Should I put my music on LOTS of websites, or just a few?
2008-09-19
Question: “Should I put my music on LOTS of websites, or just a few?”
Answer: Lots. Here's why:
Millions of people love Rhapsody. They get all of their music at Rhapsody, so if you're not there, and they search for you, they will shrug and listen to something else instead. You might have just forever lost a potential new fan.
Millions of people love last.fm. They get all of their music at last.fm, so if you're not there, and they search for you, same thing. Oh well.
Same with iTunes. Same with eMusic. Same with a dozen different sites.
For me, last year, it was Yahoo Music. I had this amazing little Sansa Connect that was hard-wired to work only with Yahoo Music. I loved this little device and it's where I did all of my listening.
When someone would say, “Hey you should check out Joanna Newsom,” (for example) I'd search for her, and there she was. Cool! I love it. I'm a huge fan now.
But if someone told me to check out an artist, and they weren't found on Yahoo Music, well... hm... I'd mean to check them out, but usually wouldn't get to it, since this little Sansa Connect player was glued to my ears full-time.
Since the moment passed, I forgot their name.
I've met many people who are this same way with Last.fm or Rhapsody or iTunes or MySpace or... whatever. (Alas, Yahoo Music Unlimited is no more, and my Sansa Connect is now worthless.)
Point is : just tell your distributor to do them all. There's no reason not to.
Being un-available on one will not necessarily drive people to leave their favorite music site and go search for you somewhere else. There's a good chance they might just shrug and forget.
BIG thanx, as always
(website is under construction - a work in progress)
You know reading this reminded me of your words on persistence.
http://sivers.org/persistence
Just because someone heard of you once doesn't mean they will remember you without a reason. being on as many sites as possible is one reason. Just as Leaving a voice message, then a real person message, then a E-Mail, then calling at the right time to actually talk to someone gets your name on their mind.
CdBaby does a phenomenal job of "submitting" us to all the digital outlets that they have relationships with,and we are available on all the ones we care about except one.....Rhapsody!....for some reason,and I'm POSITIVE its at their end! They REFUSE to add us there! I have Rhapsody service on all my computers at home and I constantly search for us there but never find us! CdBaby has resubmitted all of our albums to them at least twice each..but to no avail...would be nice to know why We can be on everything else we've been submitted to,but not there.It's frustrating for us here at the label,we have lots of friends with the same service and we can't be found there.
On a side note( a little less ranting..),I would like to see CdBaby somehow get "connected" to satellite radio,land-based radio and other media(TV,Movie)outlets that would like to have CdBaby artists music available to them.
CdBaby could call it Media Distribution-separate from Digital and We would be willing to pay CdBaby like a flat rate extra just to be part of that program.
I agree that the more sites you're available on the better. with that said, however, i find that the lions share of my digital sales come via itunes, by far. some with napster, emusic, rhapsody and music net, but by 10 to 1, itunes delivers more sales. just my observation.
I agree that you should be on all the store-like websites, but there really is no point in trying to keep with all the social networking websites...
On that front, I'd say: pick the few that you like and are willing and able to maintain a fresh profile on.
Hi All, I recently came up with what indeed may be the single most important daily goal for us musicians trying to make it. Derek, this one may even rival some of your brilliant insights
But of course I'm not going to tell it to you all here, I'm going to make you go to my site (like any self-respecting self-promoter would do). It is in the "Musings" section under "My New Goal As A Musician": http://www.musicbyminor.com
ps. Hope this is ok Derek, promoting my site, I of course want to be respectful of the forum..
I agree about the more the better. Just one more place for someone to come across your music. Should you direct people to iTunes and CD Baby from your own website though instead of just selling direct? Less money, but maybe they trust big names more?
Daniel : probably best to do both.
Some fans will want 100% of the money to go to you, and feel better about buying direct.
Some fans will want to shop with a name they trust (or that already has their credit card on file, for convenience).
Give both options (but not TOO many, which causes decision paralysis).
