Let's Break It Down: How Many CDs Have You Sold?

[the inhabitant]

One thing to take into account when deciding how many to "press" is the replication vs duplication thing. Duplicated CD's are merely burnt CD-R's, meaning they will only last 3 - 5 years before they are no good. If you buy a CD-R and don't realize it's a CD-R because it looks like a professional product that's silk screened and so forth, you might be disappionted in a few years when it no longer plays and it's too late to burn a new one.

A replicated CD is a real professional product just like the ones major labels put out (with the exception of production quality of course) and they are usually only available in orders of 500 plus as there is a costly set up involved in producing the glass master etc.

If you chose to go the replication route, you're probably better off getting 1000 made as it costs only a couple hundred more dollors than doing 500. At this point, they only cost about $1.20 - 1.50 each and they make for good promotional material to send about to college radio stations etc. (Don't send unsolicited CD's to major labels; they receive huge piles every day and they DON'T listen to them.)

Also, getting you're project mastered by a real professional mastering house makes a huge difference in the quality of the recording. People are not going to want to buy the product if the samples or free downloads on your website or CDbaby sound like crap. DON'T master them yourself and expect professional quality sound. Not even the mix engineers that work on big label stuff would consider mastering something that they have mixed. You can't do it well - trust me. A fresh set of ears is needed as well as super expensive equipment such as $60,000 D/A or A/D converters, at that stage of the game.

It takes money to make money. It's a huge risk especially considering the fact that there's a very fine line between good music and bad music. Everyone thinks their music is good but it usually isn't. This is not to say there isn't a small market to whom the music caters especially well. Which brings us to the last thing:

TOUR. Touring, to this day is the most effective marketing technique. If you are trying to "make it" and you are not touring (or playing live at all for that matter) than you are not even trying. I have read books by successful on-line music promoters and even those people have to admit that it would not be possible to earn a "day job" living, selling cd's, without touring. It is of the utmost importance.

The grim reality for the artist in this industry is that making money is extremely difficult. It's a sad truth that's often hard for me to swallow.

 

[DavidK]

TOUR. Touring, to this day is the most effective marketing technique. If you are trying to "make it" and you are not touring (or playing live at all for that matter) than you are not even trying. I have read books by successful on-line music promoters and even those people have to admit that it would not be possible to earn a "day job" living, selling cd's, without touring. It is of the utmost importance.

The grim reality for the artist in this industry is that making money is extremely difficult. It's a sad truth that's often hard for me to swallow.

I am about to test this theory

I cannot tour, my music is unplayable. Its overdubbed to the point of 100 tracks or so by the same guy. I am a pro player for a living, I do 200 shows a year but its mainly symphony and Opera, my CD is more crossover.

Some people have done it without touring, very few. My situation is pretty different than most because I have a very select audience. Still, its gonna be pretty hard not having a show to go with the CD.

 

[the inhabitant]

Good luck. I've heard some of your work and you are obviously a professional. Maybe you've got something up your sleeve.

 

[Fougerousse]

I have sold about 100 over a period of two years, but I had 1,000 printed, so yeah, I've got way too many left over. My goal in doing the whole project was to try to sell enough to make it pay for itself, and to leave something behind for my children's children's children. I would have loved to have had something like this from my grandfather, or great-grandfather.

 

[Pinky]

Now i'm gonna put al my stuff online for free, i have no illusions of granour, i have a good job and a hot wife. People can get it for free, plus its not THAT good.

Ditto! lol

I actually just finished my unteenth self-produced album, a compilation of the last 5 years of home recording, most of the material a product of the input from members here. It's very satisfying to listen to, but I doubt I'll sell a single one. I never made music for the money, and even gigging barely covered the cost to drive, setup, and break down. Professional musicians are either VERY lucky, super talented, or cons (fakes sound better? ). I'm none of the above so I linger about satisfied with mediocrity. My penis is still big though.

I should note that in the past 5 years I've released NO albums, coming to grips with my place in this world. At 31 my chances at making it are about gone. Fortunately I didn't only have music in my life and have been exploring other interests and dreams along the way. My life's been better for having music play a large part in it, but it isn't all that life can be. Music is, after all, art and art is pretty unimportant when looking at life from a practical standpoint or on the list of hierarchical needs.

 

[DavidK]

Ditto! lol

Professional musicians are either VERY lucky, super talented, or cons (fakes sound better? ). I'm none of the above so I linger about satisfied with mediocrity. My penis is still big though.

A. I doubt your penis is THAT big ( although probably bigger than mine)

B. Most Pro Musicians are INCREDIBLY hard workers, and luck has little to do with it ( sometimes even talent too). Its probably like any other job, where those who succeed tend to be the hardest workers.

Being a pro classical musician, our field is a bit different because we HAVE to work hard or else we couldnt do our job. Playing Bartok, Tchaikovsky and Mendelssohn 200 shows a year is all about technique. As a Child, I sacrificed my childhood for staying in the house 4 hours a day and practicing, luck had nothing to do with it.

That said, in the POP world, there certainly is a lot of luck involved. And looks, if you check out the female singers. There is no WAY a Jessica or Ash;ey Simpson would exist without some looks and an overbearing, workaholic connected FATHER. Ditto 50% of the top 40 acts on the radio. I guess the difference is I honestly dont consider them "musicians". Pretty much every person I have heard in the mp3 clinic here is more talented.

