Pirated!

[punchdrunk]

You aren't losing any money. Let it ride and consider it flattering.

 

[fourtet102]

These days only way to make a dime is to go out and play for the crowds. I'd take YT and other means as free promotion.

 

[ghostinthemach]

I was under the impression for a few years now that NOBODY makes money on their recorded music any more. That the recording is now merely a 'business card' to get listeners to a live show where the ticket sales and onsite merchandising pays for everything else.

There has simply been an almost completely unforeseen paradigm shift that has changed that financial dynamic possibly forever. The internet has reached into the pocket of music artists and made it almost impossible to control their property at the same time it is possible to have vast exposure no other form of showcasing could provide.

You are the record label as well as the artist and likely promo dept to boot and as such you are exposed to all the potential risks, gains, and unfortunately losses. It's a brave new world out there.

 

[IngloriousOz]

Sure, but be warned we are a symphonic prog band focused on eco-political issues which to most people means long and boring!

The Emerald Dawn

Absolutely loving "Visions", thank you for sharing!

 

[fourtet102]

I try not to get too bent out of shape about it. I mean really Spotify doesn't pay us jack either. My band has a lot of new fans in Brazil that found our stuff online.

$9.99 a month is not enough to pay fair share in royalties through Spotify or Apple Music. I personally listen to the music in a volume that back in days would require me to drop $500 every month on CDs...... all combined, none of us would prefer to go back to 80s or 90s where you had to be "the shnit" to be privileged to record an album and be exposed to the masses.

 

[Nephilymbass]

$9.99 a month is not enough to pay fair share in royalties through Spotify or Apple Music. I personally listen to the music in a volume that back in days would require me to drop $500 every month on CDs...... all combined, none of us would prefer to go back to 80s or 90s where you had to be "the shnit" to be privileged to record an album and be exposed to the masses.

a lot of musicians listen to music constantly, unfortunately the average person probably listens to more talk hate radio than music these days.

 

[MojoPenguin]

Queens of the Stone Age just released many songs of their new album on their own Youtube channel. I'd say this would be the best option, trump the pirates and release video clips or montage of your songs on Youtube with links in the description to purchase your album on bandcamp or whatever. At least you'll have some control over it, your music will be shared and you can expect some ad revenue if it works well

 

[Deleted member 165050]

You have a 20 minute track?

The track in question is in symphony form with distinct movements. Most of our tracks are as brief as 10 or 11 minutes

 

[brianrost]

Is this just how it is now? I mean why would anyone pirate an obscure prog band from Cornwall ffs?

Yes, that is how it is. Feel flattered that someone liked your CD enough to post it for others to hear.

I used to get tapes or CDs from bandmates with songs to learn, nowadays they just send me YouTube links. One singer I work with told me she doesn't even own a CD player, she just listens to stuff online.

 

[Slinger]

Boring? Not to this prog head from the 70s. I liked "Searching For The Last Key". Good Musicianship and arrangement. I wish you well in the future, and hope you get all this mess straightened out.

This.

Is your guitarist an Andy Latimer fan?

 

[40Hz]

There was a time when recording musicians were routinely ripped off and exploited by their agents and record labels in the name of promotion and distribution "services."

Today it's their so-called fans that are doing it while arguing for all the "free promotion" and "distribution" they're giving bands.

Same BS argument. Same old line of bunk and jive. Just different players. So instead of getting ripped off by a couple of big businesses, you now have the pleasure of getting burned by your dozens (or thousands) of fans.

It's what's called "business as usual" in the music world.

 

[dxb]

Any exposure online is good for a band because it helps build a following. The real trick is turning that following into earnings, which is a little more complicated. Streaming revenue usually doesn't add up to much, but its still worth putting your music up on all the streaming services, video sites, and facebook for the exposure. You might also earn some money too, depending on how popular your band is.

If someone else posts your music on, say Youtube, you could have the video flagged as 3rd party content and then any revenue it earns will go to you. I'm not sure of the process but a similar mechanism should exist on any streaming site. I'd say unless that video is getting hundreds of thousands of views its not worth the hassle though because you'd be doing it for pennies.

