Beginning in May 2009, any TuneCore Artist selling more than 25,000 songs within 90 days can have at least one of their songs professionally scored, translated to sheet music and made available for sale via paid download at Musicnotes.com, earning money from each sale. Musicnotes.com has sold more than five million sheet music downloads since its inception in 2000 at an average price of $4.95.
This relationship provides an opportunity for artists based on sales numbers, rather than an editorial filter. “The music industry began in many ways with the selling of sheet music. The irony of the intertwining of digital downloads with sheet music is not lost on both companies,” says Jeff Price, founder and CEO of TuneCore.
“TuneCore has established a strong distribution model, and Musicnotes is excited to provide their clients with a new royalty stream for great songs that deserve to be scored and preserved,” says Tim Reiland, chairman and CFO of Musicnotes. “Sheet music is as old as the hills, but digital distribution of the product represents a brand new opportunity for most singer-songwriters, and we are confident the 100,000 daily visitors to Musicnotes.com will appreciate the ability to legally purchase these songs.
According to TuneCore, many TuneCore artists are already being actively searched within the Musicnotes.com system for their most popular selling songs, including those not on traditional music labels. The initial TuneCore artists eligible for this opportunity include: Never Shout Never, Boyce Avenue Keith Richards/Toots & the Maytals, 3oh!3, Josh Kelley, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Ziggy Marley, Michael Hunter, The Friday Night Boys, Eric Hutchinson, Boxer Rebellion, The Quiet, Stereo Skyline, Chase Coy, Meiko, Brett Dennen, MGMT, Rosie Galan, Kim Taylor, Ron Pope, My Favorite Highway and Relaxing Piano Music.
TuneCore states that “Gavin Mikhail, William Fitzsimmons and Ingrid Michaelson are already taking advantage of the opportunity.”
For more information, visit www.musicnotes.com, www.mxtabs.net and www.tunecore.com.
