By Christopher Knab - Fourfront Media & Music - October 2002
Don't say I never did anything for you! You are about to read about websites that help you sell your music. I spent hours researching this data so that you can have one reference source for the dozen plus sites that help. Over a dozen websites will be presented to you, so you can eamine which sites are best for your circumstances when it comes to getting your music to the people. !very day, web"based music companies are developing programs to help you mar#et and sell your independently released $Ds and music files You will have to stay on top of the many changes and improvements these sites come up with, but this is a great starter #it for you to eamine selling opportunities on the web. %hat I have done is visit each of the sites listed, and copied and pasted into this document, in their own words, what these companies have to offer you. &he information I have assembled is not a 'review' of who does what the best. &he success you have wor#ing with any of these companies is up to you, and how you wor# within their various business structures. 'any of these companies offer their services for free, others as# for reasonable fees for more elaborate music mar#eting plans. You will find here sites that help you sell your traditional $D, as well as ways for you to promote and circulate your '() files. *ll I have done is assemble into one place a summary of these site's own descriptions of what they have to offer independent recording artists. $hec# 'em out, a whole world of opportunities awaits you. CDBaby.com: Who/What Are We? $D +aby is a little online record store that sells $Ds by independent musicians. ,Independent- .ad/.0 1ot having sold one's life, career, and creative wor#s over to a corporation.2 %e're /ust a few people in a cool (ortland, Oregon, $D warehouse that loo#s li#e a playground. %e listen to every $D we sell before we sell it, so we can help you find other albums you'll li#e. %e only sell $Ds that come directly from the musicians. 1o distributors. 'usicians send us $Ds. %e warehouse them, sell them to you, and pay the musicians directly. $ool thing- in a regular record deal or distribution deal, musicians only ma#e 34"35 per $D, if they ever get paid by their label. %hen selling through $D +aby, musicians ma#e 36"345 per $D, and get paid wee#ly. In business since 'arch 4778. %e're the 5nd"largest seller of independent $Ds on the web, 5nd only to *mazon. $urrent 1umbers- 59,446 artists sell their $D at $D +aby. 575,:79 $Ds sold online to customers. 34,7:7,9)7.)9 paid to artists. CD Baby Privacy Policy %e 1!;!< give or sell your personal info to any other company " !;!<! .1o not even your email address!0 Only the musician whose $D you buy will #now who you are. If you don't even want the musician to #now about you, /ust say so at the bottom of your order form. Your credit card info is never stored, and never seen by anyone. %e don't store it in your permanent customer info. &he card number is erased immediately after the sale, for etra protection. &here is nothing of yours here to steal. Yes this means you'll have to type your card number again when you return, but we hope you appreciate the etra safety and privacy it gives you. Tech things Our servers are running 4==> Open+?D " the world's most secure operating system. (owered by *pache, (@(, and 'y?AB. 1o 'icrosoft products were used in the creation of this website. Cull 458"bit secure ??B connection protects all of your private information from snooping eyes. Our secure certificate issued by &hawte " a division of ;erisign. %e try to stay @&'B :.= compliant. 1o special web browser needed. .I recommend the Opera and 'ozilla web browsers for their speed and standards.0 $D +aby website .front end and bac# end0 made by me " Dere# ?ivers. It's my favorite hobby. Most important of all... You can reach us during (acific west"coast business hours at .9=)0979")=== or email cdbabyDcdbaby.com anytime. arageban!.com an! CD Baby .1ote- You can obviously deal directly with $dbaby.com if you preferE$F0 Garageband <ecords has partnered with $D+aby.com so you can sell your $Ds to hundreds of thousands of music lovers around the world. Cirst you need to register or log in then we can begin. It costs /ust 3)9 per $D to register. You can sell your $Ds for any price, and you'll #eep 4==> of the earnings minus a 3: processing charge per $D .all prices 3H?0. ?o you'll be ma#ing clean profit after you've sold /ust five $Ds at 34= each. You can do that easily, rightI ". Get some $Ds together. Boo#ing for a good $D mastering serviceI garageband.com artists get 5=> discount at *irshow 'astering on a 'aster 'edia pac#age. 1eed some $Ds duplicatedI garageband.com artists get a 39= discount at Oasis Duplication when they purchase a single speed glass cutting. #. Cirst you need to register or log in then we can begin. %e'll create a custom J*lbum (rofileJ page for you at garageband.com and $D+aby.com. You can enter your sleeve notes, and select the trac#s on your album that are also on garageband.com. You can lin# to this page from your own website, so all your visitors can buy your $Ds. $. ?et a price for your $D. %e recommend a maimum price of 34= .because that's the price of most big label debut $Ds0 but you can set whatever price you want .3: minimum0. You get 4==> of the selling price less a 3: processing charge for every sale. Cor eample- $D ?elling (rice %hat you get 34= 36 37 39 38 3: 3K 3) 36 35 39 34 %. You mail at least 9 $Ds to $D+aby.com's warehouse, and ma#e a payment of 3)9. &. $D+aby scans your album's cover art for display on your album profile page. '. %e promote and sell your $D at garageband.com. (. (eople buy your $D. ). $D+aby handles all credit card transactions, fulfills all orders within 5: hours, and notifies you via email once every transaction is complete. *. $D+aby mails chec#s to you. .You can decide how often they send you chec#s, of 35= or more0. "+. You earn millions, run away with Lennifer Bopez, develop a Godzilla"sized drug habit, lose trac# of the plot, dump Bopez for an aardvar# and spend the net forty years living under an abandoned trampoline.M Cirst you need to register or log in then we can begin. .MImportant note- ?tep 4= optional0. ,ostbaby.com .spinoff of $dbaby.com0 Cor 35=Nmonth you get... Basic -eat.res: ". You can register and own your own domain name .www.yourname.com0 for only 35= instead of the usual 3K=. *s long as you're out there promoting your music and your website, you should own it! It's not /ust for vanity. It's for permanence. ?o you'll have the same web address even 4= years from now. ?o " pic# a domain name, and we'll register it for you for only 35=! %e wor#ed out a Ouantity deal. Instead of the 3K= it would cost to do it yourself, it's /ust 35= per year. *nd yes YOH own it, not us. &o find one that's available, go to 1etwor# ?olutions and try 'em out! +ut don't register it there. Lust do your research there. %hen you find which one you want, let us #now, and we'll ta#e care of the rest. If you already have a wor#ing website somewhere, we'll be glad to transfer it over for you to your new home. #. %e can transfer your eisiting website easily, with no interruption. %hether you registered your domain name yourself, or someone registered it for you, we'll be glad to do the technical stuff to move it over to hostbaby. %e can even do an instant clone of your old site on to your new one, so that there will be no interruption at all, and you won't have to re" upload everything. ?ince everyone's situation is different, /ust email us with your domain name, and any other info, and let us #now what you'd li#e to do $. You get 5== megs of web space to do whatever you want. You're in total control of it. &hat's enough for &O1? of '() files, photos, <eal*udio, even video clips. You'll have total control over it. You can C&( upload .and download0 anything you want there. %. !ndless permanent email addresses li#e youDyourname.com " so you'll never have to change your email address again. You #now what a drag it is to change your email address, especially as you're out promoting your music. Biner notes on your $D, reviews in magazines.... &hese things are going to be around for years, so what you really need is a permanent email address. %hen you own your own domain name, you #eep your email address no matter where you go. You can drop *OB, switch to cable modem, switch to sattellite, switch to gamma"ray access in the year 5=9), and your email address will ?