Experiences with Amie Street?

[joelabbott]

I've done quite a bit of browsing on the Amie Street model, and all the forums and blogs that I've found are written by giddy music buyers, but not by musicians. So I feel like I'm getting a skewed opinion.

 

I've read all the info on Amie Street, and my conclusion is that their system is very good for music buyers, and unless you're a big-shot, it's only marginally good for the musicians.

 

I can see how their pricing structure gives beginning bands more exposure. Does anybody have any stories that can confirm this?

 

Another thing I can't figure out is the formula they're using for determining the prices. I get that the price goes up according to how many people buy the track, but what's the equation they're using? This detail is very obviously missing from their "help" link.

 

Also, what do you think of them underpricing, basically everybody? (98 cents/track, $8.99 max/album)

 

So, I'd like to hear from musicians using Amie Street, and find out if it's working for anybody.

[mikezawitkowski]

I've read all the info on Amie Street, and my conclusion is that their system is very good for music buyers, and unless you're a big-shot, it's only marginally good for the musicians. I can see how their pricing structure gives beginning bands more exposure. Does anybody have any stories that can confirm this? Another thing I can't figure out is the formula they're using for determining the prices. I get that the price goes up according to how many people buy the track, but what's the equation they're using? This detail is very obviously missing from their "help" link. Also, what do you think of them underpricing, basically everybody? (98 cents/track, $8.99 max/album) So, I'd like to hear from musicians using Amie Street, and find out if it's working for anybody.

 

How are you making your music available via Amie Street? Are you working with them directly or through a distributor/aggregator?

 

This is important to know because Amie Street's model is not the same for all labels and distributors. Generally, however, the way it works is on a track-level basis. The first 5-20 tracks (depending on the distributor) are downloadable by users for free. The next 5 tracks after that cost $0.05, and the price increases by about $.05 every five downloads to a maximum of $.98 (to stay competitive with iTunes).

 

The benefit of this service is that it is an interesting and controversial model based on the law of supply/demand, and it's also new and popular with buyers. This means increased chances for exposure, particularly in the ways of getting a feature- that's where the real money comes in.

 

But otherwise this is not the greatest payout for an artist, so you may want to look at your other options for securing features for your new album.

 

Mike

 

www.elativemarketing.com

 

"How To Ruin Your New Album"

http://beta.flowgram.com/f/p.html#LJXHBGZ531DKBI

[joelabbott]

Oh, I'm not using them, I was just wondering if their business model is actually working for anybody.