Good sites for unsigned artists?

[Agent47]

Ok, I'm sure this has been asked a million times before, so feel free to hit me with the sh*tty stick...

I'm considering uploading some existing tracks and future ones onto one of those unsigned artist sites. I've been getting happier with the standard of my productions over the last year or so. I remember mp3.com used to be good for all that.

Anyone had experience of these? Do you actually get an audience for your music? Can you have a presence on multiple ones? Copyright issues?

Any info would be handy.

[TerraMortim]

myspace in my opinion is the best for getting your name out there...don't let anyone tell you otherwise. It's similar in some ways to the way mp3.com was, and I think has started to surpass how helpfully mp3.com was. It doesn't pay you like mp3.com, but it's REALLY helpful to get your band known by thousands upon thousands of people if you know how to use it effectively. (my band has almost 7,000 friends on our page... and are starting to amass a good sized following because of it)

[IloveJesus]

Do it the right way:

Go the Barnes and Noble and buy "The Songwriter's Market".


You need to know the difference between a Publisher and a record company.

Do you know? If not, you're not ready to market your music.


The "Songwriter's Market" contains every record company and publisher in the United States, and most in the world. It has guidelines for getting your music published or recorded (are you a songwriter, performer, or both?). You don't have to perform to be a songwriter. Some of the best and richest songwriters aren't even famous.

The book is about 30 bucks, and the best investment you'll make. All the professionals know the book. You should too.

[Agent47]

Thanks guys.

Actually, I'm not looking for a record company as I'm not a deluded wannabee teen. Simply, I'm looking for somewhere where I can upload my music where it's searchable by people who are looking for my kind of material. I'm not really interested in making a living or international stardom from it.

[songright]

TerraMortim and ILoveJesus are both spot on.

Myspace may be saturated with kids with stars in there eyes, but it is a great way to let the public know what you're about, hear your songs, give you comments, and you can send out bulletins to let people know when you're performing or that you posted songs.

The Songwriter's Market is a great book to keep beside your bed or toilet (where ever you do the most reading It covers a broad range of topics in a neatly condensed package...a book! Can you imagine?! I still love books.

[TerraMortim]

Originally Posted by Agent47

Thanks guys.

Actually, I'm not looking for a record company as I'm not a deluded wannabee teen. Simply, I'm looking for somewhere where I can upload my music where it's searchable by people who are looking for my kind of material. I'm not really interested in making a living or international stardom from it.

myspace is your friend, then... it can make it much easier to keep track of fans, as well as is a great tool for finding out who's into your music, where there are these strange places in the world that you seem to be hitting a vein in a big way, or even which songs are everyone's favourite... it's filled with some idiots, but really, isn't the world? It's basically an organized way of getting shit out there..as I said, it's done well thus far on all of my projects.

[Agent47]

Good advice all, thanks guys. Sounds like a good book. Most of my reading is done on the train on the way to work and back. Seriously, the amount of research and notes done on train journeys in my lifetime. I used to even check my mixes on the train to work...

My PC is currently conking out, so hopefully once the bugger is repaired (reinstalling Win XP on a new dual-boot HD - ugh!) I'll get my current track finished and sign up.

[TerraMortim]

Checking mixes en route is the best. Nohing wrong with that...as soon as I get a replacemen screen for my ipod, I'll be checking my mixes in the car again... some fuckstick stole the cd player out of my car, but can do the ipod thing instead...the quality isn't top, but hey, I guess that's probably a good real world situation to check the mixes on.

[Agent47]

Cool. One day I plan to pass my headphones around the carriage and ask people 'What do you think of this?'

[qiktune]

I've found myspace to be an interesting place. I get quite a few "friend requests" from people I don't know who seem only interested in pushing up the numbers on their own friend list....probably not a cool thing to do but I tend to deny most of those requests.

I was hoping more to be able to communicate with people like you guys on this thread and set up (for myself at least) a "real" network of friends/fellow songwriters/fledgling engineers etc, know what I mean?

