Mar 17

There are varying opinions about how much money (if any) a person or group can earn by starting an independent record label. The truth is that there is real money to be made, but you definitely earn it through hard work. Believe it or not, sometimes the artist ends up making more money through a small indie label than he or she would signing with one of the “big boys.” Now, that’s what we like to hear!

It’s true that the return on investment can be higher for an independently released album than for one that goes through the more traditional channels. The explanation for this revolves around the amount of money spent to get the album into circulation. Plus, indie labels are more likely to work equally for all of their artists. The bigger labels choose which artists to back with the most support. This is a bit of a catch-22, though, because the more money they spend promoting the music, the more sales have to be made to break even. The artist won’t see any money until those costs are recouped.

The independent record label is going to spend a lot less when promoting their artists, which may seem unfortunate, but they also have to sell significantly less copies before they start making a profit. If the indie label spends $1,500 producing and distributing an album, they only need to sell 100 copies at $15.00 each before they start profiting. On the other hand, if a larger label spent $30,000 promoting an album, they would need to sell 2,000 copies before breaking even. You may also be able to offer the artist a higher royalty rate, too, as the overhead expenses for your business are probably much smaller than those of a big label.

Because the small, independent labels have less funds to contribute to promotion, they often become masters at finding free and low-cost ways to do the job. Of course, one of the first orders of business is to create a web site so fans can order the music online or purchase any merchandise that may be promoting an artist or the label. Including that address on every item sold ensures that anyone who listens to someone else’s copy of a CD has the information they need to go online and buy one themselves. Live performances are also a great way to make sales. Often the band manager or even the artists themselves will set up a table at performances and sell copies of the CD. It’s even possible to set up CD signings at local music stores.

While these methods for selling albums aren’t as glamorous as cardboard cut-outs of the artist at the local music store franchise, they are necessary for the indie label. An event that leads to 20 CDs sold can add up to more money for the artist than having 1,000 sold through a huge record label. Remember that anything sold after recouping the original investment is pure profit!

Kc Smith
http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/profit-potential-in-starting-an-indie-record-label-19883.html

Mar 16

I listen to Feist all the time, and she is my favorite artist. Since she is and Indie singer, I decided that I would like to listen to more music by other people as good as her. Do you know of any that I would like?

wombats, arcade fire, silver chair. they’re not girl singers, but i think they’re really good.

Mar 15

http://www.jambuzzer.com – This quick video demonstrates how to use JamBuzzer's new "Earn Per Listen" music system to get paid to listen to music music online.

Duration : 2 min 4 sec

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Mar 15

ok i don’t understand what makes indie music indie im not dissing it i love phoenix and dearly adore kaiser chiefs but i don’t see what makes it indie btw can you suggest some indie that sounds kinda like phoenix they’re my fave =]

It’s crap.

Mar 14

I’m bored with what i have on my ipod and i need new songs. I love deathcab for cutie, the strokes, vampire weekend, matt and kim, silversun pickups, mgmt, starfucker and other indie various indie bands. But my favorite band by far is radiohead, although they are not indie. :D suggest anything you thing i might like.

The Gaslight Anthem
Bomb the Music Industry!
Streetlight Manifesto
Flogging Molly
World Inferno Friendship Society
Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution
Dillinger Four
Angel City Outcasts
Cobra Skulls
Brain Failure
Fear Nuttin Band
Corporate Distortion

Mar 13

Another video showing the progress of a song idea.

Mark and Tom lay down a scratch track in the studio. The band mashes up the song with a bridge idea thought up at practice a week later.

We'll post more as it comes along.

Duration : 3 min 36 sec

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Mar 13

I heard Nylon was alright are there any others I could pick up at a book store such as barnes and nobles or borders?

Anything with great indie bands would be cool. I usually browse the internet for articles, but I want a magazine for a change.

AP magazine is really great for discovering new bands and hearing about new tours going on.
I highly recommend it. You can go online to get a subscription.

Mar 12

I’m going to New York in July and want to know what areas are best to stay in, and what places should I see. I don’t want to be a typical tourist, but may want to see Manhatten. Where should I go? I’m into indie music (Band of Horses, The Warlocks, Explosions in the Sky) and art.

Just don’t miss Central Park in the weekends. It’s wonderful to rest on the lawn.

Mar 11

We're working on new songs and this is some footage of one that is just an idea for now.

We'll be posting more songs and studio footage as this song and others progress.

Duration : 4 min 7 sec

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Mar 11

Not so much the lyrics, but the music itself.

"indie" isn’t a genre. That just means it’s been produced on an independent label (which in itself is a blurry distinction). There are no qualities to indie music itself, it can technically be anything.

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