Lots of buzz today around the CDBaby.com digital distribution deal. If you hadn’t heard, Derek and his team are extending a program to their clients that takes the hassle out of getting your songs listed on iTunes, eMusic and other pay-for-download services.
Music industry watchdog Moses Avalon issued a warning for musicians, citing research that indicated (to him) that CDBaby’s licensing deal gave the company far broader rights to an artist’s music than intended. Though the emphasis in the article was on some sloppy legalese in the contract, Moses certainly set off some alarm bells.
Having checked into this myself (after all, I have been recommending this service to our clients!), I’m comfortable with the language in the agreement that gives either party the right to termination on thirty days’ notice. Derek Sivers, CDBaby’s CEO, dropped in on the Velvet Rope discussion board to add more assurance.
Moses Avalon serves an essential role in our industry, to deflate the scams that are running too rampant these days. Meanwhile, Derek has run his business in such a populist manner that it often seems too good to be true, making it an easy target. Though I applaud Moses’ diligence, I’m convinced there’s nothing to worry about here. I hope they can resolve this — not having Moses and Derek on the same team would hurt us all.
3 responses
Derek Sivers is bigger than Hollywood and twice as dramatic. Exclusivity is something any sane administration would reach for up-front before spending day and night trying to negotiate fair points to get an artist in the same mix right alongside the major artist in the music business. Besides, most independent artist don’t have the knowledge or the monetary resources to deal with this new animal called digital distribution. I’ve dealt with Mr. Sivers on a personal business basis.
The man has done an outstanding Job for the Phantom Poet
Literati: (28) world wide publishing/distribution deals
is CD Baby’s true-grit concept–under promising and OVER DELIVERING! Welcome to Mobster Corpus Di Rati X
family, Derek–the respect is real!
Much love and respect to Derek and Moses Avalon! Both oppositions on both sides of the interface debate were right inside their own particular values of independent artist representation. I really can’t and have no valuable rights to speak from an artist standpoint because I’ve never been one: The first day I came inside the music industry I was a world premier publisher and I remain one to this very day: your friend always, Literati X . . .
There’s no such thing as an independent artist if he or she is doing the job in 200 countries by themselves. I’m responsible for paying myself because I’m the 200% songwriter that own my record label. It was just too many contracts unsigned and i’m the victim of grand schemes and theft to dethrone me from my licensing empire. . .