Bands: How to Sell Your Music on iTunes, Rhapsody, and Amazon Without a Record Label
Cdbaby.com is a service exclusively for unsigned artists and independent record labels. They act as a full service digital distribution company for anyone in the music business. That's right, anyone can create a CD baby account, and CD baby will provide you with a store to sell your CD's online, as well as, ship your music to about 40 different online companies. The best part about CD baby, is that it's free. Yes, it's free. You only have to pay a one-time service fee of $30 to set up your account. That is to cover their warehouse expenses, but after that there are no other fees. CD baby only keeps 9% of your digital sales, and only $4 per CD sale. So, if you don't make money, they don't make money.
Now, let me explain the process. Go to Cdbaby.com and register to open an account. During this process you will provide them with all of your important information, such as the name of your band, what style of music you play, etc. After your account has been created, you will ship them a copy of your CD along with a $30 check or money order. A few weeks later your CD will be encoded and ready to be sold. You should send them a retail-ready copy of your CD. What I mean by that, is make sure you send them a proper jewel case with album artwork, track names, etc. The way your CD looks when you ship it to them, is the way it will look online.
After your CD has been encoded and delivered to iTunes, Rhapsody, etc., it will take about six-weeks before it appears in these services. I know six-weeks sounds like a long time, but everyone in the industry has to wait this long. It will be your responsibility to check these services regularly to see if your music is available. As soon as it is, you can start directing fans to these sites to purchase your music. Every time you sell a song through iTunes or another service, CD baby will report the sale to you. When you're ready to cash-out on your sales, request a check from CD baby and they will mail it to you.
Make sure that you do a lot of marketing to ensure your music actually sells. CD baby takes care of all of the distribution, but they are not a marketing company. Neither are the stores that will be carrying your music. Most consumers don't just randomly browse through iTunes buying songs. You have to let your fans know where they can go to purchase your music. Good luck!
Published by Tom Servo - Featured Contributor in Health & Wellness and Lifestyle
I have been a professional freelance writer since 2007. I write under many pen names for a wide array of publishers. I am an excellent researcher and I like to write about any topic that interests me. In add... View profile
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- Create a CDbaby account.
- Send them your music.
- Tell your fans where it is being sold.
25 Comments
Post a CommentI have some iTunes account (not any gift card) want to sell:
Once you buy the account, you will no longer look for "top free", you will go to "top paid" application
There are 3 kinds of account:
$300 in account: price is $39.99
$450 in account: price is $49.99
$600 in account: price is $59.99
After received account, you can change your pass anytime as you wish!
Anyone interesting, PM me or email to sharapeachez[@]gmail.com
All payment via Paypal.
Regards
Shara
http://cheap-itunes-acount.blogspot.com/
We produce and sell CD's for our play-based music education classes (www.rompnroll.com) and have been using Tune Core for over a year. We have been very happy.
RouteNote is the new player in the UK market and we are already the market leader. http://routenote.com
CD Baby get the music to the other sites? Is there a separate fee each for Amazon, iTunes, etc. If so, how much?
There's also http://www.undergroundmusix.com that let unsigned artist to sell online. Everybody is accepted. You don't have to a CD. Even just one MP3 will do the job. You decide the price. Try it it's FREE ! All the right stays to the artist and it's another place to be seen and heard. Nothing to loose, all to gain.
More info ?
ben@undergroundmusix.com
Hi guys I've been using TUNECORE, I have to say it is so easy and they provide you with full reports!
I wrote an article on my blog about it @ http://awakening3000.blogspot.com/search/label/Music%20Services
TUNECORE
http://offto.net/tunecore_a1d8
I would recomend them, ive been using them for 1 year now.
Oh... another question:
I understand that Cdbaby takes 9% of the sales to distribute the music thru those internet sites as Amazon, iTunes, etc... (not including subscription fees)
But how much does iTunes get from selling each song example 0.79GBP? Is it a separate fee from Cdbaby? Or the total is 9% as mentioned?
Thanks.
I have a question... (pls explain and help)
It says that Cdbaby takes 4$ per CD sale?
1.So if my CD is 10$, i get 6$?
2.What is it was an EP for 5$?
Thanks guys!
My band are currently using Ditto Music for out distribution and have found it has helped out band greatly. We have released two albums through them with progressive success.
Would recommend to anyone.
S