The right price to sell your album online? (Suggestions)

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TheComposer

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Hello, I know that eventually I'll be selling my upcoming album via my own website (not even under construction) and some other digital stores like Itunes, Amazon, etc, etc, and only digitally for the moment. Anyway, my plan is to sell it to some "fair" price for everyone, CHEAP enough to make the guys over the world think: "His album isn't that expensive, I won't download it via Ares or something", that's my only goal, sell it to a price that nobody would ever consider to "share" it because the price, and maybeeeeeeeeeeeeeee create some standard at long term.

I've seen the Itunes store album prices and I think 10 USD per album is kind of excessive even for today standards, so, what would you think I sell my music (Complete album, 8 songs) for 5.99?? Do you think I can make some kind of difference?

Personally, I'd like to earn my money by playing live, because in the end, if I could sell my music to, let's say, 500 hundred people only, the overall price of the whole production/mixing process would be more than covered already, anyway, what you think? please debate your own thoughts!!
 
Jamsmith, you read like a spam bot.

I would have to really like your band or know that I already like all of the songs on your album before I paid $.75 a song.
If $10 is a reasonable price for an 8 song CD (with actual art, higher-quality audio, and an initial cost to the artist to recoup), I feel like half of that is about the upper limit for a download only version.

I tend to be stingy about these things, but I probably wouldn't buy it above $4. (That or add 4 more songs.)
 
Honestly in my mind (no offense personally :)) an 8-song album is more of a glorified EP than an actual album...maybe it's just me, but I like a cd to reach at least 10-12 songs. With that in mind, I probably wouldn't pay above $4 maaaaaaaybe $5 for an 8-song cd. Personally, I'd sell an 8-song album for $4, and maybe stretch to $5 if it was 10-12 songs!
 
I really see no reason for an unknown artist/band to ask for anything for their music. Ecspecially nowadays. I mean its cool to tell everyone that your selling your stuff on itunes, web sight etc, but the reality is, starting out, your not gonna make any real money.

Give it away and try and make money at gigs.
 
dreib said:
I really see no reason for an unknown artist/band to ask for anything for their music. Ecspecially nowadays. I mean its cool to tell everyone that your selling your stuff on itunes, web sight etc, but the reality is, starting out, your not gonna make any real money.

Give it away and try and make money at gigs.
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-1 to that!

Yes, definitely give some of your music away. No, you're not going to make much money at all starting out.
But if you've got some good recordings, you can definitely sell those. Not charging anything has the disadvantage of devaluing your work. It could make people wonder if your music is any good if you can't sell it.
At least try to trade the EP for email addresses or Facebook likes or something.
 
I know what your saying and I cant totally disagree but at the same time there are literally thousands of artists and bands out there selling music, and even though it is easier than ever to release your music to the masses, it is almost impossible to gain an edge over your competition when it comes to selling your music. Everyone loves free and most everyone will take free. Even established recording artists make their real money by touring and merchandise.

Having said that I would charge for CD's at gigs. But a completly unknown artists goal should be exposure, if your music is good and you can gain a following and create a buzz then you have a much better chance of charging money for your music.

Money makes the world go around but if your in a band, or an artist ,and your in this business to make money,your screwed. Every person who is making money in this business I can guarentee has had to earn it the old fashion way, HARD WORK.
 
Oh yea , totally agree with trading music for email adresses, etc.
 
Im finishing 13 song album, pro mastered, and Im thinking around $6.99, and/or $3.99 downloaded...all in all the projects going to cost near $800 I reckon...I doubt Ill recoup any of that (in fact I know I wont) :)

I wouldnt pay $10 for any hobbyists album unless it was a friend...and certain no more than $5 for a download which would prolly be my choice, so I think Steve's got it spot on...
 
kcearl said:
....all in all the projects going to cost near $800 I reckon...
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Is that for actual replicated (not duplicated) CDs (how many...1000?) with color printing and jacket or jewel case with inserts/printing?
If so...that's a good price.

I paid about $1500 for 1000 replicated CDs, but I also got the 6-panel eco-wallet which added to the cost, but I really wanted to have all the song lyrics printed, and for 10 songs, I needed the 6-panel.
 
Pro mixing/mastering would take up a big chunk of that $800. Worth every penny...:D
 
drieb you got a real point though. I think its even worse than you describe. Now with streaming you cant even give it away. I know so many rabid music fans who used to collect albums, cds, fill up itunes. The majority of them stream now. They dont buy anything anymore, ever. They dont even download, thats just a hassle.

dreib said:
I know what your saying and I cant totally disagree but at the same time there are literally thousands of artists and bands out there selling music, and even though it is easier than ever to release your music to the masses, it is almost impossible to gain an edge over your competition when it comes to selling your music. Everyone loves free and most everyone will take free. Even established recording artists make their real money by touring and merchandise.

