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| Music business question: YOUR OPINIONS HERE by FoK 07/07/2003, 12:28am PDT | ||||
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| Not too long ago (say, circa 1985), it was possible for shitty independent bands to get over and get a modicum of popularity just by selling cassettes at reasonable prices. The casual-but-curious listener could shell out 5 bucks for a cassette they might not even like. My contention is that the college-rock explosion of the 80's (Pixies, REM, Throwing Muses, Violent Femmes, etc) was largely a result of this amenable marketing situation. It was possible for fans to "try out" albums after buying them... the real question was whether they would provide their "word-of-mouth" dollar to the records they did try out.
Now, CDs are priced out of the reach of the "curious" listener - no one in their right mind would spend 20 bucks on a cd they weren't sure was their favorite cd ever (and some of us would never spend that much on our favorite cd). This is further complicated by the fact that, let's face it, the music on that disc is free, especially to the college-age and teen crowd that the average indie musician would like to reach. The kids are just going to steal it, and I can't blame them. So, since you guys are all floating and/or hopping brains that have found ways to operate the internet...  (Artist's impressions) 
...what would you suggest? There are a few different models that could be followed: #1: Release the album as a CD (leaving a vinyl option for hipsters and collectors) with the indie-label normal price of around $10-$12.99, and have a few samples available on the website. Advantages: It seems to have worked for the artists that are currently successful. High profit margin for the one cd that sells before the thing is available for free on Kazaa. Disadvantages: No one will buy it, except out of pity, when they know they can get it for free. #2: Sell the album at a market-can-bear-it price (say, $5 bucks) which casual listeners can afford and won't mind paying. Advantages: Casual listeners *might* buy it, increasing fan base, allowing artist to "blow up" like 50 Cent. Disadvantages: Lazy-ass casual listeners would rather still steal it then get out a damn credit card and pay 5 bucks, causing artist to "go broke" and continue to give handjobs (handjobs) in the alleyways of NYC. People might get the idea that the release is ghetto because I've valued it so cheaply. #3: Give the album away for free (since people will steal it anyway), but find something else (t-shirt, coffee mug, official Xbox game controller, something) to give with the "registered" version of the album, causing people to legally steal the crappy MP3 version but then buy the registered version (the cost of which would be largely determined by how much the bonus item costs). Advantages: someone (with the assistance of disembodied brains) will have figured out how bands can make money from the internet. Disadvantages: 1 in 1,000,000 unregistered listeners will register. See #2: Disadvantages. #4: some shady Itunes-esque scam in which you pay for the crappy-sounding unmastered mp3s. Advantages: I get money for nothing. Disadvantages: only an idiot would pay a dollar for a damn mp3 when you can get it for free just as easily. Thoughts? Alternative ideas? (The default is option #1.) FoK |
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Music business question: YOUR OPINIONS HERE by 07/07/2003, 12:28am PDT  *chirp!* NT by 07/08/2003, 4:56pm PDT What I really think? by 07/08/2003, 6:35pm PDT Re: What I really think? by 07/08/2003, 7:35pm PDT Re: What I really think? by 07/08/2003, 9:29pm PDT Re: Music business question: YOUR OPINIONS HERE by 07/08/2003, 7:07pm PDT Re: Music business question: YOUR OPINIONS HERE by 07/08/2003, 9:35pm PDT Re: Music business question: YOUR OPINIONS HERE by 07/08/2003, 7:41pm PDT I like the 5$ ghetto price by 07/08/2003, 8:39pm PDT Honestly, I don't think you should be too worried about filesharing by 07/08/2003, 9:32pm PDT Re: Honestly, I don't think you should be too worried about filesharing by 07/08/2003, 10:07pm PDT |
