subscribeHappy 10th Birthday to CD Baby - and an announcement
March 24th, 2008I started CD Baby 10 years ago this week - in March 1998.
You probably know that I’m just a musician-geek, not a business-man. Never meant to start a company. I was just selling my own CD, then helped some friends do it, then it accidently turned into CD Baby. (Ooops!)
Now CD Baby has paid over $70 million dollars(!!) directly to musicians. And despite the moaning you hear from the major labels, independent artists are selling better than ever. Even physical CD sales are up 30% over last year!
ANNOUNCEMENT:
Friends will tell you that for the past 10 years I’ve spent most waking hours, 7 days a week, doing nothing but CD Baby. Last year I just slept on the couch at the office for 6 months, usually working from 7am to midnight.
So today seems like a good day to tell you that I don’t work at CD Baby anymore, and haven’t in months.
I’m still the owner, but haven’t been to the office since May. The crew there is running things better than I ever could. They know more than I do, and do a better job.
I’ve made that transition from self-employed to business-owner. (You know you’re a true business-owner when you can leave your business for a year, and come back to find it’s doing much better than when you left.)
WHY AM I TELLING YOU THIS?
Because the reason I freed-up my time is to find more ways to help you.
Helping you develop, create, promote, and sell your music makes me happier than anything. It’s still why I bounce out of bed in the morning.
I love it even more than making my own music. (Weird, huh?) By helping you get your music out to the world, and helping you make a living doing it, I feel that in a way I’m making more music than ever.
There are many ways I can help you, but I’ll email you about those next week.
Today was just a CD Baby birthday announcement. Still, I wanted to let you know there are exciting things to come.
March 25th, 2008 at 10:22 am
Happy Birthday!
I hope everything is going well for you and you are truly amazing to do what you do.
March 26th, 2008 at 2:40 am
Hi Derek!
Happy birthday to CD Baby, one of the best babies in the world! Thanks for your passion and help. Greets, Aleksz
March 26th, 2008 at 3:42 am
Im pretty new to CDBaby but have great feeling about it..And you are truly inspirational..the power of manifestation is in doing what you love and serving the greater good…all power to you Derek and congratulations to CDBaby…love and peace…kavi
March 26th, 2008 at 4:47 am
This sounds really great. Best wishes, Good luck and now lookin´ forward to your announcement. What better help needed, as from someone with many years of experiences. I´m glad to hear from you in future. Have a nice day.
Vein Bionemis
March 26th, 2008 at 5:32 am
Congratulations! CD Baby is awesome, discovered lots of great artists through it, and by now, my band is selling cds there as well. Keep up the good work and thanks for bouncing out of bed to help people like me
Cheers from Germany
March 26th, 2008 at 5:47 am
Happy Birthday, Derek… it’s the one day of the year when the rest of the universe revolves around you… DKH
March 26th, 2008 at 7:19 am
Happy Wonderful Birthday! This company has provided a wonderful yellow brick road to journey on. It has been a gracious walk. Thank You!
Yours In Music - APACHULA
March 26th, 2008 at 7:21 am
Well done man.. You are a huge source of inspiration to me and most conscious, independent creative musicians. Congratulations on your incredible life’s journey and harvest. Here’s a post I made yesterday at CDBaby.org:
“Congratulations Derek, the CD Baby staff, and fellow artists
I’ve been watching CD Baby grow since 2000 when I was employed a TheMusic.com in Hollywood. We had pretty decent site traffic and we used to throw up free Ads and links for CD Baby because we believed in CD Baby’s mission and were genuinely touched by Derek’s sincerity and human decency.
I remain grateful for CD Baby and the portal it provides. At 39, efforts to be a rock star per se seem quite futile
However the ability to connect my own weird musical DNA with those who enjoy it and want to patronize it will remain a lifetime pursuit and soul mission.
When I started out in the music business over 20 years ago, media access, means of production and physical distribution were steep barriers to overcome.
The internet changed all that and Derek made a cozy epicenter that those of us from the musical road less traveled could call home..”
March 26th, 2008 at 7:54 am
A very happy birthday to CDBaby, and much success to you, Derek, in all your future endeavors! Exciting times ahead, indeed.
March 26th, 2008 at 8:46 am
Congratulations! Keep fighting the good fight!
March 26th, 2008 at 9:10 am
Dear Derek!
Happy birthday!!! What you did is much more than just cdbaby. It is an example, a model for new ways of business and more. Work = doing what you love - that’s the point. This can change a whole society and bring back joy and dignity into everyday life.
I try to live my life like that for many years.
Take care and have a wonderful time;
Peter Blue;
Blue Star
March 26th, 2008 at 9:26 am
Thanks Derek! Here’s to many more.
March 26th, 2008 at 11:55 am
Congrats on Ten Years man, that’s a great achievement. I got to hear you speak at the 2007 East Coast Music Awards in Halifax, Nova Scotia and you are an inspiration for the Modern Music Industry. I’m a proud client of CD Baby and have been for almost 2 years now.