&IBB be youDyourname.com. .even if you leave hostbaby.com " your name is yours!0 You can give an endless amount of private email accounts for friends, or different aspects of your business. .!ample- youDyourname.com, /un#listDyourname.com, boo#ingsDyourname.com, guitaristDyourname.com0 *nd you don't need our help or permission to do this. You'll be in control of your own account to do whatever you want. &hese are MrealM personal private (O() !mail accounts. 1ot web"email li#e @otmail. <eal email that you can chec# in powerful email programs li#e !udora and Outloo# !press. &. ?treaming <eal*udio and '(). $GI scripts. &he wor#s. Your website can now do any fancy stuff you ever dreamed of. If you've wor#ed with some other web"hosting companies, you #now that whenever you want to do something cool, they either tell you, you can't do it, or they try to charge you etra. *t hostbaby you can do $GI scripts, streaming <eal*udio, Cront(age etensions, telnet, C&( server, server"side includes, forms, counters " *1Y&@I1G. .O# " anything ecept 'icrosoft"only things li#e *ccess and *?(. %e only use Binu servers, no 'icrosoft. +ut we can do 'icrosoft Cront(age etensions.0 ?o, in short, if you're wondering if your new website can do PPPPPP,fill in the blan#2PPPPP " the answer is Y!?. '. * very ;!<Y fast connection on a powerful and reliable Binu webserver. Your website will be in this big corporate Awest bandwidth building, right net to servers for sites li#e internet.com. %e have an O$":8 connection from our servers out to the internet. &hat's :8 times faster than a &). &hat's 5.: gigs a second. &hat's about 8== '() files in one second. %hat that really means is your website will come up lightning"fast.Your fans will appreciate it. Your sound clips will play without stuttering. Your site itself will be much faster than anyone's modem, no matter how many people are connected. &he webserver itself is a Binu $obalt <aA. It's strong, reliable, efficient, bug"free, and almost never goes down. (. 1o setup fee. Cirst month is free so you can see if you li#e it. 1ot many details on this one. &here's no fine print or eceptions. %e thin# you'll be ;!<Y happy with hostbaby, so we'll get it all set up for you, and give you the first month for free. If you li#e everything up to that point, you can start paying 35= N month the net month. You do have to pay 34= to register your own domain name, if you don't have one already. Other than that, everything else mentioned here is free! &here will be no etra charge for all the etra musician features of hostbaby. 'H?I$I*1 section features- &@! +!?& (*<& ). &he <!*B mission of hostbaby- &o give you musicians' most"needed tools, right on your own website. *s I got my own webserver for $D +aby, I started learning all the things you could do with it. I realized that all these things that other companies as# you to do on &@!I< websites, YOH can do on your O%1 website. *nd wouldn't you rather #eep your fans on your own site, instead of sending them away to other sites filled with banner ads and things meant to distract themI ?o " I'll be constantly configuring our webservers to let you do anything you want on your own website, and not be dependent on other companies. .?o far- tour calendars, mailing list managers, guestboo#s, password"protected '() files. If you have ideas for more, let us #now!0 !Q*'(B!- %ant a concert calendarI 1o problem! !mailing list managerI Guestboo#I @it" countersI (assword"protected '() filesI *ll these things are ready"to"go on your own site. *. @ostbaby 'usician 'odules. 1O&!- %e're opening the doors to hostbaby a few wee#s before the last of the modules are ready. ?o if you're interested, let's get you set up with a basic site first, then add these special features in a few wee#s. *ll you'll need to do is add a few cut"n"paste lines into your @&'B code to do anything below. Or we can do it for you if you get stuc#. $O1$!<& $*B!1D*<- You have a private area on your site where you enter your upcoming concert dates. &hen /ust stic# one line in your @&'B code li#e JshowPupcomingPdatesJ and voila! Your page shows your upcoming concert dates in a pretty little customizable table. *nd since the website #nows what day it is, it automatically moves past your past dates into a JshowPpastPdatesJ page. .?o you don't have to worry about updating all the time.0 !'*IB BI?& '*1*G!<- Instead of stic#ing everyone you #now into the J$$-J field of your Outloo# email program, an email list manager on your site will let you email some or all of your contacts, using their name right in the email itself. You can send announcements that say JDear +ethany...J and JDear !van...J instead of JDear Cans and Criends...J. *nd you #eep your contacts safely on your own website, so you can access them from anywhere on the road. '*IBI1G"BI?& ?IG1H(- 1o need to sit and struggle with forms and $GI scripts to do things with forms. %e've got it all done, and ready to put on your site in any way you'd li#e. Cans can fill out their info to be on your mailing list. It can get emailed to you and auto"added to your email list .described above.0 $O1$!<& DI*<I!?- $oming soon- * true concert diary, updated on your site. %rite up a few memoirs about each show you do. (erhaps upload a few photos from the show. Cans that were there can tal# in a bulletin board about that show, or all your shows. Cans can even upload their own photos of the show. '!'+!<"O1BY '() DO%1BO*D?- !ver wonder who's listening to the sound clips on your siteI You can reOuire people to Ouic#ly fill out their email address and first name before downloading. &hey can't download your '() files .or any file you choose0 until they're authorized with a wor#ing email address. @I& $OH1&!<?, GH!?&+OOF?, 'O<!... 'ore things li#e this to come soon. *ll on your own site, and totally customizable. "+. *nd of course we'll always give you all the tools and #nowledge we can, from one musician to another, to help you promote, design, and run your site for maimum results. $an you imagine if everyone that visited your website signed up to your mailing list, came to a show, and bought your $DI ?ince hostbaby is all about helping musicians have great websites, we'll always give you all the tools and #nowledge we can. +oo#s, articles, eamples, advice, etc... CD /treet !"