Making lemonade out of a soured, over-saturated music market

As a working musician, it's so easy to be jaded by the vast sea of material all vying for the attention of the general public. If you're a friend with musicians on Facebook, you're probably inundated with event invites for shows (read: "You live in Los Angeles, but come to our dive bar show in Nashville because we talked once in college!).

However, something hit me today that seems super-obvious in retrospect but is helping me see the plus (among the many!) in being involved in music as a career. It's simply this: I'm constantly surrounded by creative types, each with their unique ideas and perspectives. 

At any moment, I can listen to music made by someone who is a friend who also happens to be a content creator. Almost any night of the week, I have the option to see a great show put together by the hard work of these very same friends. Even if a show isn't going on, I can always dip into a local open mic and check out everyone from new upcoming artists to working-class cats who just enjoying playing a few tunes out every once in a while. My music friends are also among the people that support me in what I do, can relate with my problems on a first-hand basis, and push me to work harder.

We help each other by trading ideas, lending unique skill sets, and helping each others' social circle grow. I've made it a point this year to listen to more new music, even if I don't like it at first. Little by little, I've been checking out the bands of everyone from friends to incidental acquaintances and have generally been pleased in what I found. I've become a better, more open-minded patron of the arts and have been more inspired than I have ever been as a result. 

My musician friends are creative, inspired, driven, and always have interesting stories to share. We might not be able to catch each other all the time due to the amount of travel many of us do, but I can rest easier knowing that there are people like them that often get lost in this psychosomatically over-saturated music market I wade through.