Something Awesome "might" be Coming
We are considering a music service by musicians for fans.
This would be a centralized system where music can be sampled and purchased.
Simple: 50% to musicians, 50% to the service, public audits for transparency.
FAQ
The Two Face Its:
- Musicians get the crumbs of revenue from the current music models in the world. If a painter can sell a painting for $10,000, why does a musician get $50 for 500,000 plays of his song?
- It is nearly impossible now for good musicians to get recognition for their work and break into the industry, even in they produce an 'album' release themselves.
Yes.
Having been in the music business for over 30 years, every musician I talk to is interested in this approach, but either doesn't know what to do about it or is looking at a daunting task of bucking the existing system.
THOMAS EULER at ATTENTIONECONO.ME: It’s time to find a way around the middlemen who control rights to a variety of media (e.g. record companies) and stand between content creators and content users...
GERARD: The business problem the industry faces isn’t how to distribute and account for content-rights data, it’s the data itself, along with the “contradictory interests” of the various parties who use it.
My description on Hypebot:
A possible solution to the musician-middleman-fan problem
As a 40-year music vet, I agree with your statement: "It’s time to find a way around the middlemen who control rights to a variety of media (e.g. record companies) and stand between content creators and content users..."
Musicians have become a commodity to sell the products of, while streaming their music as THEIR product while paying musicians pennies. Doesn't that sound the "oldest profession" model?
So myself and some other 35+ year pro musicians have spent the last year working on a solution: Create a platform where musicians can directly connect and sell their music to, and connect with their fans. The platform would charge a small fee to sell their music while the lions-share of sales go directly to the musicians. We have not accepted any funding yet, as we want to be SURE that this platform doesn't go the way of the others in this musi-glomerate industry.
I would appreciate getting your's and your reader's input and suggestions on this as we continue to plan. A number of musicians have readily responded to the concept, especially since the ones in the driver's seat are musicians, and developer-musicians.
Our concept is here:
http://www.nwcic.com/musicians/
On that 'note', best of success.
James Leahy
- Create a cloud-based server platform that is funded by us to host musician's music.
- Give control over the content of those songs to the musicians.
- Provide either 30-second or 1/2-song high quality portions of a song. The listener would have to purchase the song to hear the entire piece.
A Feature: Because these songs would only be available on the service, it should create a big draw to the site and service, attracting listeners and musicians together. - 50% of the revenue for purchased music would go to the musician.
- The other 50% would go to expenses for the technology, eCommerce for purchases, a system for the payouts to musicians. Part of this would go to the builders and programmers who provide and manage the service. Additionally, quarterly audits would be performed and made public on the site so as to be completely transparent.
- Each musician would have their own home page containing their music to design to suit.
- A musician can request to be featured on the home page. Details to still be developed on this, with the goal of not making it prohibitive to starving musicians or exclusive to the highest paying ones.
- Each musician can build a list of fans on their site. Send notices to them such as appearance dates, special events, or live talk sessions.
- Musicians can opt-in or opt out anytime and delete their accounts and music.
Yes.
Some possible options might be:
- Connecting to someone who can do a promo video
- Editing, mixing and mastering help
- CD jacket design
- Posters
If you opt-in, we'll only send you a note when there is a development, or we'd like to get your input on where we are going with this. We also won't share this list with any 3rd parties.