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The OtoRevo team has created history last week. For the first time a music label has created a online contest in which the winner gets a record deal. Not a interview, not a meeting, not a chance to be heard. But a record deal. More importantly the judges were music fans on the internet. Its a truly special moment that unfortunately will attract little attention in the USA.
From 1,000 artist internet music fans selected the top 10. Of the top ten, last week on the final day of voting they selected the #1 artist. Watching and building this process is special.
The other week I met with one of the top 10 artist. During the meeting the artist cried tears of joy for the opportunity that has been given to them. For me this project has always had a emotional significance. I love to fight against the bigger foe. For the other people attending the meeting I think they realized for the first time the importance of what we are trying to do.
The concept of giving the power of releasing artist to fans may seem obvious but I’ve had to fight for every inch needed to make this project happen. Now we are negotiating to turn the DVD project into a 13 episode TV show and other labels in Japan are interested in the OtoRevo project. That’s all great but I’m honestly a little exhausted. Now we are building a stronger management team of marketing and support staff to lighten the load on the original OtoRevo team. Hopefully it will enable me to take some time off.
We are also planning phase 2 of OtoRevo which features a long tail business model using digital distribution and on-demand CD printing. The new business model was covered in a fairly detailed article in Nikkei Shimbun (the equivalent of the Wall Street Journal in JAPAN). OtoRevo as a business will be successful, but what really keeps me pushing are the commitments I’ve made to the top 10 artist and the need to change the old way of thinking that risks crippling the music industry. Creating a business people care about has been both fulfilling and exhausting.
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