URL: http://www.foxtunes.comGuitarist, 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
URL: http://www.ucombo.com
Ucombo.com, the much-touted music sharing website for professional and budding artists has opened up another opportunity for musicians to market their original tracks, for free. A virtual download store powered by Ucombo.com can be accessed from a link posted on any website, including MySpace and Facebook. This will allow fans to purchase and download MP3's using Paypal technology. Ucombo.com, founded by Benefito, Inc. in December 2007, began its quest to bring together both musicians and music lovers by providing a free venue where all types of music from different genres could be uploaded by aspiring artists and professional performers, to be enjoyed and downloaded by music enthusiasts.
Now, Ucombo.com is taking this popular music community a step further by allowing musicians to actually sell their original tracks online. This is made possible by virtual stores run by the site which enable artists to incorporate several tools, including providing a short demo of their music for sale. Performers can put up as many tracks as they want on the block and build up a fan base by inviting their friends to sign up to Ucombo.com and vote for their music. The more votes an artist receives, the wider the promotion generated for their music, and the greater the chances they have of selling their work.
From pop, rock and alternative to hip-hop, r&b and classical, plus everything else in between, all of these original music tracks composed and rendered by amazing talents will not go unnoticed at Ucombo.com. The universal appeal of site's slogan, "Share the Music" is further enhanced by this new service. While providing the opportunity to promote innovative and original sounds, the new download store also gives artists the chance to earn money for their music.
Ucombo.com will provide free and user-friendly tools for musicians to operate their own online store, without requiring any programming skills to design or run it. In fact, aspiring and professional musicians can do away with the need for a middleman, instead use a Paypal Premier or Business account to get paid immediately, without having to accumulate a certain amount. As soon as fans purchase an MP3, Paypal will verify payment and Ucombo.com will send the buyer a link to download their chosen track. Artists can withdraw payment as soon as they log on to their Paypal account.
This new service will allow greater proliferation of new sounds by new artists, practically doing away with the need for associating with a big-name record label. This opportunity to promote music for free and earn from it at the same time will benefit musical artists and music lovers alike.
Tags: Ucombo.com, music sharing, musicians, music
URL: http://ClassicRockCentral.com
ClassicRockCentral.com launched today in beta form. The Network will feature historic artist interviews, vintage network programming, a streaming radio station, blogs and user generated content dedicated to classic rock. The site features interviews with The Beatles, Pete Townshend, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin and members of Pink Floyd. The site is also presenting Radio On Demand with streaming network radio programs such as a 4-hour special celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the release of Pink Floyd’s historic album Wish You Were Here which ran on network radio in 2000. more...
Tags: classic rock, music, radio
