MusicIsland
MusicIsland (formerly The Partial Guide To Independent Record Labels) was started several years ago as a resource for people who are looking to get in contact with the vast number of independent record labels that are the basis of the music industry. I am only one in a list of editors. I took the site over from Steve Niece when he was moving on and got too busy to update it. The Partial Guide was passed to Steve by Sean Murphy, and it was passed to him from another editor. There are several other web sites containing the list and they have contributed greatly to the expansion of it...geez, this is starting to sound like a history lesson...anyway, here's the full scoop.
This list exists as a resource for people who enjoy independent music. I'm not going to lay down a strict definition of indie-labels, but the list should do that for me. In general, anything distributed by the Big Six in the USA (BMG, Sony, WEA, CEMA, Polygram, and MCA) is not included here. There are exceptions for British labels which have deals with US labels but do not get everything over here, but I'm generally trying to steer clear of the big guys.
I am delighted at the amount of e-mail I get from people thanking me for the site and telling me how it has helped them. With your help I hope it continues to develop into an even better resource for the Independent Musician.
Selling CDs Online: A Three-Pronged Approach
by David Nevue
March 19, 2002
Recently, a visitor to the Music Biz Academy asked me a very common question; "How can I sell more CDs on the Internet?" Good question, though very open-ended. How you go about marketing your music successfully depends on a great many factors. This article contains some suggestions where to start.
I recommend musicians take a three-pronged approach to selling their music on the Internet. The first 'prong' is what I call 'targeting with buzz.' That is, you create a buzz about your music and get people talking about it. To do that, however, you need to promote your music where people are already searching for new music to try out. That is, instead of trying to bring people to you (or your web site), you go to where the people are already hanging out. Go where the action is, so to speak. So, where's that?
The first place I recommend any musician start promoting their music is MP3.com. Though some independent musicians feel MP3.com has 'sold out' (actually, they literally have) to the commercial record industry, the fact is that for pure exposure it's the place to be. MP3.com is a huge magnet for music-loving traffic. Perform a search at Google for 'music' and MP3.com the #2 site listed. Search for 'mp3' and it's the #1 site. You just can't find a better place to put your music right in the path of cyber-traffic. With proper
promotion, you'll have hundreds, even thousands of new people listening to your music every day. For example, for January 2002, I was able to generate over 50,000 plays of my songs. And that was with just basic, simple, inexpensive promotion. That exposure resulted in more CD sales, lots of email from new fans, and more importantly, name recognition. Once you've mastered MP3.com, you can start setting up shop at other, similar sites such as Vitaminic.com, GarageBand.com, CDStreet.com, Ampcast.com, JavaMusic.com and others.
The second 'prong' to increasing CD sales on the net is what I call 'targeting by site.' With this option, your objective is to create a web site that targets the people most likely to be interested in your music. The question to ask yourself is, 'what are the people who are most likely to buy your music already searching the Internet for?' Once you have that answer, design a web site to target that specific audience. Then, promote your web site using tried and true web site marketing techniques (see spider-food.net for search engine promotion tips). In this scenario, you don't focus on promoting your music per se, you focus on promoting the web site. Then, since your web site is attracting visitors that tend to enjoy your style of music, you advertise your music on your specialized web site, marketing directly to those targeted visitors.
The final 'prong' is where you will create long term fans; your own 'official' artist web site. This personal web site is the place where you will provide your fans with complete details about your act. You'll include song lyrics, news, CD info, pictures, a discussion board, chat room, sheet music, whatever you can think of. Your official site is the place you will drive traffic to from prong #1 and prong #2. It's where, ultimately, long-term fans (and friends) are made and, if it's well-designed and updated frequently, it's the place your fans will keep coming back to. Here's a tip: if you have more than one CD, sell them in 'bulk'. Give your visitors the opportunity to buy more for less. I currently have 5 CDs, and give my visitors the option of buying all 5 CDs for . Guess what? Most of my orders from new customers are for the entire collection. So, if you haven't yet purchased a domain name for your act, do so. I recommend using DirectNic.com, where you can purchase a domain name for /year.
All three of these prongs work together in tandem. The first (targeting with buzz) not only sells CDs, it creates buzz, name recognition, and career opportunities where none were before. My time on MP3.com has directly resulted in song licensing opportunities, as well as a distribution deal with a Korean record company. The second method (targeting by site) allows you
to target visitors who have a predisposition to your style of music. Maybe they didn't search the Internet looking specifically for new music, but as a result of their search they did discover you, and with some keen marketing strategies you can gradually, over time, turn some of these casual visitors into fans. Finally, the third 'prong' is where you keep them coming back, your own, official web site. There, long-term fans are made. Think of prong #1 and #2 as a funnel, that channels your visitors to prong #3.
I'm sure you're thinking this is a lot of work. You're right, it is, and it's only the beginning. There's a lot involved in marketing and selling your music online - much more than I can go into in this short article. But, hopefully this will whet your appetite and inspire some creating thinking. If your music is truly good music, and you (and others) really believe in it, there are many marketing and career opportunities for you online. You just have to dig them up, and be very persistent about it.
David Nevue is the founder of the The Music Promotion Academy (http://www.musicbizacademy.htm). He is a professional pianist,
recording artist, full-time Internet musician and author of the book, "How to Promote Your Music Successfully on the Internet."
MusicBiz
At the Music Biz Academy, we have one primary focus: teaching musicians how to use the internet to their financial advantage. Whether using the internet to sell CDs, 'get the word out,' or simply to make some extra cash, we help musicians help themselves.
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ShockSound
shock soundpromotions.com is your multifaceted urban marketing company in the business of promoting urban recording artists,events and products/brands to:
college & commercial radio stations retail outlets media outlets record pools "ready to buy" consumers on the streets in neighborhoods across the US & Canada shock soundpromotions.com has more than a decade of experience in promoting urban music, products, and events which translates to millions of potential customers via strategic radio, media & street marketing techniques.
ECPNM
The ECPNM is the European union of organizations concerned with the promotion of contemporary music, especially music composed after 1950. Among its 80 members are famous festivals of contemporary music as well as small local concert organizers and new music ensembles. Its aim is to improve the international cooperation and the coordination of new music events in Europe.
The Gaudeamus Foundation , Contemporary Music Center
A renowned center for contemporary music, the Gaudeamus Foundation organizes and promotes contemporary musical activities and concerts both in The Netherlands and abroad. Founded in 1945, Gaudeamus focuses on supporting the career development of young composers and musicians through its library facilities, contacts with international organizations, and its own activities:
- International Gaudeamus Music Week, focuses on music by young composers - International Gaudeamus Interpreters Competition, for performers of contemporary music - Concerts and Festivals - Library and Documentation Center for contemporary music - Gaudeamus Information, newsletter published every six months
Gaudeamus is a member of: - the European Conference of Promoters of New Music (ECPNM) - the International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM) - the International Association of Music Information Centers (IAMIC) - the International Music Council of the UNESCO
Gaudeamus is the secretariat of: - the Dutch Section of the ISCM - the Association of Producers of Electronic Music (PEM)
- the European Conference of Promoters of New Music (ECPNM)
- the Dutch Association of Contemporary Music Venues (VAMP)
BMI
BMI is an American performing rights organization that represents approximately 300,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers in all genres of music. The non-profit-making company, founded in 1940, collects license fees on behalf of those American creators it represents, as well as thousands of creators from around the world who chose BMI for representation in the United States. The license fees BMI collects for the "public performances" of its repertoire of approximately 4.5 million compositions - including radio airplay, broadcast and cable television carriage, Internet and live and recorded performances by all other users of music - are then distributed as royalties to the writers, composers and copyright holders it represents.
BMI's roster of affiliated songwriters and composers is unsurpassed and includes outstanding creators in every style of musical composition: from pop songwriters to film and television composers; from classical composers to commercial jingle writers; from library music to musical theater composers; from jazz to hip-hop; from metal to meringue; classical to classic soul; from rock to reggae, and all the categories in between.
