1. Free music.

This means literally and figuratively. Modern copyright laws and DRM (Digital Rights Management) bind the artist more than ever. Free music means not only offering digital music free of charge and unrestricted from duplication in non-commercial forms. However, if listeners derive pleasure from the music, they should always be encouraged to donate to the artist. But of course, if the music is being used in a commercial form (remix or sync context), there should be a mechanism in place to compensate the artist BUT, these situations should be encouraged by the labels.
2. The Album format is dead.

There was a measurement of time before the advent of the internet. However, at the current rate of innovation, time is an even more precious commodity as attention spans shorten. The past practice of one album release by an artist every 2 years is suicide for any indie. SPEAK advocates a 2-3 song release every 4-6 months. This puts the artist in closer contact with their fans because of its greater frequency. It reduces expenses for the artist experimenting in a particular musical direction. If the new sound is rejected by fans, there’s not as much time and money wasted. There’s greater freedom to experiment with new themes, sounds, styles without much significant investment. Plus more frequent releases provide a better picture of an artist’s musical growth over time. With more ala carte download services coming online, the 10-12 song album format is becoming irrelevant. Although I don’t like the bigger emphasis on “singles” the breakdown of traditional formats is a step in the right direction. However, artists should still be encouraged to put out “bodies of art” or “clusters” of material. (footnote - http://www.gerdleonhard.net/2005/11/the_passion_abo.html)

2.5. CDs are dead.

MP3 players, especially the Ipod, are now the player of choice for the most important demographic and as such, digital music is king. Owning music is over and so should buying it.

3. Derivative works are good.

We are all standing on the shoulders of giants. (footnote) No style, song or singer ever developed in vacuum. All music is the product of everything else before it. Things must be borrowed in order to create something new. We encourage and promote derivative works made from our releases. Whether it’s a guitar lick, a vocal hook or a remix version of a complete song, new art from old keeps the art alive. If these are done in the name of creation and development, there should be NO restriction. But, if the “adaptor” receives compensation for the new work, then the “adaptee” should, in part, be compensated for their contribution.

4. Make money where the money is.

Music fans are the lifeblood of the art. But, for too long they’ve been preyed upon as the sustainers of the music industry because the music had become “the product”. However, if you remove the music as a thing and think of it as more of a marketing device, you empower the artist and simplify the business plan. The small money is in live performance and merchandising. The BIG money is in sync licensing and strategic partnerships. (We envision a record label as more of a strategic partnership between artists to create more value for themselves because of the collective catalog. In having one unified point of purchase, the catalog increases in value because of its proximity to teach other.) This concept is almost like a music “co-op”.

What is even more liberating about this concept is that artists can be encourage to adopt a B2B mindset when it comes to servicing their “business” clients in the form of licensing while offering consumer music free of charge.

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