Naysayers of MP3 downloads – free or otherwise – have all been saying that the no-cost phenomenon will cause the downfall of the music industry. The industry, however, is as strong as ever, made more vibrant by the new generation of artists that forge their path on the Internet. And, believe it or not, following in their footsteps might be just as profitable.
Getting Facts Straight
How do you make more money by offering something – your music in this case – for nothing at all? The logic seems counter-intuitive, but this happens quite regularly in the real world. Despite their offering their music as free MP3 downloads, artists who do so still find that album sales and money are still rolling in.
Marketers have proven that, even with the spread of freely available MP3 downloads, many people still end up buying an authentic CD or an album from an authorized retailer. There are many reasons for the consumers’ doing so: the album art, the info on the cover sleeves, the higher quality of a real studio recording. But whatever their motives, the outcome is still the same; the customer still buys.
If you’re still in doubt, just look at the likes of Lady GaGa and Mika, both of whom were overnight successes. Much of their success comes from the fact that a few of each one’s tracks made the rounds on blogs and music e-zines everywhere. Sure, millions of people got free copies of their first two or three tracks. But with the millions in album sales that followed, you don’t hear either of them complaining.
Bad Publicity: No Such Thing
Visibility is the secret to success in the whole entertainment industry. Some careers even seem to thrive on exposure alone. With this in mind, you should probably see how and why your name and your music on those free MP3 downloads could mean money in your bank account.
In economics, adding a price to anything is supposed to limit the consumption of that particular item; taxes and tariffs are good examples. By taking away the cost on your music, you also remove one of the biggest factors that keep people from listening to you in the first place. In the bigger picture, this is free publicity for you and – as any PR guy will tell you – all publicity is good publicity.
By offering your music as costless MP3 downloads, you encourage people to download it. If they like your sound, that first group who downloaded will share it with their friends who will pass it on to their friends in turn. As that group of listeners expands, so does the market that would be willing to shell out ten bucks for each one of your albums.
For many artists, their road to success began with tirelessly playing at low-paying gigs – John Mayer started with $1 tickets – or continuously shoving demo tapes down talent agents’ throats. And while you shouldn’t let go of those methods entirely, taking the free music route might just be a little faster.
Bearshare.com is more than just a source of MP3 downloads; it’s one of the best avenues for you and your music to reach a global audience. With the rise of the global market and online transactions, the rest of the world is your oyster on the network.
