Helping Music Artists build real careers
—without selling their soul.
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Your songs draw people in. But your humanity—spoken, shared, revealed in that quiet space between songs—is what bonds them to you.
— Paul Saunders
Here are the posts that have appeared in the New Music Lives™ Group on Facebook this week...
• The Psychology of Merch: Why Fans Buy More Than Just Music from DiskMakers—This article digs deeper into the psychology of why fans actually buy your merch. If you think they’re buying just to support you, or just because they need a new T-shirt you’re missing the bigger picture.
• No other industry would tolerate this level of loss of life and neither should we from MusicRadar—Science indicates that musicians do actually die younger—but why?
• iTunes is the New Vinyl: Why Digital Music Sales Matter in 2026 from idropnew—Apple hasn’t abandoned traditional music sales. A recent report from Bloomberg’s Ashley Carman revealed that the record labels care a lot more about iTunes than most folks realize. That’s because it turns out that even though Apple Music boasts nearly a 100 million subscribers...
• in partnership with American Songwriter
For more than four decades, American Songwriter has played a vital role in preserving, honoring, and advancing the craft of songwriting— at a time when that craft is too often overshadowed by metrics, momentum, and marketing.
Long before “content” became the dominant currency of the music business, American Songwriter was focused on something more enduring: songs that last, and the people who write them.
Their work consistently goes deeper than surface-level success stories. Through interviews, features, and essays, they explore how songs are actually made—where ideas come from, how writers struggle through doubt, how lyrics evolve, and why certain songs resonate across generations. This is coverage rooted in curiosity, respect, and a genuine love for the art form.
What makes American Songwriter especially valuable for working Music Artists is that they honor both sides of the creative life:|
• the discipline required to write well
• the vulnerability required to write honestly
• the patience required to build a body of work over time
They recognize that songwriting is not a hack, a shortcut, or a trend—but a lifelong practice.
We also strongly encourage TrueFans AMP™ readers to subscribe (tap the hyperlink) to the American Songwriter newsletter. It’s one of the rare industry emails that feels less like promotion and more like perspective—delivering thoughtful stories, songwriter insights, and reminders of why the work matters in the first place.
At the TrueFans AMP™, we know that real careers are built by artists who stay connected to their craft while learning how the business actually works. American Songwriter helps keep that balance intact—by keeping the song at the center of the conversation.
We’re proud to feature them here and to share their work with Music Artists who care about writing something real—and building something that lasts.
... and here's the more...
• the TrueFans AMP™ 132
• The future of music streaming: community, connection and... friction? from musically—The future of music streaming was under the spotlight in a stand at Music Ally Connect, with a particular focus on the anticipated launch of more expensive ‘supremium’ tiers by Spotify and its rivals later this year.
• Musicians Are Panicking About This New AI from Terence Fisher on YouTube—In this video, Terence breaks down: • What Suno actually does (and what it doesn’t) • Why panic is the wrong response—but ignoring this is worse • How musicians should be thinking strategically right now. This isn’t fear-bait. It’s clarity.If you make money with music—or want to keep making money with music—you need to see this.
• Everyday People from Dan Rather’s steady on substack—Everyday People is a protest song wrapped in joy. The sunny pop song admonishes without anger, suggesting we celebrate our differences. It is a message many people need to hear right now.
Thanks for reading. Give us your feedback.
And PLEASE, if you've got any Music Artist friends, pass the TrueFans AMP™ on, because... It’s Time... for a Change. Big Time. Past Time...
