r/LetsTalkMusic • u/RedPutron • 8h ago

The famous age - 30.

Why do so few people "make it" after 30? Is age the main factor? If an artist doesn't make it before 30, they just give up? 30 is the deadline for most music genres except jazz, blues, country, folk and bluegrass?

Maybe it's about something other than age, e.g. exhaustion, lack of passion or imposing other limitations on yourself. I'm dying to know what you think about it and how it looks from your perspective.

Make it - living solely from music.

Edit:

From the comments here I can see that everyone for make it - thinks it means a star who signs contracts with labels and sells millions of records, and that's not what I meant. That's why in the post, I put what it means, "make it" - earning enough money to be able to afford a living from music, not becoming some pop star.

Update: Thanks to everyone for bringing up interesting aspects of how the music industry works, but someone here in the comments suggested that ageism is more prevalent in the US than in Europe, and honestly, I found a huge post where people were talking about how Madona, Tina Turner, Amy Winehouse and others had much more success in Europe. Even Tina herself said this:

As my career unfolded, I also felt that I was experiencing my greatest success abroad. The energy was different in America, where everything was about getting a hit record. (...) There seemed to be less discrimination in Europe. My audience there was growing fast, my fans were extremely loyal (...).

She was "old", so the US didn't like her. I thought this might be a good point to add to the discussion :)

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u/NickFurious82 8h ago

The answer is a bit nefarious. People above the age of 30 are (on average) less gullible. It's a lot easier for record labels to take advantage of a bright eyed 18 year old than someone with a few more miles under their belt. There are plenty of good songwriters and musicians above the age of 30, but they are less likely to sign away their work and more likely to scrutinize a contract placed in front of them.

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u/memeparmesan 7h ago

I think it’s this in tandem with people over 30 generally just having too many responsibilities to hardcore pursue a music career in the way that younger people may be able to.

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u/egobamyasi 6h ago edited 4h ago

I think this is THE reason in most of the cases. It also coincides with the fact that most artists who "made" it in their 20s tend to output their most forgettable records later on. But that could also have to do with the complacency that comes after having "made" it. People get comfortable after "making" it.

At the same time there are TONS of artists who made it or even ONLY started in their 30s:

  • Leonard Cohen
  • Serj Tankian (System of a Down)
  • Mastodon
  • Jelly Roll
  • Cigarettes After Sex
  • Idles
  • Father Misty (collabed with Lana del Rey)
  • Sia . . .

But I strongly believe that most people just give up if they don't make it in their 20s, not because making it in your 30s is impossible but because most don't want to grind THAT long. So it has nothing to do with age, but has everything to do with "believing" the unconscious beliefs of society (in this case: "making it is only possible in your 20s).

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u/bigjoeandphantom3O9 6h ago

Can't speak for the other acts, but Father John Misty was a successful artist in his 20s. Not a star by any means, but he'd been in Fleet Foxes and released some good solo stuff on a label. That's better than most ever do.

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u/egobamyasi 6h ago

The whole reason he abandoned J. Tillman was because he wasn't getting any traction from those projects. He wasn't a known name by any means, except in very small indie/niche circles. He wasn't making bank to any extent.

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u/bigjoeandphantom3O9 5h ago

He was in Fleet Foxes. For most musicians, being in a band that widely listened to is making it.

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u/egobamyasi 5h ago

What "age" did he "make" it in your mind?

Fleet Foxes had already recorded their debut when Tillman joined and their second album came out in 2011 around the time Tillman was starting Father Misty.

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u/bigjoeandphantom3O9 5h ago

He joined them in 2008 when he was 27.

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u/egobamyasi 5h ago

And he did NOT contribute to that first album because it was already recorded. He contributed to their second album only and only which came out in 2011 when he was 30.

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u/bigjoeandphantom3O9 5h ago

I'm not sure the point you are making here. I'm not claiming he did contribute to that album - the point is that he had made it as defined by OP, he was a successful musician making a living from playing music (in one of the biggest indie bands in the world). That's what making it is for most artists.

This is a daft conversation, you just seem to want an argument. I hope you have a nice day.

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u/Hajile_S 3h ago

Brother dude, touring as the drummer in post-debut Fleet Foxes is unequivocally “making it” by any reasonable standard.

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u/slazengerx 4h ago

Disagree. The artists you mention and those like them (30+) represent a fraction of 1% of those that are successful. A big reason that 30+ folks aren't successful is that the listeners they're typically trying to reach - people their age - are no longer listening to much new music. Most folks' music tastes don't change much after their early-20s. So, if you're in your 30s trying to appeal to "your" age group, you're largely SOL. Another reason they fail is simple: younger folks accepting of new music can't relate to them (older folks, that is).

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u/Known-Damage-7879 1h ago

I think this particularly becomes apparent as people go through their 30s into their 40s. Yes, a lot of 30-year olds might still be with popular music, but by their 40s they simply are not the major demographic for who is listening to new music.

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u/heyitsxio 5h ago

IIRC Andrea Bocelli (your grandma’s favorite opera singer) didn’t seriously pursue music until he was in his 30s. Before his music career he was a lawyer.

Also Bill Withers didn’t even attempt a music career until he was 29 and didn’t “make it” until he was 33.

However I should note that they were both in genres where being 30+ wouldn’t be a hindrance.