It took sixteen long years from the day I moved from Miami to chase my producing dreams before one of my tracks finally landed on a Billboard chart—and even then, it only peaked at #63. 

I have earned my living as a producer for more than twenty-five years. The road was paved with trial and error, but it taught me exactly what it takes to succeed in this industry. Below are the most important, hard-earned lessons I’ve picked up along the way.

1. Write Songs That Actually Have an Outlet

For years, I wrote and produced Reggae, absolutely certain my material was better than the hits playing on the radio. When publishers repeatedly passed on my self-proclaimed masterpieces, I was frustrated and perplexed.

I was ignoring a fundamental reality: Publishers are running a business. To keep their jobs, they need to generate revenue. They are actively looking for:

Songs that sound like current radio hits.

Material easily pitched to established artists who don't write their own music.

Tracks that open doors for collaborations with successful producers.

Music tailored for lucrative film and television licensing.

My original songs would have been perfect if my goal was to be an independent recording artist. But I wanted other artists to cut my songs. To do that, I had to stop writing for previous eras and start writing music that belonged on the same playlists as today's hits. Once I began studying and emulating the structures, melodies, and grooves currently at the top of the charts, publishers started signing my contracts.

2. Get Raw Feedback Before Investing in a Recording

The hardest songs for me to critique in my workshops are the ones that sound sonically flawless—until I place the actual songwriting under a microscope.

A fantastic demo can easily mask a weak song to a layman. A hot band, a catchy lick, and a pristine vocal will earn you endless praise from family and friends. However, industry professionals—publishers, producers, and label executives—assess the underlying song. No amount of studio embellishment can fix a weak lyric or a forgettable melody.

The Trap: The more money we spend on a demo, the less willing we are to admit the song needs serious structural surgery.

The Solution: Seek brutal, professional feedback before you spend a dime on studio musicians and engineers.

3. Your Demos Need to Sound Like Hits

Early on, I mistakenly assumed that music industry professionals had the imagination to "hear" the hit potential of my stripped-down tracks. I thought they could mentally add the missing background vocals, the driving groove, and the hooky instrumental licks.

They cannot. Listeners are not mind-readers.

When I worked as an A&R assistant, the sheer volume of submissions made it impossible to sit and imagine what a song could be. It either sounded like a hit immediately, or it didn't. To give my songs a fighting chance:

I stopped doing it all myself: I am a decent singer, but my voice naturally leans Americana. I had no business singing the vocals on the pop, R&B, and country tracks I was writing.

I hired the pros: I started paying top-tier session musicians and vocalists who could deliver radio-ready performances in my target genres.

Amateur demos send an amateur signal from the very first note. When I elevated my demos to the industry standard, people finally started paying attention.

4. Map Out a Marketing Plan Before Hitting "Record"

I have seen countless aspiring artists invest tens of thousands of dollars into an album, only to watch the physical copies gather dust in a basement or get lost in the digital void.

With over 100 million songs on Amazon and Spotify, and over 300 million videos vying for attention on YouTube, the odds of a listener randomly stumbling across your track are practically zero. Producing incredible music is crucial, but it is never enough on its own. Before you spend money on recording, mixing, or album artwork, you need a rollout strategy:

Live Shows: Booking tours to sell merchandise and CDs directly to fans.

PR & Media: Pitching to local radio, television, and print media.

Digital Placement: Utilizing services like Rise (https://rise.la) to actively pitch your tracks to Spotify, YouTube, and Instagram playlists.

5. Seek Out the Right Collaborators

Co-writing is not like breeding championship thoroughbreds; combining two incredibly talented writers does not guarantee a hit. I have written completely uninspired, mediocre songs with GRAMMY-winning legends simply because the creative chemistry wasn't there.

However, when you do find creative magic, you also need to consider the business leverage your collaborator brings to the table.

This became painfully clear during my first trip to Nashville when I co-wrote with the late A.J. Masters. I had no publisher and zero credibility. A.J., however, was signed to a well-connected publishing company. His team had the power to get us through closed doors, which ultimately resulted in our song being cut by the Oak Ridge Boys.

The Ideal Collaborator:

Brings out your absolute best creative work.

Has the industry connections (as an artist, producer, or signed writer) to actually get the song heard.

The Songwriter's Reality Check

I hope these lessons, forged through years of trial, error, and eventual success, can help expedite your own journey in the music industry and make it far more lucrative.