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JosephCampbell
New member
We've sold around 200 demos or so as of now. I hope that our "real" CD does much better. Check it out! www.fallenchains.com
DavidK
New member
I have sold 11,000,000 cds.
OK, I was a session player on them.
I have made 55 commercial CDs. One of them sold 10 million, the other 54 sold a million combined.
OK, I was a session player on them.
I have made 55 commercial CDs. One of them sold 10 million, the other 54 sold a million combined.
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XLR
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That's fantastic David. If you could, I'd love to know what they were.DavidK said:I have sold 11,000,000 cds.
OK, I was a session player on them.
I have made 55 commercial CDs. One of them sold 10 million, the other 54 sold a million combined.
Tim
DavidK
New member
Timothy Lawler said:
The biggie was Out of Time with REM. I play on the uberhits Losing my Religion, Shiny Happy people and about 7 others.
I played on Neville Brothers, Aaron Neville, Harry Connick, Dr, John etc. Made a lot of new age stuff. I did a lot of classical stuff, this one did OK for classical music:
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Very impressive.DavidK said:
Tim
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BJW
New member
DavidK said:
I love that CD. What instrument did you play on it?
DavidK
New member
BJW said:
I play violin.
On some songs there are 4 violins, others just me. Shiny happy people is just me overdubbed. Half a world away is me solo violin at the end. A lot of the song "Low" is just me as well overdubbed. The other 3 violinists were in the Atlanta Symphony ( where we recorded the strings) and had a rehearsal that conflicted on the second day, so it is just me playing.
I really enjoyed working with them, they were very professional. Affable and friendly, but it was a solid work experience with little time wasted. Over the years I have made some pretty good money off of it: it was a hassle getting in and dealing with the record companies, but it was worth it. This year I got 2000 bucks alone: not bad for 2 days of work in 1991.
OH, I got this too:
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BJW
New member
DavidK said:This year I got 2000 bucks alone: not bad for 2 days of work in 1991.
I just downloaded that album on Yahoo Music Unlimited last week. Maybe some of my membership fee will end up in your pocket
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Bulls Hit
Well-known member
DavidK said:
Man that is huge. You're living the dream.
I haven't sold any CDs, but I gave one away once
khp
New member
Multiple multi platinums...but to be fair, I'm not the artist on any of them. Producer, engineer, label exec...
If you want to make a CD for posterity, great! Have a ball. If you want to sell your CD it has to be promoted and significant sales are preceeded by significant promotion of which there is significant cost. Looks like most folks here are indie bands/artists and most are not selling CDs.
Here's some general advice: gig regularly first, if that doesn't work out, and you still want to make a CD, then know it's for friends and family and burn them yourself. If your gigging regularly, there must be a fan base in the making. Make the CD for your fans instead of finding fans for your CD.
Ultimately, you should be selling approx. 2,500 CDs if you plan to make a living as a local band. 10k+ to be noticed by a label.
Label sales are another conversation.
If you want to make a CD for posterity, great! Have a ball. If you want to sell your CD it has to be promoted and significant sales are preceeded by significant promotion of which there is significant cost. Looks like most folks here are indie bands/artists and most are not selling CDs.
Here's some general advice: gig regularly first, if that doesn't work out, and you still want to make a CD, then know it's for friends and family and burn them yourself. If your gigging regularly, there must be a fan base in the making. Make the CD for your fans instead of finding fans for your CD.
Ultimately, you should be selling approx. 2,500 CDs if you plan to make a living as a local band. 10k+ to be noticed by a label.
Label sales are another conversation.
S
spoonie g
New member
How many CDs did you sell? We've sold ~100 since we first got them two weeks ago.
Did you have a record company backing you? nope.
Release it yourself? yes, but not officially yet. That happens on Jan. 25.
Any advertising? If so, what type? Did it work? Website, myspace, local club we're playing at (blue cats in knoxville, tn), cd stores in the area.
Where did you sell them (at shows, online)? shows and online.
Did you get screwed ordering too many or too few? we ordered a 1000. I dont think we got screwed?
Did you have a record company backing you? nope.
Release it yourself? yes, but not officially yet. That happens on Jan. 25.
