Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Singer Songwriter Tom Fox Offers Legal Free MP3 Downloads

URL: http://www.foxtunes.com
Guitarist, singer and songwriter Tom Fox is one of a small but growing group of artists giving away music for free rather than charging or having fans fined for stealing it. On his Web site at foxtunes.com, Tom has made CDs of free music downloads available, including songs from "Midnight Rain" (which was nominated for two independent music awards) and "Slowly" (which garnered radio spins on both sides of the Atlantic). When asked about the wisdom of giving his music away for nothing, Tom replied, "Many musicians are so afraid of losing out on a 99 cent iTunes sale that they forget that giving away music free and legally has promotional value.” “Offering free MP3s can accelerate the growth of your online listener base, which ultimately can generate exposure in the form of gig offers, Internet and satellite/terrestrial radio play (generating royalties) and traffic to your site," he said. So instead of giving music away, it’s really more a long-term investment in listeners and the music. There's never been a wiser time to get your MP3s legally. We live in a climate where illegal MP3 sharing can bring you sharply into focus on the RIAA's radar and can cost you an arm, leg and your house at $750 per infringed song. Just ask Jammie Thomas, a single mother of two who was found liable in 2007 for 24 acts of infringement and ordered to pay $222,000 in damages. Giving music away free is a proven way of doing business online. Tom reminds fellow musicians that Web traffic has value in of itself. It can be monetized by affiliate programs and contextual advertising. Existing models like the Ruckus network, a free...Click to read more

Tags:
Tom Fox, music, foxtunes.com, free music downloads, MP3

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