Digital Music Distribution: Weird Al and Kid Rock Take Different Paths
Earlier this week, parody musician Weird Al Yankovic announced that he would start releasing songs on iTunes right after he finishes them, bypassing the standard album model for a faster and more flexible approach. It looks like Yankovic made a deal with Apple, as iTunes will have exclusive rights to these new songs for the first two weeks. The first of these new songs will be available on October 7. Kid Rock, on the other hand, will now allow Rhapsody to carry his music, but does not allow a la carte downloading of his songs.
As consumers have started to bypass the traditional album model in favor of just buying single songs anyway, releasing songs as they are done would make sense for many musicians. Weird Al, of course, tends to write very topical and time-sensitive material, which makes his case a bit different, but the model could work for other musicians as well.
Kid Rock
Kid Rock, ono of the last hold-outs with regards to digital music distribution (and especially iTunes), has signed an exclusive deal with music service Rhapsody to distribute his albums. In contrast to Weird Al, however, Kid Rock insists that consumers can only download full albums and not just choose specific songs.
Are Both Missing the Point?
In some ways, it seems both musicians are missing the point of digital distribution. Weird Al does an exclusive deal with iTunes, even though he has a big enough name to either give his songs away for free or to sell them himself, and Kid Rock is trying to go against his own fans' wishes by not allowing a la carte downloading. Then, of course, diamond-studded swimming pools don't grow on trees either...
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I think they are missing the point. Songs can be an avenue for other revenue streams. I give away my instrumental rock guitar tunes directly to fans as well as some free lessons. I sell access to me (my guitar soloing approach, my time and my feedback) through a membership site. In other words I sell the experience of interacting with me. Famous musicians can sell the experience through their concerts.
Only selling a full album digitally can often mean the album is crap with one hit song. Maybe they're looking for a site that can try and limit the sharing capability (via DRM).
kid held out as long as he could, but he now sees the benefit-
http://www.musicnewsnet.com/2008/10/kid-rock-to-be.html
I have to disagree with you. Weird Al selling the song by himself might not be such a good idea.
People look for new music at the iTunes store like they look for orange juice at the supermarket. If you just started squeezing oranges and selling them on the front porch of your house, word might spread and you might be able to sell some, but you just wouldn't nearly reach the same amount of people.