Would this be a good idea?

[Lost In A Name]

I'm thinking about making our digital downloads for our entire album dirt cheap. (maybe 1.99 or even 0.99) I'm more interested in getting more people to have our music then I am in making money. Do you think this is a good idea? Are there any obvious downsides to this that I am not realizing?

[remoteCONTROL]

what would be the point of even charging then? i think that by lowering the price youre lowering the value. if you bring the price up then youre saying your product is worth that price. i would either have it free and present it like its a sale going on and after the new year it's going back to its normal price (forcing people to jump on it) or i would sell them all for $1 per song making them up to par with every other band.

[rawkandrowl]

Yes I agree with Cavalier. If you want your music out there versus having money then just make it free.

[Alex_Burton]

I should check my facts before I say this, but I'm pretty sure Fanfarlo offered their debut record for download for $1 and they ended up with like 10,000 downloads in a month. So it can be a great way to get your music in people's hands and make some loot too.

You can also follow the Topspin model and give away a few tracks for free in exchange for an email address, that way you can further build your mailing list which can translate into more dollars later. Then make the rest of the album available for purchase or offer additional tracks for free if fans promote the album for you. For example if they email ten friends about your free downloads and CC you on the email, send them an additional track.

Or you can just sign up for Bandcamp where fans can pay what they want, and you always get their email address with every download.

[Lost In A Name]

I was thinking maybe offer it free, but I'd like for them to be able to get it on iTunes, and I have to have a price for iTunes, so I thought maybe just .99 - I was also thinking what Cavalier said, that maybe a price that low would imply a cheaper, lower-grade product, but with all of our songs on Myspace, people of course would be able to preview it anyway. And, like what Alex_Burton said above me, we could make a little money back if we get a high quantity of downloads, even at just a buck. I don't know yet.

I am interested in Bandcamp. I've never heard of that. I'll have to check that out. It'd be nice to get an e-mail for every download. We are on a site called Noisetrade.com where people can give us their e-mail, and send 5 people a message about our band via e-mails and they receive 3 free downloads in exchange.

[Alex_Burton]

I was thinking maybe offer it free, but I'd like for them to be able to get it on iTunes, and I have to have a price for iTunes, so I thought maybe just .99 - I was also thinking what Cavalier said, that maybe a price that low would imply a cheaper, lower-grade product, but with all of our songs on Myspace, people of course would be able to preview it anyway. And, like what Alex_Burton said above me, we could make a little money back if we get a high quantity of downloads, even at just a buck. I don't know yet.

I am interested in Bandcamp. I've never heard of that. I'll have to check that out. It'd be nice to get an e-mail for every download. We are on a site called Noisetrade.com where people can give us their e-mail, and send 5 people a message about our band via e-mails and they receive 3 free downloads in exchange.

I've never heard of Noisetrade. Sounds cool! I'm going to check that out! Thanks!

[Lost In A Name]

haha awesome, give and take, I like that! (:

[DCD08]

just make them free dude. if the stuff is good people will catch on.

we came as romans gave away their ep for free and now they're signed to equal vision.

[xxemo_kittyxx]

Records aren't a good way to make money anymore. I'd say just give away digital copies for free, print a few cds with sick artwork to sell so that there's something a little more than songs for people who have the decency to support bands and focus more on selling merch and show tickets.