MySpace, Internet, main resource for artists and indie label

For many record companies, the decline of CD sales and transition into the digital music realm is beginning to hit hard, but the indie label Secretly Canadian seems to be utilizing the Internet as a way to gain ground in the digital music revolution. "I can't imagine where our band would be without the Internet," said Dan Burton of the Early Day Miners, a Bloomington-based band under the SC label, also in Bloomington. \nEven though there has been a lack of CD sales in much of the music market, the Internet has become one of the biggest resources for musicians. Many bands under the local label have already capitalized on Web sites, like MySpace.com, for promotional benefits, as well as contacting other bands regarding shows. \n"The idea that anyone interested - with minimal effort - can find our stuff is great," said Aaron Deer, member of the Impossible Shapes and Horns of Happiness, both based in Bloomington under the SC label. \nMySpace is just one of the many resources being utilized by SC bands. The label has an extensive Web site with links to all the bands' homepages. From there anyone interested can read about the bands, listen to their music and send them a message on MySpace. \nThe Internet is the fastest growing market of buying music. Digital music sales nearly tripled from 2004 to 2005 according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. The 420 million songs sold last year make up a small but growing 6 percent of revenue. \nNot only is music sold online, it's being used as a free promotional tool online. Lesser known indie bands in Bloomington are posting songs on MySpace making them available for download. The same Internet site is also being used to display a collection of streaming versions of songs users can listen to, but not download.\n"The Internet is great for indie music in general, because you can't see it on MTV, so it helps get our music out there," Deer said. \nSites like MySpace have made the past do-it-yourself style of promotion much easier, allowing indie bands to find a wide ranging audience. \nJupiterResearch released a recent study naming MySpace the largest generator of community music activities - above MTV.com, Yahoo Music and AOL Music. \n"It levels the playing field," said Jonathon Cargill, a founder of Secretly Canadian, referring to the use of MySpace for his label's indie bands. \nMost of the bands using MySpace aren't relying on MTV or radio for promotion, so they take it upon themselves to promote their bands or themselves as musicians. This has caused it to become an overcrowded market. \n"There's a lot of good stuff," Burton said, "but there's a lot more crap." \nCargill said he does not review unsolicited music. He prefers the older method of taking the time and energy to make a demo. With all the music out there, he's not likely to click on a link to a band's site recommended to him by a band member. \n"There needs to be an extra effort with something special or interesting," said Deer. \nAs little as 10 years ago, the grass roots method for bands like Early Day Miners and the Impossible Shapes was to sell CDs, or give away demos before and after gigs. Many sold out of the trunks of their car. Indie fans today can go straight to a band's Web site, and check out selected songs for free before buying the album and having it sent straight to their mailboxes. \n"Blogs are the new grass roots way of promoting a band," said Cargill, adding that the old way was much less organized and tough for bands to be heard without a grueling tour. \nSmaller indie bands would not reach as many people without the Internet. Without help from big labels and promoters, indie bands now take it upon themselves with their Web sites and MySpace accounts. \nSC is an indie label that is doing just that. \n"I couldn't be happier with our deal with Secretly Canadian," said Deer, adding that it's a very equal partnership that SC has with its bands. \nThe album of any bands on SC can be bought digitally from services such as iTunes, Napster or ordered from the SC Web site. \nMySpace has also been a way for younger people to hear the music and find out about it, especially because many shows are 21 and over. This has created a fan base they didn't have before their MySpace accounts. \n"What's cool about it is that if it weren't for MySpace, we wouldn't have any 15- or 16-year-old fans," said Burton.\nThe Web has also made the business side of it much easier. Cargill said the use of services such as MySpace, AIM and blogs have helped for promotions and just the ease of finding out quick information and making quick contacts. \n"Year's ago I was sending press packs all the time," said Burton. "Now, everything's done quickly over the Internet." \nThe unique audience and the cooperative efforts of SC with their partners keeps the CD market strong for the label despite dwindling sales among other indie labels and big record companies. \n"The decline in CD sales hasn't been too drastic," Cargill said. "I think of our listening audience as the kind of people who want to sit down and look at the artwork and listen at the same time, because we put a lot of time and effort into the artwork -- as much time and effort into the artwork as we do into the recording of the album -- and I think a lot of the audience knows that." \nSC is in a partnership with another indie record label, Jagjaguwar. They also have their own distribution and manufacturing companies, SC Distribution and Bellwether Manufacturing, which distribute and manufacture CDs and LPs for 17 labels. This partnership is one way to help keep costs lower and it helps with getting music out there. Even though they are all separate companies, they work together on a similar goal -- making music accessible. \n"We're obviously looking towards the future and wondering, as much as any other CD manufacturer, what is going to happen," Cargill said.