The big source of revenue is still going to be playing shows and selling merch. CD and download sales do suffer because of streaming, but there's no way to put that genie back in the bottle. You can sell your album in additional formats that true fans will appreciate though like uncompressed 24-bit FLAC downloads or high quality vinyl pressings.

 

[bolophonic]

As a dude who plays in bands with zero airplay/mainstream potential, I would welcome any exposure that I could get. But on the other hand, I would want to have 100% control over the video content of whatever was out there. Some amateurish, homemade slideshow style video of still photos would not cut it for me.

Also: nice job, OP. That is some ambitious music y'all are putting out there.

 

[Atshen]

Just don't expect to make money out of music anymore. Especially original music. People enjoying your stuff is the best reward.

Keep your weekend cover band if you wanna make some (little) dough.

 

[Runlikegregg]

what are they stealing exactly?

 

[Deleted member 165050]

what are they stealing exactly?

They are distributing for free, a track that is intended to be a purchased digital download. Putting it bluntly, that is stealing. Anyone who downloads in breach of copyright is a thief, like it or not. It costs money to make an album and the band has a way to go before we even cover costs. Download in breach of copyright and you are stealing from the copyright owner.

In our case it's unlikely to be a major loss and as many have said we will probably benefit from the extra publicity, but the underlying principle that illegal downloading is theft remains.

 

[I am Soma]

we released our new album a few months ago. within hours it was on every metal pirate stream i could find. kind of annoying but also kind of cool to see how many downloads were occurring. kind of past the point of thinking id do anything but break even with music nowadays

 

[40Hz]

what are they stealing exactly?

Your right to control the distribution of your creative work and the opportunity to profit from it.

People will very seldom voluntarily pay anything for things they can get for free. Basic economics.

There are all the New Age theories that preach otherwise. Most were tried out and thoroughly vetted back in the 70s and 80s. And guess what? It doesn't work. Other than a very tiny number of good hearted souls who will voluntarily give financial support to their favorite bands, the vast majority of the listening public doesn't think - or act - like that. And despite all the talk about "new paradigms" and "the new online business model," when the dust finally settled on the smoking ruins following the dotcom collapse of the 90s, those businesses that still survived were conducting business the same way humans always have - by selling things for actual money.

Now there's a newer generation who, for the most part, doesn't believe in paying for anything they can't hold in their hands. And while they might have no problem dropping $600 on the latest smartphone, they see little reason why they should have to pay for any music they might want to play on it. They've grown up with the notion that anything that's accessible online, or is able to be copied off of it, is somehow mysteriously and magically "free." Or at least should be free for some equally magical reason.

Most musicians and bands are caught in an unsustainable situation right now. They no longer have a product (i.e. recordings/videos) they can sell reliably. The have become a service business, complete with the abuses, long hours, low wages, and poor working conditions that characterize so many service sector jobs.

Even the hoped for revenues from ticketed live webcasts have been minimal. Which provides further evidence there's a widespread belief that anything that is made available via the web "should be free." Were it otherwise, paywalls would not have met the resistance they have.


Welcome to the realities of performing music in the 21st century. For most bands, it's going to be a hobby at best.

 

[Deleted member 165050]

Is your guitarist an Andy Latimer fan?

I believe that's a yes I saw Camel several times back in the 70s, great band.

 

[dxb]

They are distributing for free, a track that is intended to be a purchased digital download. Putting it bluntly, that is stealing. Anyone who downloads in breach of copyright is a thief, like it or not. It costs money to make an album and the band has a way to go before we even cover costs. Download in breach of copyright and you are stealing from the copyright owner.

In our case it's unlikely to be a major loss and as many have said we will probably benefit from the extra publicity, but the underlying principle that illegal downloading is theft remains.

Its certainly a dilemma, but I don't think calling your fans thieves is going to do you much good. It might even turn a lot of people off who would otherwise want to support your band. You gotta keep it positive.