The whole idea behind SmsMP3 is based on cooperation. We believe it is possible for a record company to work with net users. The artist wants a contract that puts them on equal ground with their record company. Moreover, we believe that the artists, producers and managment offices need to meet openly. And last but not least, like in all other branches, the customer is always right! (almost always, anyway)
Background for the idea
Songwriters are creative with the writing of lyrics and music. Record companies have contracts with the artists. Why are they complaning about copying music, and why do they have contracts with the artists that leave the artists short-handed? Can an industry survive while fighting with its customers and providers (the artists)? Why can’t an industry that should be creative work well with both the artists and customers?
Why do people buy paintings by Picasso? Because he’s dead? Wasn’t he crazy? Who decides whether your music or mine is better? The public or the music industry?
Investigations show that those who download the most music also purchase the most. This has been in the press repeatedly. Why don’t the record companies take advantage of this fact? Why are CD-sales going down? Because of music pirating, or maybe people just have less money? Don’t ask the record company; ask Vingreiser or Ericsson.
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"Investigations show that those who download the most music also purchase the most."
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We are amateur musicians ourselves, and we have contact with artists that have sold over 1 million records. Why is it so difficult, then, for us to get a record contract? Because we’re all over 30... That’s sick! Who has the most money? The ones our age and older! There’s something not right here... It is obvious that some people like our music. Actually, quite a
few.
How are we thinking?
Here I can sit and write an email to a well-known artist that I don’t know, but I’ve seen on TV in Norway and Sweden. How is this possible? Because I got a reply via SMS... What does that mean? It means that with modern technology, the artist can come closer to his audience very easily.
When an artist has as website, there is usually a guestbook. Are there any negative comments there? Are there any critical comments? No, and what do people think about that? Good, but boring. If, for example, Jan Johansen, Kent or A-ha got criticism directly on their websites, got sworn at, and answered the critic. Would more people visit the website? Of course!
Openness and communication make good marketing!
If you as an artist create a song, put it out, and ask, “Would you like this to be on my next CD?”
And if people say no, would you keep it? If they say yes, what wonderful marketing for your next CD that noone’s even heard about yet!
What do we do then?
We create a concept. Concepts are for the artists, both professional and amateur, for the producer that will come in contact with the artist and the audience, for studios that want new customers (the artists), and for the recordcompanies that work with the customers...
What does it cost? In theory, nothing, free, even for you!
If the artists or someone else makes money on it, we will make a little as well.
How long will the contract last? That’s up to you!
What do we have?
SmsMP3.no, SmsMP3.nu and SmsMP3.com are the norwegian, swedish, and english webpages.
- We put out free mp3-files for downloading, completely legal. Mp3 files are all available at all three pages! If you will sell a CD. Do you think that people buy lots of CD’s if they can download lots of free MP3’s? Of course!
- In Norway we can also sell mp3 files, paid via SMS. For the time being, we await other markets, until we have more experience with the interrests of the public and the artists.
- We have an online store in norwegian, english, and soon in swedish. We get 30% profit, and the artist or record company gets the rest, but the CD must be sent by the artist himself, or we have to have a special agreement with a sender... a logistics company, like the ‘Posten’ here in Norway.
- We write articles about the artists and we can create specific webpages for artists. We can also let them write the pages themselves!
- We send press updates, and here in Norway, we’ve been able to break into the national press on radio and TV! Everything is possible! The impossible just takes a little more time...
- We have our own forum, and we don’t senser! The public can write, the record companies can write, and you can write or reply.
- We have competitions: in Norway we had MP3 Grand Prix. In Sweden we are looking into having an MP3 festival.
- We can create and make available logoes and ringtones for artists. Why shouldn’t the artists and composers get the profit themselves? Why is it only the SMS-companies that make the money, while the composers have to wait for a handout from STIM or TONO?
- We make an intranett; a webpage for those who are participating. This means that if, for example, you wanted to produce or write for others, you can come into direct contact with everyone else that uses SmsMP3.
- We are registered as producers in Norway. That is, we can assist practical formalities concerning the giving out of one’s own music to those that need it. We printed our own CD with Digitalfabriken. We will be able to help other artists produce their own CD, market it at SmsMP3, secure a studio, producer and songwriter on SmsMP3 and in the end sells the CD on SmsMP3. Above all, it is the artist that decides EVERYTHING!
Why are we doing this?
We are, ourselves, musicians. We have played on a CD, and we did EVERYTHING ourselves, apart from Tommy Lydell in Triggerstudio, Stockholm, who mastered for us.
We want to show how customers should be treated! And the best proof is to do everything yourself, right?
And besides that, I’ve passed 40... what record company would want me?
We have Scandinavia’s best webpage! (Tomas Ledin was crowned Sweden’s best. We think ours is better.) Why? Because we use the technology correctly.
We have a forum, where people can criticize us!
We have SMS services.
All this is on Eye II Eye’s homepage.
Plus, you can find everything we’ve written though search engines like Google, Yahoo, etc.
It isn’t design that’s most important. It’s most important that people can find you on the internet!
Try looking for "Melodi Grand Prix 2003" on the internet. Does SmsMP3 come up?
How is this fiscally possible?
It is possible because development company ViaNett AS is backing the concept. We’re not trying to hide the fact that the marketing of ViaNett’s solutions are helping us in multiple areas of the music world. Each and every one of our customers in this area get marketed on SmsMP3. Many of these are also potential suppliers and contributers to artists. In this way, everybody can benifit from this concept, including those that ordinarily work at ViaNett.
