On the Backs of Artists

Well, today seems to be the day where things I've had on my mind for awhile come out the door into wide open spaces. Today's point of view is the use of SonicBids.

For those who aren't musicians SonicBids is a service to the music industry that offers electronic networking between the musician and the talent buyer. I have had an account with SonicBids for a number of years and what that means is that an artist essentially has an electronic press kit for talent buyers to peruse.

There are inherent problems with SonicBids.
#1:
The first problem is that one has to pay approximately $100 - $200 per year just to have your site up and running. On top of that for each talent buyer you want to have peruse your material it costs anywhere from $5-$40. A modest year of submissions to 'competitions' for which you have a good chance is approximately $400/year.

#2:
The second problem is that some talent buyers will not accept any submissions from any other sources other than SonicBids. This situation creates a monopoly and in a free market this is an ethical dilemma. For some reason though whenever I try to address this issue in the industry there is no room for discussion.

#3:
The third problem is that the money the artist submits for the 'competition' is shared between the talent buyer and SonicBids itself. So, the more money gathered, the more money that goes to the talent buyer and to SonicBids. I know first hand that SonicBids pitches the idea of generating income for the talent buyer as the hook to monopolizing the EPK market. And guess who pays...the artist.

My strong opinion is that SonicBids is scheme to bilk struggling artists with both the USA based business and the talent buyers profiting.

I come from the school of thought that whenever you have an criticism one should also have a solution. My solution...that talent buyers receive electronic press submissions from multiple sources not one monopolized out of country business. I beleive that I should be able to send my EPK link (which has all the necessary information to make a decision about hiring me) from my website and save myself literally hundreds of dollars each year.

It shouldn't cost the artist to be considered for a gig. Period.

Soap Box Kat