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CD Baby and the Indie Music Business
A Salute to CD Baby
A Music X-Press Magazine Feature by Jason Cangialosi For most artists or individuals trying to pursue a career in the music business the name CD Baby rings a bell. It has been a doorway of hope and independence for many different Indie artists, bands and filmmakers worldwide trying to release their projects. Since 1997, when founder Derek Sivers starting selling CDs out off his home computer; CD Baby has given talented individuals the necessary tools and avenues needed. Since then CD Baby has helped successfully release artists' new music, or video projects under their Film Baby division, into an ever-changing market where so many have failed. This independently rooted company has afforded the unsigned, but talented entrepreneurs with limited budgets, to make their product available for music lovers worldwide. Many artists see the company as a trusted service, where someone with no finances is empowered to distribute their own way in larger markets. There are many others throughout the nation and world that would testify as well that CD Baby was one of few affordable, yet reliable alternatives to distribution. The company is still a top competitor out there, helping independent artists, bands and filmmakers turn ambition into sales. Today, Sivers, although dedicated to the market for CDs, isn't about to miss out on the wave of digital download distribution. CD Baby has set up a distribution deal to sell artist's MP3 music through online retailers like iTunes (Apple), Rhapsody (Real Networks) and Yahoo music. The warehouse has grown way beyond Siver's bedroom operation back in 1997 and the company prides itself on over $37 million in sales paid out to artists. This comes from artists setting their own retail price and CD Baby takes about a $4, or a 9 percent cut from that, leaving artists with $6 - $12 profit. Artists get paid in full every week, so there's no long waits at the mailbox for a skimpy distribution check. Part of the Website's success comes from the buyer friendly format they've developed; no bells and whistles here, just browse, click and buy. Before Sivers started CD Baby, he was selling his own album, along with a few of his friend's and a good idea started to clutter his homepage. With that CD Baby now branched out into web hosting with their Host Baby division, giving artists available web presence. Some things haven't changed though and where Sivers once listened to every CD that came through his door for distribution, he now has 2 full time listeners to carry this tradition. A genuine love and loyalty to music artists is still Siver's philosophy and his huge tome of advice columns on the www.CDBaby.net distribution site is testament to this. At $20 a month to host a web page, along with the one time $35 distribution set up fee, CD Baby is an investment that goes a long way. The site does make an effort to promote the albums, but they've stayed focused on what they do best, a fair deal. It's still up to the artists to get their name out there and tantalize the ears of potential fans. What CD Baby has done for them is made it easier to take the next step, but still maintain control over their distribution.
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Contributor's Note
Jason Cangialosi was the former editor of Music X-Press Magazine.
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cdbaby.com/
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