$ommerce enable your site to ?!BB your music merchandise securely within 5: to :8 hours by /oining cdstreet! ?ell your music, plus all your music"related merchandise through cdstreet.com- $Ds, &"?hirts, $aps ;inyl, $assettes, ;@? &apes, D;Ds "" *ll Your ?wag! In addition, our basic service includes a storefront in our site with customizable web pages. ,ere0s the BA/1C Deal: Your H<B- www.cdstreet.comNartistsNname ?ell as 'any Different (roducts as you wish with no additional setup fee. &a#e ;isa, 'astercard, Discover, *merican !press and L$+ *ddN<emove (roducts and $hange (rices at %ill " 1o $ost You #eep 8=> of the sale, we #eep 5=>. !mail notification of sale in realtime, same for buyers. %e report barcoded item sales to ?OH1D?$*1 !ach %ee# ?imple online administration tools Offer buyers our 4"8== number for orders Get paid monthly for your net sales 'anage the !ntire Boo# and Ceel of your cdstreet *rtist page with a full library of administrative tools and login options. 1on"eclusive service agreement We /hip 2o.r 3r!ers or 2o. Can: Its your choice. cdstreet ships every day of the wee# at no cost to you. Cast shipping ma#es buyers happy 4nable /ec.re 3r!ering for 2o.r /ite 5optional 6 free7: %e can provide code for you to place within your own website so that you can create your own custom cdstreet order form in your own site. (urchases initiated from your site with this code go directly to the shopping cart and chec#out. 1o intermediate store page outside of your site li#e *mazon. B.y8B.ttons for yo.r pages on other 9ebsites to sell yo.r m.sic. &hese are easily added to your '().com pages or any other site where you wish to sell your wares. :pgra!e to 4nhance! Cart Pac;age: Cor a one"time upgrade fee of 347.79, you can co"brand the entire cart ordering process, from Jadd cartJ to Jchec#out.J Your logo and identity is prominently displayed in all shopping cart and chec#out pages. 1n!ie <abels: %e now offer a multi"artist record label solution on cdstreet.com for a one"time setup fee of 35:.79. %ith this option, your label has uniOue cdstreet pages, and each artist has their own pages. Babel H<B- www.cdstreet.comNlabelsNname Babel's *rtist's H<B- www.cdstreet.comNartistsNname Consoli!ate! payments= acco.nting an! management for labels <eleases and merchandise can be sold at label pages, site and from individual artist pages. %ith only cdstreet +asic service, all is displayed on label page and site without individual identity for artists %ith the 'ulti"*rtist Babel ?olution, you have artist pages for each artist you manage. MP$.com What Does MP$.com 3ffer Artists an! <abels? A >on84?cl.sive Agreement: Digital artists retain control of their master recordings and can terminate the agreement at any time. %e have always been deeply dedicated to the artist community. %e strive to create the best online eperience for digital artists and provide incentives to post their music on our site. &oday, digital artists from all over the world come to '().com to gain eposure and leverage our sales and mar#eting tools to generate revenue in a variety of eciting ways. 1ncrease! 4?pos.re: Cor digital artists, eposure to a global and local audience is secured through the natural boundless reach of the Internet. %e enhance their distribution and promotional power with artist web pages that provide the ability to post songs and control the online image. &ools and services have been created that facilitate direct interaction with an artist's growing fan base, allowing targeted messaging and opportunities to announce upcoming concerts or new song releases. %ith close to a million visitors accessing our site daily, '().com offers eceptional opportunities for digital artists and recording labels to generate eposure and ultimately build profits. Digital artists are promoted in ?tation pages, consumer newsletters, news articles, '().com promotional $Ds and other '().com"related media. -@44 Artist Web Page an! :nlimite! Dis; /pace: *ll artists receive their own web page at no cost! Digital artists can add songs, band logo, album graphics, band history, song lyrics, photo album, favorite music, lin#s to their fan club and more. Our simple, easy"to"use interface helps digital artists add songs and ma#e changes in /ust seconds! *rtist sign"up Babel sign"up. -eat.re Compilations in 4ach enre: %e select various artists to be part of our online genre compilations. In addition, each genre section on '().com has featured artists who change regularly. $hec# out our online store to see some of the genre compilations we currently offer. CD Program: * fast, C<!! way to ma#e and sell $Ds that puts a lot more control in the hands of artists! (roduce an '()N$D formatted $D along with its online counterpart, the net$D, which loads instantly into your password"protected 'y.'() account. Paybac; for Playbac;: (aybac# for (laybac# is an eciting promotion that rewards members of the (remium *rtist ?ervice with cash, based on song plays. In the two years of its eistence, the promotion has continued to encourage *rtists to promote their music globally using a variety of tools at their disposal. Premi.m Artist /ervice: Digital artists already #now '().com offers a broad range of free tools to help effectively mar#et themselves. 1ow digital artists you have the opportunity to en/oy even more tools and services signing up for (remium *rtist ?ervice. Trac; 2o.r /.ccess Daily: &o hone these mar#eting and revenue"generating opportunities, we provide daily, detailed statistics about web page visits, number of song listens and downloads, $Ds sold and more to enable digital artists to better define, evaluate and connect with their fan base. Artist Tools an! /ervices: 'usic Greetings, advertising tools, '().com 'essenger services, tic#eting services, event planning and merchandising services. M.sic <icensing: ?ign up for '().com's 'usic Bicensing service, a low"touch, searchable database system that enables '().com digital artists to license their music for commercial use .films, radio, &;, web sites0. &his service offers music supervisors one"stop Jsearch, sample and licenseJ capabilities. Promo A.ctions: !ligible artists now have another cost"effective way to mar#et their music and potentially earn a share of the monies available in the (aybac# for (laybac# pool made available to them each month by '().com. In much the same way that food distributors procure premium placement on store shelves, eligible artists and labels who are see#ing additional eposure on '().com are participating in an online auction process to secure high"visibility positioning throughout '().com's web site. &he (romo *uction process can be viewed by visiting www.mp).comNauction. 4vent Calen!ars: Feep fans posted and drive people to shows and concerts with our free calendar service. Digital artists can add and change their event dates to ma#e sure audiences stay informed of when they are be coming to town. Invite them to shows, notify them about tours, $D release parties and any other planned event. A!vocacy for Artists on the 1nternet: '().com has ta#en a leading role helping artists distribute and promote their music on the Internet. %e host the annual '() ?ummit and participate in numerous conferences and events promoting digital music. AmaAon.com0s A!vantage -or M.sic Program Why Boin? The Po9er of the 1nternet0s >o. " M.sic @etailer *mazon.com is the Internet's 1o. 4 retailer and has customers in all 9= H.?. states and more than 46= countries around the world. &he name *mazon.com is immediately recognized for service, reliability, and security. *mazon.com is the 1o. 4 retailer on the %eb according to ($ 'eter ratings .which measure audience reach much li#e &;'s 1ielsen ratings0. %ith so many people searching for music on our site, your $D is more li#ely to be discovered by new fans. Completely -ree to 4nroll88>o 4?cl.sive Contracts &here is absolutely no cost to /oin *mazon.com *dvantage. &he only thing you have to pay for is shipping your $Ds to us when we reorder. (lus, there are no eclusive agreements, so you aren't limited in how or where you mar#et and sell your music. et 2o.r 39n Web Page on AmaAon.com88B.st <i;e MaCor8<abel Artists %hen you /oin *dvantage, you get your own %eb page listed on *mazon.com alongside those for ma/or"labelartists. Your page includes trac# listings, cover art, customer reviews, liner notes, and more to attract and educate potential customers who may not be familiar with your music. %hen you have a %eb page at *mazon.com, fans always #now where they can buy your $D. *mazon.com is one of the most recognized and trusted names on the %eb. (eople #now our reputation for security and customer service. Lust say, JBoo# for me on *mazon.com,J and they'll be able to find you. :ploa! MP$s to ,elp /ell CDs %ith *mazon.com's Digital 'usic 1etwor#, you can upload '() trac#s of your music for posting and free download by *mazon.com's visitors. +y putting free '() uploads of your music in front of millions of *mazon.com customers every day, you're giving a passionate audience of music fans the chance to discover your sound""and to buy your $D. &o enter the Digital 'usic 1etwor#, clic# here. 2o.r songs can earn yo. money 9ith the AmaAon ,onor /ystem &he *mazon @onor ?ystem lets you collect tips from fans who listen to your free digital downloads. It's li#e playing beside an open guitar case in the heart of the *mazon.com 'usic store. ?et up an *mazon @onor ?ystem account and start ma#ing money today. D.ic; /hipping an! -.lfillment You want to catch fans when they're ecited about your music. %ith *mazon.com *dvantage, we #eep your $Ds in stoc# at our distribution centers for fast shipping anywhere in the world, usually within 5: hours. It's been proven that items available for immediate shipping sell more copies than ones that can't be shipped for several wee#s. Cover Art= Trac; <istings an! <iner >otes On the Internet, information sells. &he more a potential customer #nows about your music and your $D, the more li#ely they are to ma#e a purchase. &hat's why *mazon.com *dvantage gives you the ability to include trac# listings, cover art, and liner notes on your page""all at no charge. %e'll even scan your cover art for free! %hen a customer comes to your page, they can see your $D cover, view your trac# listings, read the liner notes, and even read your comments about the $D. &hese critical elements bring your $D to life on the Internet. Ma;e 1t 4asier for C.stomers to Discover 2o.r CD You'll have two #inds of customers who purchase your $D from *mazon.com- 40 people who already #now your music and 50 people who are browsing our site for something new and cool. &he people who #now your music will type your name or the title of your $D into our search engine and find you directly. &he people who don't #now you need to be directed to your page. %hen you /oin *mazon.com *dvantage, we classify your $D so that it Oualifies to show up on our Indie 'usic browse lists. Our Indie 'usic ?tore showcases new artists and independent labels to help fans in search of the net big thing in music. %e have hundreds of Indie 'usic browse lists, ranging from proto"pun# to classical to $hristian to bebop /azz, so there's li#ely one that's perfect for your $D. $lassifying your music properly gives you the chance to stand out in your specific genre. 3nline /ales an! 1nventory @eports %hen you /oin *mazon.com *dvantage, you get access to our secure server, which is updated daily with full sales reports for all the titles you've enrolled in *mazon.com *dvantage. It's a wealth of information that's simply not available from other music stores. 2o. 9ill be able to see: Hnit sales last month Hnit sales this month $urrent inventory ?tatus of the last order that *mazon.com placed with you to replenish our inventory *mount of your net payment &his information is updated daily, so you'll always #now how your titles are selling and how much *mazon.com owes you. A.tomatic @eor!ering %hen our inventory shows that we're running out of stoc# on your titles, our ordering software willautomatically send you an e"mail reOuesting more copies. &his way we can #eep your $D on hand and available to Jusually ship within 5: hours.J %e continually ad/ust the number of copies we order from you based on the recent sales performance of your $D. 4asy @estoc;ing an! ,assle8-ree -.lfillment 'a#ing and promoting a great $D is time"consuming, hard wor#. ?o don't hassle with tedious details and chores such as shipping, credit card fulfillment, phone calls, and pac#aging costs. *mazon.com ta#es care of it or you""completely free of charge. *mazon.com serves the world, so you only have to restoc# one store to ma#e sure all of your customers can get your $D. %hen we start to sell out of your $D, we'll send you an e"mail reOuesting more. You mail the copies to us and you're done! *mazon.com saves you time that could be better spent on what you do best- ma#ing and mar#eting yourmusic. D.ic; Payment Terms %ith *mazon.com *dvantage, payment to you is Ouic# and easy. *t the end of each month, *mazon.com automatically sends you a chec# for the copies sold during the previous month. You don't even need to invoice us. *lso, you can always chec# online to see how your $Ds are selling and how much we owe you. Access to 3.r Mar;eting @eso.rce Center *mazon.com *dvantage is a powerful mar#eting tool for the independent musician. *nd li#e most things, you get out of it what you put into it. &he more time and energy that you as an artist put into self"promotion, the more successful you will be selling on *mazon.com. *dvantage members can access our 'ar#eting <esource $enter, an online information center for independent musicians, authors, and filmma#ers. Inside you'll find information on everything from pac#aging your $D for shipment to offline guerrilla mar#eting tactics to tips and success stories from *dvantage members who have succeeded in selling their music directly. Eitaminic.com ;itaminic helps you discover new music groups who have chosen to put their music out on the Internet in '() format and you can get in touch with them. &he ;itaminic directory is compiled in order of musical genre and it gives you some information about the band or artist together with some lin#s so that you can listen to their music. If you don't #now about '() and want to find out more, have a loo# at the section that eplains where to start. In the ?oftware section, you'll find programs you can use to listen to, create, and manage music for the Internet. In the hardware section you'll find a description of all the new eOuipment for playing bac# '() music. *s well as the directory on the ;itaminic site, you'll also find the charts with the trac#s most often downloaded, interviews and special reports about musical events. &he 1ews area contains all the latest about '() digital music. &o get all the latest news about the site, /ust sign up for the ;itaminic 1ewsletter. If you're a musician, +ac#stage is the area reserved for those who produce music and wish to transmit it and sell it online. %ith ;itaminic, any