5 Reasons why nobody is buying my music

Back to the basics in the tough but not hopeless music business

From Grindefx suggested by TechDirt

Making money in the music business is as hard as any, only they are growing more musicians everyday. The market is totally fragmented and segmented by demographics and taste.

Point 5 amazes me. Nobody artists with their first demo CD and they want $15 to $20. I’m still irritated I gave one artist $12 for four songs. 

Last night I was talking with a friend about my iPhone 3GS which won’t recognize the Apple Store music I purchased. He asked “Why do you bother? I have mine full and nobody pays for music.”

According to Grindefx selling your music boils down to five things

1. Does anyone know?

Trying to make your product stand out from the millions of other aspiring musicians is a very difficult and daunting thing to do. There is so much music around these days that consumers have an infinite choice when thinking of making a purchase, the chances of them even knowing about your project, let alone choosing to buy it, are extremely slim.

2. Is your music up to scratch?

Get it recorded properly, pay for studio time or invest in some good quality equipment so that you can record at home. If you don’t know how to mix, pay a professional to do it. If the record sounds horrible sonically then people will hate it and they won’t know why, making your product sound clean and professional is very important. Ask people for feedback before you try to sell your music, release a track or two for free and see how your fans respond.

3. Are you giving your fans options?

People consume music in so many ways these days, it’s important to give your fans options. By just selling a CD on your website you’re excluding a big percentage of your market, the same applies if you just have your album on iTunes. Your music should be available in a variety of different formats at a variety of different price points.

4. Are you giving your fans a reason to buy?

Music doesn’t sell like it used to, we all know this. Fans can get music for free. They can listen to what they want, when they want and not pay a dime. As a result of this artists need to give fans a reason to buy.

5. Are your prices reasonable?

Sometimes you just need a reality check. You need the fans more than they need you, so treat them right. Make your prices attractive to your audience.

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