That roster includes such legendary creators as John Lennon, Chuck Berry, Dave Brubeck, David Bowie (PRS), Milton Babbitt, Willie Nelson, The Eagles, Thelonious Monk, Carlos Santana, Sir Elton John (PRS), The Neville Brothers, The Beach Boys, Aretha Franklin, Waylon Jennings, Charles Ives, The Who, John Kander & Fred Ebb, Leadbelly, Eric Clapton (PRS), John Williams, The Bee Gees, B.B. King and Antonio Carlos Jobim, to name just a few.
The current BMI honor roll also includes Janet Jackson, Michael Kamen, Faith Hill, Sting (PRS), John Adams, Joshua Redman, Jennifer Lopez, Sheryl Crow, Jay-Z, 'N Sync, Mike Post, Britney Spears, Eminem, Mariah Carey, David Yazbek, Bob Israel, Kid Rock, Elvis Crespo, Oasis (PRS), Sarah McLachlan, Steve Reich, Thomas Newman, Faith Evans, matchbox twenty, Snuffy Walden, William Bolcom, Shakira, and Snoop Dogg, to highlight just a handful.
BMI was founded 61 years ago in order to open the door to performing rights representation for songwriters and composers and to provide the business and broadcast communities with a music catalog of unique and lasting value. We continue our commitments to both the creators of music and those who bring it to the ears of the public.
If you love music, we invite you to join the Music Discovery Network and be an important and valuable participant in the new music scene.
For seventeen years, the Creative Musicians Coalition has helped aspiring musicians make success of their dreams. These artists are not rich, famous rock stars but rather people like you, me, our friends, relatives, neighbors and associates. Their dreams are simple - to share their talents.
During our crusade, we found much excellent and creative original music. It deserves mass exposure and dedicated followers, but, being under financed, finds itself lost and unappreciated. Make our dream your dream and help us bring these wonderful pieces of art out of the shadows. Join with us in the Music Discovery Network.
As a member you receive:
MDN MUSE Newsletter On regular occasions, you will receive news about the Music Discovery Network and its members, right in your email box. You'll receive special offers on selected music albums and products and VIP notice of new releases. You'll also learn about new music activities around the world.
MDN Music Discovery Experience Discussion Group You'll have an opportunity to meet and communicate with other music lovers like yourself and industry leaders like: artists, record label executives and personnel, studio owners, radio hosts, journalists, venue owners, agents and promoters, educators, sales associates, store owners and vendors. Once you join MDN, we'll send you the special instructions as to how to participate in this valuable community.
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Although the regular cost to join MDN is .95 per year, we are now offering new, first-time members an introductory membership for FREE. This is your chance to join this wonderful group of exceptional and dedicated individuals for FREE.
Foreningen for Verdensmusik i Danmark
The Danish World Music Association is a non-profit organisation, founded in 1992 by a group of musicians, journalists, dancers and concert organisers.
The association is dedicated to the development and promotion of Danish world music and to improving the conditions for world music and related dance forms.
The Danish World Music Association is recognised as the official interest group for world music in Denmark and receives a yearly subsidy from The Danish Music Council.
The association's activities focus on tour support, workshops, festivals, information services and the promotion of Danish world music.
Djembe The association cooperates with Djembe - the quarterly Danish magazine for cross culture and world music. News from the association is published in a special section of Djembe. The magazine is distributed to all members of the Danish World Music Association.
Membership and members of the board Membership of The Danish World music Association is individual, and open to musicians, dancers, journalists, organisations, promoters and others with an interest in world music. Members of the board and the chairman are elected at the annual general assembly.
TAXI
TAXI the leading independent A&R company helping unsigned bands, artists and songwriters get record deals, publishing deals and placement in films and TV shows.
Music Guide
Guide to music information on the net. directory of studios, music production centers, music magazines, music management, advertising, music chatrooms, music equipment, musicians & artists. including music cd, music download, free music, music lyric, free music download, sheet music, music book, entertainment music, music video, rap music, mp3 music.
