I just skimmed the article, but how is this really all that new? The idea of record-label free distribution has been done at least since 1997 [1], to varying [2] degrees [3] of success. [4]
In the States, it was quite a big deal when the rock group "Clap Your Hands Say Yeah" sold over 200k albums on iTunes, sans a recording deal: From: http://strangeglue.com/diy-by-any-means-necessary/216/ Case study #1 - Clap your Hands Say Yeah In June 2005, "Clap your Hands Say Yeah" released their self-titled album. At last count they had sold over 200,000 copies of it, all without the aid of a record deal in the U.S. How did this come about. Guitarist and vocalist Alec Ounsworth started off with a dream. He'd had the feeling for a while that record companies had lost the plot somehow, and held on to the notion that this was something that was possible. So the band organised the recording of the album, printed a first run and started a sales push using a two-pronged strategy of concert sales and internet sales. Doubtless they impressed the local music scene with their shows, for soon kids from the area were sharing their album via file-trading websites. It was on one of these websites that music blogger Dan Beirne came across them, enormously impressed, he then posted a glowing endorsement of the band. With a buzz quickly developing around the band, indie-rock website Pitchfork started to take notice and similarly posted an enthused recommendation on their site. The domino effect continued until the celebrity world took notice, and icons such as David Bowie and David Byrne were spotted attending CYHSY gigs. This led to more press coverage until almost anyone with an interest in Indie and a modem were exposed to them. --Carey [1] www.cdbaby.com [2] http://www.artistshare.com/home/about.aspx [3] www.interpunk.com <http://interpunk.com/> [4] On the demise of Prince's NPG Music Club: http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002837775 On 8/14/07, ashok _ <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > On 8/14/07, Udhay Shankar N wrote: > > > > Robert Frost once claimed that poetry would > > "begin in delight and end in wisdom". > > > > > The complaint about inflated price of CDs reminds me of the classical > music > label Naxos: > > http://www.naxos.com/ > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naxos_Records > > they produce excellent classical music albums at very low prices. the > artists / orchestras in many > instances are from east european, asian countries recorded using simple > (but > good quality) equipment > and with proper acoustics..... > > maybe this a model to follow? >
