The Second Album Syndrome

In everything we do, in every decision that we make and in every route we choose to take, there are always pros and cons. As an independent musician, one of the pros is the freedom to express yourself and make the music you want to make, when you want to make it without any external pressure from the label. However, that is also a big con because you don't get guidance and development from the label.

Having the freedom to produce your music is good but not having that external pressure can be bad too because you might tend to slack off and go off course.

Here's something to think about. Before a band gets signed, they would have taken three years (or all their lives) to find their sound, write a bunch of songs and chose ten of their best ones to be on their debut. Once they get signed, their debut gets released. Once the debut is out, the band goes on tour to support the album. Once that is done, they would need to follow up with a second album. With the frenzy of getting signed, recording and releasing the debut, hitting the road on tour and handling masses of fans, the band usually feels the pressure to produce the second album. The only time the band gets to write new material is pretty much of the road. Some people work best on the road while other's don't.

Notice how bands always worry whether their second album will top their debut? How do you expect to top something you took three years to write in a much shorter and unrealistic time frame? The bigger the band gets, the bigger the expectation by the fans gets, I reckon, which adds to the extra pressure to produce something awesome as a second album/release.