A
Agent47
Dismember
I haven't sold any CDs.
But I have made a fair bit of money writing music for picture, so it's not all bad...
Currently on a commission for music for an online game, but no, no CDs sold yet.
But I have made a fair bit of money writing music for picture, so it's not all bad...
Currently on a commission for music for an online game, but no, no CDs sold yet.
Robertt8
Well-known member
Ok, well I've decided it was time to respond to my own post... at the time, we did not have our CD ready, but we've had it out since right around Jan. 1st of this year. We've just run out of our initial 300 cds from Diskmakers, and should be getting our next 1000 on monday. We've primarily sold only on CD Baby, PayPal and maybe 20 - 30 at shows. It seems like we sell between 2-6 per show, and have been selling 0-3 a day on average online. I'll probably pop back in here shortly to update our progress (or lack there of if need be).
Oh, with that in mind, we've also gone through about 300 CDs in promo form to send out to radio stations (i think we sent out about 200) to radio. the rest have been to random places like places to get reviews...surf magazines, surf video production companies...bla, bla, bla, so i think we're still down money wise counting the new order of 1000 CDs from Diskmakers, but we only need to sell like 130 or so to be back breaking even, and playing live gigs helps us reach our break even point MUCH quicker. for example, we played Tuesday night for $300 (1.5 hours), that would be 30 CDs to sell to make up for 1.5 hours of work.
anyway, I'll chime in more here soon...anyone know if radio play seems to help CD sales? It looks like we should be hitting many of the college stations soon.
Oh, with that in mind, we've also gone through about 300 CDs in promo form to send out to radio stations (i think we sent out about 200) to radio. the rest have been to random places like places to get reviews...surf magazines, surf video production companies...bla, bla, bla, so i think we're still down money wise counting the new order of 1000 CDs from Diskmakers, but we only need to sell like 130 or so to be back breaking even, and playing live gigs helps us reach our break even point MUCH quicker. for example, we played Tuesday night for $300 (1.5 hours), that would be 30 CDs to sell to make up for 1.5 hours of work.
anyway, I'll chime in more here soon...anyone know if radio play seems to help CD sales? It looks like we should be hitting many of the college stations soon.
Mindcore
New member
I've sold 12 so far this week. Another 8 and I can pay for the printer I used to make them... Come on babyyyyyy!!!
junplugged
Taking the slow road
hey Robert, those are good numbers. Saw your myspace page, great poster in the pics.
do you think being on myspace helped your sales?
do you think being on myspace helped your sales?
TamaSabian
Peruvian skin beater
Well our CD was released last october, since then 300 have been sold. The problem is that vocalist is out of town working, and we look for gigs every time he get back. We´re on every CD store, but we need more exposure, play live, and so. How much CD´s we made, 1000 copies. If we can´t sell anymore I still can decorate my bedroom and homestudio with them. 
S
songwritten
New member
Being on myspace will ABSOLUTELY help your sales....IF you find the right people. Search groups that are similar to ur music, and befriend the people in those groups. If your music is similar to that artist, and good, then people will buy the cd. Make sure you have alot of hype on the page too and don't make it look like you are a beginner on there. People tend to want to buy things that look bigger and more impressive. Myspace is a great avenue for cd sales.
Robertt8
Well-known member
yup!
Hey! yeah...we've sold probably 3/4 of our CDs through Myspace. It's just a matter of getting people to hear it.
Good luck man!
Tait
junplugged said:
Hey! yeah...we've sold probably 3/4 of our CDs through Myspace. It's just a matter of getting people to hear it.
Good luck man!
Tait
gmiller1122
Addled but happy
How many CDs have you sold?
Um, let me think......................oh, that's right, 0.
Alright, I suppose I should have one to sell first off.
Actually, I did make one last year and gave away about 25 copies to family and friends. My brother said he was really 'digging' it. But the quality stinks and the songs are weak...no surprise. I cringe when I listen to it.
