SELLABAND.com
EDIT: SELLABAND UPDATE
“SellaBand Opens up Fan Funding for All”
Sellaband is a music website that allows artists to raise the money from their fans and the SellaBand community in order to record a professional album. It was set up by Johan Vosmeijer (ex Sony/BMG), Pim Betist (ex Shell), and Dagmar Heijmans (ex Sony/BMG) in August 2006. Their offices are located in Amsterdam, Netherlands, but it’s a German company that started in Bocholt, Germany.
On April 8 2008, SellaBand raised EU€3.5 million (US$5 million) in their Series A round led by Prime Technology Ventures.
For Details of the new Flexible SellaBand where Artists keep all Rights
http://www.fanfundedforum.com/2009/09/new-sellaband/
In the old model: Any artist can sign up for SellaBand, they set up a profile and uploaded some of their music to attract “Believers” from their fans and the SellaBand community. Parts sold at US$10 each. The total to be raised was set at either US$50,000 or US$100,000 ($10k is the new minimim) and will cover all costs to record, mix, and manufacture their album. Any band that is able to sell 5,000 (or 10,000) “parts” is then provided with a producer, studio, and A&R to record an album. Artists are also free to select their own team of recording professionals and studio.
Among the Producers that have worked on SellaBand albums so far are Tony Platt (AC/DC, Bob Marley), Attie Bauw (Scorpions, Judas Priest), Peter Denenberg (Spin Doctors, Deep Purple), Steve Bush (Stereophonics, Corinne Bailey Rae), Mick Glossop (Van Morrison, Waterboys), Malcolm Burn (Patti Smith, Emmylou Harris) and Greg Haver (Manic Street Preachers, Super Furry Animals).
Partnerships
- December 2007 a partnership with Amazon.com was announced. this was initially for the UK but has been successfully repeated with Amazon in Germany and USA.
- March 2009 SellaBand announce a deal to launch in USA with Chuck D’s music company BTN (Bring The Noise) Management in which the former Public Enemy front man will function as Sellaband’s “US ambassador.”
- June 2009 Sellaband.de launched. The first sister site is presented in conjunction with partner MerchandisingMedia GmbH.
- October 2009 SellaBand announce new flexible model where Artists keep all rights
As the first open commercial fan funding site SellaBand has become something of a blueprint for fan funded sites.