Observation

We're all patrons of the arts these days, but most don't seem to realize it. In this era, art patronage is very important; however, to recognize anything MTV popularizes as art, or to recognize resultant record sales as art patronage seems almost absolutely meaningless when you compare it to famous works of art from other generations. Art, though it might be more now, is far less enduring. Our economy benefits from artistic work more than ever, but the actual works themselves are less meaningful. It used to be that only the wealthy patronized artists. Now even the poor working class does it. There's an artist for everyone out there. We're all represented, every single demographic slice of the American pie.

You'll know you've made it in the music world when you cease to be relevant to any major media outlet, but you can still sell tickets to your shows for $60 to original fans who are now established members of society or people who missed out on your music when it mattered.