MUSICBLITZ: MusicBlitz.com funds established artists to record exclusive new singles and features those songs as free downloads at the site. The most popular of those sinlges, determined by the number of downloads, are licensed for use in TV shows, movies, commercials, soundtracks and compilations. "MusicBlitz is replacing the traditional business model of deriving revenues from the direct sale of music to consumers with a new model that leverages the value of recording music from established artists to generate advertising, marketing and licensing fees," explains CEO Kevin Nakao. These resources allow artists to continue to pursue their creative careers without the "shackles of traditional long-term recording contracts."
BANDTOOLS: Bandtools.com is a new site designed to provide working musicians and bands with tools to connect and succeed. The site features information on clubs and venues across the United States, complete with contact information; college booking information; an available musician search (looking to join bands); a radio station database; a booking agent and promoter search database; and even a used gear bulletin board. Their VenuFinder, CollegeFinder, AgentFinder and PromoterFinder could be especially useful for touring bands across the country. The site makes simple and effective use of Java rollovers, using text images on a mostly text-only site that's easy to navigate.
FARMCLUB: Farmclub.com is a website, with accompanying USA Network's TV show "Jimmy & Doug's Farmclub.com," featuring mostly Hip Hop and Alternative artists. The show, airing Mondays at 11:00 PM, provides viewers with an "interactive and audience-participatory experience." The show and website spotlights many signed and unsigned bands - in 2000 alone over 100 unsigned bands will be featured. The site allows bands and artists to upload up to 4 songs in MP3 format, along with photos, CD art and bio information. (see next month's WebTips for a follow up...)
CD DEBUT: Canada's CDDebut.com is another free site for bands to sell their CDs. The site takes $3.00 per disc when sold, and posts your info, photos and MP3 music clips for preview (soon they'll be adding digital downloads for sale as well). They ship all CDs within 24 hours, and sends a check after every 5 CDs are sold. The indie artists and CDs showcased tend to sell for around $8-10, and the artist info pages feature reviews from the CD Debut staff.
ESSENTIALS OF MUSIC: From Sony Classical and the music book publisher W. W. Norton comes essentialsofmusic.com, an educational site on classical music and composers throughout the ages. A database of almost 70 composers, from Bach to Basie, includes bios and song clips, many with links to recordings available for online purchase (from Sony Classical, ofcourse).
MOONSHINE RECORDS:Moonshine.com is the web address for Moonshine Records, specializing in Electronic Music. This advertisment-free site features more DJ-mixed albums than any other label in America, including Techno, Drum & Bass, House, Trance, Happy Hardcore , Gabber, Ambient and Acid Jazz from artists including DJ Micro, DJ Dara, Christopher Lawrence, Aaron Carter, AK1200, D:Fuse and the Freshmaka.
UMASS ONLINE: Bands and artists looking for some East Coast college airplay are encouraged to submit thier CDs to the University of Massachusetts, Ahmerst college station, which also broadcasts online (at www.wmua.org). Send your music to WMUA (attn. music department), 102 Campus Center, U.Mass, Amherst, MA 01003 (email wmua@stuaf.umass.edu).
LUXURIA MUSIC: "Unrepentant eccentric whose cultural taste runs from haute cuisine to shabby chic and whose musical taste runs from Trip-Hop and Surf to Exotica, Jazz, Hindi film soundtracks and beyond" is how LuxuriaMusic.com co-founders Chuck Kelley and The Millionaire describe their eclectic music and lifestyle site (www.luxuriamusic.com). Luxuria Music's goal is to become THE Internet address of choice for those with a burning need to know about the coolest in both contemporary and retro music and culture (with all that competition out there for this wide-ranging demographic). Recognizing no cultural boundaries, visitors need only appreciate the fine aesthetic thread that links Finnish designer Eero Aarnio to French crooner Serge Gainsbourg, surf legend Dick Dale to filmmaker David Lynch and spaghetti western composer Ennio Morricone to Beach Boys songwriter Brian Wilson, as well as icons of culture like The Ventures, Esquivel, Frank O. Gehry, Oscar Wilde, Raymond Lowey, the Coen Brothers, Jazzanova, Prada, Charles Mingus, Stanley Kubrick,Van Dyke Parks, Armando Trovajoli, Federico Fellini, Herman Melville, Air, Russ Meyer, Fantastic Plastic Machine, Helmut Newton and more. To help generate interest in the site, they are giving away an authentic Bob Moog Theremin to one lucky viewer that signs up for site info and emails (a perfect prize for a site dedicated to updating the term "Jet Age").
ONLINE REVIEWS: Looking for an online review of your CD? Websites www.atnzone.com and www.musesmuse.com are looking for you! Send your CDs to Ben Ohmart, P O Box 750, Boalsburg, PA 16827, or email findline@mindspring.com for more info.
GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: Distribution is key, and musicdish.com has partnered with over 50 major international online retailers like TWEC, Tower and Sanity in Australia. With no currency conversions or int'l shipping charges for buyers, the site is offering the independent community a free one-stop to get into many more music distribution websites. Go to http://musicdish.com/m/global_top.html to sign up.
© 2000 Music Connection Magazine.