Filed under: Apple Corporate, iTS, iTunes
iTunes to gain 6,000 unsigned artists
The good news is that the iTunes Store is about to gain an additional 6,000 artists, and the great news is that they're all unsigned.Distorted Loop is reporting that Apple has signed a deal with Pure Play Music to add their artists to the iTunes Store, accounting for more that 1 million tracks. eMusic, Amazon and Napster are also a part of the deal.
"The new era of distribution is now," said Richard Labrum, Vice President of Business Affairs at Pure Play, "and we are thrilled to take the leadership role."
Wow, an executive who gets it. Someone send this guy a box of Cuban cigars. I say the more indies in the iTunes Store the better. Recently, I was forced to listen to FM radio (for the first time in years) during a 3-hour car ride. It was torture. Perhaps I've been spoiled by the instant gratification of an iPod -- listening to exactly what I want to hear exactly when I want to hear it -- but I couldn't wait to get out of that car.
I thought, "There must be better music out there." There is, but you won't hear it on commercial radio.
[VIa MacNN]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
zach said 12:08PM on 9-25-2008
good! i am gonna stay with emusic.com but i'm glad that someone is finally listening. (no pun intended)
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teeth weasel said 12:16PM on 9-25-2008
indie != good
indie just means it's made off-label.
6000 new indie artists doesn't mean 6000 good indie artists, it means 6000 bands which for whatever reason couldn't get signed.
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brian said 12:30PM on 9-25-2008
unsigned and indie are not necessarily the same thing.. indie usually means "not signed to sony bmg, universal, emi, or universal"
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Low Impact Development said 12:38PM on 9-25-2008
I think this is great. No, all 6,000 artists won't be good, but how many "established" music acts are all that great are unique anyway? There promises to be more than few diamonds in the rough:
http://www.low-impact-development.com
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Jash Sayani said 12:39PM on 9-25-2008
Good. More music coming to iTunes. However, they should also sign developers and get more apps in the AppStore. And also try not to annoy them !
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Eric said 1:19PM on 9-25-2008
Great music is returning to commercial radio, albeit slowly. The Singer-songwriters are moving back into the popular spotlight. Sara Bareilles is a prime example - an LA singer-songwriter with an indie record under her belt, and then a huge radio hit.
It would have been better if she could have stayed indie, but at least the record companies are recognising some of the talent the coffee shops and clubs are hiding.
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Eric said 1:24PM on 9-25-2008
I hate to double-post, but plenty of indie artists (including those signed by indie labels, not just unsigned) have no interest in being picked up by major labels.
Garrison Starr was on Geffen in the 90s, and was dropped. She has absolutely no interest in re-signing with anyone. She's told me herself. Her music since becoming indie is better than her past work, as far as I'm concerned.
Gabriel Mann, another LA piano player (and friend of Sara Bareilles), isn't particularly concerned with a major label contract. He's content having his songs picked up by major televison shows (he was in Arrested Development, and his new group is in Grey's Anatomy tonight).
Just because you're unsigned (or not signed to a major label), doesn't mean you're not good.
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OwlBoy said 1:32PM on 9-25-2008
yay, more DRM free music for iTunes!
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LuminousNerd said 3:21PM on 9-25-2008
What is it with all the unsigned music freaks?
I got nothing against unsigned artists but the vast majority of them totally suck, that's why they're not signed yet.
I like good music. Show me an unsigned artist that is good, and I will be their fan. But I like a lot of popular music, there is definitely some good stuff, and categorically dismissing commercial music is just as bad as categorically dismissing unsigned artists.
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Rich said 7:24PM on 9-25-2008
Labels want to see measured success before they sign an artist. A lot of people want to hear the million dollar record sound and see the publicity before they take an artist seriously. Additionally, a lot of artists don't want to sign the label's BS 360 deals. Not to mention how much more money an artist starting out can make when keeping the publishing companies and labels out of their pocket. A lot of bands are unsigned because the labels don't know how to navigate the new age of music business. i.e. their great new idea to sell music on scan discs.
http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20080922/TEC.Music.on.Memory.Cards/
BOBBY said 9:14PM on 11-23-2008
Plenty of good music from unsigned artist
http://www.Xagga.com
get your xagga on
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A&R RON SMITH said 8:05PM on 11-26-2008
I know alot of Unsigned Artist are looking for that deal, and the deals are still out there. You just need to invest into yourself, and position yourself the right way. You need someone for everything (NO GOOD). You need to become everything. Learn to do beats. Learn to online/street marketing independently, Learn to how to put a MIX CD together. Learn to do a youtube, learn to get ya music on itunes. Learn! Learn! Learn! Become needed in the game. In order for people to want to do business with you they must have a need for you. YOU NEED TO BE NEEDED!
You can't be cheap when it comes to your future. I've noticed artist trying to cut corners trying to use they friends equipment, waiting for there manager to pay for studio time, or some are so cheap they don't even want to invest their own money into their own mixtape. The streets need to know who you all are. It's great promotion for people to want to book you for shows, and so on.
That's why you all are not signed ya'll being cheap, and the second biggest thing is you don't have the proper contacts. I discovered a site where they are basically giving you all the contacts you need to get your music to the right people. The contacts are strong, and ya'll need them. If you not where you need to be then you need these connects. Consider this a blessing.
www.successfulthings.com & click on Unsigned Artist
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