The music industry gobbles people whole. Many artists who make it out of the local scene into the global scene often fizzle out; often times, they lose relevancy before they even get a hit. But what’s the cause of this? Misjudging their clout? Or getting lost in the glitz and glamour that comes with meeting all of your favorite musicians? There are a multitude of reasons that people fall off immediately. Being that the issue is a serious problem, we’ve come up with four tips to stay afloat.

Assume that everyone isn’t your friend

That manager interested in becoming a part of your team just wants the money and to attach himself to a rising star. That groupie that seems to be in love with you only wants the clout that comes from being seen with you (and money, of course). That artist that you’ve struck up a rapport with will leave you out to dry the second that something new, and hotter, comes into the game. Don’t ever think that anyone in the industry is your friend, because, nine times out of ten, they’re there for the advantages. It’s a sad truth to deal with. By being cautious of everyone, you eliminate that element of surprise when something inevitably goes bad. You also save money in the long run because your decision making skills wont be hinged on someone else’s happiness.

Your only as good as your last song

Lots of times, artists release a plethora of songs until one goes viral, then they fade into obscurity. The reason for it is that their price goes up, they get enough money to do what they want from shows and features, and they also get all of the attention that they salivated for. Six months later, the artist is back to square one because they hadn’t had a plan or additional music to market. To survive in this lucrative game, you must always be ready for something else to release. This means having multiple songs ready and preparing a plan in the event that something does takeoff. One of the most dangerous weapons an artist has is consistency.

Never, ever get too comfortable

This goes hand in hand with the last rule. Never, ever, think that you’re irreplaceable. Labels can always find someone younger and hotter. Same goes for artists looking to collaborate, or groupies searching for the next big thing. Don’t let your relationships falter, or your circle change because you’re on you high horse, not willing to work with anyone else because of a perceived lack of importance. This will get you humbled, quick.

Any press is good press

Kanye said it best when he said that he doesn’t mind if people talk junk about him because if they weren’t talking about him at all then he’d have a problem. This mindset is important to have. You can do everything right and you’ll still have one hater or false byline ready to tear you to shreds. Realize that this attention keeps you in the limelight and keeps the checks coming in. Make sure to feed the flames and remain important in peoples’ lives.