Quick Pitch: Public Records is an online community for indie music that seeks to replace the traditional record label structure, calling upon its members to help bands with all aspects of the business.
Genius Idea: A commune for music.
It's becoming a well-worn song: As the Internet makes it easier for musicians to get their music out there, it also makes it harder for anyone to get any kind of tangible recognition -- there's just too much competition, and we're all too ADD-addled to make it through an entire album nowadays.
"In the music industry, we have seen a dramatic shift in the way people acquire and listen to new music over the past decade," says Ashleigh Schafer, director of communications for Public Records. "Yet, the businesses that have traditionally profited from selling us physical media still cling to the status quo business model that artists and listeners are increasingly starting to shun."
Public Records seeks to harness the spidering power of the web that propels musicians into the limelight, replacing the traditional mores of the music industry with a more democratic flavor.
We have yet to lay eyes on the site -- as it will be launched in beta in August -- but Schafer describes it as a community that will be packed with casual users (music fans), bands and businesses (industry professionals). The site will cater to both members -- who will pay an annual fee -- and non-members. Members will participate in governing the site, and will pay extra for premium features such as media uploading, downloading, streaming and sale (if you're in a band).
Much like pre-existing social networks such as Facebook, members can follow bands and keep up to date about their musical progress and events via a newsfeed. Bands and companies can publish updates to their feeds, and share those updates to networks like Facebook as well.
Still, the site isn't just about keeping up with new bands, it's also designed to be a kind of democratic community for advancing their careers. The whole site is governed by its members, who elect community directors who set goals and strategies for the assemblage. The site then metes out help to the artists deemed worthy in the form of production assistance, grants, distribution, promotion, help landing tours and more.
Grants are raised internally -- through advertising, membership dues and other fees. The company itself is a nonprofit, so all money goes back into the community to advance artists' careers.
At beta launch, the site will not be as built-out as the final version, slated to roll out in January. It will allow bands to upload music and list events, and fans to create playlists of songs they like and earn virtual currency ("Notes") for referrals. One can use Notes for on-site purchases (music, merch, tickets).
However, those Notes will gain a lot more clout when the full version of the site rolls out, complete with e-commerce. It will also feature a virtual promoter (provides bands, promoters and venues with an automated system to book shows and communicate via the network), social advertising (users can buy ad space along side of pages or become featured song/artist) and charts.
As the music industry continues to change, crowdsourced record labels like this continue to pop up -- we've covered a bevy in the past. Still, the question with such service: Will it be able to draw enough users into its fold that it will truly make a difference in a musician's career?
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