Independent Sample-Free Success
MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ decision to stay independent for the release of The Heistwas bigger than simply rejecting countless major label deals. Their decision has paved a new road to success for today’s artists, and their tactic should not be forgotten any time soon. Not only did Macklemore decide to push away Interscope’s major label deal, he also refused to use any samples in the album’s music. Along with Ryan Lewis, the duo decided it was just easier not to deal with all the lawyers involved in clearing samples. Also, they did not feel like spending the additional money. The Seattle-bred group decided to record real musicians, use real instruments, and keep all their work 100% original.
The fifth single on The Heist, titled Thrift Shop, has stayed many weeks at the number one spot on Billboard and iTunes. It also reached the number one spot in the UK. All in all, Thrift Shop has already sold over 3 million copies worldwide. This is truly incredible, granted the hit song being the fifth single from a totally independent album release.
Ben “Macklemore” Haggerty battled substance abuse all throughout his twenties, but finally decided to give up the drugs for a shot at music success. Since the release of The Heist, it seems as though it has been all success for Ben since sobriety. Not only did the album quickly become one of my favorites and an instant classic in my mind, it has also found commercial success resulting from taking every non-commercial step along the way. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are living proof that people can find success staying true to form, making music that is not watered down to satisfy the current industry standards.
In the day in age where there is such pressure to come out with a hit under a major record label, along with a decreasing emphasis on artist development, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis controlled their own destinies. As true artists, they did it their way. They believed in themselves as people, and decided not to lose creative control over their work. As a result, The Heist contains homemade music that touches the souls of many music fans worldwide.
