How Indian indie musicians are surviving while trying to live the dream of making music. 

Detected Manipulations & Suggested Changes

Hasty generalization

Drawing broad conclusions about a large group or system from limited examples or anecdotes.

1) "But would Michael Jackson have made it today? Rising cost of living and the oversaturation caused by the Internet is making the craft too expensive today." This moves from one iconic global pop star to a sweeping hypothetical about the present without evidence. It implies that current conditions would likely prevent a Michael Jackson‑level success, based only on cost‑of‑living and oversaturation, without data on how global stars emerge today. 2) Rick Beato quote: "Now in 2026 invariably the artistes that are popular almost all of them are from wealthy families." and "But now only those with wealthy parents can afford to be musicians." These are very strong, near‑universal claims about popular artists and wealth, based on a few examples (Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams, Sabrina Carpenter) and personal observation, not systematic data. 3) "Then it seems like making music is reserved only for the privileged" followed by Khosla’s "No" and some nuance. The question itself frames a sweeping conclusion from a few cost examples and one privileged background.

4 suggestions

Qualify broad claims with language that reflects uncertainty or partial scope, e.g., change "Rising cost of living and the oversaturation caused by the Internet is making the craft too expensive today" to "Rising cost of living and Internet‑driven oversaturation are making the craft significantly more expensive and challenging for many indie musicians today, according to the artists we spoke to."

For the Michael Jackson hypothetical, add context or remove the implied certainty: e.g., "Whether a figure like Michael Jackson would emerge in the same way today is debatable; many indie musicians argue that rising costs and oversaturation make it harder to break through."

For Rick Beato’s statements, explicitly mark them as opinion and limit their scope: e.g., "Rick Beato argues that, in his view, many of today’s popular artists tend to come from relatively wealthy families" instead of "invariably" and "only those with wealthy parents can afford to be musicians."

When posing questions like "Then it seems like making music is reserved only for the privileged", clarify that this is a question arising from some cases, not a conclusion: e.g., "Given these costs, some might wonder whether making music is increasingly skewed toward those with more privilege."

Unsubstantiated claims

Presenting assertions as fact without sufficient evidence, data, or sourcing.

1) "Rising cost of living and the oversaturation caused by the Internet is making the craft too expensive today." No data is provided on cost trends, income trends, or measures of "oversaturation"; only individual anecdotes follow. 2) "The falling rupee has been hurting the industry. 'All the equipment you need for a studio has to be imported from China. There is no manufacturing set up in India.'" This is presented via a quote but is very categorical: "all" equipment, "no" manufacturing setup. It may be broadly true that much gear is imported, but no evidence or nuance is provided. 3) Rick Beato: "Now in 2026 invariably the artistes that are popular almost all of them are from wealthy families" and "But now only those with wealthy parents can afford to be musicians. There is no money in the music business like there was." These are sweeping claims about the entire global music business and artist demographics, with no data or counterexamples. 4) "The value of being an artiste and a creative has really dropped down over the last few years. Because we are constantly consuming and how quick doomscrolling is everything has become fleeting. Budgets across the board for any medium have been slashed." This is plausible but not supported with figures, industry reports, or comparative budget data.

4 suggestions

Add references to industry reports, surveys, or statistics where available. For example, after "Rising cost of living...", include data on average studio costs, rent increases, or typical indie artist income over time.

Soften absolute terms like "all" and "no" in the equipment/manufacturing quote, or add a clarifying sentence: e.g., "Much of the mid‑ to high‑end studio equipment used by these artists is imported, they say, because local manufacturing is limited in this segment."

For Rick Beato’s claims, explicitly frame them as his opinion and note the lack of comprehensive data: e.g., "Beato believes that many of today’s popular artists come from wealthier backgrounds, though comprehensive data on this is limited."

For statements about budgets being slashed and value dropping, either provide concrete examples (e.g., typical ad‑music budgets in 2015 vs 2024) or rephrase as perception: "Calcuttawala feels that..." or "Many producers say they are being offered fees similar to those from a decade ago."

Confirmation bias / selective use of sources

Highlighting sources and anecdotes that support a particular narrative while giving little or no space to countervailing evidence or alternative experiences.

The article predominantly features voices that emphasise how hard and expensive it is to survive as an indie musician, and how privilege and wealth shape who can succeed. Examples: - Khosla’s high production costs and partial recoupment. - Avan Roy’s struggles with jam room costs and low gig margins. - Rick Beato’s claim that popular artists are now mostly from wealthy families. - Zain Calcuttawala’s comments on rising living costs and slashed budgets. - Raghav Meattle’s framing of recorded music as mostly advertising for other revenue. There are some balancing elements: - Khosla notes that "It is much cheaper to make music today than it was in the ’90s" and that the Internet has democratised music. - Kadadi says the situation today is "still better than before" and criticises social media for making it look dire. - Rosemary Fernandes provides a relatively positive example of making good money with a cover band. However, the overall selection still leans toward reinforcing the narrative of systemic difficulty and privilege, without, for example, including data or voices that show counter‑trends (e.g., successful lower‑income indie artists, regional scenes with lower costs, or examples where streaming has materially improved livelihoods).

