SellaBand, a unique fan funded music site/label, is officially launching in the States with a New York office and the support of Chuck D and BTN Eastlink:
"BTN Eastlink will serve as the first point of contact for all SellaBand business in North America, handling day to day support for the stateside operations, serving as the exclusive agent in developing strategic partnerships and sponsorship opportunities, consulting on SellaBand's partnership in the upcoming ArenaFest summer tour as well as other tours and festivals, and coordinating strategic marketing and promotion for SellaBand."
Chuck D is described as a "founding partner" in BTN Eastlink which currently has a coming soon website. Normally that would seem a bit questionable but Chuck D has a long consistent history as an indie music/businessman as well as a digital entrepreneur so this may be simply a new entity to take advantage of such opportunities.
In any case, that's the power of an honest brand, skeptics give you the benefit of the doubt at such moments.
SellaBand is one of the more interesting projects involving crowdsourcing and a promising model for music industry experiments.
Basically, everybody signs up for free, "Believers" buy shares in bands for $10 each, bands try to raise $50 or $100,000 and that becomes their budget for recording and launching an album.
SellaBand provides professional support, basically operating as a hybrid label, and fans get a rev share.
Further details under Terms and Conditions. I haven't read through them all but, if I were an indie musician, I'd be checking it out closely and probably getting in as soon as possible. Early members who play the game well will get an additional network effect that will be difficult for late comers to exploit.
SellaBand recently received $5 million in funding so they should be around for at least a few more months!
Official Site:
SellaBand
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Raising Money to Record via Fan-Funding & Donations
This may prove the move that launches Sellaband in the USA in a big way. Could have immediate impact on Sellaband hip hop artist Maitreya.
It’s awesome that Chuck D has joined and is helping Sellaband make strides in the US. A friend of mine from New Zealand, Maitreya, has found great success with Sellaband and is blowing up! I believe this is an excellent way to get an artist’s name out there as well as raise money to help them with their recording and marketing! Hopefully Chuck D will help to raise the visibility of Sellaband on our side of the world! Keep up the good work!
Alimayu
Amalgorythm Recordings
Sellaband is a brilliant innovation in these times of digital music explosion. I’ve been a fan of the site for a year now and found so much great music on there. Maitreya is a hiphop artist on Sellaband who’s music grabbed the attention of a thousand people who funded his album, I’m one of them. His music is so real, so honest and has massive potential in the US. Chuck D and Maitreya are a match made in heaven, this could be huge..
You Maitreya pimps are a pain.
I’m closing the comments.