I’ve been harping on for sometime about the fact that music industry doesn’t focus enough attention on utilising the web as a means to increase revenues from sales of their recordings. They seem hell-bent on chasing individual music downloaders and ISPs in order to stop them from sharing music illegally.
For the first time ever, we seem to have one innovative idea ready to roll online in a joint venture between one of the Internets leading websites and an indepent record label.
Amazon and TuneCore have got together to offer a CD-Pressing service on demand. What this means is that an artist can create an account on TuneCore.com at a cost of $20 per annum, upload their music at 99 cents per track and instantly have the ability to sell their records online.
Amazon will sell physical copies of the artists music in return for 60% of the sale price.To some not involved in the music industry this sounds like quite a large chunk of revenue gone from the artists pocket. However most newly signed artists would be lucky to get that sort of % deal with a large record company.
I certainly don’t think this is going to solve all the issues with the illegal downloading of music, but at least it’s innovative – a lot more than what the larger record companies and music rights organisations seem to want to do.
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#1 by Peter Wells at May 27th, 2009
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Thanks for the write up, Tom. The whole point is to give artists as many choices as possible.
The 60% CreateSpace takes includes them manufacturing the disc and art and shrinkwrapping it and shipping it, so it’s actually a considerable savings–the artist needn’t make CDs anymore, if they don’t want to. But you’re right, 40% would be a huge take for the artist even if they did go through a label–this way, they can do it without giving up any rights or control.
And of course, TuneCore don’t take a bite either!
Thanks again.
–Peter
peter@tunecore.com
#2 by Tom Doyle at May 29th, 2009
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Hi Peter
Thanks for stopping by.
I think it’s a great idea – as a past member of numerous bands, I know only too well the costs associated with releasing your own EP (or album for that matter!).
This would have been a dream situation for us and I can see many other budding artists using this process. It’s a brilliant way to get their work to market and I can see plenty of artists going this route instead of trying to do it the “old way”.
I wish you great success with it!
Tom
Tom
#3 by Peter Wells at June 1st, 2009
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Thanks, Tom, so far it’s been rolling along like a race car! It’s quite a ride.
–Peter