Going it alone - indie labels stay independent

Ars Technica has a short article about how some indie labels are choosing to do their own distribution rather than use iTunes, which means that “Steve Jobs doesn’t get his pound of flesh”. And they point out that things aren’t as bad as the major labels might want you to think:

While the declining major label revenues might generate headlines that sound like the good ship Music is about to be boarded and sunk by P2P-wielding pirates, the larger story is that there’s more music than ever in the world, and more ways to get it in the hands of listeners. That should be music to any fan’s ears.

But they admit that it’s not that easy to run your own store, as with “the increased revenue per sale comes responsibility for the infrastructure, for keeping the site up, for dealing with payment issues (not to mention the upfront cost of building the store)”.

Seems like just another reason for more artists to make full use of existing distribution systems (just do what Trent Reznor has been known to do and upload the album straight to P2P networks) and trust that fans who love their work will support them. Maybe include a text file with the tracks suggesting that they can support you if they like the music. The fans get the music faster and easier, while the artist/label doesn’t have to invest in servers and online payment systems.

That was the model we envisaged when we started Karmafan. Artists could simply focus on their work while alternative distribution models get the music to the fans and the Karmafan widget or profile allows those fans who really like the work to give something back.

If you take control of the situation and decide to take advantage of how easy it is to get your albums out there - like Lamont and a lot of other bands who recognise an opportunity - then you could well see a surprising return both in voluntary payments and increased popularity - which leads to gigs and concerts. Make music because you love it. Make lots of it. Let people hear it. Trust your fans.