Unsigned band reach UK top 20 with online sales alone
March 1, 2007 at 8:59 pm 4 comments
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An unsigned anti-war protest band are set to break the UK Top 20 this weekend through download sales alone. The track War (What Is It Good For?) was recorded last weekend at the anti-war march in London, and people were encouraged to buy the single to highlight the opposition of the war in Iraq. The track is only available online with all proceeds going to the Stop The War Coalition, and it’s entry into the charts this week will see Ugly Rumours being the only unsigned band ever to get into the UK Top 20.
This entry into the chart has created a stir in the music industry and labels and artists are looking for a way to exploit the situation, by using sites like MySpace and YouTube to set up a fanbase and market music online. It also gives hope to new and unsigned bands, who before lived in the knowledge that to get anywhere in the Top 40 they had to feature on the Radio One playlist.
This story clearly shows that the change in rules in regards to the music charts and online sales are having a beneficial effect on artists and the music industry as a whole. It not only gives artists another way to distribute their music, but gives them the opportunity to get popular in a shorter space of time. I also allows bands and genres that wouldn’t normally get airplay the coverage that it deserves.
Links
Ugly Rumours
BBC Article – ‘Old’ music’s digital comeback
Entry filed under: Distribution, News.
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1.
mc536caroline | March 2, 2007 at 10:39 am
An interesting post about how music charts have changed so quickly in such a short space of time. It’ll be good to see how things turn out and if people will buy the song.
2.
mc536azeem | March 2, 2007 at 10:41 am
A good achievement for the band, but ask somebody in a year’s time who they are and they might not know..
3.
mc536michelle | March 2, 2007 at 10:50 am
I think that it is great that this technology has allowed bands to distribute their music in this way, especially when before they did not have the money or resources for their talent to be noticed.
4.
Clare | March 6, 2007 at 4:21 pm
The song got to #21 in this week’s chart, which is really good for an unsigned band. I don’t think the idea was to become well known or get a recording deal from this venture, but more to make a point about the Iraq War.