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Digital Audio Insider is David Harrell's blog about the economics of music and other digital content. I write from the perspective of a musican who has self-released four albums with the indie rock band the Layaways.
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September 11, 2009
Friday Odds and Endsby David Harrell
Digital sales now account for half of the revenue for Chicago's Bloodshot Records. From Greg Kot's interview with label founders Rob Miller and Nan Warshaw:
We're making half our money digitally, but that doesn't replace all the lost sales from physical goods, dovetailing perfectly with the worldwide economic collapse in November. That's usually our busiest time, shipping goods to accounts for the holidays. But sales didn't just slow down, they stopped.Bandcamp is ditching 128k mp3 files. From an e-mail sent earlier in the week to Bandcamp artists:
In an effort to further streamline our user interface, pave the way for some new features, and solidify our reputation as the go-to spot for high-quality music, we're dropping support for 128k downloads in about a week. After this change we will only support "best quality" (320k mp3 and more) downloads.While this change won't allow the option of giving away a 128k file and charging for the higher quality versions (Bandcamp also supports ACC, Ogg Vorbis, Flac, and Apple Lossless files), the e-mail noted:
...if you have a track or album set up as both a free, normal quality download, and a paid, best quality download (an approach that sounded great in theory but wasn't particularly effective in practice): It will switch to being available as a paid, best quality download only. If you still want to make payment for that track or album optional, we recommend you switch it to a name-your-price download with a zero minimum.And one quick thought on the lack of a Beatles announcement at Wednesday's Apple event: I would've seemed far more prescient if I actually posted this earlier in the week, but I wasn't surprised. The Beatles/EMI have always done a good job of timing releases for the holiday shopping season. Unless they made all of the Beatles content "album only," adding the material to the iTunes catalog probably would have diminished sales of the new remastered CDs, as purchasers cherry picked their favorite tracks. My guess is that an iTunes announcement will come in early 2010, after a gazillion of the new CDs are purchased as Christmas gifts.
tags: digital music Bloodshot Records Bandcamp iTunes the Beatles
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Part One Part Two Part Three Part Four
THE LAYAWAYS
Out Now -- "Maybe Next Year" -- The New Holiday Album:
"This is a sweet treat, deliciously musical without being overbaked for mass media consumption." -- Hyperbolium
"Perfect listening to accompany whatever holiday preparations you may be making today." -- Bag of Songs
O Christmas Tree - free mp3 lyrics and song details
Away In A Manger - free mp3
Download from eMusic, iTunes, Amazon MP3, or Bandcamp. Listen to free streams at Last.fm.
"...about as melodic and hooky as indie pop can get." -- Absolute Powerpop
"Their laid-back, '60s era sounds are absolutely delightening." -- 3hive
"...melodic, garage-influenced shoegaze." -- RCRD LBL
Where The Conversation Ends - free mp3
January - free mp3
Keep It To Yourself - free mp3
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"The Layaways make fine indie pop. Hushed vocals interweave with understated buzzing guitars. The whole LP is a revelation from the start." -- Lost Music
"Catchy Guided by Voices-like rockers who lay it on sweetly and sincerely, just like Lionel Richie." -- WRUV Radio
Silence - free mp3 lyrics and song details
The Long Night - free mp3
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"These are songs that you want to take home with you, curl up with, hold them close -- and pray that they are still with you when you wake up." -- The Big Takeover
Let Me In - free mp3
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