Any advertising? If so, what type? Did it work? Website, myspace, local club we're playing at (blue cats in knoxville, tn), cd stores in the area.
Where did you sell them (at shows, online)? shows and online.
Did you get screwed ordering too many or too few? we ordered a 1000. I dont think we got screwed?
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BMWerks
New member
Meet The Beatles!
"When you sing up for CD baby they do warn that signing up and making the album available is nothing, you have to get out there and actively promote and the best way (short of access to the media) is to play shows."
Of course, bands like The Beatles "made it" over here in the USA before they ever stepped foot on our shores. I'm wondering what that has to say for having to play live performances to sell records. I mean, The Cave in Liverpool was about the only place I know they've ever played before I bought Meet The Beatles and that place could only hold about 60 people. Maybe 75 if you wanted to pack them in like sardines.
"When you sing up for CD baby they do warn that signing up and making the album available is nothing, you have to get out there and actively promote and the best way (short of access to the media) is to play shows."
Of course, bands like The Beatles "made it" over here in the USA before they ever stepped foot on our shores. I'm wondering what that has to say for having to play live performances to sell records. I mean, The Cave in Liverpool was about the only place I know they've ever played before I bought Meet The Beatles and that place could only hold about 60 people. Maybe 75 if you wanted to pack them in like sardines.
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BMWerks
New member
Hey Kev!,
I agree. Great thread.
It was put to me this way. Simply. The "music industry" has two components. Like an iceburg. The tip of the iceburg represents the music. Only 5% of the equation. The product. The material.
The bottom, invisible portion represents the business. The promotion vehicle. The press. The distribution. The PR. And, the who knows who.
You can't move the tip of the iceburg without moving the base.
Simple enough?
If you want to succede in this business, you need to concentrate on the bottom 95%. After a while, if you've tried really hard with that component, The music should take care of it's self. Unless of course, you're totally untalented.
Happy Happy!
I agree. Great thread.
It was put to me this way. Simply. The "music industry" has two components. Like an iceburg. The tip of the iceburg represents the music. Only 5% of the equation. The product. The material.
The bottom, invisible portion represents the business. The promotion vehicle. The press. The distribution. The PR. And, the who knows who.
You can't move the tip of the iceburg without moving the base.
Simple enough?
If you want to succede in this business, you need to concentrate on the bottom 95%. After a while, if you've tried really hard with that component, The music should take care of it's self. Unless of course, you're totally untalented.
Happy Happy!
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glynb
Balladeer
BMWerks said:"When you sing up for CD baby they do warn that signing up and making the album available is nothing, you have to get out there and actively promote and the best way (short of access to the media) is to play shows."
Of course, bands like The Beatles "made it" over here in the USA before they ever stepped foot on our shores. I'm wondering what that has to say for having to play live performances to sell records. I mean, The Cave in Liverpool was about the only place I know they've ever played before I bought Meet The Beatles and that place could only hold about 60 people. Maybe 75 if you wanted to pack them in like sardines.
Not sure what point you're making here BMwerks?
You can't compare the situation of a little guy on here making his own album and trying to sell a few hundred copies with that of the biggest band in history!
For the record the beatles were huge in the UK prior to going to the USA and therefore had all the machinery in place to hit the ground running in the USA (management, contacts, publicity, money, press interest etc). We little guys don't have the benefit of a hype machine to get the attention of the public so the comparison doesn't stand.
On a very limited budget and with no access to the media, one of the cheap and cost effective things you can do at our level is play gigs and hope to sell a few copies that way. If your live performance is any good of course.
Certainly seems to be backed up by the responses here, the ones who sell any copies seem to be the live giggers.
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BMWerks
New member
My point GLYNB is, I can make as many sales with somebody elses record as I can my oun by positioning all my soldiers. Actively selling CDs on gigs might earn you a fair living coupled with the money you earn from the gig it's self. Above, included in the quote is "short of access to the media". I do cover my bases.
Short of getting signed to a medium to major sized label, there's no disputing the advantages of selling your CDs at live events. Or, your oun gigs. Never leave home without a case or two of your CDs. Where ever you go, you never know who you might run into.
