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The newest trend in music is independent performers using the internet to self-promote instead of big agents and music labels. Jonathan Coulton was one of the forerunners of this movement (and one of the most successful). He's been featured in music-themed and business magazines for this approach and his success. He is one of the new generation of performers that is turning the music industry on its ear.
One of the things he does is he releases his music under the Creative Commons License by nc, which allows fans to download, copy, share, alter, add to, and otherwise enjoy his music without copyright infringement.
Related to this is his method of allowing *most* of his music to be downloaded *for free* via his website. You can also choose to pay to download them and/or purchase a full album which will have a couple of songs not available for free download. People thought this was just crazy - no one would actually pay for a song if it was simultaneously available for free download - especially if the free download was legal! But JoCo has made enough money to support himself with this method, confounding the music industry, who really don't want this knowledge to get out that someone can actually *gasp* make money without their labels!
Another thing he has done is created the Jonathan Coulton Project, which is where he specifically asks for his fans' contrubutions, many in the form of music videos to be shared on Youtube. My favorite is a guy named Mike "Spiff" Booth, who creates music videos using World of Warcraft characters.
He has also allowed a full library of his music as karaoke songs!
And finally, one of the biggest departures from the traditional music industry format, Jonathan Coulton does not book "tours" in the normal sense. What he does is gets his fans to request him in their cities, and when he has enough requests from a particular city, he just packs up and goes there!
So, everyone (especially people in the Central Florida area!), go demand that JoCo give us a concert! I want to see him play and there are currently 77 demands for Orlando!
One of the things he does is he releases his music under the Creative Commons License by nc, which allows fans to download, copy, share, alter, add to, and otherwise enjoy his music without copyright infringement.
Related to this is his method of allowing *most* of his music to be downloaded *for free* via his website. You can also choose to pay to download them and/or purchase a full album which will have a couple of songs not available for free download. People thought this was just crazy - no one would actually pay for a song if it was simultaneously available for free download - especially if the free download was legal! But JoCo has made enough money to support himself with this method, confounding the music industry, who really don't want this knowledge to get out that someone can actually *gasp* make money without their labels!
Another thing he has done is created the Jonathan Coulton Project, which is where he specifically asks for his fans' contrubutions, many in the form of music videos to be shared on Youtube. My favorite is a guy named Mike "Spiff" Booth, who creates music videos using World of Warcraft characters.
He has also allowed a full library of his music as karaoke songs!
And finally, one of the biggest departures from the traditional music industry format, Jonathan Coulton does not book "tours" in the normal sense. What he does is gets his fans to request him in their cities, and when he has enough requests from a particular city, he just packs up and goes there!
So, everyone (especially people in the Central Florida area!), go demand that JoCo give us a concert! I want to see him play and there are currently 77 demands for Orlando!
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no subject
Date: 6/8/08 07:58 pm (UTC)From:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RthZgszykLs
no subject
Date: 6/8/08 08:20 pm (UTC)From:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=solxQyUVmRg
And there's a fantastic video for this song that honors the old Amigas:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mg6wrYCT9Q
no subject
Date: 6/8/08 09:23 pm (UTC)From: