Solo Artist Vs Band Or Group, Which Should You Choose?

As a musician, choosing whether you should be a solo artist or team up with others is a choice you'll have to make at some point. Should you go it alone and let all the attention (and work) fall on your shoulders? Or should you continue your musical journey with a bunch of like minded individuals?

While essentially the decision is up to you, I wanted to share some pros and cons of each. This should help make your final decision easier. If you've already made the choice, leave a comment at the end letting us know if you're a solo act or part of a group. And why. 🙂

Pros Of Being A Solo Musician

Below are some reasons why you may want to remain a solo act.

I'm a solo musician and proud! – Tweet This

1. Things Will Get Done Your Way

One of the biggest reasons many people decide to do music on their own is because it can be hard finding like minded individuals. Sometimes you'll find you want to do a song or promotion one way, but your other band members want to do it another.

If it's just you, you won't have these problems. You'll have a lot more creative control, and you'll generally be able to run your music career how you want.

2. You'll Get Full Recognition From Fans You Make

As you'll be a solo musician, all your efforts will be focused on promoting you. Because of this it'll be your name getting out there, and you'll be able to spend all your effort building yourself up as a personal brand. No group members to share the fame with, and no being people's ‘third favorite band member'.

Cons Of Being A Solo Musician

While there are good things about being a solo musician, there are also some bad ones. They are:

1. You'll Have A Bigger Work Load

If you're part of a group, in theory you should have more people helping out with the workload. If you're a solo act however, it'll be you sorting everything out, at least initially. While you can hire someone to help you out on this front, it can get expensive.

Your best bet is to work out how to do things yourself (and do them), then when you have a good level of talent and need the extra hand promoting yourself, either hiring the help, or seeing if you can get people to help on a ‘pay per results' basis.

2. It Can Get Lonely

Being a solo act can get lonely. It can be fun getting up on stage with a bunch of friends and band mates, and it can be nice to have people to share these experiences with.

That said, you can counteract this loneliness factor when you're ready to start building a team around you. Until you manage to do that though, try and avoid loneliness by collaborating with other solo acts or groups.

Pros Of Being In A Group Or Band

Now that you know the good and bad about the solo life, let's look at some of the reasons it could be a good idea to do music with others.

I'm part of a music group and proud! – Tweet This

1. More Band And Group Members Potentially Means More Will Get Done

I'm sure you've heard the saying ‘more hands make light work', and often this is true. If the whole band was to get together and help with promotion and sorting things out, things will get done a lot quicker. For example, a band with 5 members means things will hopefully be done five times as fast. This of course relies on everyone being motivated and actively pushing the band forward, but if this is the case, you'll be able to extend your reach faster then a solo act could before they have a team.

You can check this guide for more information about forming a band.

2. You'll Be Sharing The Experience With Friends

As I mentioned before, being a solo act can be lonely. If you're in a group with people you get along with though, this can be good for motivation. Not only will you have people to bounce music related ideas off, but traveling for tours and the like can be a lot more fun when you have people to share that with…

Cons Of Being In A Group Or Band

Ok, as I have to give both sides of the story, here are some of the negative things associated with being in a group.

1. Sometimes Members Slack Off

While a lot more work can get done if everyone pulls together and works on moving the band forward, it doesn't always work like that. You may get a few lazy members in your group who simply don't want to work, or have to be pushed hard to do anything. This can be demotivating for those who put the work in, and can cause stress and a lot of wasted time people managing.

2. You May Not Become Known In Your Own Right

Some groups have front men and women. If you're not that person, there may be a chance that people don't get to know about you personally that much. They may know the band's name, but you'll be less recognizable as an individual.

For some this isn't a problem, but for some it will be. You should think if you'll be ok with this if your group started to get bigger.

So, Which Are You Going To Choose

There you have it, two pros and cons for both becoming part of a band, and performing as a solo artist. Like I said though, I can't choose which one is best for you. Only you know which path would suit you best, so have a think and let me know what you choose in the comments section below.

So, are you a solo musician, or do you work better as part of a group? Let me know, and please share this guide if it was useful.