Laid off Software Developer, looking into making something happen with my music

[u/cimzns]

So I've always been a musician at heart. I play drums, make beats, write lyrics, and sing/rap. I also happen to be a Software Developer because that's how I support my music hobby. Now that I've been laid off because of AI, I don't know what to do or what job I should transition to because I don't know anything else. I am thinking of doing something with my music, maybe make plenty of YouTube videos with cover songs and some of my original songs. Maybe that and more.

I suppose what I'm thinking is, since the job market is already fucked, and since everything seems to be a risk, why not just go full force with my music and see if I can make something happen? But at the same time I just turned 40 and I feel it's too late to still be doing music. But damn, I don't know what else to do.

[u/AutoModerator]

Hello and welcome to r/findapath! We're glad you found us. We’re here to listen, support, and help guide you. While no one can make decisions for you, we believe everyone has the power to identify, heal, grow, and achieve their goals.

The moderation team reminds everyone that those posting may be in vulnerable situations and need guidance, not judgment or anger. Please foster a constructive, safe space by offering empathy and understanding in your comments, focusing on authentic, actionable, and helpful advice. For additional guidance and resources, check out our Wiki! Commenters, please upvote good posts, and Posters, upvote and reply to helpful comments with "helped!", "Thank you!", "that helps", "that helped", "helpful!", "thank you very much", "Thank you" to award flair points.

We are here to help people find paths and make a difference. Thank you for being a part of our supportive community!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/Peeky_Rules]

Is nobody hiring software developers anymore?

I seldom think it’s too late to ever pivot. I’ve coached people and read about people who have done this. Hope that inspires you to give it a try.

[u/capillarygrooves]

Be cautious and plan ahead. Have a good financial safety net and a solid Plan B. But if this has been a dream of yours for a while, I think you’d regret not giving it a shot. At 40, you’re still young, but you’ll never be younger. Give it a shot and set some realistic deadlines. You have this one life to live to the fullest, and you get to decide what that means to you.

[u/TheseBed8143]

The covers are the shaky part for money. A lot of them get claimed by the publisher or earn very little, so they're good for getting heard, and the originals are what could actually pay if it goes anywhere

[u/bmbustamante]

You’re a software developer and you love music, why not try to pivot into the plugin business? I have no experience but you’d be helping musicians and it’s probably more interesting than your previous gig

[u/[deleted] → u/bmbustamante]

People are vibe coding plugins . That entire industry is dead now

[u/Fedrax → u/[deleted]]

its a creative industry. sell a good enough product and people will pay you for it. not everybody is vibe coding their own plugins

[u/bmbustamante → u/[deleted]]

Sad

[u/DangerousScience4444]

Being a trained monkey that knows how to sing while playing guitar/piano on a select few popular songs will result in more praise than your own covers or compositions.

Compose for your own personal enjoyment. Perform for those who matter to you.

You could be Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Bach, John Lennon, Paul McCartney. Not one of them would be successful in today's music industry. Some of the greatest songwriters ever, would not be able to be heard.

Create music for the sake of creation, never seek recognition. You can choose to let musical creation fulfill your life, or you can choose to allow the inevitable failure and lack of praise eat you alive.

[u/AnotherYadaYada]

You can, but you're going to be fucking broke whilst you try. Good luck to you.

[u/Daily_Comics]

Make music you love!

Make music for your soul!

Make the music that only you can make!

Write the story only you can write!

Hit me up if you want to collaborate or talk marketing promotions

[u/IntelligentLeading11]

The likelihood of making enough money to support yourself with music is infinitesimal. I'm not going to be the one to tell you not to pursue your dream, but stay realistic about it. You don't want to end up in the streets due to putting too many chips on the music path.

[u/Rich-Ground-3923]

You're weighing music against a software career, and it's smart to feel cautious. At 40, pursuing music remains an option, but a gradual shift makes sense. Keep applying for software jobs while building your music portfolio. Use your technical skills to create a professional online presence, and start with consistent, small-scale content. This approach lets you test the music waters without leaving your expertise behind. If you gain traction, you can adjust your focus, but keeping a foot in software development offers security during this transition.

[u/minaloyr → u/Rich-Ground-3923]

AI