Learn the Business Side of Music. Full Sail Online Bachelor's Degree.
www.FullSail.edu
Self Distribute Your Music Online, Control Your Music, Earn Royalties
www.SongCastMusic.com
Let us configure your releases. Relevant download stores & promo.
www.KJER.com
Unique Audio Technology- Put Sound Where You Want It. Contact Us Now!
www.Holosonics.com
Get played to 7 million listeners Guaranteed exposure and new fans!
Airplay.Jango.com
Totally New Program-We Do This For You-Prospect,Sell,Close,Build
Automatedincomeworld.com
Radio & music promotion 30 Years Experience! Labels artists agents.
rcimusicpromotion.com
Concert Support Services Directory Free Search and Free Listings
www.TouringDirectory.com
The Music Promotion Guru's Guide to Internet Music Promotion
www.promoteyourmusic.com
FREE Tools to Promote Entire Roster -Email System, Widgets, and Stats
www.ReverbNation.com
Independent distributor of music whose catalog includes classical, pop, world and jazz.
www.allegro-music.com
Distributor of Bosnian, Yugoslav or Croatian music working with more than 40 publishers in seven countries.
www.balkanmedia.com
Full-line distributor of books, videos and music products to Internet and traditional retailers and to library customers.
www.btol.com
Provider of music CD and motivational books distribution by mail order and online marketing of select, independent Canadian recording artists, groups and authors.
www.capcan.com
Music company offering scores, methods, studies, midi files, books, videos, CD audio and audiotape, backing tracks, CD ROMs as well as music paper.
www.carisch.com
Wholesaling distributor offering a complete range of music related products, including CD, CS, LP, VD, as well as other related merchandise. Offices in both New York and Los Angeles.
www.carolinedist.com
Distributor of classical, contemporary, electro-acoustic, jazz, popular, folklore and children's CDs to dealers worldwide.
www.cda.se
Exclusive US representative for: Belwin-Mills Publishing Corp., Deutscher Verlag fuer Musik, European American Music Corp., Glocken Verlag Ltd, Helicon Music Corp., Hug Musikverlage, Lawson-Gould Music Publishers, Moeck Verlag Schott & Co. Ltd...
www.eamdc.com
Provider of audio components, speakers, music news and CDs from blues artists.
www.in-akustik.com
Sheet music distributor specializing in music performance materials for schools, churches, and community musical organizations.
www.jwpepper.com
Distributos of classical, 20th century, jazz, relaxation and avantgarde music.
www.lotusrecords.at
MUSIC DISTRIBUTORS: Over 3000 CDs from over 75 different libraries. Sports, corporate, industrial, contemporary, rock, pop, news, ethnic, drama, period, comedy, classical, specialty & more. Sound effects also available.
www.musicpeople.net
Supplier of music video on VHS, Laserdisc and DVD. MVD offers exclusive titles, hard to find imports, titles from independent labels and major labels. MVD carries a selection of music T-shirts and a full line of DVD's including movies. MVD ser...
www.musicvideodist.com
Distributor of national, jazz, world and classic music.
www.musikvertrieb.ch
Distributor, label and export company for experimental, electro-acoustic, avant-garde, ambient, modern classic and contemporary music.
www.namskeio.com
Record label and distributor specializing in independent rock, electronica, hip-hop, pop and jazz.
www.pagemusic.com
Web site for the free distribution of Christian music and to provide an outlet for Christian music composers and performers.
www.pastornet.net.au
Web site for publishing and distribution of the music of Australian clarinetist and composer Nigel Westlake.
www.rimshot.com.au
Classical music specialist dealing in CDs and tapes, sheet music, musical instruments and accessories.
www.seaford-music.co.uk
Vertically integrated creator, licensor and exclusive independent distributor of various music and filmed entertainment genres. Company brand names include: Simitar, Beast, Beast Retro, Revival, Pickwick, Groove Merchant, Plum, Simitar Kids, 44...
www.simitar.com
Supplier of Israeli and Jewish videos, CD's, cassettes, games and books. The company is a source of quality entertainment products for adults and children of all ages and interests.
www.sisuent.com
Chicago-based company with exclusive distribution rights for a select group of independent music labels. One can find tour dates, information and merchandise for the related artists on this web site.
www.southern.com
Distributor of international classical music, as well as producer and promotor of modern and traditional Chinese music.
www.sunrise-records.com
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Learn the Business Side of Music. Full Sail Online Bachelor's Degree.
www.FullSail.edu
Self Distribute Your Music Online, Control Your Music, Earn Royalties
www.SongCastMusic.com
Let us configure your releases. Relevant download stores & promo.
www.KJER.com
Music distributors and music wholesalers are the best way to get the types of music your customers want. From Christian music distributors to mainstream pop, you can save your retail business a lot of money by buying all of your music through music CD distributors that offer a lot of options. These options include buying online, buying multiple genres of music, and getting a good deal on the price.