Several years ago, when I was doing solo stuff, I bought a little 4-track analog, but I'm not technically-inclined and had little patience, and could never get the hang of it.
Right now, I agree with a previous poster who said that it's just not that important to me. Family, good job, etc.
That being said, I am going to be getting a room of my own soon and have decided to upgrade my equipment. Hopefully in the next couple of years, I can learn some more about recording techniques (right now, I just kind of "plug and play").
Maybe then, I'll put together a better collection and put it on cdBaby, just to see. If I sell 5, I'll be happy.
G
Um, let me think......................oh, that's right, 0.
Alright, I suppose I should have one to sell first off.
Actually, I did make one last year and gave away about 25 copies to family and friends. My brother said he was really 'digging' it. But the quality stinks and the songs are weak...no surprise. I cringe when I listen to it.
Several years ago, when I was doing solo stuff, I bought a little 4-track analog, but I'm not technically-inclined and had little patience, and could never get the hang of it.
Right now, I agree with a previous poster who said that it's just not that important to me. Family, good job, etc.
That being said, I am going to be getting a room of my own soon and have decided to upgrade my equipment. Hopefully in the next couple of years, I can learn some more about recording techniques (right now, I just kind of "plug and play").
Maybe then, I'll put together a better collection and put it on cdBaby, just to see. If I sell 5, I'll be happy.
G
dirtyp
New member
how has your succes been selling singles? I just released my 3rd single and have problems selling them. Im coming out with a mixcd in the next month. Ive sold a whopping 0 in two months but i have to rerecord them anyway. the limited feedback i got was good. Im thinking the legal downloads are hurting us cuz now they can get anyones song for 99.cents. where before they werent selling many songs online and now there exploiting it like everything else.
gullyjewelz
New member
i swear . . . selling singles is more about the salesmen than the single . . . my proof? i have been trying to sell my single since April 1 - and i have gotten no where . . . (nto that I care about a few pennies here and there) i have been very successful in passing out the single . . . for free, however
at the same time, i have had an associate who has sold 25 of my singles this past weekend . . i gave em to him on Friday and he called me Saturday sayin "gimme some mo!!!" - like busta rhymes . . . lol
he is now working on his second set of 30 singles . . . fingers crossed!!!!
at the same time, i have had an associate who has sold 25 of my singles this past weekend . . i gave em to him on Friday and he called me Saturday sayin "gimme some mo!!!" - like busta rhymes . . . lol
he is now working on his second set of 30 singles . . . fingers crossed!!!!
G
glynb
Balladeer
Good point...
There's a big difference between someone saying buy this record by this artist, it's really great, than saying please buy MY record ... The forst way it's not just your own opinion of the worth of the music, someone else is so convinced that it's good that he can do a selling job on it because he belives in it.
Artists aren't necesarily salespeople, but where you get that combination together (great artist and pushy salesperson) s/he's likely to do very well. I am a crap salesman, so I'm one of those artists that would need a team to do that stuff for me. There's no shame in that, that's what managers and record labels and agents exist for.
I guess the people who claim to sell a lot independently are pretty good salespeople, and also their live shows so good that the CD sells itself?
One things for shure, merely making the CD available via an outlet doesn't shift any copies in itself.
There's a big difference between someone saying buy this record by this artist, it's really great, than saying please buy MY record ... The forst way it's not just your own opinion of the worth of the music, someone else is so convinced that it's good that he can do a selling job on it because he belives in it.
Artists aren't necesarily salespeople, but where you get that combination together (great artist and pushy salesperson) s/he's likely to do very well. I am a crap salesman, so I'm one of those artists that would need a team to do that stuff for me. There's no shame in that, that's what managers and record labels and agents exist for.
I guess the people who claim to sell a lot independently are pretty good salespeople, and also their live shows so good that the CD sells itself?