 

[Bondo]

Not my own band, but the label I started that lasted for one CD did a 500 pressing of an EP, of which we sold about 350, used between 50 and 100 for promotion, and still I still have a full box of 50 and I know there are loose ones floating around. After this release I dissolved this label as my partners werent carrying thier share of the load. My new label will be up and running soon, and we will be doing a run of 500 prolly for our first release. The best part is, we made money on that first release, and should do even better on this one as it won't have any studio costs, since I am recording it. we had some instore sales that we never got payed for as Sam Goody/Media PLay went under, but the rest were at shows. We did a big CD release, and advertised that, and we also got a write up in the local paper.

Edit
and we also had to stop selling the CD, as the singer left the band, and we didn't feel right about pushing a CD on folks that was notihng like the band they were seeing.

 

[Mindset]

I've only sold like 200 cd's, without really releasing a full album yet... just waiting until I'm happy with the results to spend money & manifacture some bulk... The 200 cd's were all lightscribe CD's too $5 dollars a piece & just as samples of all of our featured/released albums.

 

[Bondo]

I've only sold like 200 cd's, without really releasing a full album yet... just waiting until I'm happy with the results to spend money & manifacture some bulk... The 200 cd's were all lightscribe CD's too $5 dollars a piece & just as samples of all of our featured/released albums.

Wow, that Grand is more than what we payed for 500 pressed CD's in full packaging.

 

[Robertt8]

Wow, that Grand is more than what we payed for 500 pressed CD's in full packaging.

yeah, the fewer you print, the more you spend, but sometimes it makes sense to do fewer if you honestly don't think you'll sell them or give them all away.

We've ordered several batches of CDs for various needs.... Our promo CD, we wanted to just be in Jewel cases, and simple, so we went through Guitar Center's site (i think it's DiskFactory they use), and those were like $200 bucks for 100 CDs with a simple insert card slit in the cover. then we got 300 CDs (with digipak packaging) for $990 at Diskmakers (if memory serves me right). We could have done shitty cheap packaging, but we decided that the digipak was cool as hell...it would take some money off of our bottom line, but we're not really in it for the money. then when we ran out of those 300, we upped the order to 1000 CD (with digipak packaging) for around $1600. we could have done that 1000 CDs first, but we honestly didn't know if people would buy them. now our break even point is much lower per CD. but i think that it makes sense to spend a little more per CD to get something that either looks nicer or if you don't think you can sell everything...or both. i'd rather have no CDs than 4 boxes sitting in a closet...but that's just me.

 

[kristilyn]

I've probably sold 350 or so of my first CD ... it's so not representative of my music now though, so I'm hoping to get the next one recorded and out by next year. But I'm new to recording (at-home recording) so it should be fun.

It's not my main source of income (as much as I would like it to be ...). But I love playing music and I love the whole idea of recording and playing around with sound. It fascinates me ... I just hope my next album comes across like that.

-K

 

[raisethesparks]

How many CDs did you sell? CDs and vinyl combined, around 15,000

Did you have a record company backing you? sometimes

Release it yourself? sometimes

Any advertising? If so, what type? Did it work? only sent a few promos out to some online and print zines

Where did you sell them (at shows, online)? online and at shows

Did you get screwed ordering too many or too few? there's no such thing as too few. if you print too few, well that means you sold them all and made a profit which you can re-invest in subsequent pressings. or you can leave it as is and just let it be a sold-out item. helps with sales of future releases and helps create a buzz around your band.

 

[Robertt8]

I]Did you get screwed ordering too many or too few?[/I] there's no such thing as too few.

i disagree. i hear about a ton of bands that order 1000 cds, blow a lot of money, and sell 10 to their friends and that's about it. many bands talk a big game, but have little to back it up as far as experience selling or promoting. a lot of people think a CD will sell itself. it wont. you need to push the living crap out of it or your stuck blowing money on a shit load of beer coasters. so according to more than 70% of the people that voted in the poll, there is such a thing as ordering too many CDs

 

[raisethesparks]

Robert, you misunderstood me. I said, no such thing as too few with the explanation that you're better off having fewer than too many. Point being fewer is better than more. You're better off running an edition of 133 copies than running an edition of 1000 copies and getting stuck with them.

That being said, you're right on the fact that it's very important not to expect them to sell by themselves. Having been in the business for sometime, I noticed that those who actually 'make it' and manage to move copies aren't usually the ones with the most talent but the ones with the most drive. Eventually, over time, your music will find its way into the right hands that'll know how to market it well. It's just a matter of being in for the long haul or not. A test of will.

 

[Bondo]

I guess I just try to approach things from the standpoint of how can it make the most money. It just bugs me to pay more for a smaller number if I can get more for that price. Just that the potential is there for the greater proffit with the same level of expendature makes me not even think twice about it. Of course I tend to look at most things in that direction, always thinking about the money end and all.

 

[Robertt8]

gotta keep this one afloat.

by the way, i think we're approaching about 1000 CDs sold now between CD Baby, iTunes & shows...

 

[Bondo]

We're still trying to get the band into the studio to finish up the album. Damn dope smokin musicians ain't too easy to get motivated.

 

[DavidK]

gotta keep this one afloat.

by the way, i think we're approaching about 1000 CDs sold now between CD Baby, iTunes & shows...

Good to hear it Robert. 1000 is very respectable, you are "somebody"

How long has it been out? If memory serves, maybe 8 months?? I dont know much about I-tunes, but I am learning that it is an important player in the overall picture. I am selling some on i-Tunes, more than on actual CDs.

 

[zacanger]

Between selling them at shows and... selling them at shows... not many. Maybe 300-500, I'm not really sure.

 

[demensia]

I've been doing better lately.

I'm probably up to about 50.