The beginning of an end to traditional music distribution channels
The music market dominated by traditional record labels 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 the age of traditional music distribution.
The big players are now teaming up with social networking sites like MySpace.com to find new ways to sell music. Why? They can’t help it. People don’t want to pay for CDs anymore. Also, there is no need to buy CDs when you can download them for free somewhere on the Internet. After several years of struggle, the major labels have finally realized that the trend is irreversible.
However, this is not new to independent/unsigned musicians. Independent musicians have long been promoting their recordings through unconventional channels. The entry of major labels into internet music communities will have an impact on independent musicians. But unsigned musicians still have one obvious advantage over major labels: giving away music for free.
Why should you give away free music on the internet? One obvious reason is that people don’t want to pay more. People I am referring to with teenagers and generation Y and beyond. Those are the audiences that don’t understand life without the Internet. You can probably find a free copy of any song on the internet if you do enough research.
The latest proof of this is that major record labels are partnering with social networking sites to promote and distribute music. This is the marketing niche where independent musicians have had since the beginning of the use of the Internet. So how much of an impact will independent musicians feel? Great. Social media communities have been the marketing channel for independent musicians, the entry of big players will certainly push small bands into the background. For independent musicians to achieve any kind of success on the Internet, they have to take radical steps that major labels won’t take, like giving away music for free. At this point, we don’t know how the music social media/record alliance will work, but one thing is for sure: music won’t be free to download.