Sell Music Online
Help for artists who need to sell music online
How can I sell my music online?
One question that many unsigned artists don't think to ask themselves is, "how can I sell my music online?" Well there are now many websites out there that allow you to do just that - sell your music online!
When it comes to selling your music online, you need to ask yourself a series of questions, because the variety of websites where you can sell music online means that every single one of them has a different focus.
For example, there are websites that concentrate on selling your music on iTunes and other big music sites, some that help you sell your music through your own website, and some that have their own profiles.
Sell music online on iTunes - solution?
There are of course benefits to selling on iTunes, notably its widespread use and popularity. However you should ask yourself honestly, how likely am I to get much interest in my music when it's selling alongside the big-name artists? Being on iTunes might have a certain prestige about it, but it's not a guarantee that your music will get any publicity. Or that it will make you any money.
iTunes as a music distribution mechanism also has its drawbacks. Firstly there's the software. You can't download from iTunes unless you download Apple's software and install it. This will push many music fans away and has angered many. Further, Apple's persistence with DRM (digital rights management) means that you can't port your music onto any device you want. Thirdly, Apple's image may be down with some of the kids, but their arrogant approach to the music industry and, in my opinions, continual abuse of free-market monopolies are causing a growing rebellion away from iTunes and the iPod.
Of course there is also the fact that the biggest artists made their names by doing something different - if you follow the crowd you won't stand out. So to sell your music on iTunes really isn't the answer for unsigned musicians.
Sell music online through your own website
There are now a few services out there that allow you to sell your music on your own website. This sounds great, you get your music for sale online and all your promotional material is in one place. But you have to pay for hosting your site, bandwidth, maintenance and all that time you spend updating your website. Many unsigned artists simply don't have the time to spend dealing with all this themselves.
Selling CDs of your music on a website
Many unsigned artists aspire to having their own glossy album on a CD and selling loads of them. And of course you can do so online. But is it worth the effort? The music industry as it has been for the last twenty years is fading - the new generation coming through these days is interested in single downloads, not pieces of plastic with a bunch of songs, only one of which they've heard.
Music buyers want to hear music before they buy it. So why did they buy an album before? Simply because it was the only reasonable option. Sometimes the song they liked wasn't even available as a single, and if it was, it was several quid instead of under a pound - like it should be if an album really was worth a tenner.
Of course, there is still a certain "feel-good" factor when you buy a physical album. Especially when it has a pretty inlay. But if you want to sell your music online do you really have the time to package up and send each album to every single buyer. Or the money? Posting and packaging are pretty significant costs given the price of music these days. And your punters simply won't want to pay for it.
Sell music online through your own personalised digital music shop
With the new service Songstall, you can get your own personalised online music shop online in minutes. It's totally free to sign-up, there's no subscription charge and you retain your music rights at all times.
So how does it work? First you create a free account. Then you upload your mp3s, set the prices, customise your page and colours, and upload your artwork. And that's it, your music is selling online in minutes.
You get your own page address, and a new page for every song and album you add. This means you can link in directly from your website or promotional pages such as Facebook or MySpace. And the hosting is completely free, you only pay a commission on the sales you actually make. So if you sell nothing, you pay nothing! Songstall won't exploit you the way other services do with their sign-up and subscription fees.
Where can I find out more about how to sell my music online with Songstall?
Go to www.songstall.com and listen to the audio promo - it explains everything you need to know about how to sell music online. You could be selling your music online in minutes.
24th November 2009