RIDING THE ROLLERCOASTER: HOW ARTISTS SURVIVE THE MUSIC INDUSTRY - MAY 12 2026.
RIDING THE ROLLERCOASTER: HOW ARTISTS SURVIVE THE MUSIC INDUSTRY - MAY 12 2026.
“The music industry marks success by chart position, streaming counts, awards or social media stats. To music industry executives, success means commercial success. Yet artists are rarely nourished by numbers, nor are they motivated by money. They receive affirmation through hearing stories of how fans connect with their music. They enjoy seeing the reactions of the crowd at shows. They are delighted when their quieter songs end up ranking high on streaming services alongside their hits. What motivates the business side and artistic side of the business are chalk and cheese. But they must work symbiotically”.
Stories of how artists and bands carved out long and successful careers in the music business, despite the numerous pitfalls and pratfalls.
Riding the Rollercoaster gives a unique insider perspective as to how the music business really works – or doesn’t – and how the best bands have survived and thrived. With inspiration from in-depth interviews on The Art of Longevity podcast with 70 artists, including Tears For Fears, Norah Jones, The Waterboys, My Morning Jacket, James, Rickie Lee Jones, Interpol, The Lumineers, David Gray, KT Tunstall, Ben Folds, Suzanne Vega, Keane, Crowded House, David Gray, John Grant, Nile Rodgers and many more, the book is about how established, famous and renowned musicians and bands have managed to carve 20, 30, even 50-year careers making music in an industry notorious for being fickle and obsessed with the new.
They have been dropped by labels, lost band members, had hits and misses, broken-up and reformed, but somehow crossed the rubicon and made it through ‘to the other side’ to have successful independent careers and make some of their best ever songs and albums. The book takes a wider lens to the music industry and explores why artists are not respected enough, despite being the central providers to a growing music industry worth $100 billion a year. Will this ever change?