I think the comparison works. You actually have to pay promoters, publicists, all kinds of PR, Cashbox, Billboard, and any body else who you can covince this is going to be the biggest phenomenon since sliced bread.
Another point I would like to make is, It's not the music that sells the product. It's the hype. The shock and awe. The Beatles might have ended up being just another band had it not been for Brian E. and George Martin. Brian was "connected". Plugged in to a social network not available to others, some of whom could have been far more talented than The Beatles.
That particular social network still exists today! For only $100.00! Just send your check, money order, Visa or MasterCard info to "GET YOU CONNECTED" and I will make the necessary calls, talk to the "Right People" and do all the footwork for you! to GET YOU CONNECTED! Recieve a FREE baseball cap with your band's logo on the front with purchase. You know marketing and it's hype.
You'll never read about the favors traded, bought and sold among controlling interests at that time, who they were, what they did and what their names were. All we were guided to know was how phenomenal the whole British Invasion was. Not how and who made it work. And, it certainly wasn't John, Paul, George or Ringo. Go figure.
Short of getting signed to a medium to major sized label, there's no disputing the advantages of selling your CDs at live events. Or, your oun gigs. Never leave home without a case or two of your CDs. Where ever you go, you never know who you might run into.
I think the comparison works. You actually have to pay promoters, publicists, all kinds of PR, Cashbox, Billboard, and any body else who you can covince this is going to be the biggest phenomenon since sliced bread.
Another point I would like to make is, It's not the music that sells the product. It's the hype. The shock and awe. The Beatles might have ended up being just another band had it not been for Brian E. and George Martin. Brian was "connected". Plugged in to a social network not available to others, some of whom could have been far more talented than The Beatles.
That particular social network still exists today! For only $100.00! Just send your check, money order, Visa or MasterCard info to "GET YOU CONNECTED" and I will make the necessary calls, talk to the "Right People" and do all the footwork for you! to GET YOU CONNECTED! Recieve a FREE baseball cap with your band's logo on the front with purchase. You know marketing and it's hype.
You'll never read about the favors traded, bought and sold among controlling interests at that time, who they were, what they did and what their names were. All we were guided to know was how phenomenal the whole British Invasion was. Not how and who made it work. And, it certainly wasn't John, Paul, George or Ringo. Go figure.
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glynb
Balladeer
I understand what you're saying, wise words.
I guess i was coming at it form the point of view of someone who isn't connected and doesn't have promotional resources at his disposal. if you don't have a Brian E. working for you, you aren't signed to any label and can't afford a PR company, then one of the few ways you're gonna shift your CD is to play live, probably at low key gigs too.
Depends what people's ambitions are? If you aspire to sell hundreds of thousands of units you're unlikely to be going the CD baby route in reality. CD baby, and the like, are for little people (like me) who hope to shift a couple of thousand, either period, or as a starting point on the way up... no?
At least that's my take. i don't doubt someone will come back and say so and so is on CD baby and shifted thousands upon thousands, but that's definitely the exception. AND if they did you can bet they'll be a gigging band/artist!
I guess i was coming at it form the point of view of someone who isn't connected and doesn't have promotional resources at his disposal. if you don't have a Brian E. working for you, you aren't signed to any label and can't afford a PR company, then one of the few ways you're gonna shift your CD is to play live, probably at low key gigs too.
Depends what people's ambitions are? If you aspire to sell hundreds of thousands of units you're unlikely to be going the CD baby route in reality. CD baby, and the like, are for little people (like me) who hope to shift a couple of thousand, either period, or as a starting point on the way up... no?
At least that's my take. i don't doubt someone will come back and say so and so is on CD baby and shifted thousands upon thousands, but that's definitely the exception. AND if they did you can bet they'll be a gigging band/artist!
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BMWerks
New member
Ukelali Project
"AND if they did you can bet they'll be a gigging band/artist!"
I guess I still don't get it. I'm just not convinced entirely that a lot of record sales are determined by weather you play gigs or not. What if you suck live and your recordings are brilliant? What if you're brilliant live and your recordings suck?
