Labels to Sell Digital Music Directly to Fans

SAN FRANCISCO & TORONTO & AUSTIN, Texas - IODA, the global leader in digital distribution, marketing, and technology solutions for the independent music industry, will offer a new service that allows independent record labels to sell digital music directly to fans on label and artist websites. Several custom stores have already launched for labels, including Six Degrees Records, ABB Records, G7 Welcoming Committee Records, System Recordings and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and the company plans to begin a beta program of a quick-launch, self-service platform that is fully integrated into the IODA Rightsholder Dashboard in May. The announcement was made today from the SXSW music conference in Austin, Texas.

IODA has partnered exclusively with DownloadCentric to offer this service to its label, distributor and artist clients, leveraging the comprehensive functionality of the DownloadCentric Platform to automatically create customized storefronts which facilitate worldwide direct-to-fan sales.

The service will be fully integrated into the IODA Rightsholder Dashboard, enabling IODA labels to setup, customize and configure multiple label and artist branded storefronts with easy-to-use web-based tools, all while utilizing their existing IODA digital catalog, meta-data, and marketing assets -- a first in the industry.

Labels will also be able to fully customize the look and feel of their storefronts with their label or artist branding, ensuring that they integrate seamlessly into existing websites. Alternatively, clients can choose from a gallery of existing templates which they can customize.

Selling music directly to fans offers labels numerous benefits. Labels will have greater control over their music: they will be able to set their own prices for tracks and albums, have flexible bundling options, and offer unique compilations and digital exclusives. Additionally, labels will gain quick access to detailed demographic information and will be able to maintain direct relationships with fans. The label download stores can be fully integrated into labels’ existing website stores, allowing fans to purchase digital downloads, CDs, t-shirts and other merchandise in the same shopping cart.

“We are extremely excited to be able to offer our labels a direct to consumer channel,” said Tim Mitchell, Vice President of Marketing, IODA. “The integration into our existing platform will make it extremely simple and efficient, and DownloadCentric’s sophisticated platform and technical strength are a perfect match for IODA.”

“Offering digital music directly to fans on the very websites where they already interact with labels and artists is a natural for independent record labels. DownloadCentric is excited to be powering IODA’s white label download store service,” says Sasha Haghani, Vice President of Business Development at DownloadCentric. “Using this fully-integrated service, IODA’s 3,000+ record labels can easily and quickly setup multiple storefronts which utilize their custom-branded look and feel, with virtually no additional effort. And they can continue to use the same best-in-class IODA services they use today to manage their digital assets and receive payment. It couldn’t be easier.”