SO, I'm writing an article...

[Rizza]

...for my journalism class. It's on the topic of music distribution and promotion on the Internet.

 

Basically, I'm interested in hearing some answers from YOU.

 

IF you/your band are:

a) Signed to a label,

b) Unsigned, but selling your music,

c) Unsigned and giving your music away for free.

 

My questions are:

 

What are your thoughts on the relevance of labels today? Are they still needed and necessary?

 

Your thoughts on piracy; how does it affect you?

 

For b) and c):

 

How do you distribute your music? Bandcamp, Myspace or similar?

 

How do you promote your music? Youtube vids, Facebook, forums like these?

 

How big of a part do you think Internet word-of-mouth and music blogs plays in getting your music known?

 

On production: Do you take a DIY-approach to recording the music, or have you used a professional studio?

 

For c); Why do you distribute your music for free? Do you feel that it's really a choice, or is it a necessity to spread your music? Do you see it as the means to an end; like getting a record deal, or establishing yourself so you can eventually sell it for a price?

 

 

If you want to answer some or all of these questions, please post them here or PM me, with your bands/artist name, your own name, your age, perhaps what kind of music you play. It's a bit urgent, so please post as soon as possible.

 

Any replies much appreciated.

[humancertainty]

INDIAN

Will Lindsay

Thirty-three years old

I guess we're a doom metal band. That's what everyone tells me, anyhow.

I find labels to still be relevant, although perhaps not as relevant as they were fifteen years ago. I think independent labels are just as relevant as ever. In the last four years, I've been on Metal Blade, Southern Lord and currently Relapse. I've also done session work on a Century Media album. I think Metal Blade is the most irrelevant of the labels I've personally been involved with due to the fact that they kind of act like their a major label. They're also ignoring certain trends in music such as the vinyl resurgence and an interest in older music. If they reissued some of their back catalog when they were putting out great stuff that proved to be classic, I think they would really cash in.

Southern Lord is a great label that tries to operate on more of a punk rock level. Particularly in regards to royalties and such. They also package their releases in a way that makes people want to own them as opposed to just downloading it. Especially their vinyl packaging.

My relationship with Relapse is still fairly new. Like any label, I've heard horror stories about them. I can say that everything has been great with them thus far save one disagreement.

My relationship with Century Media was solely a session release form I signed when I got paid releasing my interest in the album beyond my flat payment.

Speaking from my personal experience, there is no way me or my band mates could have funded our recording sessions like the aforementioned labels did. We certainly could not have done the same level of promotion. Especially when you look at the promotion of our record being in the same ad as bands significantly bigger than us. All of these labels have connections that they've been building on for years, which no unsigned band can match.

As far as piracy goes, I feel like it has some sort of effect on sales and such. It's hard for me to really say as none of the music I was doing before 2006 was noticed beyond a very, very small underground following and it was on labels that were run out of someone's bedroom. Or self-released. Like a lot of other people, I download music. Downloading music hasn't made any change to my purchasing habits, however. If anything, I'm buying more music now than ever before. I know this is not the case with everyone. I won't name any names, but in my experience, the majority of people in underground bands who complain the most about people downloading their music never buy music and only download it from Soulseek or a blog or whatever.

There are arguments for and against illegal downloading. I find myself agreeing with parts of both of them and as such do not wish to cast my lot with one side or the other.

[claytonjohn18]

...for my journalism class. It's on the topic of music distribution and promotion on the Internet. Basically, I'm interested in hearing some answers from YOU. IF you/your band are: a) Signed to a label, b) Unsigned, but selling your music, c) Unsigned and giving your music away for free. My questions are: What are your thoughts on the relevance of labels today? Are they still needed and necessary ? Your thoughts on piracy; how does it affect you? For b) and c): How do you distribute your music? Bandcamp, Myspace or similar? How do you promote your music? Youtube vids, Facebook, forums like these? How big of a part do you think Internet word-of-mouth and music blogs plays in getting your music known? On production: Do you take a DIY-approach to recording the music, or have you used a professional studio? For c); Why do you distribute your music for free? Do you feel that it's really a choice, or is it a necessity to spread your music? Do you see it as the means to an end; like getting a record deal, or establishing yourself so you can eventually sell it for a price? If you want to answer some or all of these questions, please post them here or PM me, with your bands/artist name, your own name, your age, perhaps what kind of music you play. It's a bit urgent, so please post as soon as possible. Any replies much appreciated.

