Art vs. Entertainment: Who Are You Creating For?
In our last post, we explored tools—analog vs. digital—and how each shapes the sound and soul of what we make. But tools are just the how.
Now, let’s talk about the why.
Because beneath every mic check, every DAW session, every rehearsal, every messy voice memo at 2am… there’s a reason you’re making music in the first place.
So—what is it?
Are you trying to express something personal, honest, maybe even uncomfortable?
Or are you creating something people can move to, sing along with, escape into?
Are you here to make art?
To entertain?
Or to find your place somewhere in between?
Whichever it is—it matters. It shapes the way your music moves through the world.
The Artist: Inner Truth First
The artist creates to process, to reveal, to reflect. The music is a mirror, not a product.
Art doesn’t always come with a hook. It doesn’t always feel good. Sometimes, it lingers like a question with no answer. And that’s kind of the point.
Artists are often asking:
What’s true for me right now?
What haven’t I said that needs to be said?
What would I make if no one else ever heard it?
Being an artist means being okay with not pleasing everyone. You’re chasing honesty, not algorithms. Depth, not reach.
It’s vulnerable, it’s bold—and sometimes it’s misunderstood. But when it connects, it really connects.
📌 Example: Bon Iver – “715 - CRΣΣKS”
This vocoder-heavy, raw track breaks all the "rules" of mainstream structure—but it hits like a gut punch. It’s about mood, emotion, vulnerability. Justin Vernon wasn’t trying to top charts—he was processing something real.
🎧Recorded at April Base Recording Studio, in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Watch the video below
📌 Example: Joni Mitchell – “Blue” (album)
An iconic example of unfiltered, diary-like songwriting. No flashy production—just truth, melody, and poetry.
🎧 Recorded in 1971 at A&M Studios in Hollywood, California. Check it out below
The Entertainer: Energy Outward
The entertainer’s gift is connection.
You read the room. You create moments. You bring people into something.
And that doesn’t mean it’s shallow. Entertainment is its own kind of magic—it takes intuition, presence, and heart.
Entertainers are often asking:
What do people need right now?
How can I make them feel good?
How do I leave them with something they’ll remember?
Entertainment is generous. It’s responsive. It lifts. It might be light, it might be powerful, it might just be fun—and that’s more than enough.
Being an entertainer means showing up with people in mind. You’re offering an experience, and that’s a beautiful kind of purpose.
📌 Example: Lizzo – “Juice” (Live on NPR Tiny Desk)
Effortless charisma, crowd engagement, and pure joy. Lizzo knows how to entertain without losing authenticity.
🎧Recorded in 2019 at NPR Music headquarters in Washington, DC. Watch the performance below
📌 Example: Bruno Mars – Super Bowl Halftime Show
Every move, every note is designed to light up a stadium. It’s polished, precise, and joyful—textbook entertainment done right.
🎧 Recorded in 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Watch the performance below
The Middle Space: Where Most of Us Live
Of course, this isn’t a binary. It’s a spectrum—and most of us live in the middle.
You can write from a place of deep emotion, and still want the crowd to sing every word.
You can craft something catchy and polished, and still have it come from a real place.
📌 Example: Kendrick Lamar – “Alright”
A politically charged anthem that also became a festival chant. Personal, poetic, and powerful—but also unifying and unforgettable.
🎧 Recorded from 2014-2015 at Treasure Island, San Fransisco, California. Watch the performance below
📌 Example: Lady Gaga – “Shallow” (Live at the Oscars)
Artistry meets performance. It’s stripped back yet cinematic. She walks the line between honesty and theater with precision.
🎧 Recorded in 2019 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. Watch the performance below
📌 Example: Tyler, the Creator – Tiny Desk Concert
Weird, beautiful, emotional, funny. He’s not trying to fit one role—he’s making his space and inviting us into it.
🎧 Recorded in 2017 at NPR Music headquarters in Washington, DC. Watch the performance below
Even in the middle, it helps to know where you're leaning—because that clarity shapes your choices:
The lyrics you write.
The sounds you chase.
The way you show up.
The way you define success.
A Personal Pause
So take a second. Not with pressure, just with curiosity.
Right now, in this season—what’s driving you?
Are you here to express something burning inside you?
To reflect your inner world, even if no one else gets it?
Or are you here to create something that brings people joy, escape, release—something that meets them where they are?
You don’t have to choose forever.
You don’t have to label yourself.
But getting honest with yourself about your current focus?
That’s how you make music with intention—whether it’s meant to stir something deep, or simply keep the room alive.
Your Turn
Take a few minutes—grab a notebook, or just sit with this:
Am I writing for me or for them?
What do I want people to feel when they hear my music?
What do I want to feel when I make it?
No judgment. No branding. Just honesty.
That’s where the good stuff comes from.
