What is SellaBand?
Artists and fans have one goal. Make music and money together. Artists
upload their music and profile. Fans find artists they like and believe in.
$10 (plus transaction costs) buys them a piece of the action. $50,000 gets
the artist in the studio. Fans get an exclusive CD send to their homes.
Artists make their dream come true. From now on bands and believers are in
business together. You are the record company!
Why did you come up with SellaBand?
The idea comes from a love for music and a frustration about the fact that
Pim always heard the same artists over and over on the radio. He would see a
lot of live performances and notice how much talented artists are being
unnoticed by the traditional music industry. He was
working for an oil company when he thought of the concept. He decided to give
up his job and approach the right people to execute the business plan. He
found Johan Vosmeijer and Dagmar Heijmans. Both experienced in the music
industry. When they heard about SellaBand they gave up their jobs to launch
this business and follow their dream: Bands and Fans in business together!
Who is behind SellaBand?
SellaBand is run by Johan Vosmeijer and
Dagmar Heijmans and Pim Betist.
Instead of using his masters degree, to climb the ladder in the corporate world, Pim Betist gave up his job. He had a vision of how things could be different in the music industry, all he needed was to get in touch with the right people to pursue his dream. Then he met Johan Vosmeijer and Dagmar Heijmans and SellaBand was born.
Johan Vosmeijer is an experienced professional in the European music scene. He ran the legendary labels Epic and Columbia for Sony Music in the Benelux, and most recently he was the driving force behind the launch of Red Ink, a boutique label for SONY BMG. After a lifetime in the traditional music business, he thought the time was right for change. At that point he met Pim Betist, a man with a plan and a mission. The plan was SellaBand and the mission was to change the music world.
To complete the team, Johan introduced Pim to Dagmar Heijmans. He started his professional life at EMI Music. After years of becoming an industry expert at Sony Music and SONY BMG, he wanted to get back to the roots of his music passion: discovering new music. Five minutes after he met Pim he knew he had found his passion back and knew where his future would lie; at SellaBand.com.
Instead of using his masters degree, to climb the ladder in the corporate world, Pim Betist gave up his job. He had a vision of how things could be different in the music industry, all he needed was to get in touch with the right people to pursue his dream. Then he met Johan Vosmeijer and Dagmar Heijmans and SellaBand was born.
Johan Vosmeijer is an experienced professional in the European music scene. He ran the legendary labels Epic and Columbia for Sony Music in the Benelux, and most recently he was the driving force behind the launch of Red Ink, a boutique label for SONY BMG. After a lifetime in the traditional music business, he thought the time was right for change. At that point he met Pim Betist, a man with a plan and a mission. The plan was SellaBand and the mission was to change the music world.
To complete the team, Johan introduced Pim to Dagmar Heijmans. He started his professional life at EMI Music. After years of becoming an industry expert at Sony Music and SONY BMG, he wanted to get back to the roots of his music passion: discovering new music. Five minutes after he met Pim he knew he had found his passion back and knew where his future would lie; at SellaBand.com.
How does SellaBand make money?
InstructionsAdvertising and music sales: all income derived from advertising and music
sales on SellaBand is being split evenly between artists, Believers and
SellaBand.
Publishing: All songs that are recorded with SellaBand are vested in SellaBand Publishing. The income is being split as follows: 60% for the artist, 30% SellaBand and 10% for the production team.
Interest: The money derived from parts sold on SellaBand is accumulated on an Escrow account. We can't touch the money until an artist reaches the 50,000 target, but we do make money of the interest.
Publishing: All songs that are recorded with SellaBand are vested in SellaBand Publishing. The income is being split as follows: 60% for the artist, 30% SellaBand and 10% for the production team.
Interest: The money derived from parts sold on SellaBand is accumulated on an Escrow account. We can't touch the money until an artist reaches the 50,000 target, but we do make money of the interest.
How do I join SellaBand?
Simple. Go to the Sign Up page, read the Terms and Conditions,
accept them and follow all the next steps.
What does it cost me to join SellaBand?
Nothing! Yes, SellaBand is totally free, no entrance fee or
anything
Can every band join SellaBand?
If you are unsigned and/or self recording, the answer is yes.
With unsigned we mean that you have no current contractual
obligations with any record company or label. If you have a deal
with a Publishing company, you need a written confirmation from
them that they allow you to register the songs you will record
with SellaBand under SellaBand Publishing GmbH.
Can fans from outside my own country get a Part in me?
Yes. Your marketplace is the whole world; it doesn't matter if
your fans live in Germany, Canada, United States or Tahiti. So
make use of the all possibilities the internet offers and reach
out to all your potential Believers around the globe.
Can I upload cover songs on my profile page?
No. You're not allowed to upload songs written by other artists.
Do I get the e-mailaddresses of my believers?
ContractNo you don't. We have much respect for the privacy of you and
the believers, so we will not share personal information like e-mailadresses with anybody. You are able to send messages to your
believers through the system of SellaBand.
What happens to my publishing income?
The publishing income of the songs you record with SellaBand
will be divided between you, SellaBand, producer and A&R
manager, in the following way: You 60%, SellaBand 30%, Producer
5%, A&R manager 5%
Why do the producer and the A&R manager get 5% of the publishing income
By doing this we keep the fixed fees for producer and A&R
manager much lower than normal. The lower their fees, the more
money there is for studios, gear rental etc.
When will the Title Agreement be in effect?
As an artist you have to be aware of the conditions before you
join. Therefore we ask you to read them and sign them. They will
only be in effect once you've reached the Goal of $50,000.
Who owns the master of the recording?
