So You're Broke and You expect the Music Biz to Provide an Income?

I've received a few pretty odd emails recently. I know times are tough, unemployment sucks, but really, expecting any sort of "bailout" from the music biz has got to be the most delusional crap I've come across. Making a living in music requires hard work, skills and talent. I don't even know if either of these artists have great music, and I'm not sure I want to find out one way or the other. Most of the time you can make more money washing dishes than performing live music, and certainly you're making nothing sitting around your apartment waiting for a miracle to happen... Pull your heads out.

example one:

"Help get my music to where it counts. www.artispr.com/XXXXX, www.indabamusic.com/people/XXXXX, www.soundcloud.com/XXXXX, and More by googling XXXXX. Anyway I got a baby on the way at any time. And we need a miracle. Real Talk. I can't find a job and I'm everything to keep us off the streets here in XXX, XXX. We need big help. [call] on the 29th if you can help us."

example two (this one amazingly took the form of a press release):

"Married Duo Continue To Overcome Hardship through Music. A cramped bedroom booby-trapped with razor sharp Legos may not seem like an ideal environment for making music, but XXXXX, from XXXXX CA, have turned their small living space into a musical wonderland, an alternate dimension where they are free to bring beautiful music to life. Recording with one mic in their crowded room, XXXXX use their musical talents to better their harsh circumstances. The XXXXX chose to devote their lives to making music, when they ran out of job prospects and had to go on welfare. Like many families impacted by the recession of 2008, they continue to struggle to support their three children, hoping that, one day, all of their hard work and dedication will help them gain a foothold in a shrinking industry. In spite of the odds, XXXXX has captured the imagination of over 15,000 followers on Soundcloud and over 10,000 twitter followers, not counting many bloggers, and radio DJs. Their popularity continues to sky rocket, with downloads of their tracks breaking the thousands. XXXXX will continue to fight the odds to what they love, despite the horrendous economy where unemployment and food stamps are the harsh reality. You can check out their music at https://soundcloud.com/XXXXX or on their website www.XXXXX.com"