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Loving Music

As always when I open a topic on TA I'm looking for a bit of tough love. I remember we had the Olympik Records topic back in the day, maybe this can be a worthy replacement .

Loving Music, the label a lot of you helped shape by filling in a survey, has launched today. Our sole purpose is to create a greater platform for artists by giving their music away for free next to selling it through the regular channels (Beatport, iTunes, Spotify, Deezer, etc). Of course the artists get royalties for the free downloads too.

The final products (website and other means of communication and promotion) are a lot simpler than originally intended. Copyright and especially copyright collecting societies are to blame. Basically a label can not directly sell or give away music internationally because of them even though the solution to the problem is simple and would benefit a lot of artists and businesses (more on that in a few weeks). As such we're limited to giving away music through Soundcloud and our website using Soundcloud embeds.

Have a look on http://www.lovingmusic.net.


The music currently available:


January 26th:
Stephen J. Kroos - Oxymoron / Nervus Vagus.
Stephen is known from releases on Anjunabeats, Anjunadeep, Nueva, Spring Tube and many more interesting labels.
Kruup - Sunflower / Pot
This is Kruups debut release, but don't let that fool you

February 23rd:
Richard Butler - Into Night (incl Kruup remix)
In my opinion one of the most interesting producers on TA.

Some social spam:
http://www.facebook.com/lovingmusicrecordings
http://www.soundcloud.com/lovingmusic
http://www.twitter.com/lovingmusicrec

Automated demo submission is possible too



Whatever input you have guys, I appreciate it. Thank you!

fill in the logo black corner with an M. use a much thinner width. It should ook like it just contours the square with a bisecting line at 45 degrees. The trick is a slightly less noticeable colour and making it not super obvious. Big enough that when used say as an album pic on an iphone, the aliasing isn't too bad. You can alo do the same thing but use the entire square and have lines that form the same shape that cut thru your original logo. That way is probably a better idea now that i think of it.

It should look like a pattern at first glance but then you are like oh, there is the m. That makes sense. Otherwise you have just an L. sounds lazy as it is.

your welcome.

So after all these years all you got us is a new soundcloud group? (For now)
I mean Richard can upload to SC himself and enable download.

What's the "loving music" advantage? Not sure on your USP's yet, elaborate?

I just submitted to a label that uses this uploader, and using some deductive logic, congrats are in order to the TA's responsible. Damn that's heartwarming to see.

And yeah i worked with Wiley at Olympik, that was fun and organic. still have the dudes number.

quote:

Originally posted by Raphie So after all these years all you got us is a new soundcloud group? (For now) I mean Richard can upload to SC himself and enable download. What's the "loving music" advantage? Not sure on your USP's yet, elaborate?

That is an oversimplification. Loving Music is about experimenting with various business models. Testing theory and see how it holds up in reality. On paper free downloads should expand your reach by a tenfold over time. As such, the current main USP is we give artists royalties for free downloads. 200% of what the Dutch copyright society would pay out to artists as well as a fair percentage on performed sales. The aim has always been to make music available for free, legally, or as legally as possible.

---
There's several ways to give away music:

White hat - legal
- Costs �500 Euro annually per country you're active in, to be paid to copyright societies The aim for Loving Music is to be active worldwide, otherwise what's the use of the internet? Cost: 100.000 Euro per year. These are just small user licenses including several 1000s of downloads and several 10.000s of streams, per country.

Grey hat
- Leveraging Soundcloud for the free downloads, transferring requirement of royalty payments to another business entity (Soundcloud). Cost: 108 Euro per year. Not ideal, but a legal loophole.
- Paying a 300 to 600 Euro fee to the Dutch copyright society and report all streams/downloads as if they occurred in Holland, thus making sure artists get paid. Technically only legal when music is consumed in The Netherlands.

Black hat
Just do everything you like until you get caught and then pay the price.
---

As you can see there are little other options than going through Soundcloud. Copyright law is too blame. It's for the same reasons Spotify and Netflix are expanding on a per country basis, although their cases are exponentially more complex due to the fact that they have to deal with rightsholders whereas Loving Music is its own rightsholder.

