While you may hear a lot of negative comments towards the music industry over illegal online music distribution, they do have cause for concern. Since the advent of Napster and other file sharing communities, the record industry has lost hundreds of millions of dollars in sales. Some of blame can be placed on their conservative approach to promoting artists, opting for the “American Idol” instead of the avant-garde artists who can excite the next generation like the Beatles or Van Halen in decades past. They also failed to use the internet to distribute music before the rampant distribution began. But one thing is clear, the CD is on the way out.

Over the last several years the Compact Disc has experienced negative growth in the market. In fact the Vinyl LP has actually remained selling while the CD is lowing steam. A couple reasons for this are online distribution, and the fact that many consumers now use the CD as a medium to rip music from to their iPod or similar portable music device.

While I lament the fact that nobody sits down and listens to an album anymore, instead using music as a soundtrack to their own lives, there are still ways to distribute your next album. You have to use a little creativity and think outside the box, but you can make it work

USB Flash Drive

Don’t think you would be the first to do this. You would simply be in the company of established artists such as Matchbox Twenty who last year released a full length album on a USB bracelet. The great thing about the USB drive is you can include extra features easily such as videos, liner notes, or even alternative file types such as lossless FLAC or multi-channel audio. The price of USB drives has dropped to dollars each, so it’s not too much more than CD replication. Plus, the USB drive can be used for other things (such as storing personal files for work or school) after your fan has moved it to their iPod.

There are several services offering USB drives in bulk loaded with your content and even printed with your name or logo. Call around for the best price.

Concept Albums

Online distribution has increasingly made the single popular again. Now that you can chose which songs you want and which songs are junk, many people will download their preferred songs and leave the rest alone. I’m going to assume you put all of your effort into every song already to not create filler, but what some artists are trying is the concept album.

Concept albums center around an idea or theme. Thrice recently released the first part of a two-part concept collection. Each box includes two EPs, so the set will have four discs, one for each element: fire, water, earth, and air. Similarly, Sufjan Stephens has produced several popular concept albums. Remember, even bands like Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd did concept albums.

These are fun albums to produce, but they’re also fun to collect. They’re not something you want for one song.

Creative Packaging

This may be the most costly tip, but it is also a lot of fun. Companies such as Invisible Creature specialize in creating one-of-a-kind packaging for albums. A lot of people like creative packaging, and love to collect it. Think about what Apple did with their iPod packaging, it is an adventure just opening up the box. Project 86′s latest album, Rival Factions, used a blue jewel case to hides and revels different elements in the liner notes, much like what you used to find in cereal boxes.

With the right packaging, fans will need to own your album, not just download a few songs.

Digital Distribution

We all want to sell complete albums, but we can’t afford to ignore digital delivery. Services such as TuneCore can get your album sold through iTunes, Rhapsody, Amazon, eMusic and more while you get 100% of the sales. This is the future of music sales. Radiohead most famously provided their album for sale on their website independently. Some people aren’t collectors and don’t really care about a single experience, they just want a few songs. Indulge them.

High-quality Multi-channel Audio

Not everyone has access to high-quality recording equipment, but those that do should consider releasing their albums on master-quality for those who really love their music. Blu-ray Disc is the newest audio disc format which allows uncompressed audio in up to 7.1 multi-channel surround sound. More and more homes are including surround sound systems and Blu-ray is exploding on the market, thanks to the Playstation 3. Even two-channel audio sounds better in high-quality.

Additional features can be added to Blu-ray releases, such as live footage, documentaries and whatever else you can fit on the 50GB space provided. Artists who have released on Blu-ray include Nine Inch Nails, Dave Matthews, John Legend, and Shakira, amongst many others.

But don’t think you’re stuck to Blu-ray. Record companies such as Linn Records are providing master quality downloads on their website. Online music stores like MusicGiants [http://www.musicgiants.com] are also providing lossless audio downloads and multi-channel audio downloads.

