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Promoting Musical Artists in the Post-RIAA Music World?
Mattcelt asks: "While we're all discussing the eventual demise of the RIAA and the triumph of the MP3, what should a small independent music publishing company do to sell a new artist to the public? My publishing company recently ran a $4,000 advertising campaign on a local radio station (107.9 the Link in Charlotte, NC). Despite reaching an average audience of more than 10,000 during peak times, we netted *0* sales. That's right, absolutely nothing. I've made the entire album available in MP3 format on the Ephelian Records website to facilitate adoption, and I know some people have downloaded the songs, but I can't figure out why no one has pre-ordered the CD. How does an indie artist make a living when gig prices for unknown artists will barely cover the gas money and CDs won't sell? Are we really wrong about the availability of MP3s affecting music sales?"
Not sure, but how many people preorder anything except what they know is going to be hard to get when it first comes out, like software, consols & games, and certain books.
Unless the band is extreamly hot and popular in the region, why would anyone bother to preorder, when they can just pick it up whenever it comes out, if they want the CD?
How does an indie artist make a living when gig prices for unknown artists will barely cover the gas money and CDs won't sell?
Get a job.
...and take some of those gigs that barely cover gas and food, just to get your music out there for people to listen to. Most of the indie "success stories" (Big Head Todd & the Monsters, Ani DiFranco, etc.) based their reputations on their live performances, with album sales being just another means of helping to support that primary occupation.
You can't just throw your music at people who've never heard or seen the band before, and expect them to gladly fork over $10-20 on the chance that it could be good. Until you have some "known" artists, (i.e., they can attract a crowd on the basis of their name and rep for their shows) the label itself isn't going to be a good promotional vehicle. Once one or two of your artists have started to attract some attention, though, the label's name can be an attractor for new talent, and for listeners looking for more of that kind of music.
It can be done -- my father has been making a living as an independent musician for a number of years, and after establishing a sizeable local following for his live shows, has managed to self-publish and sell out several 1000-unit batches of his recent CDs. However, it took at least 3-4 years of low-paid live shows, interviews and solo accoustic sets on local radio stations, etc., before he was able to do so.