New distribution method
Published January 27, 2004
Peter Gabriel and Brian Eno have announced a new way to let artists sell their music online rather than only through record labels.
[Gabriel and Eno] call the plan the "Magnificent Union of Digitally Downloading Artists" - or MUDDA.... "Unless artists quickly grasp the possibilities that are available to them, then the rules will get written, and they'll get written without much input from artists," said Eno.... By removing record labels from the equation, artists can set their own prices and set their own agendas, said the two independent musicians, who hope to launch the online alliance within a month.
I'm glad that they're getting on the bandwagon; hasn't Prince (or whatever he's calling himself these days) been doing this for a few years now? In any case, more avenues and options are almost always a good thing.
- New distribution method
- Published: January 27, 2004
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- Section: Sci/Tech
- Filed Under: Sci/Tech: Internet, Culture: Media, Music: Business, Music: News
- Writer: Casper
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I think that the Coca Cola initiative uses the same technology. However, what Gabriel and Eno are proposing seems to be a more free and open setup, where artists can distribute their own songs pretty much anyway they would want (streaming, download, pretty colors, etc).
I am happy to see Peter Gabriel taking the lead here. A musicians union organized around digital distribution is over due. Artists, particualarly independent artists, need lots of support in this arena as they are caught between free downloading and the big labels who take and control everything.
I've been working with an independent musicians coalition at CalabashMusic.com. One of the artists we work with is Sevara Nazarkhan who toured with Peter Gariel last summer. She has her own self-produced recording that was not getting any air play and we helped her get it broadcast (via her music video) on the national televison channel LinkTV.
LinkTV has around 1 million people who watch their world music programs each week and Sevara has gone from relative obscurity to one of the most downloaded artists in the collective.
You can find her music at http://sevaranazarkhan.calabashmusic.com or on the LinkTV website at http://sevaranazarkhan.linktvstore.org The CalabashMusic.com collective now has over 400 independent artists.
I too think MUDDA is a fantastic gesture, and opportunity.
I'm thrilled at how eager [t]he[y] are/is to explore in terms of content, and how this is made possible via their choice of distribution medium.
I'm DYING to get involved, here.
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The interface is similar to the Coca Cola one. One in the same, just different branding like Real is doing with listen.com?