BadReligionPR used our news submit to tell us that Go-Kart records are taking an approach of promoting its music in a way that major record labels totally oppose: They host their music albums in MP3 format for consumers to freely download and try out 🙂 BadReligionPR wrote "The other day I received an email about free MP3 albums legally. I thought it was spam but I visited the site and it is the real deal. The albums are downloadable as individually zipped songs, at 192kbps bitrate. Not a bad deal at all. Go-Kart records has also posted an open letter to the RIAA"
According to Go-kart records, allowing consumers to freely download and share music does not have an effect on music sales, but instead what the RIAA are doing at present as well as those who sell pirate CDs. They figure that if they get a wide range of consumers that like their music, the consumers will likely make donations, tell friends, purchase CDs from these artists as well as go to concerts of these artists. But instead, the five major labels are after the tools and services that allow consumers to share and download music as well as now going after the individuals, but they avoid the CD-R manufacturers that provide the CD-Rs to those who sell pirated discs. For example, Sony is a record label and also sells CD-Rs, but will Sony bring them selves to court for selling CD-Rs? Didn't think so.
We feel that only by embracing technology can we gain from it, and that a battle like the one that the RIAA is fighting can simply not be won. We do not believe that online downloads are all that is hurting the music industry. It is a combination of problems, CD burning being the most injurious. Of course, major labels will never take action against the manufacturers of burnable CDs, since in some cases they would then have to sue themselves (why would Sony sue Sony?) Instead they are going after the music fans, whom they hope to intimidate and extort. We also feel that the lack of original and meaningful music is part of the major labels' problem. Simply put, if there is better music, people will spend money to own it instead of downloading or burning it. The success of Itunes proves that people are willing to buy music online if it is delivered in an intelligent way that is respectful of the consumer. The major labels control almost all the means of exposure available today. How can you sell records without exposure? Radio is controlled through payola (or its modern form, consultants), the print media is controlled through quid-pro-quo agreements of ads for coverage and vice versa, retail is controlled by co-op dollars (which also includes in-store play for videos), and they even buy their artists' way onto opening slots on tours. So, with a few exceptions, the new music that most people are exposed to is controlled by the five major labels. But they CAN'T control what people download. All they can try to do is control people's access to MP3s, or scare them out of downloading music altogether! So, we are putting our music where our mouth is to prove a point. We believe that if you like the music you hear you will support it by going to shows, telling your friends, and buying the bands CDs. With this in mind, we are allowing people to download some of our current releases AT NO CHARGE. In other words, we are essentially GIVING these albums away! These songs are all RIAA safe! If you like what you hear, please make a donation (see the PayPal button), check out the bands' shows, and spread the word. If you don't, what have you lost? Read their open letter to the RIAA here. |
At least this record label is
taking on the approach of the open source community where they give away their
products and rely on PayPal donations to keep them going 😉 Even if a user
does not like an album they have downloaded, at least they are not out of pocket
unlike with purchasing a CD that has no "Money back guarantee if you
are not totally satisified". According to BadReligionPR , their MP3s are
encoded in 192kbps and individually zipped. To most users MP3 encoded at
192kbps is transparent to CD quality. If this record label becomes a major
success, it will really put an impact on the RIAA that suing is just
taking the total opposite direction of promoting your
music.
Source: Go-Kart Records