 

Clay O'Connor

The Scattered Calm//That And The Vatican

Instrumental Rock//Whatever genre you'd consider Portugal. The Man

 

I guess we're technically b) cause the music is for name your own price.

 

Labels aren't irrelevant, but it's very possible to live without them and do better financially for having done so. I don't ever see myself signing (especially not pursuing a label).

 

Distribution via Bandcamp, Facebook, Myspace, etc. Maybe iTunes and CD Baby, too, but none of that's in the works yet.

 

Promotion is done almost exclusively online...it's next to impossible to "make it" in either of the cities I'm playing in (Pittsburgh, PA and Bethlehem, PA). Promotion to people via fliers doesn't get anyone in the door.

 

Internet is the biggest thing since sliced bread. Our music is free (name your own price) because we've all decided we're not in it to make money. If we make anything at the "name your own price" premium, that's great, but it's getting put back into the band. Merch/promo CDs, etc.

[Rizza]

Thanks guys, this is very helpful.

[TheHarakiriEnd]

INDIAN Will Lindsay Thirty-three years old I guess we're a doom metal band. That's what everyone tells me, anyhow. I find labels to still be relevant, although perhaps not as relevant as they were fifteen years ago. I think independent labels are just as relevant as ever. In the last four years, I've been on Metal Blade, Southern Lord and currently Relapse. I've also done session work on a Century Media album. I think Metal Blade is the most irrelevant of the labels I've personally been involved with due to the fact that they kind of act like their a major label. They're also ignoring certain trends in music such as the vinyl resurgence and an interest in older music. If they reissued some of their back catalog when they were putting out great stuff that proved to be classic, I think they would really cash in. Southern Lord is a great label that tries to operate on more of a punk rock level. Particularly in regards to royalties and such. They also package their releases in a way that makes people want to own them as opposed to just downloading it. Especially their vinyl packaging. My relationship with Relapse is still fairly new. Like any label, I've heard horror stories about them. I can say that everything has been great with them thus far save one disagreement. My relationship with Century Media was solely a session release form I signed when I got paid releasing my interest in the album beyond my flat payment. Speaking from my personal experience, there is no way me or my band mates could have funded our recording sessions like the aforementioned labels did. We certainly could not have done the same level of promotion. Especially when you look at the promotion of our record being in the same ad as bands significantly bigger than us. All of these labels have connections that they've been building on for years, which no unsigned band can match. As far as piracy goes, I feel like it has some sort of effect on sales and such. It's hard for me to really say as none of the music I was doing before 2006 was noticed beyond a very, very small underground following and it was on labels that were run out of someone's bedroom. Or self-released. Like a lot of other people, I download music. Downloading music hasn't made any change to my purchasing habits, however. If anything, I'm buying more music now than ever before. I know this is not the case with everyone. I won't name any names, but in my experience, the majority of people in underground bands who complain the most about people downloading their music never buy music and only download it from Soulseek or a blog or whatever. There are arguments for and against illegal downloading. I find myself agreeing with parts of both of them and as such do not wish to cast my lot with one side or the other.

 

 

Very thoughtful response dude, thanks for sharing as always. I think labels can be very helpful as well especially when you start talking about promotion, a general operating budget (for recordings and such) and also distribution as well. I haven't ever heard anything but good from or about Southern Lord, they seem to have a model more people should follow, Metal Blade on the other hand is a relic. The downloading argument I don't want to touch...