Rejection Is Part of the Job: Learning to Thrive in the Music Business
If you work in the music business, rejection is something you learn to live with. As musicians, we audition, submit recordings, pitch ideas, and put ourselves out there—only to often hear, “We went in another direction.” And sometimes, we don’t hear anything at all. 😒
After years in the music business, both as a musician and a music contractor, I’ve come to realize that rejection is not necessarily a reflection of someone’s talent. It’s one of the harsh realities of our industry: there are simply far more talented musicians than there are available jobs. Often, hundreds of musicians compete for the same job or position.
And hiring decisions aren’t based on talent alone. The right choice might depend on a particular sound, style, availability, experience, location, personality, or simply who is the right fit for that specific project. In many cases, it’s all about the budget. Someone else is willing to do the job for less pay. (That’s a topic for another day.)
Not getting the job doesn’t necessarily mean you weren’t good enough. It simply means someone else was chosen.
So How Do We Handle Rejection?
- Don’t make it personal. Not getting a job doesn’t mean you’re not good enough. It means you didn’t get that job. The main reason it is so hard not to take it personally is that musicians don’t just produce a product. We are the product. Remind yourself that you ARE good enough; you just didn’t get the job this time.
- Keep putting yourself out there. Every audition, submission, introduction, and new relationship creates another opportunity for a “yes.”
- Look for the lesson. If there’s something you can improve, work on it. But don’t turn constructive self-reflection into self-criticism.
- Build your reputation. Be prepared, professional, reliable, kind, and easy to work with. People remember those qualities, and today’s “no” will lead to tomorrow’s opportunity. Happy clients and prospective clients will return to you, again and again.
Most importantly, don’t let rejection stop you from pursuing the career you love.
You don’t need everyone to say yes. You just need enough of the right people to say yes. And if you’re putting yourself out there and occasionally getting rejected, take heart. You’re in good company.
Keep going. Keep improving. Keep showing up. Your next “yes” is right around the corner!
Keep thriving and making beautiful music! See you at the next gig!! 🎶🎼❤️