Cheers,
Josh Hogan | Diminished Fifth Records
http://www.DiminishedFifthRecords.com
http://www.d5r.blogspot.com
March 26th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Congrats Derek and everyone at CD Baby! The news even compelled me to write about it here:
http://musicmarketing.typepad.com/music_marketing_for_indie/2008/03/cd-baby-turns-1.html
March 26th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Thanks for changing the world
March 26th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
We’ve been having our cake and eating it too …for a decade now.
Your turn.
All the very best Derek and all CD Babies.
Luc
March 26th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Congrats Derek and crew. Your site has been an inspiration for all independent musicians. We may not have made zillions of dollars, but we have certainly networked all over the planet. Some people are real philanthropists, and you are one of them.
May CD BABY grow and grow, and eventually swallow the greedy big boys. Graham from “the marimba belles”
March 26th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Derek!
You are awesome. whatever it is you’re doing I’m hoping to stay in the loop because you’ve helped so many artists including myself.
hearts,
mz.
March 26th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Mazel tov, friend. It’s been a pleasure doing business with you so far, can’t wait to see what you have up your sleeve!
March 26th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
7AM to midnight? Slackin’ man, slackin’. Coffee actually starts singing and dancing around the brown stained cup on 16 little feet about 2AM…and functions will start writing themselves starting about 3AM ….
Happy Birthday to a source of honest sweat inspiration for Whole Wheat Radio…
March 26th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
[...] of the news and info online about the music business is negative. So, here is a bit of upbeat news. I hope CD Baby survives and thrives in what ever the music business will [...]
March 26th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Derek,
“Happy Birthday to CD Baby!” I am so happy for your success. I also want to let you know how much I appreciate all you and your crew have done for me since I placed my very first album (Bendin’ the Blues) online with you in 2001. My, how time flies…
And, I know I have told you this before, but it’s your birthday so I’ll say it again–you guys are the best! I have never, ever had an issue or problem with CD Baby and have received excellent service from day one, as well as some sound advice on how to make my way in the indie world.
Looking forward to hearing your new ideas on artist promotion and whatever else you may dream up next!
Melanie Mason
http://www.melaniemason.com
Lead guitarist, vocalist & songwriter
March 26th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
Congrats Derek- and thanks for everything you’ve done for all of us over the last ten years!
March 26th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
happy birthday and congratulations.
i remember visiting you and the gang at the newish CD Baby offices/warehouse way back in 2000 when our band Ramona the Pest was in Portand. It looked like you were having fun then and obviously you still are.
And you are a damn good business man…
March 26th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Congrats and thanks, Derek!
March 26th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Congratulation Derek, CDbaby is awesome. All of you at CDbaby go overboard to make sure everything is perfect for independent artist like me. I really wouldn’t be sucessful in the industry if is was not for CDbaby. I thank you, I wish you and the company many more years. Stay successful and blessed.
Sharif Rashad
(Detroit Techno recording artist)
http://www.myspace.com/sharifrashad
http://www.myspace.com/rhythmicalalliance
http://www.myspace.com/sabadudetroit
March 26th, 2008 at 11:28 pm
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you, Derek and to everyone at CD BABY who makes this service to musicians an inspirational and rewarding experience! Remember, you’re not getting older, you’re getting “better.” Thanks for all you’ve done.
March 27th, 2008 at 12:02 am
[...] Happy 10th Birthday to CD Baby [...]
March 27th, 2008 at 1:28 am
Derek,
I dont have many words, but all I want to say (and echo many others you have helped) is a very big thankyou! Onwards and upwards..
:oP
March 27th, 2008 at 2:55 am
Happy Birthday Derek, well… you guys have been great for my CD released in 2005. Even greater is the continuing downloads. I have since composed songs for two films and one of your guys forwarded a call to me that got me a major movie trailer. (That’s the kinda stuff that MAZLOW scares/excites me)… I am also producing new artists and sending them to CD Baby. Your idea was just the perfect one at the perfect time… and you were the perfect guy (geek) to give it legs and make it walk and and stomp on tokyo. Thank you for the gift… and I look forward to what else you have in mind. How about Downloadbaby? Filebaby? Gigbaby? [ TORRENTbaby!! ] lol… whatever it is… I’m in if it has your name on it.
March 27th, 2008 at 3:50 am
Congratulations Derek, for finding your true calling and helping so many of us along the way!
March 27th, 2008 at 6:39 am
congratulations and happy birthday!
thanks so much for all you do, as an independent musician i am very grateful for your passion and hard work for the collective good. you’re a great role model and i’ve taken many of your writings to heart, and learnt a lot from you.
i’d be happy to hear you announce that you’re taking a vacation though… if anyone deserved it, it’d be you!
March 27th, 2008 at 7:33 am
Happy Birthday, Derek!
Thanks again for all you do for us. Thanks to the whole staff. You guys are the best, and always a pleasure to do business with.
CD baby has revolutionized the music business!
All the best,
Willie T & Doctor X
March 27th, 2008 at 8:25 am
Happy Birthday CDBaby! I’ve bought more random albums from more random artists here than anywhere in life. I’m sure I’ll continue to support the indies and perhaps others will do the same in return. Cheers Derek continue to inspire us all!