Get Started

This is only the beginning. Get creative and try new things. Music and art are going to have coalesce to keep it in the physical realm, so think like an artist and a businessman. This is your time to shine.

By: Steven Kippel

About the Author:

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Earwax Online – CDs, Movies, Vinyl, Games

Bands today need to take advantage of every possibility that they can. Gone are the days of record companies signing talent left and right. Today a band has to earn the right to be successful. There are still of course cases where luck plays a role but often times then not a band has to work at it. They also have to have their name out there for everyone to hear. Musicians do this now by putting their music online.

People no longer buy their CDs or albums at a conventional record store. Fifteen to twenty years ago you couldn’t walk in a mall without running into a record store. Those days are long gone. Now everybody turns to the internet to get their music. Websites like iTunes are where people go to find their favorite songs and favorite bands. It is also where you can find less popular bands.

A band today that is looking to be big must have a good grasp on their music distribution. Plenty of bands are happy to play local venues and only local venues. For those bands looking to expand their horizons however, having their music out there for everybody to listen to is crucial. Bands do still get signed to record companies and having your music on a website like iTunes would go a long way in helping that cause.

Music distribution is one of the more important things for musicians today looking to be successful in the music industry. It has become the standard now to have your music online for fans and everybody else to listen to.

By: Charles McCraw

About the Author:

Fine Vinyl Music

Now, that you are familiar and likely connected with online
music sales sites, such as CD Baby, or combination
online/offline retail sites, such as The Orchard, you are
probably comfortable in having your music distribution
and sales fairly covered.

But, what if you could get even more music sales, and
even more profitable income?

I’m speaking of consigning your product to retail stores,
but, with one exception…consigning your product nationally,
or even internationally.

For all concerned, “consignment” means placing your
music in retail stores on a trial basis, then collecting
payments when it sells, with the retailer keeping a portion
of your sale.

You see, as consignment goes, most musicians who
consign their music to retailers, usually limit their
consignment territory to only local retailers, or on a
regional level at most. Their reasoning is that any larger
area will be too difficult to manage.

But, that is simply not so, and they are losing a fantastic
amount of money by limiting themselves to their local
regions.

So, I am going to show you how you can easily consign
your music to retailers and be able to collect payments
for sales every thirty days (or so) via a “step-by-step”
process.

It is important to note that the consignment process will be
most successful if you are already receiving some degree
of promotion and publicity results, such as radio airplay,
press coverage, video airplay or through your music
being played in nightclubs via record pools, of which I
have addressed in a previous article.

Otherwise, you may find your ability to move your product
from retailers’ shelves almost as difficult as if you did not
have product on them. And, if you do not have some
degree of promotion or publicity, whether you have hired
such a service, or you choose to conduct it yourself,
practically, the only way that you will experience sales is
purely by retail customers’ accidental discoveries of your
music.

So, ready?

1. Concentrating on retailers (both major chains and
independents) in areas where you are getting radio
airplay, video airplay, press coverage or any other form
of promotion or publicity, contact retailers in these areas
who your distributors may not service. One of the best
up-to-date online sources to use, particularly, for the U. S.
is http://www.yellow.com

This is the online version of the Yellow Pages, and you
should look in such categories as “Compact Discs,”
“Compact Disc Retailers,” “Music Retailers” or similar
categories.

2. You may prefer to visit local retailers in person,
introduce yourself and make them a consignment offer,
such as the amount that you will need from each unit sale,
etc., and how often you will need to collect payment for
any sales (usually every thirty days is the normal time
frame). Retailers will also expect you to make a written
agreement available to them that spells out the terms of
the consignment.

3. As for retailers outside of your local area where you
are already getting promotion or publicity, you can simply
contact them via telephone and relay the same information
that you do with local retailers in person.

In both cases, you should direct them to your website,
whereby hopefully, you have your music streaming for
them to listen, as well as have a bio and other important
information regarding you and your project.

