Music labels are so 20th century. As a company that’s thrived in the 21st, Google understands that, and if Google Music is any indication, they’re embracing it. The new Artist Hub allows anyone to post their music to Google Music and the Android Market for free, with a host of tools for managing and sharing content. All together, it makes Google Music and Android a pretty amazing platform for indie artists to share and expand.
First of all, Artists receive a 70/30 split with Google for all of their music revenue, and there are no extra setup or upload fees. Bands can set their own prices for tracks or albums, and connect songs to YouTube videos to quickly and easily bring viewers into their musical fold. The Artist pages allow each artist or band to set up their own profile in Google Music, with features songs, videos and the like. The Google+ sharing tools that regular users get can also be used by bands themselves. There’s no bottom limit for pricing, so artists can give away as much music as they want. Revenue is sent back to artists via Google Wallet.
To get a quick overview of the Music Hub from some of the first indie bands to use it, check out the video below:
Unfortunately, the Google Music service is only available in the US right now, and that extends to artist as well. Since Google is constantly updating the system with new features and artists (not to mention record labels), expect that to change soon, at least as fast as Google can negotiate with the various labels and recording companies in other countries. Google Music is available now via the official website, and updated versions of the Android Market and Google Music should be rolling out to most Android phones soon.