To me, they're both mediums by which to showcase your tallents and skills. Why would one be any more important that the other? Knowing that music is social doesn't preclude that it can't be personal.
I think that the very desire to entertain, to send a message, to get folks dancing, to turn heads is what it's all about and whatever medium the artist feels comfortable with is what the artist should use. Weather it's playing live, selling CDs or both.
"AND if they did you can bet they'll be a gigging band/artist!"
I guess I still don't get it. I'm just not convinced entirely that a lot of record sales are determined by weather you play gigs or not. What if you suck live and your recordings are brilliant? What if you're brilliant live and your recordings suck?
To me, they're both mediums by which to showcase your tallents and skills. Why would one be any more important that the other? Knowing that music is social doesn't preclude that it can't be personal.
I think that the very desire to entertain, to send a message, to get folks dancing, to turn heads is what it's all about and whatever medium the artist feels comfortable with is what the artist should use. Weather it's playing live, selling CDs or both.
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glynb
Balladeer
I don't disagree, it's perfectly possible for a known artist who already has a high profile to make records, not play live at all, and still sell CDs, agreed. But even for an established artist they'll sell more if they also tour.
What i thought we focused on in this forum is the 'home recording' artist who makes music in his/her own studio? How does someone in THAT position sell CDs? I'm not really interested in whether Pink Floyd could make a new album not play gigs and sell it, of course they could!
Can the guy who made 1000 copies of his own music recorded at home sell them without ever playing live on the basis or press coverage and reviews alone?
Maybe, but it's much easier if he takes the show on the road, we've already heard from real life cases that at a gig bands can sell 3 or four, five,etc, copies a show.
OK so doing gigs might not be absoulutely essential, i think is your point, but surely we can agree doing gigs certainly helps especialy for the 'unknown' artist?
What i thought we focused on in this forum is the 'home recording' artist who makes music in his/her own studio? How does someone in THAT position sell CDs? I'm not really interested in whether Pink Floyd could make a new album not play gigs and sell it, of course they could!
Can the guy who made 1000 copies of his own music recorded at home sell them without ever playing live on the basis or press coverage and reviews alone?
Maybe, but it's much easier if he takes the show on the road, we've already heard from real life cases that at a gig bands can sell 3 or four, five,etc, copies a show.
OK so doing gigs might not be absoulutely essential, i think is your point, but surely we can agree doing gigs certainly helps especialy for the 'unknown' artist?
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BMWerks
New member
I'll take the hot sause please.
Yes, I do agree on most all your points.
I once went to listen to a blues band in Delrey Beach FL who sold more of the lead singer's hot sauce than their CDs. They were a hard hitting, excellent group. I bought a bottle of hot sauce. No CD though.
Here, the band used their music (had people dancing and having a great time) to sell something other than their music. They did mention their CDs were for sale at the band stand/platform as much as they mentioned their hot sauce. People are fickle. Again, people discovered something different about the band and supported that. The CDs were $10.00. The bottle of hot sauce was $10.00 too.
They could have sold soap or anything else. Everybody loved them but very few bought their CDs.
Yes, I do agree on most all your points.
I once went to listen to a blues band in Delrey Beach FL who sold more of the lead singer's hot sauce than their CDs. They were a hard hitting, excellent group. I bought a bottle of hot sauce. No CD though.
Here, the band used their music (had people dancing and having a great time) to sell something other than their music. They did mention their CDs were for sale at the band stand/platform as much as they mentioned their hot sauce. People are fickle. Again, people discovered something different about the band and supported that. The CDs were $10.00. The bottle of hot sauce was $10.00 too.
They could have sold soap or anything else. Everybody loved them but very few bought their CDs.
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brendandwyer
New member
We give away our CD's. The marketing plan is brilliant, as long as you don't mind not recouping your money. We've given out 300 copies of our first CD and have been reviewed and played and all that. We have found that listeners, and companies are a lot less apt to judge the VALUE of a cd if they had to pay $0 to get it. Maybe someday we'll be able to sell CD's, but for right now we've gotten more fans by giving it away than we ever would have selling it. Bear in mind, we're a studio group and not a live group. Live groups, if they are talented, should have no problem selling CD's if their price point is reasonable.