Key Moments
How To Stay Real & Succeed In A Fake World - Dylan Gossett (Live Performance)
Modern WisdomKey Moments
Country star Dylan Gossett's hit 'Coal' was written in 25 minutes but sat unreleased for two years, highlighting the unpredictable path to virality and the struggle to maintain authenticity in a commodified industry.
Key Insights
Dylan Gossett's breakout hit 'Coal' was written in approximately 25 minutes and remained unreleased for two years before gaining significant traction on TikTok.
Gossett views music creation and promotion as a business, often feeling more like a manager than an artist, echoing themes from 'The E-Myth Revisited'.
The music industry is polarizing, with success found at the 'ends of the barbell'—highly produced or raw and stripped-back—leaving the middle ground for artists to 'die'.
The rise of AI in creative fields poses a challenge to authenticity, with the creator questioning whether to use AI for essay writing to meet deadlines, ultimately choosing not to for fear of losing the 'stamp' of personal creation.
Male sadness is a dominant theme in modern country music, serving as an emotional outlet for men who may not feel comfortable expressing vulnerability in everyday life, acting as a form of 'dude therapy'.
Audience capture and criticism capture are significant forces in content creation, where creators either mold their work to audience desires or avoid criticism, potentially leading to self-betrayal and resentment.
The serendipitous creation and delayed release of 'Coal'
Dylan Gossett's viral hit 'Coal' was a rapid creation, conceived in approximately 25 minutes with the hook 'pressure makes diamonds' sparking its development. Despite its quick conception and his wife's early enthusiasm, the song lay dormant for two years because Gossett was not active on social media and initially resistant to platforms like TikTok. His friend Kaden, who recognized the song's potential, and his wife's encouragement eventually led him to post it on TikTok, where it unexpectedly gained massive traction, accumulating over half a billion streams. This experience highlights the often unpredictable nature of virality and the artist's initial hesitance to engage with platforms that weren't his natural habitat.
The artist as a businessman
Gossett discusses the surprising business demands of being a musician, often finding himself acting more as a business manager than a pure artist. He draws a parallel to Michael Gerber's book 'The E-Myth Revisited,' using the analogy of a baker who loves making cakes but gets so bogged down in managing the business that she eventually stops baking altogether. This illustrates the challenge artists face: as their success grows, the very activities that made them successful can become inaccessible due to operational demands. The pressure to say 'no' to opportunities that seem productive but detract from core creative work is immense, especially when visible productivity, like answering emails or attending meetings, is easily tracked and often mistaken for genuine progress.
The polarizing landscape of music and the challenge of 'staying real'
The current music industry is described as bifurcated, with success predominantly found at the extremes: highly produced, polished content or raw, stripped-back performances. The middle ground is seen as a place where artists struggle to gain traction. This environment makes maintaining authenticity difficult, as the lines between genuine expression and performative authenticity blur. Gossett shares his own struggle with this, even avoiding running ads for a period to maintain his artistic integrity, which likely impacted his team and potential growth. The pressure to follow prescribed formulas for promotion—like extensive pre-save campaigns and frequent posting—conflicts with his instinct to release music organically. He emphasizes that while he has a passion for music, he is grateful for his current position, recognizing that the struggles he faces now are ones he once would have desperately wished for.
The influence of AI on creativity and the value of 'hard wins'
The conversation turns to the increasing integration of AI in creative processes. Gossett shares an anecdote about struggling to finish an essay, contemplating using ChatGPT to expedite the process. However, he ultimately decides against it, not wanting to compromise the 'stamp' of his personal effort and the unique formulation of his ideas. He articulates a core belief, echoed by Mark Manson's quote, that 'easy wins are forgettable; hard ones change you.' This philosophy extends to creative work, where the struggle and eventual accomplishment of completing a task through one's own mental exertion imbues the outcome with greater meaning and personal growth. The fear is that relying too heavily on AI, especially for artistic or sentimental endeavors, diminishes the human element and the value derived from genuine effort. While AI has practical applications, its encroachment into art and personal expression raises questions about what truly matters—the polished output or the transformative journey of creation.
The role of vulnerability and 'male sadness' in country music
A significant portion of the discussion explores the prevalence of male sadness in contemporary country music and its role as an emotional outlet. Gossett suggests that country music provides a space where men feel permitted to express vulnerability without societal judgment, contrasting it with the potential awkwardness of discussing such feelings within male friend groups. He describes attending his shows and seeing men, often appearing stoic in their daily lives, collectively singing emotionally charged lyrics, finding catharsis in shared musical expression. This phenomenon is framed as a form of 'dude therapy,' where music acts as a conduit for emotions that might otherwise remain unexpressed. It's posited that this vulnerability, when channeled through music, is perceived as more acceptable or even 'cool' for men than direct emotional disclosure.
Audience and criticism capture: navigating external pressures
The dynamics of 'audience capture' and 'criticism capture' are explored as significant challenges for creators. Audience capture occurs when creators prioritize what they believe their audience wants over their own creative vision, leading to a performance of perceived desires rather than authentic expression. This can result in artists feeling betrayed by their own success, resentful of the audience, and contorted into a shape that no longer reflects their true selves. Conversely, criticism capture involves creators altering their behavior or content to preemptively avoid negative feedback or criticism. This can manifest as excessive caution, prefacing statements with disclaimers, or adopting an overly aggressive stance to scare off potential detractors. Both phenomena stem from an overemphasis on external validation and fear of negative reception, ultimately hindering genuine creative freedom and leading to a state of constant anxiety about audience reception.
