4 ms·

I patiently await the day when artists are able to cut better deals with AAPL, GOOG and AMZN to market and sell their content directly - probably at a 70/30 spl

I patiently await the day when artists are able to cut better deals with AAPL, GOOG and AMZN to market and sell their content directly - probably at a 70/30 split like the apps and the books.

jcampbell1 15y ago
It already exists, and is called cdbaby.com They will syndicate music to amazon and itunes, and they pass through 91% of their net revenue from Apple and Amazon.
- Steko 15y ago
  The problem is most artists aren't happy with the amount of fame and sales their skills would deliver in a total meritocratic market. And so there's never a shortage of takers for the labels' Faustian bargian. Someone's got to handle the payola/promotion/production aspect and that stuff ain't free.
sp332 15y ago
Magnatune isn't a big label, but it's DRM-free and splits 50/50 with the artists. It's also non-exclusive, so the artists can make deals with others as well, if they like. Their "end-user" license lets each subscriber give 3 friends a copy of the music.
- shadowpwner 15y ago
  I'm not familiar with the industry, but is 50/50 split considered good?
  - pyre 15y ago
    IIRC, the major label deal goes like this: * Major label gives artist a loan for $X to cover the costs of producing the album. * Artists earn back something like 12% on album sales (though I believe 12% is on the high end). * That 12% goes directly towards paying back the loan for the production of the album. * Artists don't retain the copyrights to their works (at least the recordings, they may retain copyright to the lyrics, depending on the contract/studio). * Artists don't give a cut of merchandise sales, or ticket sales for live shows. * Artists retain the copyrights to recordings of live performances, which is how bands like Grateful Dead or Dave Matthews can allow 'bootleg' recordings of their live shows. * The studio retains rights to copyrights of live shows that are professionally recorded for the purposes of putting out a 'live' album though. * Most artists are never able to pay back the initial loan to create the album.
    - smackfu 15y ago
      The other side: * Major label advances an unknown artist a bunch of money. * Album sells poorly. * Artist never pays back advance. * Major label would have been better not making the deal.

I patiently await the day when artists are able to cut better deals with AAPL, GOOG and AMZN to market and sell their content directly - probably at a 70/30 split like the apps and the books.

jcampbell1 15y ago

It already exists, and is called cdbaby.com They will syndicate music to amazon and itunes, and they pass through 91% of their net revenue from Apple and Amazon.

Steko 15y ago
The problem is most artists aren't happy with the amount of fame and sales their skills would deliver in a total meritocratic market. And so there's never a shortage of takers for the labels' Faustian bargian. Someone's got to handle the payola/promotion/production aspect and that stuff ain't free.

sp332 15y ago

Magnatune isn't a big label, but it's DRM-free and splits 50/50 with the artists. It's also non-exclusive, so the artists can make deals with others as well, if they like. Their "end-user" license lets each subscriber give 3 friends a copy of the music.

shadowpwner 15y ago
I'm not familiar with the industry, but is 50/50 split considered good?
- pyre 15y ago
  IIRC, the major label deal goes like this: * Major label gives artist a loan for $X to cover the costs of producing the album. * Artists earn back something like 12% on album sales (though I believe 12% is on the high end). * That 12% goes directly towards paying back the loan for the production of the album. * Artists don't retain the copyrights to their works (at least the recordings, they may retain copyright to the lyrics, depending on the contract/studio). * Artists don't give a cut of merchandise sales, or ticket sales for live shows. * Artists retain the copyrights to recordings of live performances, which is how bands like Grateful Dead or Dave Matthews can allow 'bootleg' recordings of their live shows. * The studio retains rights to copyrights of live shows that are professionally recorded for the purposes of putting out a 'live' album though. * Most artists are never able to pay back the initial loan to create the album.
  - smackfu 15y ago
    The other side: * Major label advances an unknown artist a bunch of money. * Album sells poorly. * Artist never pays back advance. * Major label would have been better not making the deal.