Yep Yep! Why limit yaself? People buy, or want to buy BECAUSE of a need... I sometimes search years for some rareties...but also ackgnoledge, that there is plenty of people that don´t share same kind of attension span than I do...Who want it now. or never. Maybe they´re demented?...laughs..also there is always plenty of new people...
Thanks Derek! I'll add some more options to my website, but take care to not confuse people!
kan you maik marketings fore mi
www.muinguilo.com
I've been done with my next album since 2007. I'm just working my behind off on my stupid job. Times are just not on people's side these days. I'm also half way done with my third album. So no I'm not finished with music, I'm just getting started. Life always throws you curves, in this case the Bush Administration.
P.S., this is FullEclipse with the THIS IS ME album on cdbaby.
SR4
The Bush Administration?!?! Talk about blaming him for everything. It never fails that a musician will use a forum to submit his left-wing bona-fides to the conformist views of the media.
Thanks Bro, as many as I can.
It seem that the world is turning there back on good clean gosple music anyway.So assoon as I finsh my worship CD I'll just let it spreed like a spider-web.
There are some tools which make it easier to update sites your music is on as well, such as www.artistdata.com . I'm just trying it out at the moment. A bit of work at the beginning to sort out all the sites it feeds, but once that's done I can update all those sites in a couple of minutes.
Also feed aggregators for updating YouTube, Myspace, Facebook etc.
If you wanted to record an album, and need the funding, Sellaband.com is a good place if you are prepared to do the promoting work there.
You could have a great album out, but where the record companies have the advantage is in the marketing... they have the money to promote your album. How many of you have heard of me and my brilliant folk/classic-rock album before? Exactly.... because we don't have the money to let people know about it.
Thanks Derek for bringing this up, good luck to everyone, and download my free songs
I have a number of promotional EPs I've put out as free downloads while also putting them up for paid digital distribution. Interestingly I get about the same amount of paid downloads as free downloads. It's true, people download based on convenience as much as price...
My current "1-stop" is the Pandora app on the iPhone - I use it instead of the radio for music now. Of course, it links to iTunes if you like a song, so the musician would have to be on both.
Derek,
Thanks for steering me to this site.
I also enjoyed reading your insights about reversible business models.
Thanks,
Kam
Falkreations Music (BMI)
http://www.nativetongue.com
I try to use different songs from my CD to feature on different websites, then add a link to my CDbaby page where the listener can here clips of all the songs and buy if they so choose.
I agree with you on almost everything, but I'm not sure I agree with you here. For instance, I spent the better part of 2 years writing one piece, and the better part of the next 2 years recording it. I don't really want to just give it away so people can stream it. I feel like if people want to hear it that they should be willing to pay for it and I'm convinced I would actually lose sales if I allowed streaming sites to have it.
Hey, you should check out XXRub!
Good tip again! You have mucho good tips! Thanks.
it was fun to see my cd on so many websites and it made me think, wow, that's so cool, now maybe i can make a little money on the side. truth is, as much marketing and effort it took to get my name put out there, i've only been paid by itunes and cdbaby. i went to other sites and purchased my cd and have not been paid. it makes me wonder if this is the way to go as an independent artist. i guess it's better to have tried than to wonder...
Precious marketing tips !
Thanks
I will always strive to learn more and more. Thank you so much for the valuable information and points of views. Anything and everything is helpful and appreciated. YOU ROCK!!!!
Another cool site is http://www.meermusic.com and the fan site http://www.famegamesradio.com where indie artists can create a profile and compete to be played on ABC radio stations across America. Meer Music is a very funky site devoted mostly to the artists, and the Fame Games site is more fr the fan listener. The radio show is all indie all the time, and all the music they play comes from artists who submit via the Meer Music site.
Very helpful advice. I've just put my 3rd CD out, A LAZY KIND OF LOVE, first on own label Red Ram Records, so am grappling with questions like this at the moment. I think with time being at a premium, as it is, you've just got to methodically get it onto the sites so you can let it get on with its own thing. So you can start the next piece of music. It's difficult not to get bogged down in marketing, which is endless. But it's very important to keep making new work, as well as gigging to promote the music, so the trick is to keep all the plates spinning. Thanks for your helpful advice Mr Sivers! Keep it coming.
