Compact disc records by Luis Fernández García

The obvious reason is not finding the right songs for the project. Recording producers, A&R and Music publishers rely too much on existing social/professional connections and relationships to find songs that they fail to consider a lot of excellent material outside of their walls. The primary driver of hit songs is good marketing and excellently written song. Marketing is easy for someone with big budget, but what about finding excellent songs?

It is relatively hard. Some excellent songs could be out there, unnoticed, unreferenced, unpopular, ignored and unsupported. It’s like the work of Vincent van Gogh or Ludwig Van Beethoven, go unnoticed and ignored for years and known only after their deaths.

So what are the possible ways you can find new songs? The key is to start being independent of your contacts and start researching yourself. Let yourself be convinced that the music is good, not by believing someone saying this music or artist is great. Having relationships are nice, but when you are talking about music business, you need to deliver great songs that convinced you.

1. Use internet and Google. They are modern day miracles of finding new information. Even now, with the increasing amount of talented/creative songwriters, artists, composers tapping the internet to share their music; it helps producers finding new songs very easily. How?

When you go to Google, type related key phrases. If you are a film music director, finding songs for your project; you can type “songs for film”. If you need to find and license new music; you can either enter “license music”. A lot of songwriters and even independent music publishers are starting to share their free music. So if you are looking for these types of songs; you can either type to Google “license free music” or “license free songs”.

2. Go to independent music shows – if you have the time, you can go to clubs and bars where independent musicians and songwriters hang out. Try to listen to their original songs if it is excellent enough, if it is indeed great, ask them if they have CD or website.

Remember, it is the song that matters, not so much of the artist. You can easily find thousands of artists to perform that song but will be very hard for you to spot real excellent songs.