Another Reason Why CDBaby Rules
They’re now selling mp3s of all their artists music. For the same price as a CD you get LAME encoded 200k VBR mp3s, a jpg of the CD cover, and a text file with the liner notes. The artists keeps 91% of these sales. In my case this is slightly more expensive for you than buying from my store (UPDATE: I stand corrected – of course you can change the prices dummy. Their prices now match my store.), and there doesn’t seem to be a way of getting individual mp3s yet, but I think it’s still a pretty sweet service to offer. Yet another example of why it’s a great time to be an independent musician.
Comments
Sean Wright says
Yep, no doubt that CD Baby beats the rest hands down from a musician's point of view. And you are right, 91% is sweet.
Sujin says
I have to agree about the awesomeness of CD Baby, but at first I read "LAME 200k" as "lame 200k" and thought "That's not lame!" :)
Luke M says
The profit percentage rocks and the graphics and text should indeed be included, but -- not to be a bitrate snob -- for the price of a CD, I want FLAC files, not VBR mp3s. Offered in the spirit of constructive criticism of CD Baby only. I bought the Rude Pundit's record from them and they were fast and friendly with very professional packaging.
"BucketHat" Bobby says
I just clicked on the CD Baby best sellers list and guess who I seen?
Mister "JONATHAN COULTON: Thing a Week Box Set" sitting pretty between some very difficult-to-pronounce names.
Nat JM says
You can actually set up the price for the MP3s, if you go to "edit info" and "basic info". I'm setting up mine a few $ cheaper than the CD, considering CDBaby comission is much less than per CD.
CarrieP says
From a music buyer's perspective, I must say I also enjoy CD Baby. They've got such a humorous outtake on things, it's nice. Their "your CD has shipped" e-mails warm the chambers of my heart.
Wim says
Hmm, looks like I'm saying goodbye to insane shipping costs now.
Molly says
Lo, but the single drawback (for me) to directly purchasing mp3s is that I have no physical jewel case to show off. Visiting friends won't chance upon some Thing(s) A Week cases on my CD tower or in my car and stop to read the track listings, or look at the artwork and say admiringly, "My, he is shaggily handsome" or something like that.
CD cases give way to musical suggestion. Oftentimes I can thoughtfully drop a suggestion into a conversation when it's relevant ("Speaking of fashion, The Aquabats have this GREAT song called "Fashion Zombies"...), but I've tried and it is REALLY REALLY hard to find a place where I can just drop a reference to the Mandelbrot set or Leonard Nimoy having relations with Sasquatch, etc. These aren't really things I talk about very often. Having a CD box of yours would make spreading the word easier, is all I'm saying.
I don't know. Call me old-fashioned.