Breaking into the field of music is no easy task for any musician or band. There are a lot of challenges that have to be overcome. Those that can achieve this will find that although these have been overcome, there will be others in the future. In spite of all of this, a career in music, whether it be part of a band or a solo musician can be rewarding on many different levels.
The Environment
Those that are not in the music world have their own perception of what the environment and lifestyle are for those who have become successful. There are some that believe that the musician’s style of life is living lavishly and living in the fast lane of life. Then there are movies like Cover Versions that promote a steamy lifestyle of four band members which adds to the thoughts of those that think all musicians are bound for this type of life.
There are thousands of musicians in the music industry, and they do not all live the lifestyle of fast cars, drugs, and sex. There are some that do but many that do not. One of the challenges that musicians face is maintaining a healthy living environment. It is difficult for some that are new to having excess money and fame to avoid some of the pitfalls.
Getting Started
Another big challenge that many cover bands face is breaking into the music business in a big way. A cover band is all about presenting music that has been written and produced by another artist. So they don’t have the extra possibility of becoming recognized based on something they produced.
Commitment
Many young musicians and those in a cover band may not fully realize just how much of a commitment they are going to have to make to their music career. The single musician only has themselves to worry about. The cover band has to be concerned about the commitment of each band member. If everyone is not committed to the band’s career, then it will fail unless a replacement is found.
Becoming a Leader
Every band is going to need to have a leader. This doesn’t mean that it has to be the lead singer.
In most cases, the individual who started the band usually takes on this role. Problems can arise when the individual who put the band together doesn’t have leadership skills. This can be a problem that the band has to overcome.
Balancing Personal Life and Career
One of the biggest difficulties for musicians is to try and balance their personal life as well as their career. This may be a little easier for the single musician compared to one that is married and perhaps has children. Many start out thinking that they will only have to sacrifice their personal life for a short period. Then when this drags on for months or years, it can be too difficult to contend with.
These are just a few of the many challenges that single musicians and cover bands have to deal with.