Upload and promo your latest stuff and maybe help each other like that.....I myself often direct friends to others' myspace page if I think it may interest them.

Am I talkin' sh'it or is that where it's at for some of you?

Here's mine if anyone on here would like to become friends ( I'd love to hear some of your tunes )

www.myspace.com/brettmosesmusic

[mikeyhasnobones]

yeah, myspace IS where it's at but like quiktune says, there are quite a few people who will just add you to boost their friends. buuuuut, you can usually tell when they're doing it

[IainDearg]

I prefer Soundclick (although I do the Myspace dance, too). Here's my soundclick page:

Soundclick - Dave Keir

Good forums:

http://board.soundclick.com/

Soundclick has paid and free accounts. Has high traffic and good support. Also a social networking side a la myspace.

[jeffchastain]

Just picked up the 2008 Songwriter's Market.

But something I've noticed, in the Record Company section, there is only one label that specifically lists "acoustic rock" as a genre they'd be interested in signing, and one Record Producer listed for the same.

I wonder, would "soft rock" or simply "rock" cover acoustic music?

[cmhansen]

Originally Posted by IainDearg

I prefer Soundclick (although I do the Myspace dance, too). Here's my soundclick page:

Soundclick - Dave Keir

Good forums:

http://board.soundclick.com/

Soundclick has paid and free accounts. Has high traffic and good support. Also a social networking side a la myspace.

Good forums? How long have you been there Dave? There are more wannabe turds there than you can shake a sh*tty stick at. But I agree, SC is a good place to put your music up at.

I think I've seen your page over there before, but will have to go check it out again.

[IainDearg]

Originally Posted by cmhansen

Good forums? How long have you been there Dave? There are more wannabe turds there than you can shake a sh*tty stick at. But I agree, SC is a good place to put your music up at.

I think I've seen your page over there before, but will have to go check it out again.

Well... I hang about in the Acoustic and Seniors sections of the Soundclick forums where things tend to be a bit more... civilised. But I do know what you mean.

[JGOLD]

MakeHitSongs.com, an online music community that allows Singers, Rappers, and Songwriters to collaborate with Music Producers has just announced a new service for independent Artists. Their website now gives Independent Artists the ability to open a (FREE) music store to market, promote and sell music online. Artists can easily set up a music store that includes their bio and unlimited photos. They can price their songs from $0.89 to $1.99ea and for a limited time keep 100% of the profits! For more information please visit makehitsongs.com

[chazvic]

i hadn't heard of SC. It seems have the added benifit of artist direct sales of songs adn albums, which is pretty different from Myspace. It almost makes the listening to many different musicians easier. Myyspace has really deveolped the high-end label managed sites that reflects its desire to be a kind of Mtv like entertainment hub. Remember Mtv never paid any band. Bands saw it as publicity. Myspace, too parades itself as many things, but its increasingly driven by a core commitment to publicity. They have special features for people with other 10,000 friends.... Obviously, having 10,000 friends means you're already super famous, you have some working on myspace for the band , or you used programs that go around a scoop up friends for you--b/c those numbers are supposed to mean you're famous.

I got into myspace more to maintain and expand my own musical scene, to keep up my contacts with musicians with whom i collaborate, adn to build new ones. And of course, it's my online demo for gigs. I have moved around the world a number of times, recorded with numerous groups in Japan, Italy and the states. so keeping up with everyone's careers is not easy, let alone being able to keep the collaborations going.

Now, I've recently made a profile on http://www.wezimple.com where i actually am starting to do recording collaborations with old friends and new people who need a trumpet.
I've just uploaded a piece to work on that needs guitar, piano, and clarinet, adn since I and a buddy are doing the piece for a very low budget documentary, I can pay the musicians something --which is something the wezimple site actually helps you manage. There's a kind of integration with paypal. It's brand new, but so far it's running smooth for me.

[JohnMoxey]

Hey

Try songstuff.com. They don't do music hosting but allow you to set up artist pages with external music/image urls, good forum and lots of info on writing, recording and tech, and the whole promo thing.

cheers

John