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I love music. I loved the industry. I pretty much love everything about it. From A&R, to advertising & promotions, to radio, the studio, the songwriting process, beat-making, etc…I can go on & on & on.

The state of the music industry is a sad one. I think it is hilarious that artists & musicians question why people are not playing their songs, videos, or buying their albums. Let me help you out.

Why should we go spend our money (that could go in the gas tank, towards a meal, or a bill..) to buy music that sounds RECYCLED, BORING & LAME?

Yes, I said it. Music lovers want to hear and buy music that is unlike anything or anyone we have ever heard. There is already one Beyonce, stop copy-catting. Whenever Beyonce comes out with new music, it does NOT sound like the songs that are being played on the radio and her videos and performances are not like the ones you constantly see on MTV, VH1, 106 & Park…Take note: Bey aims to release music that nobody else can pull off.. This is why she is relevant. This is why she sells records and sells out shows.

Singers, songwriters, artists..stop making music to make money. If you make music to make good music, you will have fans; you will have people requesting your songs & buying your LPs.

Living in St. Louis, we now only have ONE hip-hop/R&B station that plays the same 7 songs all day. Cut it out. There is so much talent bubbling under the radar waiting to be heard & seen but we are too busy celebrating music that I can make using an app on my phone. I want to hear a voice unlike no other. I want to hear beats and instrumentation that takes me to another world. I want to hear a hook that I will remember for years down the line..

Nobody is buying your music because you don’t really have musical talent. For example, Cassie. I love Cassie’s swag & sometimes her style, but she cannot sing. She is a pretty face that Diddy thought could make him money, but boo, you cannot sing. Ryan Leslie’s beats could not mask that.

It is 2011. We as music buyers look for music that is fresh, exciting, bold, and original. You have to have SOMETHING TO SAY…something listeners can relate to. There is only so much hood sh*t that we can take without getting fed up. You can look good, have a nice body, and take good pics, but you still cannot make good music.

Although Kanye is arrogant, he aims to make GOOD music. He strives to go into the studio and crank out tracks that his counter parts are afraid to do. He dares to be different. He isn’t afraid to take risks with his music & his career.

So, for all of you singers and artists, if you have NOT been selling records, take notice of what you have been doing and do the opposite.

Guest post by Marvin Mosby. Marvin is a rising entrepreneur and lover of the music industry. He hopes to be able to make a name for himself in the music industry by sharing his passion and knowledge with others.