Track Of The Month & Other Stories

The internet has brought around a sea change in the way music works, particularly in how it's acquired and used. We've used the phrase, 'it's easier than ever to make an album, harder than ever to get it heard' before and no doubt will again because it's still true.

With so much choice out there, how do you ensure that your album is one of the ones that gets listened to? It seems that one answer maybe to get involved with your audience at an early stage and bring them into the process. In a previous article we covered selling shares in your album project and funding albums by going to your mailing list and asking them to fund the album up front. What do you do if you don't want to give up that level of financial control?

One response has been to record a number of tracks and then ask your fanbase to help you whittle down the selection into a finished album. Alabama 3 are just completing this approach which rewards fans with tracks that aren't going to be on the album.

Another approach is 'track of the month' where the artist makes new material exclusively available to subscribers on their mailing list. The method isn't new, Butch Hancock was running a cassette of the month club back in the eighties, showcasing his prolific songwriting talent. The Rough Trade Singles Club released a single a month exclusively for subscribers. Tia McGraff has taken the idea and adopted for the net.

A number of artists are doing something similar, making a new track available to build into a collection, but where Tia has broken new ground is how she has connected the track to a future album.

The tracks that Tia has selected are early forms of songs that will make the new album, giving her fans an insight into how the creative process work, both in the mind and in the studio.

It's an interesting approach, it raises anticipation of the album as well as giving fans a more interactive relationship with their artist.

I'll leave the business bits to Tia

Tommy and I are currently in the studio writing and in pre-production for my next album. The recording of an album is a wonderful journey/ process that a songwriter undertakes and we are inviting you to share that journey/ process from start to finish.

By becoming a member of the Tia McGraff Song of the Month Club for $12 Canadian, you will receive 12 acoustic bootleg versions of the songs from the new CD.

These will be delivered one a month via high quality MP3, to your registered email account.

Each song will be accompanied by a lyric sheet and that month's touring calendar and there will be special treats along the way.

Song of the Month Club is payable: via Paypal go to www.TiaMcGraff.com

Neil King