March 27th, 2008 at 8:53 am
Congratulations Derek! You transformed your thoughts into actions that have created a positive ripple throughout the musical universe, and we are all better off as a result.
March 27th, 2008 at 9:34 am
CONGRATULATIONS, DEREK!
I LOVE THE JOY YOU BRING TO THIS WONDERFUL BUSINESS YOU HAVE CREATED.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU MORE CLOSELY IN THE FUTURE.
MAY YOUR TRANSFORMATIONAL EFFORTS USING MUSIC TO BRING US ALL TOGETHER CONTINUE FAR INTO THE FUTURE.
IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO BREAK CHAMPAGNE
CHEERS!
March 28th, 2008 at 5:06 am
Happy Birthday cdbaby!
Thank you for selling my songs!
Peace and love Derek!
Eddie Wells
March 28th, 2008 at 7:59 am
Happy B-day and more power to you
We love CD Baby online store very much. You’ve help us sell our cds and promote our cd.
Good luck with everything.
Cheers..
Striving in Greater Hopes
March 28th, 2008 at 8:14 am
happy birthday CdBaby - this is how business should be done ! Thank you for the fairness and helpfullness that is helping to break the stifling non artistic commercial domination of the music corporations.
cheers -
Roge
March 30th, 2008 at 11:25 am
Hi Derek,
Happy Birthday CD Baby - Thank you for everything you do for all the Indie artist.
PS: CD Baby DIY Podcast are great!!!
Blessings,
Pedro
March 31st, 2008 at 10:41 am
Great to see you working ‘on’ your business rather than ‘in’ your business to quote Michael Gerber.
Perhaps you can help us do the same (focus on making music while outsourcing other tasks). I still see a huge gap in the marketing area of independent musicians. Other than posting their music to online websites musicians don’t do that much marketing and don’t want the pay others to do it.
I don’t like babies but CDBaby is one of the few exceptions! o;)
March 31st, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Will Kriski, congrats : you are the first one to guess my new company!
April 1st, 2008 at 6:53 am
Looking forward to see what PromoBaby has to offer!
April 1st, 2008 at 8:06 am
Happy Birthday CD Baby and congratulations on your “new” endeavor Derek! Your insightful decisions have opened up opportunities for independent musicians that we otherwise may not have been privey to. You will always be appreciated! By the way…it was great to talk with you at the NYC Meet-up. Continued Success and the Best of Blessings.
June 16th, 2008 at 10:57 am
Hi Mr. Derek!
Audio-Rarities
J.P. van den Wittenboer
June 16th, 2008 at 11:47 am
Happy Birthday CD Baby!
Right now, I’m drinking one for you!
June 16th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Derek, your tireless efforts on behalf of independent musicians all over the world are commendable. Thanks so much for all you have done, and best of luck on the next phase of the journey!
– Alan
June 16th, 2008 at 11:52 pm
Hey Derek!
I will never forget meeting you in Winnipeg. You said things there that radically affected my perceptions…in a great way!
I am looking forward to witnessing and perhaps participating in your next steps.
Blessings!
Jaylene Johnson
June 17th, 2008 at 5:05 am
Thanks for all, Derek. You are a worthy person and your advice is always very helpful!!
Best of blessings from Italy,
pier
June 17th, 2008 at 7:10 am
Gabriel, Mikael, Haniel, Raphael, Camael, Tsadkiel, Tsaphkiel, Haziel, Metraton, good music makes the angels to vibrate in the sky, BE HAPPY!
I wish a planet better for everyone, thank you for try it .
HAPPY 10th Birthaday to CD Baby by Robson dos Santos, brazilian contemporary classic music composer.
June 18th, 2008 at 1:05 am
derek! you know! cd baby has done a great service to so called world music. a lot of african music and other world music get the kind of exposure that it would never ever get otherwise,unless it was paul simon or some other western musician that was cashing in on it.
June 18th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Derek happy birthday to cd baby! they say 99% of good luck is hard work and your living proof of that,all the hard work will go for nothing if you are not working at it right and that is why you need help, to direct you on the right road to reach your goals and realize your dreams best wishes to cd baby and continued success.
June 22nd, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Derek,
as a participant of a workshop with http:/www.ElisabethKublerRoss.com I comment:
You did the “art of dying” letting active working for CDBaby.com go and delegate it to your team.
Good to be prepared for new challenges!
God bless you work even more.
Wolfgang
July 2nd, 2008 at 3:07 am
Congratulations! cdbaby. 10 years of growing and helping others is a wonderful way of earning a living. Derek you’ve done a great job, and it was you that hired the team that is now running the business. Without saying, always keeping hands on if not just every now and then will make certain that the staff you’ve placed in charge, continue in the path you set out to conquer. I certainly do not want to sound negative, however there have been many other company’s in the past that had key staff decide they could do it better if they went out on their own. I’m not saying that is going to happen here, but it doesn’t hurt to keep an eye open, does it?