Headlines
DID YOU KNOW THAT…
* Independent labels accounted for 32% of aggregate album sales in 2008, up almost 1.5% from 2007.
* Independent artists won 56 awards at this year’s Grammys, up from 36 last year. That marks over 50% of all prizes given out.
* Independent labels, as a group, are the largest owners of master recordings in the industry – over 80% of America’s music is under independent ownership. These labels aren’t just diverse in genre, but in size and business model, ranging from single-artist-owned labels to imprints with decades of history and catalog. What makes a label “an indie” is that its master recordings are not owned by one of the major labels.
*On top internet broadcasting platforms, where consumer choice reigns, indies thrive. Overall, independent music makes up approximately 40% of all music played at non-traditional web radio and at industry leading webcaster Pandora, over half of the music users play is independent.
* In short – when traditional gatekeepers and obstacles to reaching fans are removed, indies thrive.