You are also free to utilize the retail consignment form
that I have already created, and which you can download,
customize with your own information, then upload to your
own website, that is freely available at
[http://www.MuBiz.com/CnsnmtFrm.html]

4. Once you have uploaded your customized version to
your website, your retail accounts can then simply
download it from your site, or you can fax a copy to them
if they prefer.

You will also note that I have included discounts for
retailers within this 1-page form that are designed to
dramatically reduce the number of returns that are a
commonality with retail consignment and distribution.
The less returns, the more money you make (and keep).

Additionally, you will see where I have limited the number
of units to five (5) at any given time. This is to ensure that
there are just enough copies that should sell with no
problem within a 30-day period, especially, if you already
have promotion and publicity occurring in the retailer’s
area. This limit also ensures that you have enough
product to reasonably service enough retailers.

Also, with this limit, re-orders are more likely to occur
before the end of your 30-day periods. This type of retail
activity looks really great to traditional distributors who,
after seeing your product’s retail track record, may contact
you to inquire about carrying your product. This will give
you stronger bargaining power with them, as well as wider
distribution, than if you did not have retail product available
and moving.

And, even if distributors do not call, this will allow you to
approach them with an attractive sales history and track
record.

Also, be sure to provide local retailers with two copies of
the consignment form to sign (carbon paper between two
original copies still works) so that both you and the retailer
have copies.

5. As for retailers outside your area, or local retailers that
prefer to use the online consignment form, be sure that
they download, sign and either fax or mail the form to you
*BEFORE* you send them product. This creates an
initial record and verification of a purchase request. You
then, in turn, sign the form then return a copy to the retailer
along with his order.

6. When sending retailers product, be sure to *ALWAYS*
send your product via some shipping/tracking method. I
would, personally, use the Certified/Return receipt service
with the U. S. postal service, and I believe that the U. S.
postal service also now has tracking for 2nd Day
Air/Priority mailings as well.

These particular services are probably the least
expensive services on the market, but they will ensure
that your product doesn’t get lost or stolen en route to the
retailer. They also ensure a record of the retailer having
received your product for those few unscrupulous retailers
that may not wish to pay for your product if they received
it by first class mail, but would sell it and keep its profits.

7. At 30-day intervals, contact your retailers, whether in
person or via telephone, to inquire of any sales that have
occurred. While you can pick up payments locally, you
should have distant retailers forward you a check for
payment that corresponds with the number of unit sales.

You could also have them pay you online via a credit
card through PayPal, or another such online service.
This would eliminate lost/stolen checks through the
mail, while guaranteeing your payment quicker.

8. If, for example, within a 30-day period, you have three
sales, with two unsold units with a retailer, you have the
choice of either waiting for the remaining two units to sell
prior to forwarding more product to the retailer, or you can
offer to forward three more units to the retailer. However,
it is probably best to wait until the two remaining units sell.

9. In either above case, once all five units have sold at
any given retailer, begin the complete process over,
starting with the retailer signing or faxing another copy of
the consignment form in order to ensure accurate sales
records and sales continuity for your project.

Note: Should your project begin to experience a large
sales volume, you may wish to hire someone, i.e., a
student or intern, to work this aspect of your project, and
whom you can pay a commission for each sale. This will
eliminate your need to pay hourly wages or salaries, and
will further save you money.

By: Kenny Love

About the Author:

Give The Gift of Music, We Drop Ship

C.R.O. asked:

Im downloadin some new music for my iPod and I want some ideas. I have alot of songs and im good at gettin the new ones when they come out but im sure there is some out there I dont have…….I listen to rap, hip hop, r&b, some rock, some country, pop….and thats about it.

new music releases

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vkid asked:


i’m looking for the newest music releases from all kinds of artists of 2010. is there a website that’s updated regularly that shows them? i’m not looking for whats hot right now but whats GOING to be hot in the future. and i’m looking for all kinds of music genres

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