Discovery is the constant in every artist's career, regardless of their stage. From a 17-year-old posting their debut song to a legacy act's final release, all artists are united by the pursuit of having their music found.

It's a simple question, yet why does the music industry so often neglect to ask it: What motivates someone to hit "play" on a track for the very first time?

Well, I ask this question quite a lot and here’s what I’ve come up with. 

People hit play for the first time because something in the content signals value to them. Not because the artist is talented. Not because the visuals are cool. Not because of some magical algorithm. A first play is a quick, instinctive reaction where the listener is scanning for a feeling or an identity cue that speaks to them. 

Most of the industry never thinks about this moment. They act like listeners owe them attention or like discovery is some lottery you just hope to win. But the listener is the main character. They are not thinking about you. They are thinking about themselves. They are hungry for something and your job is to understand what that hunger is. When a listener sees a clip of a song, they are asking one question. Is this for me? That is it. 

A first play is a value trigger. A moment where something in the content speaks to their world, their mood, their identity, or their story. If you do not know the value of your song or your brand then you will never know how to trigger that instinct. You will rely on luck. You will rely on trends. You will rely on the hope that the right person hears the right thing at the right time. 

When you understand what your music actually does for a listener you can engineer discovery. That is what I mean when I talk about value. It is not corporate. It is not cold. It is the most human part of this entire industry. We all listen to music because we want to feel something or see something in ourselves. Your job is to understand what value you are conveying in that moment. Not through spectacle. Not through gimmicks. Through clarity. Value is the moment where your song intersects with the listener’s life. That is why they hit play.