The Music Investor

I have read about several websites that have this idea of investing into the artists music, and I have written something about it awhile ago that I have actually removed by accident. I will say it again that it's almost like the entertainment stock market. You find a artist you like, and you put money into them hoping they can do something with it that could possibly get you money as well. It's all good until you realize the state of the industry and the fact that this artist is working on art…NOT a business. Music is a business, but most artists do not see it as such, and dissipate after awhile for steady income jobs elsewhere. Lets say you have a favorite artist and you invest a large amount, lets say $20,000. The artist goes to the studio and records a nice EP that is fully mastered, has a great marketing plan, and the album goes on iTunes and sells under 5,000 single sale copies, with a few hundred album copies. Lets say the artist we'll call, The Electric Italiano, makes around $2-3000 in a month. Thats a good months salary and now you want your money back. You make just under a grand back with a $-19,000 mark in your checkbook. Now what?

I have been blogging, talking about how the major industry is going to shit and indies are the future, individual artists are coming through tough times, and there is a future for music yet. I have worked out a few idea's than and out, but now I want to do something as well. I won't get into detail, but I would like to make a social networking site (waiting for gasps as something so revolutionary as that), but instead of joining networks, you join artists. We allow artists for a one time fee to build a full fan site with different levels and we put a price on the levels. Fans can join for free for the basic, but for different prices or "investments" they can receive benefits such such as a free concert tickets, free cd's, free posters, tee's, and more. This is a new idea to my head that has probably been done, but I will do more research.

If a fan who enjoys an artist's music so much that they purchase an album, why can't they get to know the artist more? Know why the artist wrote each song, the background of the artist past their bio, a chance to speak to the artist such as The Electric Italiano (a combination of The Electric Fetus (a record store here), and Italiano Coffee… words that I randomly saw on the wall here), and possibly a chance to meet up with other fans of the artist. I want to bring fan interaction to a whole new level, but set it up as a template like a social networking site that would literally be for networking instead of picking up underage kids by the likes of copycat Michael Jackson (myspace). I will have a full blueprint that I will work on, and hope nobody takes this idea because it is only partial on what I have an idea for in the back of my head.

Remember music is a way to express your soul, and it can get to be expensive. Most fall out the game because of money problems, but those who stick it out and call music a career and not a hobby will prosper. It's a matter of patience and perseverance, for outlasting this depression in the music industry will be difficult, but if we can find a way to settle differences we can do this. Music will once again be a source of enjoyment instead of stress soon. We just have to work together.

From the mind of

Keveeno Reeverts

The Music Investor