Popular artists today, such as Ed Sheeran, Drake, and Taylor Swift, often follow a similar pattern on their journey to fame. While their paths might differ slightly, they are all influenced by the decisions of their managers and the record labels that have signed them.
Don’t get me wrong, having a manager can be a great way to take added stress off an artist’s shoulders, but what about independent bands? Considering the expenses involved in creating music, not to mention the effort that goes into writing songs that truly mean something to their fans, independent bands are often not given the attention they deserve.
One independent band that I particularly love is Citizen Soldier. Back in the fall of 2020, I was scrolling through YouTube and came across a link to their song “Would Anyone Care.” Out of curiosity, I pressed play and was immediately drawn in by the beautiful lyrics, vocals, and instrumentals the band offered. Becoming a fan almost instantly, I listened to all their songs over a few months and was amazed by how many of them resonated with me and, according to thousands of YouTube comments, many other fans as well. Even through a screen, I could sense the comforting, positive aura the community of fans exuded, and I knew that this band was something special.
I think part of what draws me so much to independent bands is that they seem to deliver more of a message through their music. The artists have a genuine, caring demeanor that is sometimes hard to get from those known solely by their work on the radio. Whether an artist has a manager or is on a record label should not be the sole basis for them gaining much-deserved recognition and popularity.
If you haven’t, give an independent band a listen. You won’t be disappointed; you’ll be helping people who deserve it, and you might just be as moved as I was when I discovered my soon-to-be favorite band back in 2020.
