8 Struggles of Loving Obscure Artists

Whether you’re really into finding new music or you’re a casual listener who happened to stumble upon a solid track, there’s a good chance you’ve found an artist at one point in your life who was unknown to almost everyone around you. This usually seems like a good thing and gives you a sense of power (ok…maybe that’s just me) but other than that, the following struggles are all too real.

1. When you’re stuck in this weird limbo between wanting the artist to get famous because you support them but wanting them to stay lowkey enough for you to easily get concert tickets and have a decent chance of ever marrying meeting them. I’m always a little annoyed when my friends don’t listen to my recommendations but simultaneously, I’m relieved that the artist is mine for a little while longer.

2. When you look up concert/tour dates near you but the only ones are a mere five dates, six months later, in Malaysia. This general formula usually follows for many international bands that don’t have enough of a following yet in the USA.

3. When some, or all of their music isn’t even on Spotify yet so you have to keep listening to the ONE non-live, semi-good quality YouTube video you could find until they decide to finally put up their masterpieces for the masses to enjoy.

4. When people ask you who your favorite band is and all you get after your reply is blank stares…after which you inevitably have to spend fifteen minutes explaining why the aforementioned band is so great and why everyone is missing out. This is usually followed by more stares.

5. Band merch. Or the lack thereof. I don’t know about you but concert shirts are my weakness and I sometimes even buy merch for bands I haven’t had the chance to see in concert. Getting into a new band and then discovering that there is relatively no merchandise available to cover your laptop/wall/self in is nothing short of devastating.

6. The fact that you have to try really hard to convince people you’re not a pretentious snob. This is probably the hardest thing to do. Most people automatically roll their eyes when you mention that this great band is “a little obscure,” but really, how else can you put it?

7. You have no one to obsess over the band members with. Music is sometimes a personal and emotional experience but other times you need someone else to love a certain song or band member too, just to validate your feelings. (And someone to stalk with if/when they ever do come to town)

8. You’ve been banned from playing music on road trips and in cars in general. I’ve learned the hard way that there should be one playlist for the public and a different one just for you. No one is going to give you the aux cord if you keep playing that weird song that played in 4 seconds of a scene in a movie from twenty years ago. You may connect to it on a spiritual level…but everyone else probably just thinks you’re a little strange.

By Fatema Sabir