Aaron Lewis on Being Blacklisted from Radio & Why Record Labels Intentionally Promote Terrible Music

How the Music Business Really Works

1. The Main Idea in a Nutshell

   • The music industry is designed to make money for big companies like record labels, while the artists who create the music often get paid very little from their own songs.

2. The Key Takeaways

   • Artists Get Paid Last: Most record deals are like loans; the artist has to pay the label back from a tiny slice of the profits, while the label and managers take huge cuts first.
   • Country Music Has Changed: The speaker, Aaron Lewis, believes that real country music has been replaced by a pop-friendly version because industry executives are chasing mainstream hits.
   • Touring is the Real Job: For many musicians, the main way to make a living isn't from selling albums or getting streams, but from playing hundreds of live shows and selling merchandise directly to fans.

   • Freedom from the "Machine": Breaking away from the control of record labels and radio stations is hard and means you might not get played, but it gives an artist the freedom to make the music they truly believe in.

   • Fun Facts & Key Numbers:

     • Fact: Aaron Lewis's music has been streamed over 1 billion times on Spotify, but he says he received almost no money for it and just got a plaque.
     • Fact: To make a living, he plays around 175-180 sold-out shows a year.

3. Important Quotes, Explained

• Quote: "> We are the the indentured servant. I mean, I think that indentured servitude laws are literally still on the books in California so that they can get away with what they do with us... every every penny that we ever get paid from a record label is all a loan."

  • What it Means: An "indentured servant" is someone forced to work for free to pay off a debt. He's saying that artists are trapped in a system where the money the label gives them to make a record is a loan they have to pay back. But since they only get a tiny piece of the profits, they're stuck working for the label for years.
  • Why it Matters: This quote powerfully explains the unfair structure of the music business. It shows that even famous musicians can feel like they're trapped and not in control of their own careers or money.

• Quote: "> I can write songs that are over three and a half minutes long. I can put lyrics in songs that that that I want to put there. You know, I'm just I'm no longer held to the industry standard because I'm not necessarily trying to participate in the industry game."

  • What it Means: He's saying that because he's no longer trying to get played on the radio, he doesn't have to follow their rules, like keeping songs short and radio-friendly. He is now free to be as creative as he wants.
  • Why it Matters: This shows the trade-off artists have to make. They can either "play the game" to get famous and be on the radio, or they can ignore the rules and have total creative freedom, even if it means fewer people might hear their music through mainstream channels.

4. The Main Arguments (The 'Why')

   • In this interview, Aaron Lewis explains his view on the music world, from his personal journey to the problems with the industry.
     1. First, he argues that he switched from rock to country music because country was the sound of his childhood and felt more authentic to him after his rock band's contract ended.
     2. Next, he explains that the music business is fundamentally broken for artists. He provides evidence by describing how record labels, managers, and streaming services take almost all the money, leaving the creator with pennies.
     3. Finally, he points out that he has found success by getting off the industry treadmill. By touring constantly and connecting directly with his fans, he can make a living without having to rely on radio play or unfair record deals.

5. Questions to Make You Think

   • Q: If an artist gets a billion streams on Spotify, why don't they get rich?

   • A: According to the text, the money from those streams doesn't go directly to the artist. It first goes to the record label and a bunch of other middlemen who all take their cut. The artist is the last one to get paid, and what's left is a tiny fraction of the total money earned.

   • Q: How do musicians like Aaron Lewis actually make money, then?

   • A: The text says he makes his money by being on the road. His income comes from ticket sales for his live shows and from selling merchandise (like t-shirts) directly to his fans at those shows.

   • Q: What's a "360 deal" and why is it bad for new artists?

   • A: A 360 deal is a type of contract where the record label gets a percentage of everything the artist does—not just album sales, but also money from concerts, merchandise, and any other business ventures. The speaker says these deals are bad because they give the label control over every part of an artist's career and take even more of their income.

6. Why This Matters & What's Next

   • Why You Should Care: This interview gives you a peek behind the curtain of the music world. It makes you think about what it really means to "support" an artist you like. It shows that the most direct way to help them is often by buying a concert ticket or a t-shirt, not just by streaming their song.
   • Learn More: If you're curious about this, search on YouTube for videos like "How Do Musicians Actually Make Money?" or "The Dark Side of the Music Industry." These short documentaries often break down the exact numbers and tell stories from other artists who have faced the same problems.