As I continue working on getting the songs and budget together for my next album, I have been considering different questions. One very large question that keeps coming up in the business meetings I have with myself is whether I should release my album digital only or actual CD and digital?
The pros to digital only are pretty easy to see- more ecofriendly, less expensive, no concern about storage (the CDs from my first album are taking up prime real estate in my closet), the vast majority of my sales have been digital anyway, easier to track sales and, well, those are pretty much the pros. The cons to digital only are that I couldn't sell them at shows, there are audience members who really aren't into the whole digital music thing and I wouldn't get to have a pretty CD cover and insert. Sigh.
So, my faithful readers/listeners, what is your take? Where you stand on this polarizing issue? Any pros and cons I neglected to mention? Any suggestions for a third option I haven't considered? I anxiously await your response.
Is there a way you can do less cds and primarily stick with digital? I agree that digital is a better option - as you said, more ecofriendly and, for the most part, more convenient all around. However, I'd hate for some of your listeners to be unable to hear your new music if they can't get a hard copy of it. Can you do a little of both?
ReplyDeleteFocus on digital and use a POD service like Lulu.com or Createspace to have CDs made when you need 'em.
ReplyDeleteThen you can order 10, 20, or however many at a time, sell 'em at your shows, and not have to deal with tons of unused product sitting in your closet.
Emma, The CD's make you real. The artwork, the image, the touch and feel, the lyrics, the artistic statement contribute so much to what you are and what you aspire to be.
ReplyDeleteJust haivng the Cd available on Amazon makes a huge statement.
Having said that, obviously 90% plus of the sales will be digital. But I genuinely believe the existance of the CD helps drive the downloads.
An on-demand service would obviously be a benefit, provided quality doesn't suffer too much.
Sallytonks: Your idea is a great compromise! I'll look into doing smaller runs.
ReplyDeleteMatt: I'd never heard of either of those sites! That sounds ideal I'll definitely check them out and see what they offer.
Wizard: After reading responses here and at my other blog postings (MySpace, Facebook) I see you are completely right! A lot of music lovers really treasure the whole tangible package. Thank you for your input!
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ReplyDelete