Cowbell Digital Music

Cowbell Digital Music Logo.
Cowbell Digital Music Logo.

Cowbell Digital Music (also referred to as Cowbell or Cowbell Music) is an independent record label based in Queensland, Australia. The name derives from a Saturday Night Live sketch in which Christopher Walken demands 'More Cowbell.[1]

Cowbell Digital Music, in addition to being an independent label, has several sub-divisions.[2]

Launching Cowbell China in early 2010, Cowbell became "the first [independent label] in the western world to successfully launch into the heavily regulated Chinese digital music distribution market."

Cowbell Entertainment has licenced the Grammy Award winning show, The Purple Couch.

The company's current slogan is 'It's Your Choice'.

History

Early in 2009, Shayne Locke, as CEO, and Andrew Browne, the Chief Operations Officer founded the company.

The Label

Digital distribution will be a key element in the future of music and the way in which record labels operate, however, prior to the ‘digital age’, a record company was defined by three things: equity in the copyright of the sound recording (CD or download), an ability to promote and an ability to distribute. This definition must now include a fourth and critical element; an ability to accept peer-to-peer file sharing. As a result, the operational structure of Cowbell reflects a two-tier process for independent artists and includes a...

Non-exclusive digital distribution system: Providing a digital store (with payment in UK, Europe, China, US, Canada, Asia and Australia), and artist representation by ensuring that files sold are of the highest quality available.

Publishing access to worldwide publishing partners: Making music available to film directors, TV executives or for collaboration with other artists. Such access to publishers has potential promotional opportunities that have never before existed for independent artists.

Future of Music

Three important factors have been adopted by Cowbell Digital Music in terms of operations and ethos.

Collapsing Copyright: The artists will retain total copyright ownership with control by the label.

Choice: Fans can elect to download many different formats of a particular song and can choose which songs to purchase off an album (as opposed to the full album).

A desire to 'Save The Music Fan': Embracing the music fan, peer-to-peer file sharing, and allowing the artist ownership of copyright.

Music in China

Cowbell China "was launched in February and is based on the same model operating Cowbell’s worldwide distribution since October 2009." Cowbell China, a music label based in Zibo, Shandong, which will enable the 1.3 billion people who reside in China access to independent artists from around the world. For a long time, artists have struggled to get their music to the fans that live in China due to intricate government restrictions. With Cowbell China, music is instantly available to the Chinese masses through one of their largest mobile providers, which has over 800 million users.[3]

Cowbell China also offers direct links to their music store through a partnership with a major Chinese website that receives up to 4 million hits per month.[4]

Partnerships

Cowbell’s roster includes Guy ‘Mutto’ Mutton from the 2006 series of "Australian Idol and Brisbane based Nik Phillips who broke through the Chinese charts in 2010. Nik Phillips' song, 'Reach Around The World', a duet with Chinese singer Bi Jie reached number 4 on the Chinese charts." [5] "In addition to a catalogue of 12 ‘direct artists’, the label has signed partnerships with more than 30 independent and major labels with MGM Distribution. The MGM partnership was established following unsuccessful attempts by the distribution giant to break through China’s cultural filtering systems and has added high profile Australian acts Sneaky Sound System and the John Butler Trio to Cowbell’s repertoire."

Creating a partnership with China's prevalent record label, TR Music, Cowbell China is also able to offer physical distribution and touring options for the artists who gain popularity within China.[4]

Cowbell have also formed relationships with several independent record labels across the world including MGM, Fading Ways, MetaMusic, GoSet Music, Human Records and Cauldron Soundwerx.

References

  1. ↑ Buzz Humour More Cowbell SNL Skit
  2. ↑ MusicDish Rock Historian Ritchie Yorke Interviews New Indie Label, Cowbell Digital Music
  3. ↑ Music Council of Australia Cowbell China Launched
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Music Education Zone China Shandong Music Label Promises Access to Artists From Around the World
  5. ↑ The Music Cowbell Launces in China ... and Signs a Deal With MGM

External links