There are many ways that music distributors and wholsalers can come in handy, and not just for purchasing CDs. A wholesaler should also be able to offer you the convenience of good advice and a great deal. Consider the following:
1. Choose music from online music distributors.
2. Find a music wholesaler that can get you the best deal on hard-to-find items.
3. Rely on CD distributors for news on the latest trends in music.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Buy from online music distributors to save time and stay informed
You can cut corners, get faster delivery and spend less time flipping through wholesale catalogs if you use an online music distributor that lets you buy directly from the artist, and lets you check out music before you purchase it. You can also receive immediate updates about new songs, artists and more through a distributor's blog.
I recommend: Mixposure is an online distributor of independent music from all over the United States and beyond. It includes links to its artists' blogs to keep you informed about new releases. MusicDistributors.com is an online resource for CDs as well as digital downloads. Its blog keeps buyers updated on the latest industry news and events.
Choose digital downloads for easier music distribution
Once you buy music from a music wholesaler, you have the choice of selling it in the traditional way, by buying CDs and selling them in a retail space. Or, you can buy digital downloads and sell single songs and albums online. This will allow you to reach a wider audience, and saves a lot of money on overhead.
I recommend: Kosmic Music is a music wholesaler that specializes in meditation and chanting music. Here you can purchase wholesale albums or download digital copies. BFM Digital offers thousands of tracks to digital music services that are represented by the company, through the label.
Take advantage of music distributors that offer free songs or samplers
Many music distributors will try to get their newest artists out in the spotlight by offering free downloads of an artist's songs, or by packaging new artists together on a sampler CD. This can help you choose what music to buy for your store.
I recommend: Real Music offers both free individual downloads and free sampler CDs for your perusal. Songsalive! offers a CD sampler distributed through trade shows and the company's website for use in advertising and radio promotions.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- • To continue making the most of music distributors and wholesalers, you'll need to keep up with the latest industry information. Follow a variety of trade publications, like Billboard.
Guide to Music Distributors and Wholesalers
Secure music distribution for CDs and other music media through experienced wholesalers
By Marianne Moro
Music distribution has changed greatly since the advent of MP3s and digital media. With iPods, iTunes and other media changing the way consumers receive and listen to music, music distributors and wholesalers offer music in a variety of formats, including CD, vinyl and MP3.
Whether you’re an artist, talent manager, independent label, music store or other music oriented business, here’s what to consider when narrowing down the field to include only the appropriate music wholesalers to distribute your CDs (or to contact for CDs to stock in your store).
1. Some wholesale music distributors are affiliated with large record companies and feature big name artists as well as lesser known ones.
2. Certain CD distributors stock only physical CDs while others include vinyl, digital media and DVDs in their catalog.
3. Niche wholesale music distributors include companies that deal only in a particular type of music or artist, such as jazz, classical or rock.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Find music CD distributors that specialize in a particular musical genre
Music wholesalers often distribute music of a particular niche group, like film soundtracks, children's music, Christian music or jazz music. If you need to pinpoint a certain market, look at the following genre specific music CD distributors.
I recommend: Contact World Distribution if you run a Christian retailer or if you play Christian music and want your CDs stocked by Christian music distributors. Contact Premiere Music for jazz and/or classical music distribution.
Locate music distributors and wholesalers for rock and indie CDs
Rock and independent music, along with urban music, are distributed in CD, vinyl and digital forms. Online music distributors for rock and urban music offer many distribution choices to give retailers, artists and consumers flexibility.
I recommend: Check out IDN's music catalog for all genres from rap to EMO. IDN sells tapes, CDs and MP3s to increase consumer and retail options. Contact a company like Thompkins Marketing if you are an artist and need a full-service package from recording to distribution.
Choose music wholesalers that offer online CD or digital distribution as part of their package
Music distributors are aware that more people are choosing to download music online instead of purchasing music CDs, although many people still do both. Some music distributors can help you distribute music digitally while others offer CDs and music download services.
