Jeff not only documented the entire recording process on Facebook Live, but also decided to release the album independently through a distributor called Stem. Stem charges a 5% commission without any per-unit fees, while DistroKid bills a flat annual rate of $19.99 for unlimited uploads. “Say you’re an indie dance label releasing 25 to 30 EPs a year, and you sell 40,000 units of each EP at $4 apiece,” said Jeff. If indie distributors are so heavily invested in their artists' careers, and have proven business models, what good are traditional labels for? “At this point, artists themselves can handle everything else that a label has to offer, especially digital distribution," said Kaplan.

Source: Forbes April 17, 2017 01:04 UTC