datamusicata

John Batdorf and I made a wonderful recording of our favorite Rolling Stones songs done up like Crosby, Stills, and Nash or the Eagles. The CD is called, All Wood and Stones (www.allwoodandstones.com) The reviews have been stellar; XM Radio has played it consistently since its release and listed it as one of their favorite CD’s and one of TOP 100 of the year. They also had us come out to Washington, DC to record a live concert in their fantastic studios for their Loft (50) Live Concerts Series.

By all accounts this CD should do very well indeed. And in an effort to raise people’s awareness of the CD, John and I took out an ad in Mother Jones Magazine, A two month spot on their webpage, and a spot in the Laemmele Theatres intermission music play with the CD up on the big screen. We did both of these things in September simultaneously and we also played live everywhere we could on the West Coast to raise the awareness on a personal level.

Our concerts were well attended, but there were no more people than there usually are when we play somewhere. Our CD sales were brisk, but no more than they usually are. And our mail order? We did not receive one order during the month of September that acknowledged the ads. We got no orders from any of the cities that are serviced by the Laemmele chain, and no one referenced Mother Jones Magazine. And there was no marked upswing in digital downloads.

So the questions are:  Is advertising a waste of time? What did we do wrong? What did we not do enough of? Are CD sales completely in the toilet? Should we keep doing this if there is no return? What would have made it work?

In reality, I haven’t a clue. In retrospect, I am trying to think of something that we could have done to take advantage of our slight rise in visibility. Perhaps spent more time hammering away at local gigs? Calling radio stations? Radio is still a wonderful place to get exposure to new audiences, but it doesn’t necessarily turn into sales and hasn’t for a while.

In 1993, my The Envoy CD (see www.jamesleestanley.com) got to 13 in the country on the adult alternative charts. And the MAC Report listed it as one of the Top 100 in airplay for the year. The reviews were spectacular. We barely broke even on CD sales back then. It is a much more difficult period to sell CD’s now. So why make them?   The first answer is, “because that is what I do”.

As an artist, this is my medium and as an artist, I continue, regardless of the financial return. As a realist, I know that I have to sell CD’s to survive financially. And I always do so in a joyous fashion at my shows. So perhaps CD’s are now more of a concert souvenier. I still will make them, but I recognize that commercial radio is not going to touch them. This is actually quite freeing, because now I can just make the kind of CD’s that I want. But a closer look will expose the fact that I have always made those kinds of CD’s. I just made certain that there was a track or two that radio could embrace. I still do that, and I still enjoy making a track or two in that arena, but I also recognize that these CD’s are for my concert audience and that is the second answer.

I do know that for promotion to work there needs to be a completely coordinated effort of several facets and still there are no guarantees.  That being said, you still need to have:

Radio Airplay

Retail Exposure and Access (national distribution)

Advertising

Touring

PR

Internet Presence

And you need for it all to happen at the same time. I guess John and I didn’t have quite enough going on to take full advantage of the exposure we did get, and we were applying the old paradigm to the new millennium. We need something else to make people aware of us, and so do you. There are more CD’s out there than ever before and with the major labels out of touch, there is no one to filter them like they use to do. You knew if someone got to a major label that they were really good. Now even the major labels are putting out music that doesn’t resonate; the critics are lauding music that doesn’t resonate; and most of the musical community is their own A&R fellow, their own producer, composer, artist and back up band. It’s harder than ever to sift thru it all and find what works for you.

Word of mouth seems to be the most reliable at this point. How else can I account for 83,500 hits at Datamusicata in just 96 days of existence?   Perhaps it has come down to just being as good as you possibly can be and presenting that as often as you can, until there are enough little pockets to actually help you line yours?