So, it’s decided then. The album will drop on Black Friday. It will be available on Bandcamp ONLY. Apple Music and Spotify and other streaming services will have the album six months later – at the end of May, 2022.
Why can’t I stream the album on Spotify on Friday, you ask?
Because…
– I love the album experience and spend time crafting the sequence of the songs. Buying the album on Bandcamp makes it more likely that every song will be listened to.
– People who are willing to buy an album should be rewarded with exclusivity.
– $9 for an album is a fair price and for a high definition recording of 24/88.2 it is actually very cheap.
– Streaming services “don’t rice me” – that’s a West Indian expression and means they don’t pay my living.
If you are wondering what I am on about you could read this article from NPR – link
Spotify and Bandcamp could not be more opposite. Where Spotify highlights playlists, most often of its own creation, Bandcamp sticks to the album (or any other format, as determined by the artist). Where Spotify pays royalties according to little-understood formulas that can only be analyzed by reverse calculation, Bandcamp lets artists and labels choose their own prices. Where Spotify requires working through a limited number of distributors to access their services, Bandcamp is open to anyone. Where Spotify has revenue streams dependent on ads and data, Bandcamp operates on a simple revenue share with artists and collects no information on its users.
Spotify is now worth an estimated $54 billion on the stock market, despite having never shown an annual profit. Bandcamp is privately owned, has been in the black since 2012, and continues to grow… slowly. You might be tempted to say that one is a 21st-century business, and the other belongs to an earlier age. But neither could exist at any other time.
A couple of other links worth checking out:
L.A. Times
Pitchfork
If you should decide to buy the album on or after Friday I thank you very much for your support. If you want to wait until the music becomes available for free (essentially) that’s okay too. I feel that operating in this way is the fairest solution for everyone involved.
I loathe shopping and fighting crowds on Black Friday so thank you for the release on Bandcamp! Can I buy at midnight?
You mean Thursday to Friday at midnight? If that’s what works for you I will make sure it’s published exactly then. :-)
Will it also be available on cd at some point in the future?
I have been asking myself that question, Dave. I would like to make CDs, but I am wondering whether it isn’t too soon for selling merch at concerts. And without selling CDs at concerts we are not going to sell enough CDs to make it worthwhile. I am going to look into what the minimum order for the packaging I like is.
Im interested in a CD also. I especially like them signed by the artist.
I know you are not a go with the pack kind of guy, but the concerts I have been to as well as Hamilton are selling merch…..And people are lining up to buy it.
I will joyfully purchase BW2 from Bandcamp. Anxious to hear new Ottmar songs, though I continue to relish all the songs I already have on my iTunes – over 400 I think. Some I purchased as CD’s from Amazon, and the most recent ones as downloads from Bandcamp. $9 is “cheap” for a whole album. I’m glad you will still stream, too. You probably pick up fans that way. (I found you by picking up a “Nouveau Flamenco” CD in a store – in the old days. I just loved the title and the cover. Then when I heard the music – wow!)
(I’m listening to BW1 right this minute. I especially adore “Sand;” that rhythmic configuration opening “Moonlight” is delicious, and I love Jon’s solos in that; and of course “Remba” takes me to another level. But all the songs on BW1 are stunning. You are getting better and better, Me Boy!)
The NPR article about Spotify and Bandcamp was tremendous. I admire Bandcamp CEO Ethan Diamond. He sounds like a genuine music-lovin’ mensch. I didn’t realize Bandcamp sells CD’s, too. I’ll probably get the BW2 CD from them, if they have it. I appreciate the Stock Market, but how could a company ever really support artists and shareholders at the same time. The two are traveling in opposite directions.
Re creating income on YouTube, I was searching for videos about the piano piece I’m working on and happened to find a piano teacher streaming quite helpful videos. A young man named Dr. Josh Wright. He has an interesting way of creating income. Some of the videos are completely free of charge, but some that teach specific piano pieces start with a few minutes to give you an idea what he will discuss, then if you want the entire hour’s lesson, you pay $9. It was great! At the end of the full lesson, he thanks you for enabling him to support his family. I think he has quite a few followers, and he has a multitude of videos available. Brilliant – since he’s really good! He teaches piano at the University of Utah.
Bandcamp enables selling CDs but I would be the one packaging and mailing them… as I did when we sold Fete CDs.
The appetite of risk in “big tech growth” in the face of year over year losses is crazy. With that said companies like Amazon, Tesla and Facebook took years to become profitable. I guess everyone is hoping to hit the “big one”, unless you trade the market daily.
Kudos to Bandcamp for still being privately held with a niche, profitable business model. Unfortunately the days of paying the true value of an artist’s music has been snatched away via apple and Spotify…cheap, instant gratification the regression of our civilization.
Though I am mostly a streamer these days, I always buy Ottmar’s albums, and have since 1990. The music is special to me, and I see Ottmar and Luna Negra LIVE at least once a year. I have seen Ottmar’s concerts in 3 different States and counting.
I will be buying for more than the $9 asking price, and I think that others should consider it too. Particularly because of the pandemic and not being able to tour, artists were hit hard. Regardless, $9 is simply too cheap for a beautiful work of art, IMO.
I can hardly wait until Friday!
Ali, me too! I always up the price for Ottmar.
Thank you – Beautiful Integrity & Honor & Generosity – May sales on Bandcamp bring you “lots of cheddar”
I saw the Bandcamp email (11/25/21 at 10:46PM EST) this evening with “New release from Ottmar Liebert” and quickly bought BW2. Thanks again for the beautiful music! I right away went to one of my favs, 2 Alone, and look forward to enjoying the rest of the album. Best regards, Michael.
Got it. Love it!
I have to agree with you completely. viz., “I love the album experience and spend time crafting the sequence of the songs. Buying the album on Bandcamp makes it more likely that every song will be listened to.”
For myself though I have hit a practical limit: Between vinyl, open reel tape, and CD, I have around 8000-9000 pieces of physical media. I just can’t hold anymore so digital files is the only practicable way to feed my music addiction. I have an ethical problem with Spotify, so that just isn’t an option for me.
I have purchased the FLAC file, because it is the most “vendor agnostic” format, and I am glad that you uploaded them in 24/88.2kHz format.
The FLAC file is an excellent choice. Agreed that it might be the best format at the moment.
I didn’t have as much physical media as you do, but ended up saying goodbye to much of it when I moved. I only held on the albums that meant the most to me.
I feel overwhelmed. These tapes, records, and CDs pretty much came in one at a time over the span of 46 years. No one I talk to wants them. No one I talk to cares about all the recordings made from radio broadcasts of “The King Biscuit Flower Hour” … there is lots of stuff like this which will probably be simply put into a roll off dumpster after I pass.
I hear you. I decided that stuff I’d keep would hinder me forever, or it would have to go. My choice. I ordered a huge dumpster and filled it easily. I gave away a few thousand CDs, furniture… stuff.
Getting rid of stuff ourselves means that we get to control what happens to it. A donation, a gift to a library, or just an announcement that it can be had for the postage. Who knows, you might meet someone who would love to listen to all of your recordings of “The King Biscuit Flower Hour”. :-)