Having said that I would charge for CD's at gigs. But a completly unknown artists goal should be exposure, if your music is good and you can gain a following and create a buzz then you have a much better chance of charging money for your music.

Money makes the world go around but if your in a band, or an artist ,and your in this business to make money,your screwed. Every person who is making money in this business I can guarentee has had to earn it the old fashion way, HARD WORK.
Click to expand...
 
miroslav said:
Is that for actual replicated (not duplicated) CDs (how many...1000?) with color printing and jacket or jewel case with inserts/printing?
If so...that's a good price.

I paid about $1500 for 1000 replicated CDs, but I also got the 6-panel eco-wallet which added to the cost, but I really wanted to have all the song lyrics printed, and for 10 songs, I needed the 6-panel.
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I dont imagine id sell more than a handful of CDs so I havent budgeted for it yet...Ill get a few done to have in stock and see if anyone buys them..this is just for mastering and some handouts
 
TheComposer said:
if I could sell my music to, let's say, 500 hundred people only, the overall price of the whole production/mixing process would be more than covered already, anyway, what you think? please debate your own thoughts!!
Click to expand...

"only 500 people" ?
I think it won't be that easy to get 500 people to buy an album of a new upcoming artist with no prior releases or live playing under their belt.
500 might not seem like a lot compared to 500,000 that "big name" artists sell. But it's a lot. Especially once you consider that selling 1000 +/- can get a person on the Heatseeker charts.
And that's only breaking even. If you're in business you can't be in the business of breaking even.
But whatever that's a different story and none of my business :D

Also, if you're looking for places to sell from
check out bandcamp. Bandcamp Pricing | Bandcamp
As someone who's bought music from bandcamp, and someone who has a bandcamp profile I can say that both sides are painless. selling and buying.
 
kcearl said:
I dont imagine id sell more than a handful of CDs so I havent budgeted for it yet...Ill get a few done to have in stock and see if anyone buys them..this is just for mastering and some handouts
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I'll buy a CD!
 
This thread got me thinking and I went to CDBaby and lowered prices to something more reasonable. Never really gave it much thought before and I might have been asking too much. $8 and $9 for my two CD's. Downloads were a little cheaper. So now I lowered them to something like $4 for downloads.

FWIW, Ive sold enough in the past to get a couple of checks from CDBaby (that ain't sayin much), but all sales have been downloads. Never sold a physical CD. Never did ANY advertising except for the little blurb in my signature here at HR. I do give away a lot of CD's to friends and family.

Just thought I'd throw in my two pence.
 
chuckduffy said:
drieb you got a real point though. I think its even worse than you describe. Now with streaming you cant even give it away. I know so many rabid music fans who used to collect albums, cds, fill up itunes. The majority of them stream now. They dont buy anything anymore, ever. They dont even download, thats just a hassle.
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Yea ,its all moving to the cloud. Physical CD's are going to be dead soon. Its really a transitional time were are in and indie artists are going to have to think outside the box.
 
dreib said:
Yea ,its all moving to the cloud. Physical CD's are going to be dead soon. Its really a transitional time were are in and indie artists are going to have to think outside the box.
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its scary. i know some REALLY talented people. I can't freaking stress enough how talented... They can't sell runs of 250 let alone 500. They were doing pretty good with downloads for a while, but then streaming... If you don't gig I don't know WTF the answer is. The only people I know making money gig constantly, sell @ shows, merchandise, network with fans face to face, work the blogs, indie sites, college radio (lots of live shows) - CONSTANTLY - pretty much a full time job. Even then - when all is said and done I bet they are making about $12 bucks an hour.
 
chuckduffy said:
The only people I know making money gig constantly,
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This bit of advice has always grated on me. Yes, it's accurate, but I think it over-simplifies thing. You won't sell CDs until you're act is established, and you won't get gigs until your act is established.

The trick is to have hundreds of fans. If you don't have fans who will come out to your gigs, you don't get to play gigs. I just played a new band night last night. I only managed to get 4 people to come out. You think the venue's letting me play there again any time soon?
 
VomitHatSteve said:
This bit of advice has always grated on me. Yes, it's accurate, but I think it over-simplifies thing. You won't sell CDs until you're act is established, and you won't get gigs until your act is established.

The trick is to have hundreds of fans. If you don't have fans who will come out to your gigs, you don't get to play gigs. I just played a new band night last night. I only managed to get 4 people to come out. You think the venue's letting me play there again any time soon?
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Hey man - I hear you. You quoted part of my text - and sorry if you find it grating, but I was not giving it as advice. Like I said - I don't know WTF the answer is. I was pointing out the category of people that I know personally who are actually making money.

Your post is good. You don't get to play gigs if you can't fill a venue. This is why supporting act spots are so hot, and why here in DC they have so many opening bands for any given headliner. The average is 3. Competition for these spots is insanely high, and the *vast* majority of opening acts are not from DC. So - if some other recognized band has a following, and they like your shit it is can be a foot in the door.
 
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