band or artist can now sell their music. *ll you need is a computer lin#ed up to the Internet. If you register with +ac#stage, you can create your own pages, upload your trac#s and sell them over the Internet. Bac;stage /ervices %hat can I do +ac#stageI @ere's a list of services for all those who play music. Feep an eye on it because there'll be new ones all the time- Registration in the directory. $hoose which category you want to be in, introduce your band, upload at least one promotional trac# you want to broadcast free of charge to ;itaminic users and your band will be included in the ;itaminic directory. Your band's homepage. You can create a page, putting in information about your band, including biographies, your logo, pictures, members, anything you need to introduce yourselves and describe your music. Promotion. You can also include a sentence and a picture which will be shown at the top of the homepage and on the top"level pages of the musical categories, in order to increase your band's visibility. Broadcast and sale of music. You can upload your band's trac#s so that they can be transmitted in <eal*udio. ;isitors to the site will be able to download them in '(). Cor each trac#, you decide how you want to distribute them- promo, protected or for sale. * promo trac# can be heard and downloaded free of charge by visitors to the siteR a protected trac# is li#e a promo but you need to register with the band's fanzine if you want to download it. You can also sell the trac#s- you decide the price. Site statistics. You can chec# to see how your ;itaminic page is getting on- transmissions, downloads and sales. Translation of your information. ;itaminic wants you to increase your popularity abroad- /ust translate your information, and we'll put it onto the fast"growing ;itaminic web sites all around !urope. 1:MA.com 1s their a relationship be bet9een 1:MA an! Eitaminic? On 'arch 5), 5==4, IH'* was purchased by ;itaminic. *s a result, we were able to re"hire the core staff, re"launch the IH'* web site, and continue doing what IH'* does best- providing the best resource destination on the web for unsigned artists to promote their music. ;itaminic is the leading digital music distributor in !urope, with relationships with hundreds of labels and almost 59,=== signed and unsigned artists. Over the net few months, we'll wor# to figure out the best ways for our communities to wor# together. In general, IH'* artists can loo# forward to greater promotional coverage over in !urope, as well as closer contact with the large number of the labels in the ;itaminic label networ#. ?tay tuned for more details! The one place to post yo.r m.sic 9here act.al m.sicians are 9atching o.t for yo. " not weasels watching the numbers. You have your own H<B with your band name first. *nd a custom web page where you can post all your band info and '()s, sell $Ds, create message boards, fan lists, and of course, get e"mail from your fans " all Cree. The 1:MA mission is simple " for every artist with a record deal, on C' radio, or in &ower <ecords " there are a thousand talented artists chasing that dream and a million new music fans who will never get to hear their music. %e're changing all that " bringing these artists and fans together, getting the music out and giving new music fans a cool new way to discover new music. :sing the site is easy. Go to the home page, find a genre of music you li#e, and start listening to new music. You can sample it in <eal *udio and then pull the '()s when you find something you li#e. You can also visit *rtist's IH'* web site and interact with the artist through email and message boards. If you've got wor# to do, we suggest you launch IH'* <adio and let your favorite genre play in the bac#ground while you wor#. *t the heart of it all, IH'* is about letting the music spea# for itself, and letting the artist spea# directly to their fans. %e remain committed to the independent musician and will continue to bring you the future of music. Cor now, IH'* and ;itaminic will continue to run as separate web sites. @owever, as we integrate with ;itaminic over the net several months, we epect to be able to offer IH'* artists greater !uropean eposure through the ;itaminic networ#. /tarpolish.com D: I am a ?tar(olish artist, and see all of these great artists being featured on the site. @ow can I be one of those artistsI A: $urrently, there are ) ways to be featured on the site, all of them begin with ma#ing sure you are indeed signed up as a ?tar(olish *rtist, which is free and easy, and have properly created your artist page .start at www.starpolish.comNaccount0. *t that point, you will have access to these ) outlets- a0 &he +uzzing *rtist section, within the Ceatures section and also at +uzz. &o be a +uzzing *rtist, you must submit a success story .that hopefully capitalizes on advice you learned from ?tar(olish, but isn't limited to such instances0 to mybuzzDstarpolish.com. &wo artists are chosen per month for this section, and the winners and their stories will also be featured to our *S< and *ttorney (anels for consideration. b0 &he $ritics $ornerNDiscover 'usic section on the homepage and within the artist section. *ll ?tar(olish artists may be reviewed at any time by any of our critics, but to better your chances you should write them an email personally, and eplain why and where you should be reviewed. Do not list lin#s to mp).com or other sites, ma#e sure your music is available on ?tar(olish. &he critics who wish to be emailed list their email addresses on their profile page. c0 &he $D ?tore. &o be featured here, you must be selling your $D through the ?tar(olish store. If you would li#e to be featured, you can plead your case to infoDstarpolish.com and we'll try to accommodate. D: I am a ?tar(olish artist and would li#e to put my songs up on my ?tar(olish page, but am not technically savvy and have no idea where to start. $an you helpI A: ?ure can! &a#e a loo# at our digital audio primer in our advice section- <ead through that section, and ma#e the decision on whether you want your song to stream .be instantly listenable, but not able to be saved on a hard drive, somewhat li#e radio0 or DO%1BO*D .higher Ouality, but able to be saved and therefore burned onto $D or traded online, etc0. &hen it's /ust a matter of ripping .digitizing your audio0 the songs off of your $D and then converting the .wav .pc0 or .aiff .mac0 files to a smaller compressed format that can be tossed around on the web. If you would li#e to stream, real audio is currently the format of choice, although you can also do Auic#time and %indows 'edia encoding. I would suggest going to www.real.com and loo#ing at ways to encode your file into a real audio file. Cor downloading, mp) is still the way to go. %e personally use *udio $atalyst by Qing to do our encoding here in the office, but there are a variety of programs that will do an outstanding /ob D: I would love to have my music reviewed by the panels of industry veterans represented on your site. @ow can I do thatI A: &he *S< (anel members regularly scour the ?tar(olish community in search of new talent. &hey recognize that it is a goldmine of up and coming artists, and we receive reOuests for individual artists' contact info all the time coming from our *S< panel. @owever, because of the number of artists in the ?tar(olish community, we cannot ma#e available the contact information of our panel members. &here are ways to guarantee yourself to