# Releasing your own album...



## Jimbo 88 (Feb 1, 2011)

Hey has anyone tried to release there own album on iTunes using CDBaby or CoreTunes or Reverb Nation?

Any thoughts on who or what might be the best way to go about this...


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## Mike Greene (Feb 1, 2011)

Others will probably have better information than I do, but I recently did a single for somebody and they told me that in order to get it on iTunes, they first had to have it on CD Baby (or the equivalent,) which was pretty easy.

In other words, I got the impression that iTunes won't take a song unless it's "legitimized" by either being on a real label, or else at least gone through the process of being on something like CD Baby.


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## David Story (Feb 1, 2011)

+1 
My experience with CD Baby is that they give you step by step instructions, low cost, and both physical and digital distribution-including iTunes.
Heard similar about Reverb Nation.

But the key is promotion, and you have to be good at it and work it as a full time job for a year or more. If you don't have a gift for self-promotion, team-up with a pro. Making the album is only the first step.


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## yokohama (Feb 14, 2011)

Placed my single (1track) with CD-Baby (month ago) - one time cost ~10usd+5usd (for barcode if absent)=15usd (40usd for whole album - bunch of tracks).
No hidden fees. 
Very fast procedure - it took ~20mins of my time.
Generaly, I think, that the problem is not with "channels" (distribution outlets) but with "traffic" (in other words - sales).
It is the way harder to full your "channels" with "traffic" than to set up these "channels".


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## lux (Feb 14, 2011)

David Story @ Tue Feb 01 said:


> +1
> My experience with CD Baby is that they give you step by step instructions, low cost, and both physical and digital distribution-including iTunes.
> Heard similar about Reverb Nation.
> 
> But the key is promotion, and you have to be good at it and work it as a full time job for a year or more. If you don't have a gift for self-promotion, team-up with a pro. Making the album is only the first step.



what David said


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## Polarity (Feb 15, 2011)

CD Baby is a good channel.
I have 7 albums with them.
But for the last two I just selected only a few digital vendors where to distribute (all iTunes of course and a couple more).

But marketing and promotion are on your own. Don't count on CD Baby for miracles: you are just one among million musicians, and probably also not in the most diffuse musical genre.


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## DKeenum (Feb 15, 2011)

No one has mentioned TuneCore. Has anyone used it?


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## yokohama (Feb 15, 2011)

It has periodic payment for the service - not 'payed-and-forget' deal.


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## DKeenum (Feb 15, 2011)

yokohama @ Tue Feb 15 said:


> It has periodic payment for the service - not 'payed-and-forget' deal.


Thanks. I was curious, and I hadn't noticed that. I see it advertised a lot, but here people all mention CD Baby. Again, thanks for the info.


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## rob morsberger (Feb 16, 2011)

David, I use both CD Baby and Tunecore. Use CDBaby if you have a physical CD to sell. They will also then distribute your work to all the major digital online vendors including itunes, if you elect to do so.
Tunecore is handy if you don't have a physical product. They will provide the same digital distribution, for an annual fee that is very reasonable. CD Baby, at least in the past, would not do this absent a physical product.


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## DKeenum (Feb 16, 2011)

rob morsberger @ Wed Feb 16 said:


> David, I use both CD Baby and Tunecore. Use CDBaby if you have a physical CD to sell. They will also then distribute your work to all the major digital online vendors including itunes, if you elect to do so.
> Tunecore is handy if you don't have a physical product. They will provide the same digital distribution, for an annual fee that is very reasonable. CD Baby, at least in the past, would not do this absent a physical product.


Thanks, Rob. I'm planning on doing this without the physical product.


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