by Saw a great example of how a band called the Dollyrots enlisted its community of supporters to raise money to record an album. They wrote some songs over the previous year while touring and wanted to make an album – their fourth – on their own. They demonstrated transparency by showing the costs of recording, and asked their fans to donate the money. They were overwhelmed by the rapid and enthusiastic cost and easily made their goal.
It reminded me of Radiohead’s project a few years ago where they made an album available for free download, and asked people to send money if they thought it was worth it. They raised roughly $6 per download – with over a million downloads.
It’s a reflection of the Long Tail, where the niche becomes relevant in a mainstream market dominated by best-sellers and blockbusters. The niche communities cut out the middle-man and deal directly with their community. When the relationship with the community is strong, it appears that some interesting economics emerge. We’ve heard the idea of the gift community. A weak signal at this point, but…..Andy Hines.
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