It takes a lot to make a hit.

Out of 1200 recordings, only 209 of Sinatra´s songs became hits.

That´s 17%.

Out of over 150,000 art pieces (yes, 150 thousand), only 1170 of Picasso´s artworks became widely recognized.

That´s 0,7%

Out of more than 1200 compositions, only about 15 of Vivalid´s works are widely recognized today.

That´s about 1.5%

In order to make a hit, a painting, poem, book, song, or whatever resonates widely with people from all over the globe, artists have had to make thousands of attempts which result in lesser-known results. That doesn´t necessarily make them less valuable, they simply aren´t as widely appreciated by a bunch of people.

But they were necessary to bring out the creative force from within the artists´ souls, and their most beloved masterworks wouldn´t have been possible without every pillar, or artwork, in their existence.

Maybe next time you fall in love with a composer, singer, songwriter, painter, film maker, poet… allow yourself to explore a bit deeper into their world. You might find some unexpected treasures.

Here´s one of my favorite unknown works by Johann Sebastian Bach, the fabulous Suite in C minor for lute, in a beautiful performance by Evangelina Mascardi. Click here to listen.

Enjoy and have a great day,

Claudio.