Three online stores that are fighting the iTunes tsunami and hoping for long lives by finding their own niches and serving them well, according to an article in the Village Voice.
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TightTuneswhich allows bands to create their own MySpace like communities including blogs, photos. One twist is the TightTunes allows bands to sell downloads and doesn’t take a cut of the action. They make their money with ads. Mostly hip-hop and dance.
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Insoundwho gives away mp3’s in part to encourage people to buy physical CD’s from them. Mostly indie rock.
– DanceTracksa digital download and online CD store that is the brainchild of a NYC record store owner who has made deals with obscure but sought after dance labels from around the globe. While his market is just dance Stefan Prescott’s vision may have the most traction:
"I think the best way would be to package content, selection, and special offers into a unique subscription service," says Wishnow. "That said, we’re gonna start selling digital albums (not singles) this year, because we think that’s the format that still prevails in the indie world. Simultaneously, we’re gonna work on a new type of subscription that might include digital downloads, CDs, LPs, and other music-related products."
Read the full Village Voice article here.
