And every time I hope and pray the person is asking for the right reason. If an artist wants to know what's hot because they're curious and want to be more aware of the overall musical landscape, fine. That's great.
But more often than not, they ask because they're looking for a quick fix way to tap into a genre that's currently popular. BIG MISTAKE!
Here's the deal: The music you create and promote should be a natural extention of who you are. If you're at the point where you're ready to record new music or put together a live act, you should already have a handle on what makes you tick musically. That's the genre you need to stick with.
Consider the incredible online buzz created by Paul Potts, who recently won Britain's Got Talent, the U.K. version of American Idol. He sings opera. That's right, opera! Watch this video of his audition, and then you tell me he should have asked what genre was most popular or more likely to "sell" on this show.
Nearly 1,700,000 people have watched this one video clip of him. Hundreds of thousands more have watched his other clips, including his winning performance in the finals.
He didn't create this buzz because opera is hot and he's riding a trend. People are drawn to him because of his passion and talent. And because of his appealing story: an average Joe, who's awkward and lacks confidence, wows a nation with the power of his voice.
So, go ahead and look at the pop charts to stay informed. But when it comes to performing your own music, listen to your heart and stick with your core musical strengths.
-Bob
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