The Calendar Works! Next Steps

Hello,

The Calendar has worked really well so far with several artists already contributing their gig details. I will be pushing this later today on the label blogs too. So fill in your details on the Calendar, this could prove useful for people who are wanting a night out too. Put up your night, and a link to your vox/myspace/etc so people can have a listen, and you may get yourself some passing trade. HAVE A LOOK

Ok, it may seem that things may have been a little quiet recently. That's because lots is being planned discussed behind the scenes. I'm still thinking of ways to expand and develop our digital online function. One thing I'm examining is different methods of expanding into the likes of myspace and facebook.

Currently people link to or from other platforms but I'm looking at ways to knit the different pages together using vox and build an artists digital identity. Rather than a bunch of different sites. This will probably be through various methods of linking/cross posting but I will keep you informed.

Also, I've been thinking a lot about the direction this should be taking. Currently, this platform has successfully replaced the method of demo submission. We're getting a steady stream of online submissions which are being listened to. The best of which are presented to the label A&R teams. However, I think there is possibly potential for greater interaction/functionalilty. What form this takes is pretty much up to the people who use it and what they want to see. So I thought about putting up some kind of poll like the below. Like everything else I do, these ideas are off the top of my head but doing something like this I hope will open up some discussion as to what artists may want from a platform such as this. Plus not all of the options may be totally feasable, but they're only worth investigation if people are interested. So what do you think?

1. Artist Service Model

This would be based around providing you with a series of tools and services to aid you in establishing/developing yourself as an artist. As a major label we have access to a number of cost effective resources including methods of distribution, manufacture, software/online development etc. These could be opened up further for the acts within the community and enable to you distribute and earn from your own blogs.

2. Independent Label Model

Essentially a seperate new label, working with Sony BMG and specialising in smaller deals/singles with the aim of distributing and developing the best of the new talent within the community. Potentially these would be short-term, simple '360' deals, working closely with the artist on both physical and digital products. These artist could either grow within the label, or 'upstream' to a major.

3. Digital Only Distributor

A more simplified version of model 1 for those not who simply want a quick, easy and inexpensive way of digitally distributing via online retailers. Connecting directly to their blog.

4. Maintain Current Focus

Keep this completely A&R-centric with no emphasis on artist development. Instead focusing on the development of A&R tools for artists/staff to effectively spot the new talent within the communty and communicate with them better.

5. Promotion Platform Model

Developing this to make it more effective as a promotional tool for your music in a similar method to myspace. This would include tools developed to cross link from other social platforms including myspace, Facebook etc. Develop viral media players which are easily syndicatable through other formats.

6. Artist Development Focus

To work in conjunction with a 3rd party company who specialises in the development of grass-roots talent with the aim of helping them become a more desirable investment for major labels. This would include distribution and advice.