Should Music Be Free? How About Your Story
It’s been an exciting month for me. I gave away my third EP for free all of November and had close to 700 downloads, with a little help from some blog reviews, a Fox Detroit 2 News interview, Anne Erickson’s Review in LSJ’s Noise section, etc. This is a really nice start for me. Thanks to all of you who checked out the new music!
In the end of the PR campaign, I find myself lost in the same question most musicians wonder: Is it better to give a way music for free than try to sell it?
My friend and drummer Stuart Tucker feels giving away music for free is bad for art. He feels art and music should be purchased because it needs to be valued. I think this makes sense. Art is valuable. It builds community. It inspires thought. If we take music and art for granted, we will lose more than sound and pictures.
However, I also find myself valuing other things than money as I jump start my music career. One of those things is attracting a little attention, gathering up some name recognition, getting a chance to share my story with new people.
Topspin has already blogged about the importance of giving away music for free, but I thought I’d offer a little perspective from the trenches. The fact isn’t simply that music is free right now, it’s that the way we engage with recorded music is going through a revolution. Yes, it’s being streamed and played, shared and downloaded. More importantly, the technology is there for one to listen to anything at anytime. And for a new artist, this is a great thing.
For U2, who made a lot of money from CD sales, this sucks; but we indie artists aren’t U2. Just like a local, small business in Downtown Howell isn’t Walmart. Dark Horse Brewery isn’t Budwiser. These are different things, even if the product is the same. Doesn’t matter if it’s music. clothes. beer….
In all honesty, a new artist needs to recognize they are asking for people’s time to consider their art. This is expensive for people’s lives. If you don’t give people a chance to listen and consider your art for free, you sure won’t convince them to buy it. They will just move on to the next thing in their day.
However, one needs to do more than simply give away music for free. You need to also share your story, and that story needs to be identifiable, authentic and unique. It’s the story that entices an audience, it’s that story that get’s others to come back to check up on you, to even share their own anecdotes. It’s not just the music that attracts people’s ears. It’s the story.
“We are a band and we want you to listen to this. We worked really hard on it.” That’s not a story. That’s not interesting. One’s story doesn’t need to be sensational or extreme, like, “I climbed Mt. Everst and wrote this album about all of my friends perishing off cliffs.” It definitely shouldn’t be fabricated. It just needs to be you. And we are all snowflakes, we are all unique. (Note, that was an inside joke for an DC class of 99 grads.)
Seriously, I’ve learned more about the music career these last three months then I did in my first eight years. David Mosher, Michigan musician, told me at times playing music for a living will be frightening, but it will always led to something new, something inspiring. This is so true.
Which brings me back to the scary question: Should music be free? Well, I had about 700 downloads in one month. Compare this to my sales of about 1100-1300 CDs/digital copies over a three year period as a part-time musician. I think I’ve gained more this month than I would have if I tried to sell my third EP. The best part was I’ve got to share my story about the fear of transition.
In the end, I’m learning playing music for a living is not just about the music. It’s about deciding what my art will represent. What my story will be…In 2010, I introduced myself as a teacher. Now I introduce myself as a musician. Next year, I hope to discover a new aspect of myself. I also will be excited to hear what new stories others will be sharing too.
Thanks again for checking out the release,
Mike
