I've been thinking about something lately: How can I expect anyone to pay for my music if I don't pay for music myself? This train of thought has got me on about a song/album per week on iTunes on my iPhone. It's easy, it's quick and dirty, it solves a problem for me which is listening to my friends new music.
Here's my "what if" question: What if all of the people I know, either music industry people or even just friends/family, purchased 1 song by 1 band per week on iTunes or Bandcamp etc etc?
Let's say it was 1000 people, just for sake of argument. Buying said music not because it was "amazing!" or "best song ever!" or "OMG!" or a "radio single" etc etc but to support the arts in the city of Vancouver/Canada and also to pay it forward. On iTunes, depending on your distribution method (CDBaby, Tunecore, etc) 1000 downloads would be about $600-700 to the artist. That kind of money could equal another recorded song for the recipient. Pay it forward.
I've been reading about this phenomenon sweeping Tim Hortons this summer. A lady in Edmonton bought $800 worth of coffee for the "next" x number of customers. The recipients of this generosity carried it on the next time they were at Tim H's coffee joint, and on, and on, until it hit national headlines recently.
Going back to the "Marty's List" or as I'd prefer "Adam's List" (named after Adam Fink: the most solid dude around, and a quasi-hero/friend of mine/dance-guru/save-on-meats host/drummer/subpop/scientist/"Brad Pitt in Legends of the Fall") a $52 yearly investment in the local music/arts community may spark a wave of new music based positive vibrations.
Know what? I'm going to start this list off. I know Adam would agree with my 1st choice:
Rolla Olak - Download track 8 - "Highway Patrol"
Pay it forward.
Love, Marty @martyzylstra