Hey Derek,
Once again...great information and points of interest...I've just begun writing and recording again after 30 years out of the business and believe me...I'm finding it very, very exciting to know that there are good people like yourself willing to point artists in the right direction...
My advice to everyone trying to 'break' their music to the millions of listeners globally ....believe in yourself with a passion and just keep positive about how great your music really is....whatever genre you are in... There is always someone out there who will appreciate your creativity and your effort...value yourself, because whatever you create is after all unique....
To everyone making music...keep up the good work and keep making people happy !!
How can we get on all those sites provided? We are currently on iTunes but not the rest of the sites on above page.
Yes it's a good idea to be all around so if them dont check you here them a go check you there , seen.
Hay que ser como el viento soplando por todos lados...Es la vida.
RASTAFRAI
Yes it's a good idea to be all around so if them dont check you here them a go check you there , seen.
Hay que ser como el viento soplando por todos lados...Es la vida.
RASTAFARI
Maybe use all of them now and only paying ones next time on future CDs?
We make mistakes and learn, which happened when I wrote 'George Bush Blues' in a right wing dominated world. I would have much more publicity if I had called it 'Barack Obama Blues!' It still gets a lot of laughs.
True true.
thanks for the advice.
Thanks for all of your good comments.
Not sure on this one. I've had my tunes submitted to all the digital distributers for over a year now and have made a whopping 56 cents total ( if I remember right, that came from Napster). Certainly doesn't seem worth the bother. Also makes me wonder if these companies are actually reporting what they're selling. If they are, it's sad. lol...
The Blues Island Beer Club is on Rhapsody as a result of our CD Baby CD. Do not know why others are not.
Great articles Derek.
Great to know Derek. Makes sense but I think the fear of losing track of it all keeps many DIY'ers from jumping in. Thanks!!!
Salem
I agree for sure, it's a cheap way to advertise.
Guy Leroux
Makes sence. Thanks!
You are correct Derek and I agree with you. Sometimes I get distracted with all of the other things going on in my life. I will down load some songs on my space asap. I remember reading on CD Baby site about at least three or four digital distributors who work with Cd BABY is that correct?
Thank You Derek for all of the Information and guidance you give.
It can be confusing to keep track of it all, but it's true that getting your name in front of people will help with the recognition factor. If someone sees your name repeatedly, it will click for them and they'll think they've "heard" of you. However, there is SO MUCH competition, that the chances of being seen over and over are slim. Still, it doesn't hurt to try. And focus on targeting your audience.
I think its funny that you wouldn't search your own site "CD Baby" for Joanna Newsom. If she were on your site would you have downloaded her? Or are you really that stuck on the Sansa that you only use Yahoo?
Io credo che bisogna cercare di essere il più presente possibile con la propria musica ma se non vi è una promozione adeguata sull'artista e sulla canzone è tutto inutile.Chi compra il cd di uno sconosciuto?Nessuno.Se si va in radio e in tv e sui giornali quindi si arriva agli altri allora è facile vendere musica.Altrimenti è impossibile.
I have put my music on so many sites I can't keep track of them all.
But the songs I give away free 128 downloads of have been my best sellers. I wonder why that is?
I'm a complete one man show and I do everything myself which includes distribution, marketing, events, production, sales, and everything else. The way I see it... it's my job to make my music as accessable as possible, so I spend as much time as I can trying out new methods, new websites and new ways to get my music heard by anyone that will listen.
ozone333
I am an instructor in my part time day job, a tech/trade instructor.. and when I begin any class, I always give every student my business card and tell them all about the success I've had as an electronic musician.
I start my classes with an "about me" speech that is relevant to the tech/trade I'm teaching but also covers my success as ozone333 in a nutshell. I do this because it's a way for me to make a connection with my students in something that is NOT tech or trade related. My students are people that are learning a new subject and they like music too.. so why not tell them about mine?
Trance/techno music is not for everyone, but the exposure to my website and my music had increased ten fold since i began pitching my music as part of my opening lecture for a tech/trade class.
