How Should I Distribute My Music On the Web?
What a roller coaster ride the past few months have been for music. We’ve had the RIAA up our asses, Radiohead giving it to us the way we want it before pulling out before we finished, Trent telling the industry to stick it, all the while Kayne and 50 just reinforcing the stupidity of it all.
Without a doubt, these are troublesome times for the music business. The old business model is failing, as many have said time and time again over the past few years. In the past, artists needed support from the major labels to distribute their work because it cost so much to do so; and in return the labels got to do whatever they wanted to with that art.
You gave up control in order to make the dream come true. Sacrifice. And the labels maintained that control; until the Internet, of course.
The web is the new form of distribution. And who controls the ‘Net? YOU do.
The walls of the industry are crumbling down. And as with any demise of an old way of thinking, a new one will rise into prominence.
It may not be all clean sheets, incense, and puffy pillows for many, but it is an opportunity for everyone else. Whether or not you decide to take advantage on this opportunity is up to you.
So how is an artist to survive? If the labels cannot sustain, how can you? Here are a few ideas every artist needs to consider.
How do you sell the music? Assuming you don’t have any major label support, you’re probably not going to have and money to invest in the traditional compact disc. That’s okay, because you don’t have the distribution either. What you do have is the ‘Net, and how you use it will determine your success.
Many just throw their album on iTunes and expect it to sell. That would be the same as having a CD buried in the aisles of Best Buy with out any advertising. No, what you need to do is much, much more than that. You’ve got to let people HEAR your music. No label = no radio! So you’ve got to give them a taste by giving the music away.
Many are talking about the new FREE music model and how it’s all the rage and what not. This IS the future of music. It is, however, going to take some time to catch on. So what you need to do in the mean time is become part of the transition.
Another thing that needs to be address is the file format of your music. You don’t want to turn off a potential fan by limiting the types of file formats (and using strictly iTunes is doing just that!)
You’ve got give them all the options, and do so without any restrictions. NO DRM!
So how should you distribute your music, and still make a buck?
Simple. You still take the established route by getting your music on iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster, etc. You’ll make some change from these because of the large and established user base.
You then either STREAM or allow lower-quality MP3 / WMA downloads off of your website, for FREE.
And then you offer a direct-from-the-artist download of high quality MP3 and FLAC download options that the consumer pays for. You’ll probably want to throw in other exclusive extras like photos, merchandise, or some other content (videos, behind-the-scenes, interviews, individual track masters, re-mixes, the list goes on and on!) You do this all for a reasonable price under $10.00.
Of course you still have to get the word out about your music, but once people get to your website and hear it, they’ll be 1000 times more inclined to purchase an album then if they just had to guess weather you’re good enough or not.
After you start making a name for yourself, then you can maybe crank out some traditional CD’ s to sell to the record shops or fans that might want them. If you’re smart, you also look into getting that album on vinyl as it increases in popularity.
This is the transition from the old to the new. Eventually, it will all be given away for free and you’ll make all of your money off of advertising, merchandising, touring, etc. Getting to that point is going to take time and effort.
And unless you don’t let the fans hear the music right from the get-go, you’re never going to make it. Someone else will.