be heard by the panels, li#e winning contests or being featured as a +uzzing *rtist .see Ouestion T40. ?ign up for the ?tar(olish 1ewsletter and stay tuned for your all of the opportunities as they are announced. BavaM.sic.com Lava'usic provides the ultimate connection between independent musicians and their global audience. @owI &hrough empowerment. %e empower *rtists by giving them all the resources necessary to build their audience to its full potential. *nd we empower Cans by leading them to these artists and giving them all the #nowledge necessary to choose Jthe 1et 'usic.J What is the >e?t M.sic? %ell, it is much more than the latest trend pitched by '&;, <olling ?tone or commercial radio. It is music that fans will choose for themselves by finding, absorbing and critiOuing all the material that is available to them from around the world. !mpowerment is the #ey ingredient in determining the 1etR it ensures that artists #now how to deliver their music to a global audience, and that such a global audience #nows where and how to loo# for uniOue and eciting new music. Lava'usic provides a single, user"friendly destination where both deliverers of the 1et 'usic and discoverers of the 1et 'usic can meet. &his is where all music lovers will J!ngage the 1et.J Cor Lava'usic to help its users create the net wave of music, it must offer a convenient, one" stop shopping eperience for both independent artists and the indie record labels that also use Lava'usicUs services. &o this end, we provide distribution, traffic and networ#ing opportunities that truly are global. ?ome companies tout their JglobalJ reach simply because they are based online and the Internet is accessible everywhere. +ut Lava'usic thin#s globally and operates globally. %e already have many *sian distribution points, and we gear campaigns toward *sian mar#ets as well as the !uropean mar#ets, where we will be distributing $Ds soon. &han#s to this etended reach, prospective buyers in these locales will never again have to worry about severe echange rates or international shipping charges that are greater than the actual product cost! *rtists and labels that upload music and place $Ds for sale on Lava'usic will also eperience a significant boost in online traffic. &he number of people who view an artistUs name and are eposed to downloadable music and artist information greatly increases with Lava'usicUs specialized audience focus. &his focus also ma#es it easy for users to networ# with music lovers /ust li#e themselves, whether artists are contacting similar artists to discuss swapping gigsR or fans are trading notes and selling each otherUs favorite Lava'usic discs at their ;irtual <etail ?tores. The Eirt.al @etail /tore, or ;<?, is one of the many ways Lava'usic helps users proactively engage in the pursuit of the 1et 'usic. &his new affiliate program encourages both fans and artists to own and operate their own personalized, online $D store. &hese users are already tal#ing up their favorite Lava'usic artists "" now for zero investment and with very little effort they can continue to spread the word while earning an etremely generous commission in the process. If artists do not yet have a $D to sell, Lava'usic can present them with the most competitive prices in top"Ouality $D manufacturing. Cor under a dollar per disc, artists can produce 4,=== albums with all the elements of a professional release- /ewel case with clear tray, )"color print on $D, :"panel insert, tray card and shrin# wrap. If the idea is to present music to the pros while spending as little cash as possible, there are plenty of other cost"effective options available. One of the more popular routes our artists ta#e is to order a short run of custom"recorded $D"<sR the discs feature full"color thermal printing that easily rivals the slee# loo# of regular screen"printed compact discs. ;isitors of Lava'usic may also stop by the $offee?hop for recommendations on the hottest Lava'usic artists, or they can shop for best buys among the apparel, memorabilia and must"read boo#s that are available on the site. *nother motivating $offee?hop feature is the JCeatured (roductJ artist section that promises etra eposure for those artists our *S< staff has reviewed and recommended. Other services Lava'usic offers- a one"stop indie music solution provider- LavaC' grants yet another opportunity for artists to reach their potential audience by streaming live music from all genres 5: hours a day. Our premium !spresso ?ervice offers maimum eposure, visibility and income to members by providing them 4= $D"<s of their music, a 9> discount on disc replication, free email promotion, and up to a 3.=: boost in download royalties. %e offer the best Ouality and prices for $D duplication and apparel and accessory manufacturing. Lava'usic also provides specialized advertising assistance, as well as professional graphic design services that ma#e the promotional process much simpler. &ogether with artists, fans and other artist"friendly individuals and corporate entities, Lava'usic will transcend borders, boundaries, cultures and language to help redefine popular music and J!ngage the 1et.J AmpCast &he *'($*?&.$O' web site arose from the growing needs and changes of the musical community. Counded in 4778, *'($*?&.$O' is dedicated to introducing and eposing new musicians and bands as well as providing a forum for the promotion of more established musical artists. Where We Are To!ay &oday, *mpcast is the place for artists to start their Internet adventures and the place for fans to discover new music. %e are very proud to service thousands of dedicated musical artists by providing them with the tools necessary to epand their audience, distribute their digital music, sell their $Ds and ma#e more money. %e are happy to have introduced new music to millions of fans by providing them with a community and a platform to do so. %e have outlasted the Internet bubble burst through shear determination and independence, and are eager to continue reshaping the music industry by utilizing the internet. What We 3ffer: -or the Artist You can establish an online presence through *mpcast.com that serves as a promotional tool for your band, a distribution mechanism for your music, and a revenue generator for your poc#ets. * one"off $D program that delivers Jretail readyJ $Ds with 1O H(C<O1& $O?&?. You can design your *mpcast web site using customized @&'B. * simple royalty system that pays you for every download. You can communicate with our very responsive artist support team. %e have a non"eclusive agreementR you #eep the rights to your music. Your songs will be uploaded and approved through our ultra"easy, and super fast system. -or the -ans ?earch our virtual shelves of thousands of artists, $Ds, song titles and videosR a way for you to broaden your musical horizon, and discover fresh talent. $Ds are sold at discount prices as determined by the *<&I?& and you typically can't find these in stores. You can be a radio programmer by ma#ing your own playlists and having them available to the *mpcast community. You have access to a convenient trac#ing and reporting system of your listening habits so that you don't forget what you have listened to. (articipate in the community by rating music, ma#ing $D compilations, meeting other fans with similar interests and much, much more. A.!ioala?y What 9e offer: *udiogalay is a community of music fans and artists. Cans visit *udiogalay to read reviews and sample new music, discover up"and"coming artists and eplore new genres and styles. 