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Re: Honestly, I don't think you should be too worried about filesharing by FoK 07/08/2003, 10:07pm PDT
Alternate789 wrote:

Unless an indie band already has something of a following it's very hard to get a sample of their album through p2p, much less the entire thing. Now when I read Pitchfork and I want to check out a band I've never heard of before I do a search for the record label instead of bothering to fire up Kazaa. If the record label doesn't have an mp3 on their site, I don't hear the song, I don't buy the album unless it gets enough play on my local college radio station for me to make a judgment (this has only happened a few times, both by artists on Matador and Dischord, about as "major" as indies get).


I think you're right about this... it's not so much that I'm worried that P2Ps will keep an album from selling as it is that a new model is going to come into existence in the next few years and if I can get ahead of the curve that would be something to possibly help sales. "Ooh, an innovator!"

But then, the indies that I find most impressive are the ones that go to the trouble of making product that's worth buying. Ghostly has a great system: their cover art for even their most obscure releases is an original work of art, beautiful and suitable for framing. I talked to one of the guys on the label and he said that the label head insists on it - 4AD did that and it really helped build the label roster. I bought a 3 7" set from them and, I swear this is true, I haven't even opened two of them because they're limited edition and they look so fucking great that I know they'll be collector's items in a few years. (Note: it didn't come with the cd, BTW. Fuckers.)

So, yeah, the current system works and you should go with #1. If not, at least don't release the album as an mp3. That's the gayest possible thing to do. I've even bought EPs that are on the artist's websites for free just to avoid such gayness.



No, not going to do that. I just wondered if anyone thought that was the way to go. I know of several mp3-only albums (TMBG and MC Frontalot spring to mind) and I never even downloaded them... I figured they must suck if they didn't think they could even sell hard copies. Flawed reasoning, but that was still my knee-jerk reaction. Yeah, so the free internet album won't be happening.

FoK
PREVIOUS REPLY QUOTE
 
Music business question: YOUR OPINIONS HERE by FoK 07/07/2003, 12:28am PDT NEW
    *chirp!* NT by Forum Crickets 07/08/2003, 4:56pm PDT NEW
    What I really think? by Senor Barborito 07/08/2003, 6:35pm PDT NEW
        Re: What I really think? by Choson 07/08/2003, 7:35pm PDT NEW
        Re: What I really think? by FoK 07/08/2003, 9:29pm PDT NEW
    Re: Music business question: YOUR OPINIONS HERE by Ice Cream Jonsey 07/08/2003, 7:07pm PDT NEW
        Re: Music business question: YOUR OPINIONS HERE by FoK 07/08/2003, 9:35pm PDT NEW
    Re: Music business question: YOUR OPINIONS HERE by creativepig 07/08/2003, 7:41pm PDT NEW
    I like the 5$ ghetto price by Entropy Stew 07/08/2003, 8:39pm PDT NEW
    Honestly, I don't think you should be too worried about filesharing by Alternate789 07/08/2003, 9:32pm PDT NEW
        Re: Honestly, I don't think you should be too worried about filesharing by FoK 07/08/2003, 10:07pm PDT NEW
 
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