One things for shure, merely making the CD available via an outlet doesn't shift any copies in itself.
gullyjewelz
New member
oh hell yea
4. i sold 4 frikkin cd at my show on Saturday May 13.
only 4.
but hell, that was good cuz the only people there were ARTISTS -- hardly any "fans" there, it was like a big artist fest for artist!!!
but my boy who lives in NYC sold 50+ in one weekend!!!
4. i sold 4 frikkin cd at my show on Saturday May 13.
only 4.
but hell, that was good cuz the only people there were ARTISTS -- hardly any "fans" there, it was like a big artist fest for artist!!!
but my boy who lives in NYC sold 50+ in one weekend!!!
demensia
www.lukemacneil.com
I've sold 1.
1.
WTF is that?
1.
WTF is that?
demensia
www.lukemacneil.com
demensia said:
Scratch that. I sold one on CDBaby last night!! That make 2..!
gullyjewelz
New member
bottom line - u gotta have a "salesman" to sell . . . i have seen it with my own personal things and with other groups . .. and even BET stepped up with teh ULTIMATE HUSSLER show with Dame Dash . . . salesman dont rap, or sing or dance, they sell
if a singer could sell - he would have an executive sales/marketing job with a record label
know ya role, n play it!!!
its tru that at times u gotta wear many hats as an indie artist, but the reality is, every indie artist needs to build a "team" or workers BEFORE he builds a fan base - that team of workers = sellers, marketers . . .
if a singer could sell - he would have an executive sales/marketing job with a record label
know ya role, n play it!!!
its tru that at times u gotta wear many hats as an indie artist, but the reality is, every indie artist needs to build a "team" or workers BEFORE he builds a fan base - that team of workers = sellers, marketers . . .
B
BillyBo
New member
How many CDs did you sell? Just over 100
Did you have a record company backing you? Nope.
Release it yourself? Yep.
Any advertising? If so, what type? Did it work? Word of mouth.
Where did you sell them (at shows, online)? On the streets. Literally. Anywhere we went we took a bookbag of cd's along and sold to anyone we knew.
Did you get screwed ordering too many or too few? Ended up with a few cd's extra, but they were left to "archive" with the rest of the "demos" and cd-r's.
As far as time frame - it took us about a week or two to sell what we did. Now if we only sold them for $10 instead of $5........
Did you have a record company backing you? Nope.
Release it yourself? Yep.
Any advertising? If so, what type? Did it work? Word of mouth.
Where did you sell them (at shows, online)? On the streets. Literally. Anywhere we went we took a bookbag of cd's along and sold to anyone we knew.
Did you get screwed ordering too many or too few? Ended up with a few cd's extra, but they were left to "archive" with the rest of the "demos" and cd-r's.
As far as time frame - it took us about a week or two to sell what we did. Now if we only sold them for $10 instead of $5........
demensia
www.lukemacneil.com
BillyBo said:
You'd have sold half.
B
BillyBo
New member
yeah, most likely. we sold a few at $10... but to yuppies that we didn't like. call it ripping them off if you want. i call it marketing. they have the money, we have the cd, and they dont know any better on how to spend mommy and daddy's money.demensia said:
makes me think... for a 10-track cd... what does everyone think a good "street" price is? $5, $10... $2?
bless.
Ced
Still a Newbie
How many CDs did you sell? We've sold something like 30 ... and then we seperated a couple months after 
Did you have a record company backing you? no
Release it yourself? yeah. at one of our show
Any advertising? on myspace and to all of our friends
Where did you sell them (at shows, online)? at shows
Did you get screwed ordering too many or too few? we ordered 100.. and we will never sell more than that because we are out! and the recording was not too hot unfortunately....... That's why I'm starting my own personal studio.. to record myself only
Did you have a record company backing you? no
Release it yourself? yeah. at one of our show
Any advertising? on myspace and to all of our friends
Where did you sell them (at shows, online)? at shows
Did you get screwed ordering too many or too few? we ordered 100.. and we will never sell more than that because we are out! and the recording was not too hot unfortunately....... That's why I'm starting my own personal studio.. to record myself only