No, it's not virtual-world Second Life, but it may be a second chance for artists to reach fans who need an incentive to lure them into exploring new music. For NoiseTrade, that incentive is a pay-what-you-like-or-give-'em-three-email-addresses approach to sharing music between artists and fans.
NoiseTrade is a widget that allows artists to upload songs and fans to download them. It was started by a crew of Nashville industry vets, including singer-songwriter Derek Webb. Paste Magazine has recently ponied up with a subscription offer connected to using the service—and they've also been using the pay-what-you-like model for magazines.
Everybody likes free or cheap, but the strength of the site will depend on the quality and quantity of artists available. Right now, there are about 30 records advertised on the site, so if the service expands to include more regional and national/international acts, it could be a boon for fans and artists. Assuming people want to, you know, pay for it.
That said, will you? According to the site's info, 20 percent of fans pay something when this model is offered, and in Radiohead's case, 35 percent paid something (about $6). (Keep in mind that Radiohead weren't the first band to offer fans this choice, they were simply the biggest, and they could afford the risk—not to mention the fact they're well-known). But since the service isn't ad-based, I had to ask: Are they just going to sell your friends' emails to marketers?
"This is a great question and one we went round and round about," says co-founder David McCollum by email when asked how they'll turn a profit. "The ultimate goal of the site is to give those without resources and opportunity, through a still democratic process, the ability to stand out and to be heard through the viral nature of what we're doing. Our gamble is alongside the artist using the tip jar model, if no one uses it then we will see little to no profit. We are strictly only a conduit by which we pass through the user information to the artists and there will never be any selling or using of that information outside of the use of the artist."
One quibble: Co-founder Derek Webb says: "If artists and fans realized how they could help each other and started making direct connections, without a middleman, the whole industry would change overnight. It would start a revolution." But isn't NoiseTrade the middleman (or rather, middle-widget)?
Wait and see folks, and for now, getcha some records.
