Musicadium Blog

Musicadium is proud to announce its support for the annual Q Song Awards.

Dedicated to finding Queensland’s best songwriters, the Q Song Awards received almost 1600 entries in 2007!

Musicadium is sponsoring one of this year’s new categories -The Musicadium New/Experimental Music Category.

At Musicadium, we are a key link in the chain for emerging musicians. Musicadium’s distribution model allows independent artists to prosper without needing a record label. For $39 you can get your album distributed worldwide. Just a few short years ago, that kind of thing was unheard of. Now it is possible and Musicadium is getting behind Q Song as a way of showing our support for Queensland’s independent artists.

Winners of this year’s Q Song get a chance to share in the $25,000 in cash and prizes on offer.

Entries opened March 20 and the deadline for entries is May 2, 2008. The Winners will be announced at the Q Song Awards Ceremony on August 12, 2008 at The Tivoli, Fortitude Valley.

Entry forms are available online from www.qmusic.com.au/qsong. Online entries will be accepted through www.sonicbids.com/2008qsongawards.

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Musicadium is very happy to introduce our newest team member: the lovely Sarah.

With a background in Music and Media, a diploma of music performance at the Southbank Institute of TAFE in Brisbane and management experience with the National Institute of Youth Performing Arts Australia, Sarah is a perfect fit.

As Musicadium’s Artist Relations Manager, Sarah will be the first point of call for our growing artist and label roster. When you call, email, myspace or knock down our door you’ll see Sarah’s smiling face.

When you need uploads rushed through, have queries about your myspace or want to know if iTunes will make you single of the week - yep, you guessed it - Sarah will be there too.

Welcome to Musicadium Sarah!

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Being great fans of Ranger (they played at our launch party!) we are profiling Cam from Ranger this week.

Q. What styles and influences are on your latest album?

Styles and influences accumulate over time ..is very hard to pinpoint anyone
in particular.

Q. What inspires you? What makes you wake up and think “wow that really
matters?”, what makes you want to write songs that make people sit down and
think?

Random acts inspire.I try not to think about anything and sometimes and only
sometimes an idea will come.Try to hard and there usually crap.

Q. How did you come up with your band name?

Saw it on the side of a truck.

Q. What’s your favourite song to play?

Wise up.

Q. How long of you been playing your instruments/singing and did you
take lessons?

Been playing guitar since i was eight !Yes had an amazing guitar teacher for
5 years in high school .Taught me how to teach myself! Been singing for two
years.

Q. Any new influences that you will be drawing into your next release?

Whatever happens.

Q. What’s your favourite colour?

Blue

Q. What kind of instruments do you use?

I use guitars . I fucking love guitars!

Q. Why did you choose Musicadium to digitally distribute your music?

Cos Nick is a cool man with a plan. I like people who put it on the line. Musicadium
does that!

Q. Do you have a day/square job as well as music? If so what is it?

Composing music for film and TV.

Q. When did you first know that creating music was for you?

Still not sure.( or just really bad memory)

Q. The best thing about being an artist is?

sleeping

Q. What are you listening to right now?

arcade fire, band of horses, Lee Dorsey.

Q. When will be releasing your next album?

later in year maybe.

Q.
How did you get exposure?

Too long in the sun.

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After Musicadium’s massive launch party in Brisbane - we were chuffed to get a call from Billboard magazine proposing a profile on us.

You can read the profile here:

If you’ve read or seen something about Musicadium in the press - be sure to drop us a line!

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Musicadium – Australia’s dedicated digital distributor – officially launched this week.

More than 150 people turned up to see Musicadium favourites The Westminsters, The Frankie Band and Brisbane supergroup Ranger take the stage.

With the signing of Asutralian supergroup Ranger - featuring singer songwriter Cameron McKenzie, bass player Adele Pickvance (The Go-Betweens) and Martin Lee (ex-Regurgitator) - Musicadium is assisting an exciting new band to access to benefits of the digital age.

“It used to be that bands would spend thousands of bucks to press and distribute a few hundred albums locally. Digital is a whole different ball game. With digital, you can get unlimited international distribution for the cost of a round of drinks. It’s never been easier for artists to get their music out there,” said Musicadium Business Manager Nick Crocker.

“We are the only distributor in Australia that returns 100% of royalties to our artists. It was a decision we made early on in the process,” Mr Crocker said.

“Obviously, short term, it would be a smarter financial choice for us to take a cut of our artists’ royalties. But, in the long run, we want to be recognised as a true supporter of independent artists worldwide. To do that we have foregone short term profit and developed a business model that works by giving back to our artists all the royalties they make.”