4 suggestions

Include at least one or two case studies of indie musicians from less privileged backgrounds who have managed to build sustainable careers, and explore what enabled them to do so, to balance the narrative.

Add industry‑level data on the number of working musicians, income distributions, or growth in indie releases to show both the challenges and any positive trends.

Explicitly acknowledge the limits of the sample: e.g., "The musicians we spoke to, most of whom are based in major cities like Mumbai and Delhi, describe a landscape where..."

Briefly mention alternative viewpoints, such as labels, streaming platforms, or venue owners, on whether conditions have worsened or improved, even if the article’s focus remains on artists.

Conflating correlation with causation

Implying that one factor directly causes another when only a correlation or co‑occurrence is described.

1) "Rising cost of living and the oversaturation caused by the Internet is making the craft too expensive today." This sentence suggests a direct causal link from cost of living and Internet oversaturation to the craft being "too expensive". While these factors likely contribute, the article does not disentangle other causes (e.g., changes in label deals, venue economics, global competition, shifts in consumer spending) or provide evidence that these are the primary causes. 2) "Because we are constantly consuming and how quick doomscrolling is everything has become fleeting. Budgets across the board for any medium have been slashed." This implies that doomscrolling and fleeting attention directly cause budget cuts across media. In reality, budgets may be affected by multiple factors (ad markets, macroeconomics, platform policies). The causal chain is asserted but not demonstrated.

3 suggestions

Rephrase causal statements to indicate contribution or association rather than definitive causation, unless supported by data. For example: "Rising cost of living and Internet‑driven oversaturation are among the factors that, artists say, are making the craft feel increasingly expensive and precarious."

For the doomscrolling/budget point, separate observation from causation: "Calcuttawala links what he sees as more fleeting consumption habits—driven by doomscrolling—to a perceived drop in the value placed on creative work. At the same time, he notes that budgets across many media projects have been cut compared to a few years ago."

Where possible, add qualifiers like "may be contributing to", "artists we spoke to believe", or "is one of several reasons" instead of stating a single cause.

Oversimplification / narrative fallacy

Reducing a complex situation to a simple, coherent story that may ignore important nuances or multiple interacting factors.

1) The framing question: "But would Michael Jackson have made it today?" followed by a focus on cost of living and Internet oversaturation, risks oversimplifying the many structural, technological, and cultural differences between eras into a single narrative of "it’s too expensive now". 2) Rick Beato’s narrative: "Historically bands like The Beatles... were all working class bands. But now only those with wealthy parents can afford to be musicians. There is no money in the music business like there was." This sets up a clean before/after story: past = working‑class bands could thrive; present = only wealthy can. It ignores intermediate cases, genre differences, regional variations, and the rise of low‑cost production tools. 3) The repeated emphasis on privilege and cost, while important, can give the impression that these are the only or overwhelmingly dominant determinants of success, underplaying factors like genre choice, audience building strategies, regional scenes, and digital monetisation models.

4 suggestions

For the Michael Jackson framing, add nuance: "Comparing eras is tricky: while costs and competition have risen, digital platforms have also opened new paths to global audiences. Many indie musicians, however, feel that..."

When presenting Rick Beato’s view, explicitly note its simplification: "Beato paints a stark picture, contrasting what he sees as a more accessible past with a present dominated by artists from wealthier backgrounds. Other observers point out that cheaper production tools and online platforms have also lowered some barriers."

Insert brief contextual sentences acknowledging complexity: e.g., "While privilege and rising costs clearly shape who can take risks, some artists have leveraged low‑cost home studios and social media to build careers from modest means."

Avoid framing the situation as a single, linear story; instead, highlight multiple, sometimes conflicting trends (e.g., more access to tools vs. more competition; fewer venues vs. more online performance options).

Appeal to authority

Using the opinion of an authority figure as primary evidence for a broad claim, without additional supporting data.

The section on Rick Beato: "Rick Beato Musician and widely popular American music educator Rick Beato recently made a statement saying 'In my day you could afford to have a regular job pay the rent and still make music. Now in 2026 invariably the artistes that are popular almost all of them are from wealthy families.' ... 'But now only those with wealthy parents can afford to be musicians. There is no money in the music business like there was.'" The article presents Beato’s status ("widely popular American music educator") and then relays his strong claims about wealth and the music business without interrogating them or providing data. His authority and popularity may lend these statements more weight than the evidence provided justifies.

3 suggestions

After introducing Beato, explicitly frame his comments as opinion and add a caveat: e.g., "Beato’s comments reflect his experience in Western rock and pop scenes; comprehensive global data on artists’ socioeconomic backgrounds is limited."

Balance his authority with other perspectives or data: for example, mention any studies on musician income, or quote another expert who offers a more nuanced or contrasting view.

Avoid implying that his popularity as an educator automatically validates his broad socioeconomic claims; keep the focus on his perspective rather than treating it as fact.