Distribute yourself

It is not a secret that, most of the time, you have to follow a traditional model in order to successfully get to the best distribution channels in the entertainment industry. First, it is necessary to contact an agent who likes the content and could offer a distribution deal, no matter the type of content that will be published. Many times, an agent research itself could be a struggle. Then, a traditional distribution deal normally gives a return of, at most, 20% of the sales to the creator/artist.  Particularly, it could be even more difficult when it comes to the music industry. Therefore, the efforts to change that situation have been maximized during the late ten years.

As a result, a revolutionary idea was brought to life by “101 Distribution”, a self-publishing website with a very interesting proposal. By paying a flat fee, songwriters and film producers can publish content in all of the most successful online platforms and retail stores worldwide. Within the network of platforms to publish in one can name Netflix, iTunes, Spotify, and Amazonmp3, while as retailers they have Best Buy, Walmart, and Target. The main ingredients of this different publishing formula consist of a non-exclusive deal and 100% net sales payout. Each one of the music distribution packages include UPC and ISRC codes, while the most complete ones include on-demand distribution of CDs and merchandising. In other words, with 101 distribution artists can get all the necessary to start publishing, distributing and selling content.

Finally, the most important feature from the songwriter/music standpoint is a new streaming and online music store called arena.com. By publishing and selling music in arena.com, artists can generate revenues quickly compared with traditional online music stores such as iTunes. The concept is based on an equal distribution of the money charged by arena.com to advertisers. The total number of streams/plays of each song divides the total amount received for advertisement to obtain the current arena payout per stream. In other words, arena.com does not receive money besides the flat fee that artists should pay to sign in. Moreover, 100% of album sales go directly to the artists, making a huge difference with the traditional online music stores in which the sale price is split between different parties. Whether you are a songwriter or a band do not miss the opportunity to know this new concept intended to change the traditional distribution model. Stay tuned for more. 

References & Pictures:

http://www.101distribution.com

http://www.arena.com