I recommend: Join the Independent Online Distribution Alliance (IODA) to create your own label for online distribution. Choose CD Baby to distribute your CDs through a central showcase website, with your own webpage.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- • If you are a retailer, check the names of music distributors on the back cover of the types of CDs you want to stock in your store and contact their local representative.
Music distributors and wholesalers can give you the best price on music for your retail or online store. Many labels and independent artists will try to sell directly to you, but they can easily charge twice as much as a wholesaler or music distributor. And music CD distributors are beginning to see a lot more competition with the online digital downloads, so this is something else that you'll need to consider.
The pricing and costs of music distributors and wholesalers all depends on the medium they sell and what type of music they offer. International music is often more expensive than domestic music. Other pricing factors to consider are:
1. Shipping costs to buy CDs.
2. The price of online music distributors that can offer digital downloads.
3. Whether you plan to sell music in a retail space or primarily online.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Consider music distribution outlets that specialize in music imports
The higher price of international music titles is reflected in the retail prices, as well as the wholesale prices. For retail, international titles are generally $3.00 to $6.00 more than popular titles. This is about the same percentage of difference in wholesale prices; but as the world gets smaller, more and more people are fans of international artists.
I recommend: Super D is a CD distributor that offers more than 700,000 music titles from around the world, many of which cannot be found easily in the United States. The Orchard is a music distributor that offers both international and domestic music titles.
Choose wholesale music distributors that work with digital downloads
Digital downloads are here to stay. With most of the general public carrying around an MP3 device or an MP3 capable phone, digital downloads are more important than ever. Since the consumers can buy digital downloads by the song, this cuts down what they have to spend, and it also allows you to offer individual songs instead of whole albums. Distributors of digital downloads get to keep around 9 percent of the profits, with about 91 percent going to the artist or label.
I recommend: Shatatantri Media is an Indian music distributor that offers both CDs and digital downloads. Bluegrass Publishing offers wholesale digital downloads to those who have a wholesale account with the company.
Buy wholesale music from independent artists
There are many independent artists who give their music away for free, but you can find distributors and wholesalers that offer independent artists and labels that are popular in niche audiences around the world. Prices will vary for independent artists according to their production costs, but most CDs and digital songs are around the same price as mainstream music.
I recommend: Amie Street is a music distributor that caters to the work of independent artists. Heartistry Music is a wholesaler of independent music that offers many of its titles as digital downloads.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- • If you are a company that sells music online but have yet to switch to digital music download options, find online music distributors that can help you with the transition to digital.
Guide to Music Distributors and Wholesalers Key Terms
Find the services and features you need from music distributors and wholesalers
By Kristan Hart
You have the dream of playing your music for people all over the world. Music distributors and wholesalers help you make that happen. Through time tested marketing strategies and technological advances, music distributors and wholesalers know exactly what to do to get your music out there. Finding the right music distributors and wholesalers can be a challenge because of there is a lot of competition among companies in that market. Use music distributors and wholesalers key terms to help you find the company that best fits your style.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Distributors
Distributors have one goal in mind: to sell your music. Using several different services, music distributors try to get as many people as possible to hear your CD.
I recommend: MusicBizAcademy.com explains the three types of music distributors: one stop distributors, rackjobbers and independent distributors.
Record labels
Music distributors work with record labels to gain access to your music. Record labels many times have distributors working for them, or they might work consistently with a reputable distributor as a partner in releasing your music.
I recommend: Learn how record labels operate at HowStuffWorks.
Marketing
Marketing is the tool that music distributors use to entice people to buy your music. Consider a music distributor that offers a wide variety of marketing tools so you reach a wider audience.
I recommend: Read about marketing in the music industry on The Orchard website.
Digital downloads
In the era of electronic media, MP3 players are becoming more popular. That means your music distributor must do more than pump out CDs. Digital downloads are digital copies of your music that your fans can download to play on an MP3 player.
I recommend: The Heartistry Music web page explains the features of its digital downloads and lists the songs available for fans to download.
Genre
Your genre is the type of music that you play. The most common musical genre types are pop, rock, folk and country, electronic, hip hop and rap, soul and R&B, international, jazz and classical.
I recommend: AmieStreet lists the most popular genres in music, and the sub-types so you can specifically focus your music and your audience.
Imports
International music is gaining in popularity in the United States. Imports are singers and musicians from foreign countries that offer musical styles different from typical genres in the United States.
I recommend: Read about imports on the Super D website.
