New label, iMUSIC, a subsidiary of ARTISTdirect Inc, has arrived with a radically simple and fair new model for signing, promoting and compensating artists. That's why performers as diverse as Blues Traveler, Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, Speech (of Arrested Development), John Doe (of the seminal L.A. band X), Sir Mix-a-Lot, Tre (of the Pharcyde), Folk Implosion, Gene, Tom Tom Club, and Berlin have signed on to release albums on iMUSIC.
With net profits shared equitably between artist and label, and the artist retaining ownership of masters, it's no wonder musicians are embracing a concept Speech says is "like brotherhood.” Combine the progressive deal points with top-notch international distribution (via BMG in the US) and cutting-edge, targeted and low-cost marketing, and you've got a structure custom-made for artists who aren't necessarily the flavor of the month but who retain a loyal fan base.
"The iMUSIC concept was developed through our early forays into releasing Internet-only CDs," says company founder Marc Geiger. "We found that we were able to work efficiently and inexpensively, while allowing the artists greater control and better economics than they'd traditionally receive. With iMUSIC, we have the added value of brick-and-mortar distribution through BMG, but essentially we're following the same model that we used in our online-only releases, which proved to be tremendously successful."
Rather than attempt to "pirate-proof" discs and attack online file-sharing with litigation, Geiger says he prefers to offer some music from each release online as free, unrestricted MP3 files, counting on the "viral" distribution to spread interest, and to allow the music to speak for itself.