Also I prefer not to deal with any copyright societies as their system isn't working as it should. Artificial entities abusing their monopoly within their territory claiming to be transparent while requiring business entities to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Not capable of securing pan-European agreements which benefit business, consumers and artists. They represent the old-boys network that doesn't understand internet and don't recognize business opportunities when they're right in front of them. If anything they actively work against improved copyright legislation in favor of self-preservation (as it would require them to start competing each other otherwise). They delay or obstruct innovation and new business. In particular, the British PRS is a good example of this.

The music that's been released yesterday. Do not hesitate to download

quote:

Originally posted by Looney4Clooney fill in the logo black corner with an M. use a much thinner width. It should ook like it just contours the square with a bisecting line at 45 degrees. The trick is a slightly less noticeable colour and making it not super obvious. Big enough that when used say as an album pic on an iphone, the aliasing isn't too bad. You can alo do the same thing but use the entire square and have lines that form the same shape that cut thru your original logo. That way is probably a better idea now that i think of it. It should look like a pattern at first glance but then you are like oh, there is the m. That makes sense. Otherwise you have just an L. sounds lazy as it is. your welcome.

Thank you. I have my own take on what the logo should became at a later stage if the label does reasonably well. But this might be interesting.

quote:

Originally posted by Kthought I just submitted to a label that uses this uploader, and using some deductive logic, congrats are in order to the TA's responsible. Damn that's heartwarming to see.

Thank you . I'm trying to push it here and there. Had some interest from renown labels and dj's getting several 100s of demos per month, but it needs some improvements (which I'm working on in my spare time and hope to have done in several weeks).

Loving oxymoron, to tell you the truth my fav Kroos album was the one that came out on anjuna awhile back, loved almost every track on it.

Yeah, formalistick did it for me back in the day

He's a great fun guy. Met him during Amsterdam Dance Event last year. Fun times!

Your concept confuses me. What do you need the label for if you just offer free souncdcloud downloads?

quote:

Originally posted by Storyteller Yeah, formalistick did it for me back in the day He's a great fun guy. Met him during Amsterdam Dance Event last year. Fun times!

Dope, I have formalistick on Vinyl.

quote:

Originally posted by Mr.Mystery Your concept confuses me. What do you need the label for if you just offer free souncdcloud downloads?

To get money for the free downloads + outsourcing decent promo of course.

Your concept is pretty interesting. You accept old school trance?

quote:

Originally posted by Storyteller To get money for the free downloads + outsourcing decent promo of course.

If the downloads are free, where does that money come from?

That's my problem to solve. And I already did . The label can run at a loss. Money comes in on a profitable business especially designed to fund the other (the label).

quote:

Originally posted by Innocence Lost Your concept is pretty interesting. You accept old school trance?

No. I'm looking mostly for deeper techy stuff as I hope is apparent in the current releases.

quote:

Originally posted by Storyteller That's my problem to solve. And I already did . The label can run at a loss. Money comes in on a profitable business especially designed to fund the other (the label). No. I'm looking mostly for deeper techy stuff as I hope is apparent in the current releases.

ok

quote:

Originally posted by Storyteller That's my problem to solve. And I already did . The label can run at a loss. Money comes in on a profitable business especially designed to fund the other (the label).

Okay then

So here are my thoughts

I'm an artist who wants to publish
I can go to an aggregator and be on Beatport and all major stores immediately, not a problem, they do royalty admin on digital platforms, streaming services etc. and that's that.
AS LONG AS I AM NOT ENROLLED WITH ROYALTY ORGS, i.e. Being a member of BUMA/STEMRA i can give my shit to whom i like to share. No risk, they collect for and pay to members only, not to anyone not enrolled.
If your artists are not enrolled or go under creative commons it's the same
The guys paying for the track in stores either want to support the artist, or stumbled upon the track browsing the store, not realizing it's available for free as well.

If i'm an independent artist, not signed by A list label, there is nothing you offer me, except absorbing the cost of an UPC/EAN code with the aggregator, in return you take a cut with the sales and the aggregator reports everything from their end.

