OT: Tunecore versus CDBaby

synnack · Post by **synnack** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:17 pm

So, I have a new CD coming out May 1st.

This time I am retaining all digital rights to do digital distro myself. The label will only press 1000 cds to sell at shows and various retailers.

So I'm looking at going through Tunecore or CDbaby for digital distro.

There are pros and cons to each.

My major bitch with Tunecore, is that if you don't pay their fee every
year, they take your shit down. That means then, if you are 30 years
old (just as an example) and plan to live till 75, that you have $20
bucks a year for 45 years or $900! So to keep your stuff available on
iTunes for the rest of your life will cost you almost a thousand
dollars with Tunecore.

At least with CDBaby it's a one time fee and
royalty cut per sale but none of this life long debt to them thing.

Disadvantage of CDBaby is that they apparently don't sell through
Amazon.com which is a pretty good MP3 store now. (fully DRM free!)

Which would (do) you use?

sgx · Post by **sgx** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:19 pm

CDbaby puts stuff on Amazon. Two of my CD's are on there (the two newest haven't been delivered to them yet for some reason though).

synnack · Post by **synnack** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:21 pm

sgx wrote:CDbaby puts stuff on Amazon. Two of my CD's are on there (the two newest haven't been delivered to them yet for some reason though).

Oh? Cool. They do not list it on their web site here: http://cdbaby.net/dd-partners

beats me · Post by **beats me** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:28 pm

You seriously have a problem with paying $20 a year for something and went through the thought process of extending that 35 years for a total of $900?? (assuming they will even be around in 35 years). Let me reverse that for ya. You'll be paying $0.05 a day, not exactly lifestyle changing...I would hope.

I take it you don't have a car payment, gym membership, or your own web page.

jeskola · Post by **jeskola** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:42 pm

Do it yourself man (digitally).

http://www.bradsucks.net/projects/bsdds/

Itll cost you around £20 a year + 0.05p ( i think) per gig of storage if you want to sell digitally.

You just need some PHP skills.

If you want to sell CD (question: why do you want to? Surley digital is a much cheaper and easier way to get out there).

nepotist · Post by **nepotist** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:50 pm

I use Tunecore, they've been very helpful, prompt and pay on time, which is more than I can say for my former label haha. I would recommend Tunecore for sure.

sweetjesus · Post by **sweetjesus** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:55 pm

nepotist wrote:I use Tunecore, they've been very helpful, prompt and pay on time, which is more than I can say for my former label haha. I would recommend Tunecore for sure.

ive had nothing but problems when i tried to use tunecore.

they kept screwing up the release dates + their support sucked. ive heard nothing but praise for CDBABY and have come across the owner on online sites like digg.com and respect the way he came across ..

my 3c (adjusted for inflation)

Sales Dude McBoob · Post by **Sales Dude McBoob** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:05 pm

I use CD Baby and it works just fine. My only complaint is that the design of the site looks a tad outdated and campy.

While I'm at it, I should mention PLEASE BUY MY F*%#in' CD! MCBOOB HAS BEEN GOOD TO YOU!

synnack · Post by **synnack** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:35 pm

beats me wrote:You seriously have a problem with paying $20 a year for something and went through the thought process of extending that 35 years for a total of $900?? (assuming they will even be around in 35 years). Let me reverse that for ya. You'll be paying $0.05 a day, not exactly lifestyle changing...I would hope.

I take it you don't have a car payment, gym membership, or your own web page.

Yes I have a debts such as the ones you listed there. However, if one gym membership cost you 10 cents a day, and one 5.. facilities being equal, which would you choose?

The point is that why pay that with Tunecore if you don't have to with CDBaby.

synnack · Post by **synnack** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:36 pm

Sales Dude McBoob wrote:I use CD Baby and it works just fine. My only complaint is that the design of the site looks a tad outdated and campy.

While I'm at it, I should mention PLEASE BUY MY F*%#in' CD! MCBOOB HAS BEEN GOOD TO YOU!

I've emailed CDBaby 3 times now from 2 different email accounts with a few questions. Weeks have gone by... no reply.

sgx · Post by **sgx** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:43 pm

jeskola wrote:Do it yourself man (digitally).

http://www.bradsucks.net/projects/bsdds/

Itll cost you around £20 a year + 0.05p ( i think) per gig of storage if you want to sell digitally.

You just need some PHP skills.

If you want to sell CD (question: why do you want to? Surley digital is a much cheaper and easier way to get out there).

I use the free software Zen Cart www.zencart.com

My store is at www.protagonistrecords.net/buy/

It is very nice getting 100% of the money for your sales, but there is also a lot of sales to be made elsewhere, like people browsing cdbaby or iTunes. And some people will prefer iTunes or other systems they know and trust already. Even though I sell primarily through my own cart system, I still make roughly 25% of my sales through other companies which is definitely profitable.

beats me · Post by **beats me** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:50 pm

I'm curious. If you don't have your music on sites like itunes, cdbaby, amazon, beatport, etc. how do you expect people to find your music?

mikemc · Post by **mikemc** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:57 pm

tempus3r wrote:
Sales Dude McBoob wrote:I use CD Baby and it works just fine. My only complaint is that the design of the site looks a tad outdated and campy.

While I'm at it, I should mention PLEASE BUY MY F*%#in' CD! MCBOOB HAS BEEN GOOD TO YOU!
I've emailed CDBaby 3 times now from 2 different email accounts with a few questions. Weeks have gone by... no reply.

That's very unusual in my experience-- you might try calling them, I did before setting up my account and they were cool.

Ive got three discs with them,
1st, 2004
2nd, 2005
3rd, 2007

They do take a cut of each sale, for CDs it's as if you paid to ship them yourself. For digital downloads they have deals with many distributors, big and small, many who will pay not just for download sales but for streams, and the list grows.

[edit] so, if just for the one time fee, I'd say it's a good choice.

Sales Dude McBoob · Post by **Sales Dude McBoob** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:58 pm

beats me wrote:I'm curious. If you don't have your music on sites like itunes, cdbaby, amazon, beatport, etc. how do you expect people to find your music?

ttaralli · Post by **ttaralli** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 7:32 pm

I've done a couple of releases with Tunecore and they've always come out on time and they have great customer service (in my experience). The yearly fee isn't a big deal because you could very easily end up spending a lot more if you give CDBaby a part of your royalties and sell anything significant. I can't say anything bad about CDBbaby because I've never used them. Good luck with whatever you decide.

T