At Pro Soul, we like to think that we’re trailblazers of sort, offering innovative solutions to artists who are committed to their fans and to their music.  But we can’t take all the credit for this original thought; we get advice and ideas from those who have proven that they know where things are going. There’s a handful of music industry experts who have long been preaching what it takes to be successful in the industry today. 

One such insider is Bob Lefsetz, whose illustrious career in the entertainment industry – and in music in particular – is unparalleled.  Lefsetz draws on his experience and insights in his blog, the Lefsetz Letter, which explores key issues affecting the music industry today.  We love his outspoken approach to sharing his views on everything from P2P file sharing to the decline in major labels.

Lefsetz and his forward-thinking peers have foreseen the drastic changes in the music industry and have been more than willing to challenge conventional “wisdom” (a term we use loosely here).  In a recent post, entitled “The Tribe“, Lefsetz emphasizes the importance of catering to fans – not the major labels, not the sponsors, not the radio stations.

While this isn’t exactly what traditional record labels would want to hear, Pro Soul is ecstatic – because we’re not your traditional record label.  We don’t take from artists what belongs to them – rights to their music, control over their career, profits from their hard work. We help them find the right audience for their music, not the other way around. Unlike other labels, we don’t change our artists according to advertising demographics.

Lefsetz offers this advice for artists trying to navigate the industry and the multitude of options available today: “If it doesn’t bring people closer, if it doesn’t satiate and inspire your fans, forget about it.”

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.