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# Indie Artist X Project Wrap Up
- URL: https://www.hypebot.com/indie-artist-x-project-wrap-up/
- Published: 2009-11-03T12:02:13.000Z
- Updated: 2009-11-03T12:02:13.000Z
- Description: This guest post comes from David Rose who created the Indie Artist X experiment. David Rose is also the Managing Editor at KnowTheMusicBiz.com and a Partner at The PlazaBridge Group.. Continue reading [https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2009/11/indie-artist-x-project-wrap-up.html]
- Author: Bruce Houghton
- Tags: DIY Advice & Tips, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-01-21 11:03

*This guest post comes from David Rose who created the Indie Artist X experiment. David Rose is also the* 
*Managing Editor at* [*KnowTheMusicBiz.com*](http://www.knowthemusicbiz.com/?ref=hypebot.com) *and a Partner at* [*The PlazaBridge Group*](http://www.plazabridge.com/?ref=hypebot.com)*.* 

**[![Indie artist x logo](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e20120a6a4c886970c-200wi)](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e20120a6a4c886970c-pi?ref=hypebot.com) Background:**

[About.com Music Careers](http://musicians.about.com/?ref=hypebot.com), [Artists House Music](http://www.artistshousemusic.org/?ref=hypebot.com), [KnowTheMusicBiz.com](http://www.knowthemusicbiz.com/?ref=hypebot.com), [MusicianWages.com](http://musicianwages.com/?ref=hypebot.com), [Revolution Number 3](http://www.revolutionnumberthree.com/?ref=hypebot.com)  
and Hypebot banded together to create a basic, actionable [music marketing plan](http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AnGJxMK3mzfXclpPWFVNMmlFMU1WaHN3WEswZWpuNUE&hl=en&ref=hypebot.com) designed around simple strategy,  
prioritization of tactics, easy to use tools, and a reasonable budget. It’s our hope that any hard  
working, talented musician can utilize this plan to grow their fan base and  
help lay the foundation for a sustainable career in music. 

Our group worked  
with one anonymous artist to design this music marketing plan then track and  
report the actual results over a four month period (July – October 2009).  
The group members were allowed to offer suggestions, advice and guidance to the  
artist but were not permitted to do any actual work on the artist’s  
behalf. During the project the artist had no record label, manager or booking  
agent support and was solely responsible for doing all the work to implement  
and maintain the marketing plan.

**The Artist:**[![image from content.sitezoogle.com](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e20120a6a4c955970c-300wi)](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e20120a6a4c955970c-pi?ref=hypebot.com)

Austin Collins from [Austin Collins and the Rainbirds](http://austincollins.net/fr%5Findex.cfm?ref=hypebot.com) is the artist who  
anonymously participated in the Indie Artist X Project. Austin regularly  
demonstrates many of the traits required to succeed as a modern indie artist.  
Austin not only has the ability to write great songs and personally connect  
with fans but he is also tech savvy, business smart and has an undeniable work  
ethic. 

  
As the IAXP was preparing to kick off Austin won the 2009  
[AirPlay](http://airplaydirect.com/?ref=hypebot.com)  
[Direct](http://airplaydirect.com/?ref=hypebot.com) “All Things Americana” artist contest. Austin is  
using the $35,000 contest prize package to self release his third studio  
record, due out in February 2010.

To learn how Austin originally got involved with in the  
Indie Artist X Project check out this [blog post](http://www.knowthemusicbiz.com/index.php/BIZ-BLOG/The-Selection-of-Austin-Collins-as-Indie-Artist-X-by-David-Rose.html?ref=hypebot.com).

**The Statistics:**

Below  
are a few of the statistics that were tracked during the 4 month project. 

|                                                                     | **July** | **August** | **September** | **October** |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------- | ---------- | ------------- | ----------- |
| *Total Website Visitors*                                            | 628      | 1189       | 1187          | 1134        |
| *Fan List*                                                          | 739      | 760        | 774           | 786         |
| [*BandMetrics*](http://www.bandmetrics.com/?ref=hypebot.com)*Score* | 183      | 233        | 241           | 244         |

To  
see the complete project statistics check out the “Stats Summary”  
tab of the publically available [IAXP music marketing plan document](http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AnGJxMK3mzfXclpPWFVNMmlFMU1WaHN3WEswZWpuNUE&hl=en&ref=hypebot.com).

**A Few IAXP Observations:**

**Like many** 
**experiments this one was far from perfect**. For example, we were not able to  
successfully measure Austin’s distribution or direct sales. His previous  
label only provides semi-annual reporting on distribution sales and failed to  
provide the art files needed to setup direct CD or merchandise sales for Austin’s  
new website store.

**Touring really** 
**makes a difference.** Austin seems to have the ability to connect with fans  
when he plays live. His email fan list and website traffic both see positive,  
incremental growth when he tours. The flip side of this trend is that Austin  
spent much of September and October writing and recording his new record and  
less time playing live. The stats growth in both of those months slowed measurably. 

**Digital royalties** 
**are anemic at best.** Even though Austin writes his own songs, owns the  
copyrights to his songs and has had thousands of plays on Last.FM, Pandora,  
Imeem, etc. he has never had royalties reported or paid through Soundexchange. He  
has only received two checks in the last four years from BMI. If there is ever  
going to be a musician middle class digital royalties must be paid on a *per play* basis. 

**A music marketing** 
**plan is no silver bullet.** A solid music marketing plan is certainly helpful  
but there is no single tool or approach that can guarantee a successful career  
in music. Building a sustainable career in music these days takes a  
considerable amount of time, an extraordinary amount of talent and hard work, a  
“build one fan at a time” mentality and infinite patience.

**Wrap Up:**

Watching the many small successes and setbacks of a hard  
working indie artist from the front row has certainly been a great learning  
experience for everyone involved. Many thanks to Bruce [@Hypebot](https://twitter.com/hypebot?ref=hypebot.com), Andrew [@Artistshouse](https://twitter.com/artistshouse?ref=hypebot.com),  
Cameron [@MusicianWages](https://twitter.com/MusicianWages?ref=hypebot.com), Heather [@About.com MusicCareers](https://twitter.com/mountflorida?ref=hypebot.com) , Martin Atkins, Katie and Joanna [@RevolutionNumber3](http://twitter.com/educ8r3?ref=hypebot.com)  
and [@AustinCollins](http://twitter.com/austincollins?ref=hypebot.com) for all their  
hard work to pull the Indie Artist X Project together. *–*[ David Rose](http://www.knowthemusicbiz.com/?ref=hypebot.com)**