I've watched Nirvana perform on local public access TV (ironically on Youtube) in 1989, so some level of public distribution was possible. Similarly 50 Cent so

I've watched Nirvana perform on local public access TV (ironically on Youtube) in 1989, so some level of public distribution was possible. Similarly 50 Cent sold mixtapes of his music out of his car trunk to get the word out in the pre-Soundcloud era. In the mid-00s, Kevin Hart (comedian) would maintain his own email lists when he toured, and would send out email blasts when he returned to those towns College bands used to do this as well, especially as email was adopted earlier there.