D.I.Y.

Pick The Band – Fan Driven Online Label

image from hardrockhideout.files.wordpress.com (UPDATED) Pick the Band, a new online-only record label has launched what they believe to be an alternative to the traditional label business model that lets fans have a say in how the artists that they like are promoted and marketed.

Fans pick the single, design the artwork and make the videos for the artists to compete in online competitions conducted via picktheband.com, which utilize online auditioning and voting, showcases at top festivals and social media promotion. Fans who participate have chances to win perks and prizes such as trips to major music festivals (i.e. CMJ, Osheaga, SXSW, ASCAP I Create Music Expo), access to artists in studio, backstage passes, and more.

When Roie (Pick the Band Founder Roie Avin) explained to me what he was doing with Pick The Band, and after I heard some of the early entries, I knew this was a source that I needed to pay close attention to," said Steve Robertson, VP of A&R at Atlantic Records.

Sennheiser sponsored Pick The Band's latest round of contests, in which fans voted on 20 finalists with the winning band winning a performance slot at a festival. Previous ontest winners have performed at Osheaga Music Festival in Montreal, CMJ Music Marathon in October in NYC, on a national Mexico broadcast of Sesiones TV live from Mexico City. Winning artists also are eligible for an additional chance to win the grand prize – $10,000 in gear, a 3-song recording with a major producer through Pick The Band Records, distribution through Universal Republic and an A&R showcase in NYC. Voting for the finals runs form April 12th – April 25th, 2011.

via CelebrityAccess

Bruce Houghton on 04/04/2011 in D.I.Y. | Permalink | Comments (7)
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7 Comments

  1. Sounds cool, but I feel this is just another way for bands to pester their fans into signing up to “vote” and then get sold something. I’d like to see a service that lets people vote for something that doesn’t make the fans jump through hoops.

  2. Hmmm. Does that mean the band is limited by the “fans” that sign up to this site? They they can’t release new material unless it is “fan” approved?
    I’m highly skeptical of this model. Sounds gimmicky. Also, bands can run their own contests with fans. No need to have a label do it for them.
    Plus, I’d get a lawyer to look at their “Band Release” jargon before signing up. Apparently, just signing up to their service gives them rights to your music and image. And they also get “exclusive” deals to your stuff for 5 years if it wins a fan contest.
    That would suck to have a cool tune that gets attention, but then not be able to market it as you’d like.

  3. Too much involvement from fans and too extreme. I dont personally think fans will spend that much time.. people are lazy.
    I do like the initiative and if it works out, cool!

  4. So this has been around for awhile, I guess. I’m not familiar with it. Wasn’t Crowdbands a fan-driven label, as well? They claimed to be the first, also. hmmm?

  6. I guess if you really want to know something about a company, talk to the “customers”…in this case the bands that have been involved and won. I’ve spoken to a few of them and they have nothing but great things to say about Pick The Band. The main difference is that the band, label and fans are in it together…no one is screwing anyone. I think the legal part just allows them to use the music uploaded in perhaps advertising…maybe their radio station that pops up etc. Oh, and if you look at Crowdbands, they launched in 2009…Pick The Band came about in 2008.

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