So you want indie music on iTMS, huh?

amorphamorph
Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014
http://www.cdbaby.com/itunes/



[edit: This is a sneak preview! It hasn't gone live yet!]



12,000 unsigned artists on iTMS. Now. Go get 'em.



CD Baby artists get 59 cents per track.



If you really want to get around the big labels, and support independent music, have at it.



Comments

  • Reply 1 of 7
    ebbyebby Posts: 3,110member
    Wow. Nice catch. There is some interesting music there.
  • Reply 2 of 7
    homhom Posts: 1,098member
    Been there done that.* I'm so glad that the Suburban Legends are on iTMS. One genre where it is seriously lacking is Ska.









    *Well, I didn't know about this page, but I've gotten 6 CDs from CD Baby artists off iTMS so far.
  • Reply 3 of 7
    baumanbauman Posts: 1,248member
    I tried browsing through the blues section, but almost three quarters of the iTMS links are dead. \
  • Reply 4 of 7
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,425member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by bauman

    I tried browsing through the blues section, but almost three quarters of the iTMS links are dead. \





    I just noticed the same thing. Listened to a few artists. With many it's obvious why their Indie. Once artist did stand out a bit. The Dre Allen Project L.Y.F.E was interesting in production and decent signing. I hope this list is eventually updated so that every link works and all artists purported to be on iTMS are indeed there.
  • Reply 5 of 7
    defjefdefjef Posts: 62member
    it's too bad none of those artists are independent music that is doing something. What about the artists like Converge, Forensics, and Majority Rule. Yes these bands are probably not on iTunes by their own choosing but it's still depressing that most of the artists in the list on cd baby are simply musicians that are indy because they aren't good enough to be on major labels, none are are indy because the major music industry is corrupt so that they choose to distribute their music on their own terms. I want to see bands on iTunes that actually go out and tour people's basements, sell thousands of copies of their records and then come home to their crappy jobs at Burger King because they love the music and fans and aren't willing to sell out inorder to reach a far level of distance from those supporting their bands.
  • Reply 6 of 7
    amorphamorph Posts: 7,112member
    I should probably have mentioned that this link hasn't really gone live yet, which is why you haven't heard of it before.



    It should get cleaned up early next week, judging by the email I got. The lag between when CD Baby sends Apple a track and when it's posted is 2-3 months, so this process is a little more interesting than it needs to be. I'm still waiting for an album to appear that shipped out in December.



    As for the really interesting artists, well, you're always going to have to dig for those. I hope sites like CD Baby and iTMS will make them easier to find, but there's no way around the fact that there's going to be a lot of stuff you're just not interested in, and a lot of bands that are obscure because they're just not all that good.
  • Reply 7 of 7
    d.j. adequated.j. adequate Posts: 476member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by hmurchison

    I just noticed the same thing. Listened to a few artists. With many it's obvious why their Indie. Once artist did stand out a bit. The Dre Allen Project L.Y.F.E was interesting in production and decent signing. I hope this list is eventually updated so that every link works and all artists purported to be on iTMS are indeed there.



    CD Baby does have some really good artist. A lot are just beginners but a few, like Stan Ridgeway and Grant Lee Phillips, are pros who have put stuff out while between record contracts. They also have great service, if you ever want a CD there.



    One of the interesting things when this goes live will be the model of seeing iTunes content on another web site. CD Baby usually puts up a couple of full track previews. To offer the CD and electronic tracks on one site is pretty cool, especially for obscure bands. I wonder if other bands or labels will follow suite?
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