Noisetrade: Fan Generosity > Spotify Revenue
Brannon McAllister from Noisetrade–a site where bands offer music for free downloads–tweeted an interesting observation today: “Just ran some numbers: Artists make as much or more on Noisetrade as Spotify…”
If you are unfamiliar with Noisetrade, I’ll explain: Noisetrade offers users a chance to tip artists when downloading for free. Brannon is seeing that an artist might make more in tips than they do in streaming revenue from Spotify.
This is totally believable.
However, don’t get too excited, DIY folks. Musicians and songwriters shouldn’t see this as a business model; it’s just another reminder about appreciating generosity.
And I’ll repeat, the power of a few people’s generosity is worth more than a streaming company’s revenue share!
* * * What does this mean for the DIY Artist? * * *
Brannon admitted his metrics are based on averages site wide. These are numbers including national and regional acts using Noisetrade, not simply the masses of DIY artists like myself. (Picture the long tail applying here.)
Most of us don’t receive much in tips. However, you might increase tips if you ask for them, or offer your tips to a charity. (I’ll hypothesize those tips encouraged by going to charity/nonprofits are off setting Brannon’s metrics, too.)
* * * My Experiences with Noisetrade * * *
I’ve used Noisetrade over the last two years, and I love the site. I’ve had 1,520 downloads using Noisetrade.
One way I gained some traction was by buying a Noisetrade ad the same week as my release date, so I was on the front page; and then a New & Notable artist ad during the announcement of a DIY tour.
So yes, I did find that you make, $25-50 in tips as a new artist, which will be more than you would earn in Spotify streams that month (maybe year!), but I also needed to buy an AD to get that boast in attention from Noisetraders.
This leaves us DIY artists in the same place; if you are a new artist, don’t worry about the money earnings yet. Get the music out there and expect a slow build.
And try out Noisetrade! It’s a great site to find and share new music.
Today, MLive ran a story about Blimpy Burger‘s IndieGoGo campaign, and the comments section exploded…
It’s unfortunate, but Blimpy Burger has joined the many ranks of those criticized for crowdfunding.
This is a business who had lines out the door in support during the days leading up to the forced closure; but the tides can appear to change quickly in the comments section when media brings attention; often misinformed tides.
Note how many commenters missed a main point of the article, that the owner of the property sold the site to U of M, and Blimpie did not receive any money for that sale; they were a leaser, not owner!
And yes, one pertinent question remains unaddressed in the article. (What happens to the money raised through an IndieGoGo Campaign if Blimpy can’t deliver?) But that’s the risk of supporting anything. And as of now, 156 have not only given some financial support, but also their vote of confidence.
* * * * *
The Blimpie Burger crowdfunding campaign reminds the artist or creator, again, that:
1. you must focus on your supporters and ignore criticizers;
2. you must be impeccable with your word choice during campaigns;
3. you must expect to face criticism if you get media attention; and
4. you must expect grazers of the article to fall into one, or all, of these categories: they don’t read well; they misconstrue information; they might quickly, anonymously criticize in the comment section; they never would have supported your project anyway.
More importantly, the creators and artists are reminded to ignore the comment section, and focus on the supporters. Just because the tides seem to change in the comment section, doesn’t mean the tides actually changed.
When I was attending WMU as an undergraduate, a “riot” started on my street one block from campus.
Here’s what happened: a house party got out of control when some guys set a couch on fire in the street; and a crowd gathered; cellphones calls were made to friends; then it got really out of control.
Many of the people standing in the street, beer can in hand, didn’t even attend WMU. Many of the young twenty-somethings standing there didn’t know that simply standing there meant you were a part of it.
It was really stupid. Thankfully, no one was majorly hurt.
However, the following Tuesday of that weekend was September 11, 2001.
Nothing puts one in perspective than witnessing an unexplainable moment that changes the world, juxtaposed next to some ridiculous, privileged, immature conflict that seemed like a big deal when it happened…
* * * * *
MSU needs to change it’s culture. I know a lot of students feel like they are being represented by a minority; and it’s true that they are; but these events affect all of us. They become symbols for culture. They inspire the continuance of these actions for decades.
“Motown’s Phoenix”
Arsonous flames painted a relentless scene
across a darkened canvassed behind a Motown beat,
where the Heidelberg Project once rose
from the ashes, a blackened Phoenix; licked clean
like savory bones from barbecued meat,
arsonous flames painted a relentless scene
of a fallen king murdering his barren queen,
that obstruction of justice consumed by heat;
where the Heidelberg Project—once rows
of houses that danced like a mutated gene—
fused existing fragments, fueled a mighty feat;
arsonous flames painted a relentless scene
of a war to define art (what the hell does art mean?),
to call attention to the sight of all forgotten street,
where the Heidelberg Project—once rows
of pennies and polka dots, the city’s two block spleen—
amplified an honest afternoon, an evening cheat;
arsonous flames painted a relentless scene,
but the Heidelberg Project, once again, rose.
Jonathan Coulton’s music biz metric-> :)
I was writing about the music business this morning, pessimistically, and then before I posted it, I stumbled upon this video of Jonathan Coulton’s XOXO talk. (I was searching for a different to embed, but man, I’m glad I bumped into this.)
So I dumped the pessimistic blog into the Mac trashcan, and I’m simply posting this. Bring on the smiles!
short clip version: “Here’s the pep talk…”
full video:
