Love him or hate him, the Vans-wearing rapper is embracing the digital-only distribution idea with his upcoming album, “Angels Exodus”, scheduled to drop January 18th.
Lil B just signed a deal with Amalgam Digital who will handle the marketing and worldwide distribution exclusively.
Amalgam Digital specializes in independent music. The company deals directly with independent artists and labels who own the sole rights to their music. According to their website, they “have drawn on the resources and extensive knowledge of the owners, staff, and employees of Amalgam Digital to create an environment that promotes independent music. Unlike many of the other digital retail outlets we do not automatically take all media by all artists and labels that are solicited to us by digital aggregators and distribution networks”.
Lil B’s choice to go strictly digital should be an example to other indie artists, relieving some of the “pressure” to press up 1,000 cds. It just goes to show that truly embracing the internet and creating a presence can not only further your reach, but save you some money.
We are already used to digital-only mixtapes. Sites like DatPiff and LiveMixtapes are among the leaders in this niche. But albums…albums are different. Sure, iTunes and Amazon MP3 have changed the way we get music, but you could still go into a store and get a hard copy.
I like the idea of a digital-only album, and I like the idea of a digital-only record deal. Let’s face it, we are spending more time on our laptops, desktops, iPads, and Smartphones than we ever have. Getting music digitally is what many consumers prefer. While it may not save them a whole lot of cash, it saves them time and is convenient.
We are seeing a trend with emerging artists and their choice to stay Independent. They can remain in control of their image and have the freedom to try new things. This growing idea of strictly digital will only strengthen their case for remaining indie.
Last week I witnesses DatPiff’s servers crash as a result of rapper Chris Webby’s “Best In The Burbs” mixtape. Within 10 minutes of the release it was downloaded almost 1,000 times, and then the servers crashed for the first time. I monitored his Twitter and Facebook presence the entire day. Many fans were unaware of what time the mixtape would drop, so they skipped school and took off work. DatPiff eventually had a countdown timer which lead to even more excitement over the release. Fans would post on Facebook, “43 minutes and 17 seconds left”. That mixtape now has roughly 25,000 downloads.
When an artist can truly build a committed fanbase, I see why they sometimes remain indie. They now have the capabilities to speak directly to their fans, and can build relationships with venues and hip-hop sites with little-to-no effort. On many occasions, Skewln.com talks directly with the artist, bypassing all managers.
In a time when ringtone record deals are not uncommon, I don’t see why a digital-only deal would be any different.
(Maybe the major labels should consider this idea. Artists sometimes need the financial backing to take them to the next level. )
I don’t feel that hard copies will die off anytime soon. There is still something special about holding that shrink-wrapped jewel case.
I mean, everything can’t be 100% digital, right? How would I get an autograph with no jewel case???
We just released Fever The Mixtape on datpiff.com and we are spreading the word. Every one is loving the tracks submitted by artist from around the country. The release has received a lot of listens, views and downloads. Give it a listen when you get a free moment. Thanks so much for your time, have a great week!
http://www.datpiff.com/-Fever_The_Mixtape.212724.html