There are countless numbers of people who are unsure about where the music business is heading and more and more are giving up on this ever increasingly stressful business and not pursuing their dreams, because of one main reason - fear. They are scared to get caught up in the madness of it all and losing their identity of who they really are and what their music means.

One enormous problem within this industry is the incredible technological advances, of which we have all witnessed. The music world is terrified of the many different sites where one can share files and download music. How does one compete? How do we control or even make money from this?

I do not have an answer, but I recognize the problem and believe that we as executives in this business need to put ourselves in the shoes of the consumer. When we were growing up, one could buy an album and every single song could have been a potential single. Presently, if one were lucky, there would be two or three songs on a CD that might be worth paying fifteen to twenty dollars. However, with the high prices of CDs, why not download that song for little or no money? The absence of mass CD sales is clearly demonstrating what the consumers want, and that is good albums and not at their own expense.

Another contributing cause to this state of hysteria are the many artists that have the right appearance and the talent to initially make it in the music business, however they are missing that one key factor that can make them the legend they wish to become - longevity. Consequently, the music business is continuously trying to keep up with all of the new artists and their "one-hit wonders" as opposed to the healthy way of reinventing what the music business is about, which is creating artists that can sustain and prolong a very talented career. For example, the renowned artist, Carlos Santana, came onto the scenes many years ago and is still able to write, produce, perform, and even more importantly, adapt to the new interests of the growing audiences. While still maintaining his audiences from over the many years, he has recruited many more adoring fans by collaborating with newer and younger artists who help give his music a fresh, new flavor. To me, this is an artist artist, and the type of artist that I would hope to sign, those who have the potential to have the longevity as opposed to the "pop-fad" that we see in so many of the popular artists today. I cannot picture an artist, such as Britney Spears or N'snyc, still performing "Oops I Did It Again" or "Bye, Bye, Bye" ten years from now. All though I admire the success of these artists, I just don't feel they have the longevity that will allow them to sustain a long lasting career. These days, "re-makes" are constantly occurring in music, through artists taking an older song and putting a newer, creative spin on it so that this thriving audience, who is so hungry for something new and different, can have an amazing song to listen to. These "re-makes" are taken a step beyond music and into our everyday life. US automobile manufacturers are coming back to their older models, seen in the T-bird, the Mustang, and the Volkswagen Beetle. My intuition tells me, based upon the present happenings within the music business, as with so many things, people want to go back to the realness in things, back to an artist who can do it all, and back to the roots of music.

Consumers are looking for the real "ingredients" in their products as opposed to all of the "additives." The trend is forming in the music world for people wanting to hear "real artists." These are artists whose records can be put on at home as well as seen live in concert and their music will sound the same. People are getting tired of hearing something fantastic on the radio but then getting let down at the concert because that particular artist could not even carry a tune or were acting as if they were doing the audience a favor by just showing up. I could mention numerous artists, such as Patti LaBelle, Barbara Streisand, Johnny Mathis, The Beatles etc. and other "old-school veterans," who have been around forever and have that reputation of incredible, raw talent. These are artists, who at any given time could have thousands of people spending $100 or more for a ticket, which would not be unreasonable, to attend their concert without even thinking twice. It is okay to keep up with the time and the trends, but not at the expense of, what I feel, is real music.

New comers to the business need to understand, first and foremost, that it is a business above and beyond anything else. Any young person wanting to be in this business of music, or any business for that matter, must have a basic understanding of their profession. Being in any business, but especially the music business, requires fundamental knowledge about that vocation. When entering into this industry, artists should expect everything that they have heard. They should expect hard work, long hours, and the understanding that the chance of making it is slim.

At the present time, many people who aspire to be artists have a skewed mentality. They believe that image is incredibly important and may actually be above their talent and creativity as a musician. There are several artists right now whose looks and sex appeal are selling them, rather than their musicianship. Their appearance my be momentarily making them "big," however, it is the artists longevity and endurance that will make them great for years to come.

Practicing is what makes perfect, and I recommend that new comers to this business focus on their craft, whether that is in vocals, instruments, or dancing. No matter how talented and remarkable one thinks they are, everyone will always still need to practice and rehearse. Practicing one's art form is like Apolo Ohno training for the Winter Olympics. The Winter Olympics happen every four years, and Apolo Ohno is training every day for that 5.3-second victory lap that makes him the fastest speed skater in the world. All of these new artists need to be training and preparing for their "moment in the sun" and will hopefully be as successful as Mr. Ohno bringing home the gold. I want to see people who are competing against themselves and trying relentlessly to better their art and profession, instead of the reality shows, such as "American Idol" or "Star Search," in which these people are worried and overly concerned with what other people and judges have to say about them, who they are, and what they do.

Beginners in this business must recognize that everyone will experienced some pain and frustration, but the ones who are still there, and will remain there are the ones that realized they had the strength and will power to stick with it and be the best. Somewhere along the line, you are picking up people that will cover your back, fiercer than a mother lion watching her cubs, who will love you and support you without hesitating... but that's for another interview. For now, believe in yourself, believe in your abilities, and never, never settle for YOUR second best.

Lisa Smith-Putnam CEO of Integy Entertainment in Seattle, Washington