I understand and applaude you doing this for the love of music, but what's in it for me? And what's in it for you? And how do you retie your value to artists who are to small to enroll in copyright orgs?
Unless you are banking copyright and do enroll yourself cashing on all royaltees, i do not understand why you are doing this.

quote:

Originally posted by Raphie If i'm an independent artist, not signed by A list label, there is nothing you offer me, except absorbing the cost of an UPC/EAN code with the aggregator, in return you take a cut with the sales and the aggregator reports everything from their end. I understand and applaude you doing this for the love of music, but what's in it for me? And what's in it for you? And how do you retie your value to artists who are to small to enroll in copyright orgs? Unless you are banking copyright and do enroll yourself cashing on all royaltees, i do not understand why you are doing this.

A label should always have added value. I agree that it is currently very little but that will grow over time. You can't just start from scratch and expect to shoot for the stars. Value is most importantly but not exclusively created with the following:
- A proper promotional network (DJ's, radio, licensing)
- An audience, proper social reach (will grow over time)
- Paying royalties for free downloads. Free downloads should theoretically improve reach by a tenfold. Increasing fans/reach.
- Competing with pirated content (worldwide still accountable for �50% of music consumption) by having a free and accessible alternative which supports the artist.
- 100% of sale revenue from shops to label, artist gets 50% of that. A better deal than most other labels offer, as usually their distributor takes a cut.

I intend to add some bullet points later on, but I first need to sort out the legal issues involved.

What is in it for me:
- I'd like to prove myself that a label can be succesful while operating outside the scope of a regular small-sized label.
- Personal satisfaction by sharing music I truly appreciate.

quote:

And how do you retie your value to artists who are to small to enroll in copyright orgs?

I would strongly suggest them inform at their local copyright society and if viable then enroll into one. In many countries the first year is paid, and free from then on. A few cents from every sale made online (Beatport, iTunes, etc) should be flowing back to the artist.

I did not register Loving Music with a copyright society as I mentioned here: http://www.tranceaddict.com/forums/...08#post11642667
The terms and conditions were inadequate and would require 100.000 Euro anually to do it all legally. There are very little loopholes to bypass the system (I know just 1), other than just doing it illegally.

As such Loving Music pays artist directly for free downloads. The ammount is �200% of what the Dutch copyright society would pay out for every free download. If at some point Loving Music will sign an agreement with a copyright collector the direct payable royalties for free downloads will decline accordingly to the ammount to be made payable to copyright societies for every single free download. To be able to legally bypass copyright societies it was necessary to publish the downloads through Soundcloud.

On the other hand I'm still contemplating wether or not I should go down the illegal route. Soundcloud still does not pay to a copyright society up to this day as far as I'm aware and they seem to be able to get away with it, why not a small label like Loving Music? Food for thought, and it would give me the means to implement the full plan which adds a lot more value for artists and the label.

Also, any copyright society has the right to demand payment if you sell music, regardless of whether the artists are part of a copyright society or not. Just because it is deemed reasonable for them to expect at least one artist would be part of a society.

I'm high as fuck, wtf did you just say.

http://www.tranceaddict.com/forums/...=2#post11642713

I like your enthousiasm and perspective. Curious to see how this will develop.
Most "community" mails end up in my spam. Looking at Colours 1 it generated �17 to date combined store and streaming platforms revenue I've invested �38 to get it out there.

Thanks.

End yeah, I've seen a steady decrease over the years, from hundreds of euros to a couple of 10ers. That's another aim, I want to make musicians earn a bit more than they did before.

Matt, how do you download those tracks, I cannot see any DL button on SC? Have you disabled it?

quote:

Originally posted by Richard Butler Matt, how do you download those tracks, I cannot see any DL button on SC? Have you disabled it?

You should be able to download it on Soundcloud (except for the sets, I don't think Soundcloud puts the DL button in there).

On the website of Loving Music you can click through to the releases and download it from there. I also just updated the homepage so you can download it directly from there as well.

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