentive for an email list. not EVERY strat works in EVERY industry 1-to-1

I agree with you! It's time we artists stand up and make a change...

I totally agree with everything you said 💯💯💯 🎯🎯🎯.

🔥Preach, Curtiss! Preach!

I've said this 10 years ago and I still agree with you. Spotify is devaluing the music industry. Folks the time has come you have to take control of your music and put it on your own server and your website for purchase. If anybody's going to devalue you your music at least let it be on your platform.

Good points. I stay thinking about this

That bundle box idea is 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

That dopeness!!! An experience they can't stream!! That would make them SCREAM!!

Well said Sir! Salute!

thanx 4 the breakdown, I was at your site a couple of days ago and thought "Home Movies" was literally a bunch of crap home movies, but now that I see what you did it brings me back to the old school 80's (Paul's Boutique/ Beastie Boys) days where the art and packaging mean as much as the music, noticed you included a thmb drive, question what do you think people (lsteners/fans) value and comsume the most downloads, cassettes, CDs, viny, . . . usb's. in other words have usbs become the new normal for these times, maybe you could do a video on this topic, thanx 4 the content appreciate all musical insight!

This was really inspiring, thank you.

You need to interview a community or group of artists who are actually doing well on these streaming platforms... For balance. I'm in the nerdcore music community... We eat good off streams. Community matters.. our retentions are high and it's very welcoming.. we have all kinds of styles, drill, trap, rock and roll... Streaming only works if you look at it through the lense of passive income, which alot of people have never had their whole lives. The unfortunate thing is that streaming solves too many problems and offers a stepping stone to bigger things.. Im from the days of pre-myspace so I love grass roots , out the trunk, direct distribution, tho must confess, there was way more gatekeeping in that era. The way I see it... Some artists as your self will branch off into direct, but the majority will remain in streaming BUT because of the complaints, the model will change to favor the artist more .. every will still get a cut but that's never changed even in the days before streaming.

I think mastering the art of making content is key going this route. How do you give a new music listener/customer a reason to purchase, with no music to access to make their decision? Short previews?

I been waiting on someone real on this topic bruv,💯 start the conversation brother. They'll follow you.

Glad to hear your opinion on this. 😂😂😂😂✊🏿

Well said!!! 💯

Bad Habits 🔥🔥🔥

The funny thing that I picked up from watching your video is that these professionals say that music should be given away all the while the artists needs a substantial budget to PAY THEM for their bad advice rofl 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 It is like where do these people expect the money to come from? Bottom line: they are marketing for the audience looking to microwave versus marinating whatever is cooking. Thanks for exposing them forever! 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

Also I appreicate the time bar for your mid video music plug! Helps the attention not skip

We have the opportunity to give our fans and supporters unique, tangible experiences that will stick with them forever. Curtiss, your Home Movies bundle is fire. 🔥 I'm inspired!

I’ve been playing piano for 48 years and studied with the best and it wasn’t free. There should be free health care if that’s the case. Great topic.

I totally agree. Why should music be free? Do you go to the grocery and get free milk, coffee, steaks or chicken? Come on! Do the major labels give away their music for free? Absolutely NOT! I don’t only blame the business or like you said A&R or executives, I also blame the musicians and artists for doing and acting in this game of, “Give it away for free”! No way! Thanks for this video and I thank you all for reading my rant. 😊

Ive have always been about, "im in it to win it eternally " i ain't ever been strictly for the bag....Thats B.S. and I ain't giving nothing away. Its all for sale.

Every week that passes you get bolder man. I f love you

Well said.. just wow

Sir you got the gift

They’re definitely trying to influence artists & beat makers to give away their art. Might as well you go to your job & work for free 🤷🏽‍♂️

Its sad that things went from dirt cheap prices for music ,to giving it away for free. Its all a plot to destroy hip-hop. Even the process for making ,mixing,mastering music and selling beats

It’s a trip how many people who claim to love art think spending money on art is a waste of money.

Not one indie artist is making a living on music alone. NOT 1. Curtis, not even YOU are making your living on music alone, so why tell people they can? I make music and have for quite a while and understand that music alone isnt going to make the living I desire to fill sustained financially. Like you said at the end of this video, the same formula isnt going to work for everyone. I have made more money from giving away music and selling the shirt that goes with that song than I ever have selling the song.

You never know how big a song will be years from now. All these people seem like they're just trying to funnel artists to majors for a kickback.

