So, who's ready for this next decade?
I know that if you sit down and thought about how many different signed acts came and went in the last 10 years, you'd just scratch the surface of the actual number.
Technology also has been the thorn in the record label's sides.
In 2000, people were still buying CDs. Take for example, N'Sync's "No Strings Attached" sold 2.4 million copies in its debut week alone. That set a U.S. one-week sales record.
According to Nielsen Soundscan for the week ending 12/27/09, the ENTIRE TOP TEN CD sales only equaled 2.24 million copies sold.
With the advent, of iTunes, Napster, LimeWire and a whole host of digital music providers, the whole music landscape has changed. The days of a band hoping to be signed by the major record label for millions of dollars are mostly gone. The level of work that an unsigned act has to do has jumped exponetially. While you can use the social networking sites to get your music out to the world, how does an individual looking for your type of band find you? There are millions of other unsigned acts trying to do the same thing as you are around the world.
My advice for you is this; embrace all technologies current and future. Continue to search out networks of other bands looking to promote themselves. Maybe you can work together.
Find other networks or online entities that can promote you to a larger audience base. Plus, take advantage of college and commercial radio stations (including ROCK 108) that are playing unsigned bands.
Some of this may be elementary to some of you. You may already be on this path. If you are, grab someone else and help them along.
If you have any questions about this or UNSIGNED & UNLEASHED on ROCK 108, email me at unsignedandunleashed@rock108.com
Happy New Year!
