Melodica Marketing Is Finding New Retail Outlets For Indie Music
After a previous post on creating alternative music distribution networks, I followed up on a comment by Paul Santos from Melodica Music Marketing. Santos filled me in on his company and the opportunities inherent in distributing indie music to Special Markets including bookstores, art galleries and gift shops.
Paul Santos founded Melodica Music Marketing in 1999 after an extensive career in marketing and sales for such labels as Atlantic Records, Rhino Music and Universal Music Group. He wanted more independence and an opportunity to build a network that didn't yet exist in the music industry for marketing and distributing music to Special Markets or nontraditional outlets.
As record stores dwindle, his focus on outlets which will play music that doesn't interfere with shopping but offers an opportunity for casual discovery has remained a strong business even as Melodica faces the same challenges as the rest of the record industry. Melodica reaches a variety of shoppers but has found a core market that is female, 30+ and may not be a close follower of music but is open to impulse buys.
Melodica distributes albums in their various nondigital formats, CDs, Vinyl and Deluxe Editions with DVDs, via Super D and focuses on Adult Contemporary with singer/songwriters, crossover opera/classical and jazz vocals doing especially well. Though they do have some folks taking rock and hip hop releases, Santos will turn music down if he thinks it's unlikely to get sales in the outlets he serves. Clients that fit the service have tended to stay with Melodica over the long haul.
Santos says they do distribute major artists but that their most important work is with new artists. For example, they marketed and distributed Michael Buble's first record and are doing well with Fitz and The Tantrums. They also handle older releases and sell as much Dean Martin as Buble.
Charges are based on the number of outlets and a percentage of sales with reports that include not just sales but also feedback from the outlets and other information helpful in understanding the impact of one's work. Melodica isn't just about charging for marketing but instead focuses on artists they believe can achieve sales through their network.
For the right artists and labels this sounds like a great opportunity and Santos believes, despite the many obstacles, that Melodica Music Marketing will be able to continue successfuly for quite some time.
Artists and labels can contact Paul Santos for more information and consideration of their music.
Hypebot contributor Clyde Smith is a freelance writer and blogger. Flux Research is his business writing hub and All World Dance: World Dance News is his primary web project. To suggest websites and related topics for review, please contact: clyde(at)fluxresearch(dot)com.