"Sensational!" (In my Future voice)

Home Movies is also a highly underrated cartoon series. 😊

Snoop Dogg Set The Example, 1 Billion Streams = $45K⁉️ We Need To Cutt The Middle Man Out! Artist Need To Go Direct To Consumer! Like Nipsey Hussle Did Start Charging $100 Per Album... Know Your Worth About Your Art & Music... PERIODT/.‼️

How am I still doing this stuff man… time out in to build my reputation and upping the skill level.. live performance levels

Do people go to a book store and get books for free?

Get out of the matrix…sell vinyl.

investments have projected returns - so without projected returns - its not an investment but a gamble

Wat the other dude was saying was PAY YOUR DUES . After enough free music to get your name out THEN you can sell . Can’t sell to nobody no matter how dope . No one knows !

appreciate you king

i think we should just go back to records, if we all did that i think music would be nice and expensive

I hate those people on cheat code podcast first off suggest matter definetly matters the lady runs the show and her marketing isnt industry standard at all you will never see a travis scott,Kendrick Lamar,bieber, or any other superstar praise these fools on cheat code😂😂😂😂

I’m really being the devils advocate cause I’m out here grinding just like you Curt .. these the same conversations that I have with myself . And if I’m being honest with myself , it doesn’t matter how I feel about my music at all . Cause it’s not even for me ! It’s how the market feels about my music . You can put it in a pretty package & bow all day , if the music sucks (doesn’t feel good) nobody’s gonna buy it . Wats the difference between streaming on DSPs and streaming on RU-vid ? This is free for us viewers and you had to release free videos until you got your followers up to monetize your account . DSPs ain’t paying enough . But how else could we sell without these platforms (watering hole , central universal place where everyone meets) ? And again , if the product is good you wouldn’t need a platform anyways . Ppl will find a way to put it on the internet and spread it … im doing the same thing you doing , minus the youtube channel . The lick on the music is cause our culture isn’t the one paying for the concerts and the merch and the pre sales , that quick dumb todays music isn’t valuable anyways . Wat we (real artists) do is lead , so our words and wat we stand for weighs more .. But then we’re not talking music no more .

I been wondering if I should let people download my music for free but only the same clean version that they could hear off RU-vid, and sell the explicit version to those that want to support. Is this a bad idea?

Yeah, buy gear , software, invest your time (a lot of time) to get yourself to that level where it can be distributed, learn production, mixing and all that stuff, buy more gear, invest more time, make some tracks... And give all this for free. Sell all your stuff to make living. 100% success

Edison and spectrum ain't stop sending these bills 😂 that's a fact! Lol I'mma sell *this* music you shittin me

If you know who you are, don't let others tell you who you are not! They don't know anything; they don't understand anything, because if they did, they would understand that what they are saying is nonsense! 🔷

Just know i hit the line button when you started rappin

So what about ur royalties u get from the streaming????

Hi Curtiss King, Do you have a clean version of your music?

This one deserves an smb7 mic drop

They crazy McDonald's don't even give away Free Tap water.Bad biz to create anything and give it away wats da point??

If something is free then the perceived value isn’t there, alternatively people getting value for free know the worth and are willing to pay for it or not. I think it really doesn’t matter what you do as long as you’re being true 😉

They devalue the art to do what? Complain that they not makin' any money. They do it in stand up as well. I am in both worlds and the FREE shows comics do be killin me!! But people are desperate to be heard and seen but not realizing they are killin the market for them and everybody else!

That track was🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Hey, let's do everything in life for free and see how that goes...they are goofy smh

The definition of the word R.A.P. means, (RAPPING ARTISTS PURPOSELY!) I'm strictly HIP-HOP!

Neat.

Word they tripping …. Instead of coming up with a solution that’s why we in this position

🎯🎯🎯

Facts only

If I open a store that sells bananas for free does it make all the bananas in the word free?

Music is only worth what one can demand in the marketplace. Your music is devalued because of the lowered barrier of entry. Chicken wings aren't free either, but if everyone was given a coop, a rooster, dozen hens and easy access to chicken feed wings would be free too. You can't convince the public not to save money. you have to convince us that there is an intrinsic value for what you'd like us to buy. Unfortunately, your feelings don't really matter to the buying public and your investment was your choice, no one asked you to drop music, you're asking US to listen to your music. FANS don't make music, and using that as a pseudo shaming tactic doesn't make music more valuable. If your music is good enough you'll find people to pay for it, but most of you simply aren't good enough to demand compensation for your art.

💯💯💯