So far, our artist of the week DAvincii X only produced one full-length album, The Wait Is Over. Also, they wrote and recorded some more songs they published online. All of their work is only available digitally.
Do You Still Need Physical Music Releases?
Not necessarily, no. There are a few downsides, sure. But it’s a fact that CD sells are dumping and digital sells, as well as streaming revenues, are rising. This is especially true for Hip-Hop music, as a recent study by the Nielsen group proved. Additionally, the 2017 Year-End-Study found that, for the first time ever, hip-hop/R&B has surpassed rock music as the most consumed music genre in the US.
Probably the most significant advantages of physical releases lie in the promotion. Still, there are publishings that only feature artists that can provide CDs for review. This is especially true for new and unknown artists. Apparently, record stores won’t promote your release also. And since there is so much going on the internet, it is hard work to get heard. There is undoubtedly a risk that being a social media professional and HTML wizard gets more important than being a fantastic artist. But I would say that is also true for the “physical world,” just with different parameters.
Digital Only
On the other hand, there are undeniable advantages of releasing digital only. For one, you are able to release fast and easy. No need to deal with manufacturers, distributors and so on, and wait until they find the time to do their work for you. It is no secret, and an economic necessity for them to accept, that they deliver more significant customers first.
Releasing digitally is also less expensive. Notably, you do not need throw in a significant amount of money to produce storage of CDs, of which you don’t know how many you will be able to sell at the end. Also, you will receive a more significant piece of the pie from sold singles and albums.
Gallery Soundposter
Listen to this collection of digital-only releases by DAvincii X on SoundCloud, delivered through our Gallery Soundposter:
Buy music by DAvincii from iTunes.