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This is the second and final installment of my interview with Mike Riddick. You can read Part One here.
What is the role of digital music/marketing today and what is your role within that realm?
MIKE RIDDICK: Digital music is quickly becoming the most convenient way for music fans to access their favorite artists and to discover new ones as well. Some digital retailers like eMusic are incorporating personal profiles where fans can share their favorite bands and releases and other retailers like Amazon present suggested albums based on a person’s buying history. These sort of web-based selling tools are presenting fresh and innovative ways to expose fans to new bands. My role in this realm is to expose our artists and our partner labels to the best of our capacity. We have our own network of music journalists and radio DJs who agree to accept our digital submissions and regularly include them in their webzines, printed ‘zines, blogs, radio programs and streamed Internet shows. Of course, we also specialize in getting our artists and labels into all of the major and minor digital music retailing sites while also promoting our own store at Metalhit.com.
What do you look for in a band or label to distribute on Metalhit.com?
MIKE RIDDICK: In working with labels, I search for any label that has an interest in tapping into this market. There are no initiation fees in working with me. The labels send me their releases and I send them any royalties due to them. I also help promote their releases to help add momentum to new titles. I also work with bands that are already signed or have a back catalog but do not have their work represented in the digital market. For these artists, I license the rights to represent them in this fashion. For bands I actually sign and publish exclusively in the digital medium, I search for quality music; a quality recording and something that would make them stand out from the mass of music that’s available out there. I believe very strongly in my artists and I back them to the best of my ability. Being a musician as well, I know how important it is for a label to be accountable and to do good work for a band. I’ve worked with unresponsive labels and responsive ones in all the albums my bands have published, so I think the artists I work with appreciate my background and experience with this.
What is your ultimate goal with Metalhit.com?
MIKE RIDDICK: To become the leading online digital-music resource for extreme metal that still maintains a true underground feel. Another goal is to become so large that we can function in league with major labels, while remaining exclusively digital.
What would you like to do with Metalhit.com that you haven’t yet done?
MIKE RIDDICK: Thus far I have accomplished everything I’ve set out to do thus far. We also have some innovative concepts and ideas in the works at the moment that should come to fruition before the close of 2008. I presume the future will tell what other surprises we have yet to realize in the long-term. Thanks for this opportunity, your support and interest is much appreciated!
www.metalhit.com