I recently bought a 10 disc duplicator so I can make 10 DEMO CD's at once and pass them out free to anyone who says they like trance/techno music.. many people offer to pay for the CD, and I certainly accept an income if people wish to pay.
my 2 cents.. lol
Good advise. Thank you. I was a little concerned about that.
Hey Derek!
Great advice. I actually had it all wrong. I had this idea that the fewer sites the better....as to not overwhelm the customer. Bad theory, because you can't overwhelm a customer you don't have in the first place, because they've never heard of you!
Thanks again!
www.myspace.com/nataliericcio
Derek, if CD Baby's Digital Distribution (DD) on iTunes was searchable in the genres I would not have applied directly to iTunes. It is very important for an obscure ambient artist like myself to be in the genres as I have obscure titles and an obscure name. Ambient music is all about the genre.
I originally signed up with CD Baby but then cancelled my DD and went direct and was accepted as an iTunes affiliate. A huge deal of mucking around on all levels especially from Australia with the IRS plus negotiating my way through iTunes producer for uploading etc. That meant that my work is ONLY available on iTunes (via CD Baby). Obviously I can see your point about "being on lots"... but I actually quite like being exclusive. I can promote my albums as 'exclusive to iTunes' and this sets me aside from other (CD Baby) artists who are not official iTunes Music Store Label Affiliates and are unable to make that claim.
Being an avid Apple user I love this idea even if it limits my sales to some degree. But iTunes does represent 71% of the market anyhow. I have looked at the DD sales of one of my clients who does have full DD via CD Baby and it does not show an enormous advantage compared to being exclusive.
I totally love what you are doing with Sivers.org. What great fun you have! For me, who still struggles to make a living from my music after 30 years, I'm envious, but you definitely deserve it!
I presume you will do the same video interview idea for Midem as you did for Popkomm. Great. Why don't Midem and Popkomm do that for all their exhibitors and post interviews on their sites?
Love your work,
Jay.
PS
Come to Byron Bay sometime!
If you come late April you could be a presenter at the local 'Dolphin Awards'!
http://nceia.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=category§ionid=1&id=18&Itemid=30
Thanks again and again Derek for all these years of support!! I am still in the game with my third cd on cdbaby [Got to know U] hope all is well with you ! sincerly, Reg
I absolutely enjoy all your valuable information,though it may be difficult at times to adhere to some rules to make headway in the muz-biz.I'm 16, since age 10 I'm working on my music career until, whenever that might be, I'll make it as a recognized and respected recording artist. September 07 my dad and friends in the biz helped me to form a band, please check my website www.Lexymusic.com, also www.lexyrose.com
this is my first site created when I was 10 1/2.
Love to communicate with people who share my views and persistance to believe in yourself.
Music is beautyful.
Thanks Derek
sincerely
Lexy
thanks so much for all the information you give! it's nice to know you are still connected to the artists you have helped in making dreams come true!! you are for real!
I agree, this leaves our music to
be more marketable on all levels. Derek, thanks for getting it to the sources. I believe in music,and all those who are supportive, I thank as well. I am now working on performing more, and doing 2nd album. Thanks again Derek.
How do I get my music onto Rhapsody?
Just go to http://cdbaby.net/dd and ask CD Baby to send it to Rhapsody for you.
Derek,I agree with you absolutely.Thanks for all advises,thats very useful.
All the best,
Roman
I would rather have my product on as many websites as possible.
Thanks for all the great info you make available. It certainly helps.
A grenade can kill more than a soldier and a bullet can kill one or two but if i am asked to choose between ten grenade and hundred bullets , i will go for the hundred bullet instead .
I will say it is very sensible and reasonable to put ones music in all web site if possible because the more you are seen often everywhere the more tempting you becomes to the beholders, so you have more advantage more that some one who is only on one or two web site
as usual your insight and enthusiam, are inspiring.Thanks,Derek . Regards,Terry Alexander.