'usicians can post their music, images and info, host a web page, receive feedbac# from reviewers and fans and get the eposure they'vebeen craving. *nd the best part isEI&'? *BB C<!!! *udiogalay offers 59 '+ of free web space to musicians for '() files, band images and a web page. *ll content .music, images and html0 is acceptable as long asit is related to your band .eceptions are pirated material and software0. !very '() you upload to our site will be available for users to download, rate and discuss. %e also have daily spotlight features of bands on *udiogalay that run on the front page as well as within each genre section. %ith over 8=,=== hits per day, you canbe assured that your band will receive some newfound eposure. What is incl.!e! in each Ban!Fs listing? !ach bandUs listing is comprised of several elements. &he bandUs picture is a lin# to their web page. $lic#ing on one of the subgenres listed beneath the bands name will produce a list of more bands of that style. $lic#ing on the song titles will start downloading or streaming the song to your computer. $lic#ing on the VcommentsW button allows you to read and leave comments about the band, with the number in parentheses indicating how many comments that particular band has generated. &he <eview button will ta#e you to the *udiogalay review of that band. eneral 1nfo a. @ow do I get my band onto your siteI Go bac#stage to create an account and directory on *udiogalay. b. Is this legalI Yes, if you are the sole copyright owner or have the epressed permission of the artist, you are free to distribute your music as you please. Distributing copyrighted material without the artistUs andNor labelUs permission is illegal and all account holders who attempt to do so will be banned. c. *m I giving up rights to my music if I post it on *udiogalayI 1O! %e provide a forum for artists to showcase their music and gain access to a larger audience. %e do not force the artist to sign any waivers or binding documents. %e will not distribute your music in any physical form .$D, $assette, B(, etc.0, and do not profit from any artist on the site. d. *m I allowed to sell my $DN&apeNDemo on *udiogalayI *rtists are free to sell their music on their *udiogalay web page. ?ales through means of private distribution are perfectly acceptable. %e will not distribute your music in any form, ecept electronically. e. %ill the information I provide be #ept confidentialI Yes. *udiogalay does not distribute the personal contact information you provide to anyone. It is used strictly for internal purposes. Being a ban! on A.!iogala?y Loining *udiogalay is a two"step process. &he first step reOuires a wor#ing email address and other basic information needed to set up your account. 1et, a password will be mailed to the address you provided. %ith this password you will login to our system to provide more detailed information about your music and upload your files. &he *udiogalay sign"up process has been streamlined to be as painless as possible. If you have any Ouestions or comments donUt hesitate to send an email to bandsDaudiogalay.com. The 3rchar! What is The 3rchar!? &he Orchard is one of a #ind! %e are dedicated to giving independent record labels and artists access to the same distribution opportunities the 'a/or Babels have en/oyed almost eclusively for years. &he Orchard ma#es the music of independent artists available, side by side with 'a/or Babel albums. %e are an entertainment company that has grown in /ust three years time into one of worlds largest suppliers of new music. $urrently we account for about twenty percent of all product released in the Hnited ?tates each wee#. &hrough agreements with the nations largest one stop distributors, we are the leading and most dominant provider of independent and global content to all of the ma/or on"line stores including, *mazon.com, +arnes and 1oble.com, +orders.com, $D1ow etc..., as well as traditional retail. ,o9 !oes it 9or;? ". &he Orchard charges a )=> distribution fee. *s a distributor, we sell things wholesale so that retailers can mar# them up. &he )=> applies to the wholesale cost. If there is not a fied wholesale cost, we charge )=> of the total amount of money received by us. #. &he Orchard charges a fee of 37= to /oin. $. &he Orchard accounts and pays Ouarterly. %e accumulate the money paid to us each Ouarter and pay 7= days following the end of the Ouarter. *s a distributor, we do not get paid the moment someone purchases your product so we can't pay until we receive the money. %. &he Orchard accepts product as consignment merchandise. %! DO 1O& +HY (<ODH$&. ,o9 can 1 get the ball rolling? ?imply send a blan# email to /oinDtheorchard.com. You will automatically receive a copy of our application form and agreement. (rint the form, fill it out, sign it and send it along with )= copies of your release and the appropriate payment to our 1ew Yor# address- *ttn- 1ew (roduct" &he Orchard 4)) 9th *venue, :th Cloor 1ew Yor#, 1Y 4===) What happens 9hen yo. ship all of the initial shipment of CDs that accompany my application? Once your stoc# level has dipped below a certain level, you will receive a reOuest for reorder. &his message will note the artist, the title of the release, the amount that we'd li#e to reorder and a reorder number. It is important that you act promptly after receiving a reorder reOuest and inform us if there is any unforeseen delay in getting the reorder to us. &oo lengthy a delay may result in our distributors canceling an order. %hen sending this reorder shipment to us, please ensure that the reorder number is written clearly on the outside of the bo. %hen we reorder it does not necessarily mean that product has sold. It simply means that we are anticipating future demand. %e do our best to manage this complicated process and it's a difficult /uggling act. On one hand we don't want to hold too much product that isn't moving. On the other, we don't want to not fulfill orders because we didn't have enough. Will 1 get confirmation that anything that 1 sen! to The 3rchar! has been receive!? You will be sent a receipt via email of any product that we receive. It is an etremely good idea to ma#e a note of the trac#ing number of your parcel before it is sent. What if 1 !eci!e to no longer .se The 3rchar! for !istrib.tion? Beaving &he Orchard distribution system means modifying theOrchard *greement. &he process starts by faing or mailing a signed letter, to the attention of Deletion 1otices reOuesting a deletion. (lease list the artist.s0 and release.s0 you wish to delete, as well as a valid shipping address for us to ship your product to .no (.O. +oes0. If &he Orchard accepts the deletion reOuest, the Orchard will fa bac# a letter ending the &erm of the *greement. &his letter must be signed by both parties. &he deletion process creates costs for &he Orchard that includes shipping charges and restoc#ing fees. In addition, a considerable amount of time is reOuired to notify retail accounts, manage the return of unsold product and prepare the final accounting. &here is a 359= fee for filing a deletion notice. During the deletion process your account will be frozen for at least 48= days or until there is a full Ouarter without returns. *t the end of the deletion process, all product in inventory will be returned and a final accounting of the product will be rendered. Be/onic What e?actly !oes the Premi.m Artist /ervice incl.!e? +e?onic *G introduced a new (remium *rtist ?ervice for artists on the 5Kth 1ovember 5==4. &his is an optional service. It offers the artist additional features and opportunities to present his or her music evenmore professionally, and promote it even more effectively than before. &he (remium *rtist ?ervice provides you with a whole range of advantages allowing you to present your music more professionally and reach your audience more effectively online than ever before. :nlimite! n.mber of titles Hse the freedom to host as many songs as you li#e on our servers. Cor eample, you can present a different compilation of titles every wee#, offering more variety. 