I have been playing with the idea of starting a NW website dedicated to promoting NW artists, labels, producers, etc. After contemplating the idea for awhile I have put together an outline, come up with a name for the site, and worked out most of the details to bring this idea to life. In my opinion we lack resources as a whole to promote our music, and by no means am i saying this is what it will take, but i do think it will help considerably.
The site would be run like a magazine on a monthly basis, with interviews, album reviews, photo gallery from events around the region, an online record stores to purchase hard to find NW music, a NW contact guide for networking purposes, with some special features that don't resemble a magazine. For instance, interviews that host music from the artist, or label, or producer, etc. We plan on having music throughout the site, including an online listening station for 5 albums each month. Almost everything will be offered free, with the exception of a few things, which will be solely to cover the cost of maintaing the site which monthly shouldn't exceed 500. We plan to have a featured section every month to cover the up coming artists from around the region. so there aren't to many restrictions for the new people, but there will be some so it maintains a professional representation of the NW. I plan on finding qualified writers to help with reviews, and anything where somebody is being judged so there won't be any bias reviews favoring people based on business relationships. I also plan on having a section where anybody and everybody can send in a song every month, from there we will select 5 for the "song of the month" and featuring them and let the fans vote on a winner. We will also have a battle of the beats every month for producers to showcase there talents, and the winner will be selected by the fans who come to the site. The winners would have there music featured throughout the site. I'm also thinking of other things that would help showcase the talent and raise the level of excitement for our region but ofcourse this kind of stuff takes time.
Now to clarify something, this will not be an all NW site. We will allow other regions a chance to submit music, or advertise like everybody else, but the main focus will always be our region, and to promote our music to as many people as possible. If artists from NY or Cali or wherever are in town doing a show we may interview them or review there music, so the site isn't going to exclude people, it will just always cover our people 3 times more.
I'm going to try to get a few commercial/college radio stations involved by having a DJ or program director do a NW top 5 songs for there market every month which hopefully should push more artists to solicit these stations with there music.
The ARTIST, PRODUCER, DJ, & LABEL DIRECTORY will feature a massive list of contacts. But to be considered there will be small requirements, and a package sent in, which will include (ARTIST) a high quality pic, a professional bio, (LABEL) a company logo and a company bio, (PRODUCER) a pic or a production company logo, and a bio. Everything will feature contact information, from websites to email, to mailing addresses, and phone number. That will be done at the discretion of the person submitting, but the pic, logo, and bio is mandatory.
The record store will be done on a consignment basis with the artists, but we will report to soundscan so the artists gets credit for each sale. We are hoping to keep the cost of full length albums under 10 bucks which would include shipping, but it may vary depending on what the labels is asking for per CD.
This is all the general information I can think of for now, but i'm curious as to what your thoughts are. Feedback is welcome, as is questions, concerns, or anything else. I'm also wanting to put together a list of artists, producers, labels etc that are interested in being apart of this and on what level. We plan to go live with the site in JAN or FEB of 2004. If you want to have your music in the record store, or be listed in the directory, or want to submit beats, or songs for the monthly competition, want to have your album considered for review, or your artist, or label considered for interviews or anything else be sure to let me know in your post. This is gonna be a site for everyone, excluding none, it is a NW site, so everybody is welcome.
Holla Back
The site would be run like a magazine on a monthly basis, with interviews, album reviews, photo gallery from events around the region, an online record stores to purchase hard to find NW music, a NW contact guide for networking purposes, with some special features that don't resemble a magazine. For instance, interviews that host music from the artist, or label, or producer, etc. We plan on having music throughout the site, including an online listening station for 5 albums each month. Almost everything will be offered free, with the exception of a few things, which will be solely to cover the cost of maintaing the site which monthly shouldn't exceed 500. We plan to have a featured section every month to cover the up coming artists from around the region. so there aren't to many restrictions for the new people, but there will be some so it maintains a professional representation of the NW. I plan on finding qualified writers to help with reviews, and anything where somebody is being judged so there won't be any bias reviews favoring people based on business relationships. I also plan on having a section where anybody and everybody can send in a song every month, from there we will select 5 for the "song of the month" and featuring them and let the fans vote on a winner. We will also have a battle of the beats every month for producers to showcase there talents, and the winner will be selected by the fans who come to the site. The winners would have there music featured throughout the site. I'm also thinking of other things that would help showcase the talent and raise the level of excitement for our region but ofcourse this kind of stuff takes time.
Now to clarify something, this will not be an all NW site. We will allow other regions a chance to submit music, or advertise like everybody else, but the main focus will always be our region, and to promote our music to as many people as possible. If artists from NY or Cali or wherever are in town doing a show we may interview them or review there music, so the site isn't going to exclude people, it will just always cover our people 3 times more.
I'm going to try to get a few commercial/college radio stations involved by having a DJ or program director do a NW top 5 songs for there market every month which hopefully should push more artists to solicit these stations with there music.
The ARTIST, PRODUCER, DJ, & LABEL DIRECTORY will feature a massive list of contacts. But to be considered there will be small requirements, and a package sent in, which will include (ARTIST) a high quality pic, a professional bio, (LABEL) a company logo and a company bio, (PRODUCER) a pic or a production company logo, and a bio. Everything will feature contact information, from websites to email, to mailing addresses, and phone number. That will be done at the discretion of the person submitting, but the pic, logo, and bio is mandatory.
The record store will be done on a consignment basis with the artists, but we will report to soundscan so the artists gets credit for each sale. We are hoping to keep the cost of full length albums under 10 bucks which would include shipping, but it may vary depending on what the labels is asking for per CD.
This is all the general information I can think of for now, but i'm curious as to what your thoughts are. Feedback is welcome, as is questions, concerns, or anything else. I'm also wanting to put together a list of artists, producers, labels etc that are interested in being apart of this and on what level. We plan to go live with the site in JAN or FEB of 2004. If you want to have your music in the record store, or be listed in the directory, or want to submit beats, or songs for the monthly competition, want to have your album considered for review, or your artist, or label considered for interviews or anything else be sure to let me know in your post. This is gonna be a site for everyone, excluding none, it is a NW site, so everybody is welcome.
Holla Back
