Music "That makes it," is all about exposure.
In fact, unless something is terribly wrong, most music can climb its way to the top without issue.
Unless you are a true music fan and have particular standards, most songs become hits simply because they get enough exposure. Recall music videos being played ad ad nauseum until everyone starts to "get into it."
In this way, the industry pushes its favorites while subduing its competition.
So then came Soundcloud, Audiomack and Reverbnation.
And they do all sorts of wonders.
However, try posting your page or website (Most especially on Facebook) and social media will shut it down.
Why? Cause that's how the social media giants figured out how they can make money for themselves. However, they did this AFTER they collected users.
Using the users.
If there was ever a time for the small guy to take lethal hits, it's in the modern age.
BUT, this is strangely paradoxical.
Paradoxical because, in theory, there has never been a more open time in all of history for opportunity. You would never get your lute and fiddle music out back in 1634 in hope for being the main gig at the King and Queen's Annual Shindig. Indeed, you would likely be condemned to playing to drunkards at obscure taverns, all while getting your fair share of sour ale and mutton leg bones whipped in your face.
So, in this way, it is a particular few that control what the many are exposed to.
Of course, there is always a FEE you can pay to get around this...
But a bigger, badder corporation can run you over on this metric. They have tons of cash, and they have more than you do. So, given all this bad news, what is the solution? What can you do to get around it all? How do you get yourself exposure?
Is it that we either join the dark overlords or do we simply quit altogether?
It is my opinion that us underdogs are not aggressive enough. It is in persistence and aggression about pushing our work that I believe, we can make a place for ourselves. After all, this is actually what the corporate overlords do, it's just that with their money and accessibility they can do it faster.
But now, think back to those one-hit-wonders... nothing says "easy come, easy go" more than they do. As fast as they cropped out from out of nowhere, just as fast did they drop right back into it. And with a bit of time, everyone forgets they were ever there in the 1st place.
Really, it comes down to crafting a quality product and savagely promoting it.
And it helps to get it out there to as many people as possible. Not all will be into it, but for every X number of people you run it by, there will be a sub-X number who will dig it.
"Find your audience" so I've been told.
And that's what you need to go for.