3n the /ite 1o advertising banners on your homepage " You are your own master on your homepage. &he only thing plugged here is the music. &he liberty to design your own homepage .different layouts, colours, @&'B0 " Hse your s#ills .or those of a friend0 to ma#e your homepage epress something really individual. 'a#e yourself visible above the vast mass of other artists and get yourself more noticed. Graphic emphasis .with a photograph and tet0 in the new artists'catalogue " * very important place if you want to be found. ;isitors flic# through whole genres here. *n epressive picture and an inviting piece of tet will lure lots of visitors to your homepage. ,i8fi streaming ;isitors can now listen to your music in full hi"fi stereo Ouality, and be impressed by it. &his enables them to appreciate all your acoustic precision wor#. Priority activation (remium *rtists' songs are given preferential treatment. Your songs will always be available. In preparation- Individual record sleeve design for your artists' $Ds, and considerably lower prices for each $D. In this way you can even order the most limited edition for your net concert " at a good price. Can 1 still present my m.sic free of charge on Be/onic? Yes. &he +e?onic service is still available free of charge, sub/ect to a limit on storage space. In the Cuture, +e?onic wants to carry on offering young talents an opportunity, reducing the initial obstacles. @owever, against the bac#ground of the situation described above, we can only continue to accept those songs that X in our opinion X are suitable for publication in the contet of our music service, based on our eperiences in recent years. Does that mean Gpay or leaveG? 1o. *ll trac#s offered by +e?onic .still more than 8=>0 will still be hosted free of any charge .!0 and in the usual manner. It would be nonsense to stop good music from going anywhere. *ll it means is that we are ta#ingfirst steps to limit access for Jpoor music attemptsJ and those trac#s that got Jlost on the shelfJ. *ll artists should definitely wait for a mail announcing which songs +esonic wants to publish. +ut don't panic! It's not as bad as it sounds. Mi?onic +ecause 'ionic is the first and only $D duplication and distribution company with an entirely web"based ordering and distribution process, we open up all #inds of new ways to help you in the music business. You can use our services anywhere, anytime, 5: hours a day, K days a wee#. %e ma#e it easy! O<D!< I1 +HBF CO< YOH<?!BC You can use mionic to order short runs of your $Ds, which you can sell or distribute yourself. %e have the best prices, the best Ouality and the best delivery times in our class. Order /ust what you need and have it shipped to your home " or we can ship it direct to your venue if you are on the road. You'll never run out of $Ds again! Lust clic# the Jduplicate $DsJ tab above to learn more. ?!BB O1BI1! &ired of lugging around $DsI Instead, /ust direct your fans to your 'ionic selling page so they can order your $Ds online. *ll you have to do at your concerts is hand out the web"address on a card. *nd, you can lin# the selling page into any other website, including you own. %e'll manufacture each $D as its ordered and ship it directly to your customer. 1o up front money out"of"poc#et...you'll get a chec# for your proceeds at the end of every month! ?elling pages #eep your $Ds Cresh! You can post your latest music the moment it's ready. You can even post a live concert for sale within minutes of a performance, and start selling $Ds immediately! O&@!< G<!*& %*Y? &O H?! 'IQO1I$- 'a#e demos with only the cuts you need. Boad up all your finished cuts into your secure library at 'ionic and order custom $Ds for each pitch you ma#e. You'll never have to say J/ust listen to trac#s 9 and 45J again! $hange your content as many times as you want, even on the fly. &he $Ds you order are stored in your account. %hen you have better trac#s or new ones, /ust switch"out the old ones. 'a#e custom $Ds for special promos or for each gig. %ith 'ionic's on"line cd designer, you can customize your $Ds to the venue where you want to sell them, giving them JsouvenirJ Ouality that will boost sales. +ring bac# the $D single " lots of them! If you have a big catalog, use 'ionic to ma#e all #inds of compilations in limited runs or on selling pages for different niches in your audience. Cor small labels, use mionic to ma#e monthly artist compilations. Do them in limited small runs and watch them become collectables in a few months. Our Vstarter #itW is an easy way to record your content and send it to us. &he #it includes- One blan# K: minute $D"< to burn your master .printed with a full color sample label0. * postage paid return mailer. *fter receiving your content, we'll post it to your online library and notify you by e"mail. EEEEEEEEEE.. ?o, there you go. I have done a lot of wor# for you, as far as giving you 'from the horse's mouth' what these web music distribution companies have to offer. 1ow, the real wor# begins. +ut remember, you must decide which of these company's best suit your online music mar#eting needs. I am not recommending that use all of them. &a#e it slow and easy at first and add a new Internet mar#eting company to your mi, as you feel comfortable doing so. I have been saying for years now that the Internet is the future for independent musicians. *ll I can do is try to get you fired up about how many opportunities there are for you to promote your music. @owever, I have never felt more confident about the power of the web to #ic#"start a music mar#eting campaign then I do now. (lease note, there are several other websites and companies that may help you get the word out about promoting and selling your music over the Internet. www.muze.com, www.soundbuzz.com, and www.peoplesound.com .purchased by ;itaminic0 may be worth your while as well, but I concentrated on the sites I did, because they seemed to me to be the most successful for indie musicians. If you find them usefulEgreat. If you would li#e some first"hand feedbac# from a musician who #nows what companies are best at selling and promoting music online, I would suggest you go chec# out David 1evue's website www.musicbizacademy.com . David has been using many of these companies with various degrees of success, and he might be a good /umping off point for deciding which company to try first. %eb mar#eting is only a part of your entire music mar#eting. Online activities must go hand in hand with your offline touring, publicity, radio, and other distribution and sales activities in the 'analog' world. +ut I sincerely believe that many of the companies I have introduced you to can go a long way to establishing and promoting you as a successful entrepreneurial musician in this new millennium.