MoneyFor the first 12 months after the recording is finished
SellaBand will own the master, after that you the artist will
get it and can do with whatever you want.
Why does SellaBand solely use the US-currency?
Let's face it, there's not many places in the world where the $-
sign is unheard of. And as much as we love the Britsh Pound, the
Euro and Japanese Yen, for simplicity reasons we decided to use
one currency. So the Goal is $50,000 and not €38,767, and a Part
will cost you $10 instead of €8,24. Sounds much nicer, doesn't
it?
How was it decided that Artists must raise $50,000?
We realize that 50k is a lot of money, but all you need is 5000
fans who believe in you to reach this goal. We have decided to
go for 50k for several reasons. First and most important reason
is quality. We want to give artists the opportunity to record
their music in an environment as high quality as any major label
would offer you. We are convinced that top studios, A&R managers
and producers are necessary to lift your music from sounding
good to sounding excellent. Secondly we chose to send exclusive
versions of your CD to your believers. This service already
consumes 40% of the total budget. For the exact split please see
the pie chart.
With $50,000 I can record at least two records if I do it myself, so why should I go through the SellaBand system?
You might be right. But then you have to gather the recording
budget yourself. You probably won't record in the fine studios
with the top producers we're working with. And you won't have a
worldwide network of 5.000 promoters working for you, for whom
it's also very interesting to spread the word about you and your
music. And finally, are you going to make any profit out of it
when you do it yourself? Remember, joining SellaBand is free and
there are no strings attached to our program.
What does SellaBand get from the $50,000?
Nada, zero, nothing, $0,-. Yes that's right; every dollar that
fans spend will be used for your recording and the CD for your
Believers and not for big and shiny offices or new SUVs for the
SellaBand team.
Why does SellaBand give away a selection of the recorded music for free?
SellaBand gives away 3 tracks per album for free. These free downloads will
serve as a great promotional tool for the artists. Additionally the amount
of downloads will determine the free download market share of each artist.
The more free music is downloaded from your artist, the more money you and
the artist make.
How much do my Believers make?
Freedom for Artists and BelieversSellaBand has two basic sources of revenue: Music Sales and Advertising.
One of the golden rules here on SellaBand is that we share these revenues
equally between Artists, Believers and ourselves. This means that for every
3 dollars we make through advertising or music sales 1$ goes to the artist,
1$ to the Believers and 1$ to SellaBand.
The selling Believer gets a commission of 10% of the price for each CD or download sold. This means that if your Believers sell the standard version of an album for $10,- they will get 1$ for their effort.
Here’s a break down of the prices and the corresponding commissions:
SellaBand gives away 3 tracks per album for free. These free downloads will serve as a great promotional tool for the artists. Additionally the amount of downloads will determine the market share of each artist. The more free music is downloaded from your artist, the more money you and the artist make. And of course, just to be clear on this, the more parts you own, the more money you make.
The selling Believer gets a commission of 10% of the price for each CD or download sold. This means that if your Believers sell the standard version of an album for $10,- they will get 1$ for their effort.
Here’s a break down of the prices and the corresponding commissions:
| Product | Price | Commission |
| Limited edition | $15.00 | $1.50 |
| Standard edition | $10.00 | $1.00 |
| Album Download | $3.50 | $0.35 |
| Paid track download | $0.50 | $0.05 |
SellaBand gives away 3 tracks per album for free. These free downloads will serve as a great promotional tool for the artists. Additionally the amount of downloads will determine the market share of each artist. The more free music is downloaded from your artist, the more money you and the artist make. And of course, just to be clear on this, the more parts you own, the more money you make.
We've reached the goal of $50,000. So now what?
Once you've reached the goal we'll call you to congratulate you.
In this so called Champagne Call we'll give you the name and
details of your A&R manager. He or she will call you a couple
of days later and ask you to send demos of the tracks you want
to record. A week later you'll meet the A&R manager and discuss
your wishes and the SellaBand recording process. The following
weeks you'll rehearse the songs you want to record and have some
more meetings with the A&R manager. The moment you and the A&R
manager are happy and think you're ready, you'll enter the
studio.
For how long will 3 of my songs be available as free downloads?
Your songs will be available for at least 12 months.
Can an Artist leave at any time?
Yes. There are no strings attached. The only obligation you have
is to record the CD once the goal of $50,000 is reached.
Can we name our sponsors in the artwork of the CD?
In the artwork there's room for 'thank you's' to all your
supporters, but also to companies that have helped you so far in
your career. But please note it's not allowed to place logos of
brands or companies in the artwork.
Is the artist responsible if a Believer isn't satisfied with the end result of the recording?
No, neither the artist nor SellaBand is liable for this
What influence do I, as an artist, have on the recording process?
It's your music, it's your choice. So yes you have influence on
the recording process. You are responsible for the end result of
the recording process. But the A&R Manager is there to help you
to get the most out of you, to get the best producer and studio
and to make sure that you stay within your budget.
Can we only work with the producers and studios linked to SellaBand or can we make our own suggestions?
Sure you can make suggestions for other producers or studios.
But remember it all has to fit in the budget.
Is there room in the budget for extra stuff to enhance the sound?
Yes there's room for gear rental or even hiring extra musicians.
But remember the budget is limited. You can spend a dollar only
once, so if you rent instruments you have less money for other
stuff.
How much time do we get to complete the recordings?
There's a timeframe of six months from the moment you've reached
the goal of $50,000 until the recording has to be finished.
Am I allowed to offer extra perks to get more believers (for instance for the first 1000 believers signed photos, free concert tickets, etc.)
Yes, you're absolutely free to do stuff like that. In fact we
think it's a great idea to do.