It’s a revolutionary business model, one that would have been inconceivable even a few short years ago. But with the digital music market growing each month, Musicadium is set to capitalise on the changing face of the music business and, in the process, put the artist in the driving seat.

For more information:

Contact Nick Crocker
Phone: +61 7 3252 9962
Email: nick@musicadium.com
www.musicadium.com

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The Musicadium launch party took place at The Zoo on Wednesday, February 13.

More than 150 people turned up to see Musicadium favourites The Westminsters, The Frankie Band and Brisbane supergroup Ranger take the stage.

Frankie Kimpton from The Frankie Band

With rain buffetting down outside, punters revelled in The Zoo’s familiar surrounds.

In attendance were representatives from the cream of Brisbane’s music scene including QMusic, APRA, Dew Process, Secret Service Management, 4zzz, Aus Music Biz, The Courier Mail, Powderfinger, Brispop, Scene Magazine and Newcity Entertainment as well many Musicadium friends and artists.

Happy revellers: (from left to right) Tracy Redhead (Music NSW), Pat Whyte (Courier Mail), Deb Suckling (QMusic), Nick Crocker (Musicadium), Graham Ashton (Dew Process), Scott Maughan (Secret Service) 

Musicadium - Australia’s dedicated digital distributor - is growing exponentially having doubled the size of its artist roster in the last four months.

With the signing of Brisbane supergroup Ranger - featuring singer songwriter Cameron McKenzie, bass player Adele Pickvance (The Go-Betweens) and Martin Lee (ex-Regurgitator) - Musicadium is assisting an exciting new band to access to benefits of the digital age.

Cam McKenzie from Ranger

Musicadium is a revolutionary business model, one that would have been inconceivable even a few short years ago. But with the digital music market growing each month, Musicadium is set to capitalise on the changing face of the music business and, in the process, put the artist in the driving seat.

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Digital Music Sales are predicted to increase by 280% over the next five years as revealed by technology research and consulting firm Yankee Group.

The study predicts that US sales will rise from $1.9 billion in 2007 to $5.34 billion by 2012. 

As physical CD sales decline, the balance of power between recording artists, record labels and consumers is shifting. 

Bands are now seeking to retain greater ownership of their music thus marginalising the role of the record label. 

The trend in the digital music sphere is towards greater revenues returning to the original artist.  Increases in digital music revenues are therefore not all good news for record labels.

For recording artists, things have never been easier. 

The cost of recording and distributing music is a fraction of what it once was and with the Idol phenomenon embedded worldwide, now everyone wants to be a star.

Brisbane-based digital distributor Musicadium is one company positioned to harness the power of the digital music revolution.

Unlike in traditional distribution models, Musicadium returns 100% of royalties to its artists and charges just a once-off upload fee of $39 for worldwide distribution.

The fusion of technological advances and booming online retailers like iTunes mean that it’s now easier than ever for artists to get their music to the world.

Director of Musicadium, Kley McPherson said they get emails everyday from artists all over the world who want to distribute their music digitally.

“As digital sales increase, it’s only going to be more vital for artists to start embracing the digital music revolution,” he said.  

Indeed, the days of artists spending thousands to press just a few hundred CDs may soon be a distant memory. 

“Physical sales still have their place, definitely, but the ease, cost effectiveness and rapid growth of digital distribution makes it hard too hard to ignore,” Mr McPherson said.

Media Contact:
Nick Crocker  
Phone 07 3252 9962
Email: nick@musicadium.com  
Web: www.musicadium.com

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Today is kids’ day on the Musicadium blog.

First up - The Tiny Masters of Today. Hailing from Brooklyn the Tiny Masters of Today duo consists of 13 year old Ivan and 11 year old Ada. Most kids at that age are grazing their knees and sucking on wizz-fizz. Ivan and Ada are kicking it with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and packing out New York’s Webster Hall.

Check out their clip for the track ‘Hologram World’ directed by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Karen O.

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All the way from Chicago and Detroit, comes The Cool Kids who have already blown up in the US being featured on hit TV show Entourage and being included in Rolling Stone’s ‘Ten Artists To Watch in 2008′.

While the music is minimal hip-hop, the hype on the Cool Kids is anything but. The clip for the track ‘Black Mags’ reminds me of the Lupe Fiasco ‘Kick Push’ clip. At least, it’s the first time I ever thought of the BMX as a ghetto transporter.

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Meet the much raved about Sydney band Cassette Kids and their marvellous video for the single ‘Acrobat’. People comparing Cassette Kids to Bjork and Yeah Yeah Yeahs aren’t far off but this band has a unique sound and by all accounts a rocking live show.

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