The traditional record labels dominated music market is coming to an end. If you haven't noticed the latest MP3 download services on Amazon.com, you're missing the beginning of the end of traditional music distribution era.
The big players now are teaming with social networking sites such as MySpace.com to find new ways to sell music. Why? They can't help it. People don't want to pay for CDs anymore. Plus, there's no need to buy CDs when you can download them for free somewhere on the internet. After several years of battling, the big labels finally realized the trend is irreversible.
However, this is not new for the independent/unsigned musicians. Independent musicians have long been promoting their recordings via unconventional channels. The entry of the big record labels on the internet music communities will have an impact on the indie musicians. But unsigned musicians still have one obvious advantage over the big labels - giving out music for free.
Why should you give away free music on the internet? One obvious reason is that people don't want to pay any more. People I mean by teenagers and generation Y and beyond. Those are the audiences who don't understand life without the internet. You probably can find a free copy of any given song on the internet if you dig far enough.
The latest proof to this is that big record labels are teaming up with the social networking sites to promote and distribute music. This is the marketing niche where independent musicians have had since the beginning of the internet usage. So how much impact will indie musicians feel? Big. The social networking communities have been independent musicians' marketing channel, the entry of big players will certainly push the small bands to the back burners. For independent musicians to achieve any form of success on the Internet, they have to take radical steps that big labels won't take such as giving away music for free. At this point we don't know how the record label/social networking music alliance will work out, but one thing for certain is that the music won't be all for free downloading.
Shilin Yin, Founder
Ucombo.com - Showcase, share, and sell original music - Free online music store.
ballroom dance music
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