The tension between artistic evolution and audience expectation
Gossett acknowledges the push-and-pull artists experience between evolving their sound and satisfying their existing fanbase. He cites examples like Billy Joel and Bob Dylan, who deliberately changed their musical direction, sometimes to the initial dismay of fans. The challenge lies in balancing artistic growth with audience loyalty; fans often connect with an artist's established sound, making it difficult for them to embrace new directions. Gossett aims to avoid getting trapped in his own 'trope,' but recognizes that deviating too far can alienate the very audience that supported him. This creates a complex dilemma: innovating to stay artistically relevant versus delivering the familiar sound that ensures commercial viability and continued engagement.
The commodification of art and the future of creative authenticity
The conversation concludes by examining the broader trend of commodification across various industries, including music. Technology and accessibility have democratized creation, but this also presents a 'slippery slope' where AI and automated tools can diminish the human element. The ease of using AI for tasks like mastering tracks or generating lyrics raises questions about where to draw the line between leveraging tools and outsourcing creativity. Gossett emphasizes the importance of a personal 'moral gauge' and an 'ick radar' to discern between genuine creation and artificial replication. The core idea is that while technology advances, the value of human artistry, emotional depth, and hard-won experiences remains paramount. The future of creativity hinges on artists' ability to navigate these tools consciously, ensuring that technology serves as an aid rather than a replacement for authentic human expression and the profound satisfaction derived from earning one's success.
Mentioned in This Episode
●Products
●Software & Apps
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●People Referenced
Billboard Top 10 Genre Growth (2020-2023)
Data extracted from this episode
| Year | Genre | Percentage Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Rap | 34% |
| 2020 | Country | 7% |
| 2023 | Country | 27% (4x increase) |
| 2023 | Rap | 17% (decreased by half) |
Common Questions
Dylan Gossett wrote 'Cole' quickly, inspired by the hook 'pressure makes diamonds.' It gained massive popularity on TikTok because its lyrics about feeling lonely despite making progress resonated with many listeners.
Topics
Mentioned in this video
A smart bed company whose new Pod 6 is advertised as being better and cheaper, with enhanced features and new solo sizes.
A live entertainment company discussed alongside Ticketmaster regarding rising ticket prices and their impact on concert attendance.
The platform where Dylan Gossett's song 'Cole' gained significant traction, influencing his decision to share his music more publicly.
A band mentioned in relation to a Variety article about the influence of 'clipping engines' and marketing strategies on their success.
A wearable device that tracks recovery metrics like sleep, strain, and heart rate, with the new 5.0 version offering enhanced features and insights.
A card-sending service mentioned as an example of convenience that detracts from the personal touch of a handwritten card, contrasting with the value of effort in sentimental gestures.
A platform mentioned in the context of a writer's success, used to illustrate the importance of dedicated time for creative work.
A brand selling athletic apparel, advertised for its stylish and functional gear that enhances performance and confidence in the gym.
A ticketing company mentioned in the context of rising ticket prices and dynamic pricing, contributing to the challenges of live music sales.
Singer who covered 'Jolene,' with the speaker noting that her versions of songs are often perceived as better.
Mentioned as an example of someone who reached peak bombast by catering to their audience's perceived desires, illustrating the concept of 'audience capture'.
Mentioned in relation to Tate McCrae's performance, drawing a comparison to his elaborate stage shows.
A country music artist whose stadium performance is contrasted with Tate McCrae's, highlighting differing standards in male versus female artist performances.
A pop artist whose highly polished and theatrical performance is contrasted with Morgan Wallen's, illustrating trends in live entertainment production.
A country singer whose song 'Sitting in Parks' is discussed as a complex example of a woman's perspective on career versus family choices.
Iconic musician whose transition to electric guitar at the Newport Folk Festival is cited as an example of artistic evolution and avoiding creative ruts.
A figure who wrote a post on 'criticism capture,' the opposite of audience capture, where behavior is driven by avoiding negative feedback.
Duo mentioned in the context of discussing songwriting and the challenges of writing happy songs compared to sad ones.
Singer mentioned alongside Whitney Houston for having multiple songs reach 14 consecutive weeks at number one on the charts.
Musician discussed in a documentary, highlighting his deliberate evolution of sound and refusal to be trapped in a specific genre.
Mentioned as a potential subject for an essay that could be generated by AI, illustrating AI's ability to create content based on prompts.
Author of 'The E-Myth Revisited', a book discussed as an analogy for artists losing touch with their craft.
Iconic singer-songwriter whose songs 'Jolene' and 'I Will Always Love You' are discussed, including the origins of 'Jolene' and the impact of Whitney Houston's cover.
Singer whose 'gunfighter ballads' are mentioned as an influence on storytelling in music, particularly in the Western genre.
Host of the Modern Wisdom podcast, promoting his live show across the UK and Ireland.
Author of a quote about 'easy wins being forgettable and hard ones changing you,' which the speaker connects to the choice between using AI and doing the harder, more meaningful work.
Singer whose cover of Dolly Parton's 'I Will Always Love You' became a massive hit, discussed in the context of record-breaking chart success.
A musician whose lyrical style and musical delivery are used as an example of how mood and instrumentation shape the emotional impact of a song.
A productivity tool used as an example of easily trackable work, contrasted with less quantifiable but essential creative activities.
A card-sending service mentioned alongside Moonpig, highlighting the convenience of online services versus the value of personal effort.
An AI language model mentioned as a tool that can assist in writing, but which the speaker chooses not to rely on for creative completion due to a desire for personal ownership and the 'earned win' principle.
An iPhone app for finding rhymes, used as an example of tools that assist writers but raise questions about the line between help and AI-generated content.
A song written by Dylan Gossett that gained significant popularity after being posted on TikTok. It resonated with listeners who felt like they were making progress but still felt lonely.
A song performed by Dylan Gossett, discussed as a potential single and illustrating his preference for organic release over a formulaic approach.
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