Live Music Blog

A year ago, I wrote a passionate article on the merits of charging $15 when you sell your CD s. Some of my reasonings included: It’s tough for independent artists and you have a nice music, so don’t short- change yourself; you can always discount the CD  for special reasons (2-for-1 special); and, the “high” sales prices additionally includes your numerous expenses. I made a few addendums, but that’s the gist of it.
But now, if you head over to http://mp3.com/thebards and check out the Brobdingnagian Bards page at MP3.com, you’ll notice something kinda hypocritical…none of our CDs are priced at $15! What gives??
Well first let me say, yes, I do still believe in a $15.00 sales price for many artist s. Certainly, it works perfect for folk artist s, and singer/songwriter types. But my reason is not hypocrisy it is a dramatic change in our marketing plan.
You see, when  we  started out, I knew that the only “real” income available to independent artists comes from CD  sales and merchandising since royalties from ASCAP and BMI are a joke. So our plan has been to record every 6 months or less and put out new material. By then end of last summer the independent process has been leaving us drained, and  we  were thinking  we  overextended. Then along comes MP3.com.
One of the things I’ve been raving about for the past few months is that MP3.com provides a new marketing model by provide ing “royalties” for listens to your music. And if you’re getting paid from people listening to your music. Then it needs to be simply available right?
Well, we’ve followed the footsteps of many of the top MP3.com artists and have about 40-50 tracks available on our web site and more are coming every week. In doing so,  we  make a solid $20 a day from our web site.
Now with each listen, the songs are tracked on MP3.com on their music charts. You sell a CD, the songs on that CD  will rocket up the charts. So you want the CDs to sell, because higher charting equals higher payback. Thus, our low price on MP3.com.
Now think for a second. If you have 40 songs on your web site prefer the Hillbilly Hellcats, you’re the majority prefer ly going to make your 15 unique listens because your songs are located all over the charts. There are plenty of songs to choose from. Thus the new marketing model no longer relies on CD  sales of $15.00, but listens. When you realize that you open yourself up to a whole slew of, in my opinion, simple marketing tactics that will make you more money from listens than selling CDs from your web site.
I understand this all seems simplistic, but the vast reality is the majority artists on MP3.com are still running their band with an older marketing model that doesn’t yield the highest payback. So contemplate that for a bit, and next week, I’ve a guest writer who will give you an inspiring promotional idea that can send your listens over the top. Then the week following that, I’m going to betray my secret that has my song “Tolkien” at #35 on all MP3.com…
Stay tuned. Same bard time. Same bard channel!