Would love having my music store
website, and every thing pertain
to music which is on my records labe be on all music websites,in
that way will sell more CDs, and
bring more traffic to mywebsites
Thanks,
Scorcher
Looking far ward having greater working releationship With cdbaby in the near future
Dennis Williams
Thanks for all the exposure cdbaby have given scorcher music
through out these many years
Thanks again,
Scorcher Music
I try to put my favorite tunes on least one quality website every 2 or 3 three weeks. Some hit, some miss but I've really picked up a few very loyal fans along the way. They don’t all buy unfortunately but they do spread the word around if they dig the tunes. I also like to test out a few of the new tunes a month or two before the CD comes out, or even as I am still polishing them up. It's been my experience that people like to feel they are part of the process. The truth is that I’ve already made up my mind which ones will be going on the CD, but it’s still cool to have someone else confirm how great the song is;). (…and sometimes not!) I will usually let people download for free a tune in it’s “rough unfinished state” and then let them know when the real deal is done. For me it still comes down to the music and my love for the process of writing and recording. I will do it until I’m dead.
Rock On!
Eric
Bad Love Junkie
You're so right man. I put my music up everywhere. I'm really known to get a site from someone, set it up, post up my schtick, and never return until someone mails me or friends me or asks me a question.
I'm on so many sites, I can't even keep up with them, but I don't really try. "Let em come to you"
Derek ,is my music on all the sites
that is mentioned in this article?
Does cd baby incorporate all these
in our membership
Thanks, Ronnie Laas
RONNIE: I think CD Baby puts your music on all of these sites, yes. You'll have to check with them, though, in case anything has changed since I last spoke with them (almost a year ago). Email cdbaby@cdbaby.com for details.
Derek, as always, thanks for the insight and thought toward new concepts for marketing our music. As a solo artist, I would like like to see more venues for promoting my music similar to the wide array that is available for bands. Just another thought!
Hi Derek,cdbaby is my biggest distrubutor.Would they be able to do this? I mean put my music on all music sites.
Pete
Hi Derek,great idea as always but you've answered my question to Ronnies one above.
Thanks,
Pete
Excellent site "Derek". If a person can't appreciatiate all the info your laying out... shame on them. You've helped me in so many ways of music, that I can't begin to thank-you. Please continue giving me tips and everyone else. Your a valuble commoditie that we can't afford to lose. Keep up the Good work and may God Bless... Sid B
Derek:
I agree with your thoughts on having as many sites as you can possibly to digitally distribute your music. I recently added more distribution options on CDbaby. Thanks for all of your advice
Interestingly, I have that the favorite songs (downloaded or otherwise) on my CD are different for each website....probably an indication of the different demographics for each online site.
Hi Derek,
Have been traveling a lot,so forgive me for not responding sooner.These are wonderful
ideas for anyone.Yess I do believe you should get on as many Websites as possible,
so you are Avalable.My encouragement would be to anyone;Stay focussed,be Persis-
tant,and gather up as much information so you have the right tools to get where
you need to be.Oh yess,don’t give up! With so much Wonderful music,and (sooo )much
Junk,someone is going to come across your album and you might be just what they were looking for. God Bless! SONJA.
Thanks for that. The wider the net, the greater the catch I suppose.
Thank you for guiding me. I truly appreciate your insight. Kyleellen
Derek, I agree with you, I have my music all over the place, tunecore helped a lot too, that got my music all over the place earning me money on downloads from places I never would have found! and don't forget my site! http://MonkFunk.com ! The best one to upload it to
\m/
Dear Derek Sivers,
Scorcher Music will be releaseing
more new CDs this year,seeking
World wide digital distribution
have music on all major internet
music site.This New Year should be prosperous for us indies.
Your respect,
Scorcher
i'm sure you're right. only problem
is i seem to spend so many hours in
front of my computer struggling to get
info and publicity on various sites - it
uncountably takes up a huge amount of energy - consequently internet takes presedent over my creativity and music practice.
how to find the perfect balance ? help !
Dear Derek: It seems different for compilations. If I put out a compilation- adding up the money from streams alone to pay 14 different writers is a nightmare. (what is a stream?)! Wouldn't it be easier for my next compilation to restrict it to downloads only at Itunes- just to keep my administrative/accounting costs down? Otherwise it's a dreadful time consuming affair.
Just check it out.