We are pleased to inform you that we have just added some new features to the Record Union website. These are a few of many features that we have in mind to improve the Record Union experience which we will be adding in the near future. So, what is contained in this update?

Add links to your releases! - You can now add links which direct visitors to where your music is currently available for purchase/streaming online. These then show up on a brand new “Find music on…” menu under each release. These links can be added on “Manage content” page. Here´s one we made earlier.

Link to Twitter and YouTube - You can now add links to Twitter and YouTube on your profile.

Manage content -As requested it is now possible to see exactly what information you added to published tracks. This info will be displayed when you click on a published track on the “Submit Content” page.

These new links are another step towards making Record Union a useful place to direct fans and those interested in your music. Not satisfied with song previews, they can now select to find your music on their favourite stores and services, head over to YouTube to check your videos and Twitter to keep updated.

We always like to hear input from people using Record Union, so if you would like to suggest new features and functionality for us to look at, don’t hesitate to get in touch!

You may recognize Manon Dave from his acclaimed remixes of hit songs such as Carry Out, Say it Right and Break the Ice. Now Manon has taken an altogether different direction with the release of “Streets were raining”, a brand new single which incorporates some classic Manonesque beats into the somber sound of US alternative outfit Pyramid.

This beautifull song made an impression even before it was out, topping the pre order charts on Play.com and recieving positive responses from fans and media alike. The reviewers over at Limewire call this single an “instant summertime classic” and with the single being scheduled to air on BBC Radio 1 in the coming weeks this is one to keep an eye on. The single is produced and released by Manon on his own label Parapsych Records. Check out the video below, or give it a whirl on Spotify.

Today Spotify prepare to roll out the next generation of their platform to users around the world. Some call it the most important Spotify update since their launch in 2008, many just call it plain awesome. In this new version Spotify have gone all out and added a range of features which will further revolutionize how their users can share and experience music. Of particular note here is a range of social networking features which many have been yearning for, culminating in the dynamic new fully editable Spotify profile. Spotify will now also evolve into a music management platform, enabling you to import and manage files from your computer to create that penultimate playlist. We wont go into too many details as the information is all there on their blog, but lets just say there is something for everyone. We are particularly excited about the increased promotional potential this Spotify update will give artists and bands who have their music on the platform, and will follow with an analysis of these soon.

As some you of may know, Record Union are strong supporters of The Peoples Music Awards - the first and only global unsigned music award. The awards is a great platform for indie artists who want to expand their fan base and get attention from an influential panel of judges, and has the potential to give apsiring artists and bands a real push on the rocky path to fame and notoreity.

On the 17th of April the ceremony of this years awards cycle will be held in London. It´s gearing up to be a killer night with 14 finalists from a range of genres committed to impressing the judges and audience alike with their live performances. If you are around London at that time we strongly urge you to attend - if so, we look forward to catching up with you at the after party! You can find out more about the ceremony and who´s playing here.

Since we wrote about The Peoples Music Awards a few months ago here on the blog we have been excited to see artists on Record Union signing up to next years award cycle. With so much talent on Record Union, we look forward to seeing some strong competition. Though entry for this years awards is closed, you can still register next years awards, its free! Head over to their website for more information.

Today we are today excited to announce another new partner. WaWaWa is the largest legitimate independent download store in China. Created exclusively for mainland Chinese consumers, the store delivers DRM-free mp3’s via a monthly subscription plan. The service also allows subscribers to stream their downloads from any location providing access for the 40% of Chinese users who access the web from Internet cafes.

A recent survey by Beijing-based research group Music 2.0 found that a third Chinese music consumers are willing to pay for downloads. In the study, listeners cited their current inability to find non-mainstream music and desire for better niche and foreign music discovery tools as chief among the reasons for this. Previously non-mainstream music was mainly available through unauthorized services. So as you can see, Wawawa is in many ways a landmark music service directly tailored to the needs of Chinese listeners.

We hope that by providing music to this platform Record Union will open the doors to the Chinese market for independent and unsigned bands from around the world, and help satiate the hunger that Chinese music lovers have for niche foreign music.

We will send our entire catalog to Wawawa in the coming week. As always, if you would for some reason not like your music featured in this store please contact content(at)recordunion.com before Wednesday 10th March, 16:00.

Getting signed to a serious record label is the aim of many musicians, and for good reason. Labels can offer unparalleled support, resources and experience in producing and releasing music. Many also have established media contacts and have a deal of promotional clout which can help you increase your listener base and music sales. They will also take care of many of the time consuming day to day management of you or your band, and let you get on with what you do best - creating music.

Now, Record Labels don´t do all of this just for the fun of it. Rather, they do it as an investment. Record Labels are a business, and just like all businesses they make risk calculations. To make yourself attractive to Record Labels they must see you are an attractive investment; that once they invest money in you they will at least get it back.

It is undeniable that the onset of the digital music revolution has created amazing new possibilities for independents, both when it comes to distribution and promotion. However, it is also an environment which has made it harder for many Record Labels to sell music. The traditional marketing machinery has lost traction, and the diffuse Internet music environment has made the access and consumption of music far more diversified. Even with money to throw around, the chance and scale of success has become smaller. Once the traditional music industry adapts, or we see the rise of more influential and innovative digilabels, they will have a hard time making the same kind of money as they once did.

In this climate of uncertainty, risk calculations become all the more prevalent. So, to get signed you must make yourself as attractive as possible. Raw talent won´t hack it anymore, not by itself. They don’t have the time, resources or money to nurture you from infancy. If you are looking to get signed, the Internet is a great place to develop your art and show the labels you got what they want.

A decent track record of digital sales is a strong plus factor, and nothing illustrates an active and engaged fan base like having thousands of plays on streaming services. Focusing on improving the scale and force of your live performances, selling merchandise and playing festivals are also plus factors when looking to gain label interest. The bottom line is that a Record Label is a business. A good business makes money. In an uncertain environment risk becomes more prevalent. So if you want a Record Deal, a wise thing would be touse the great possibilities in the online environment to make yourself into an irresistible investment.

Drum roll, please! Record Union are proud to present our very first video. It is intended to introduce new people to the service, and communicate what Record Union are all about. We would like to thank Jeremy Irons & The Ratgang Malibus for letting us use their music for the video. Enjoy!

Peoples Music Store offer a unique way for listeners to purchase and explore music, and because of this provides some great promotion opportunities for artists. Today we will have a look at a few of them.

Unlike other stores, everyone can become a shopkeeper on Peoples Music Store - it is truly democratic. As a label, promoter, manager or just plain old music enthusiast you can (free of charge) create and design your own storefront and stock music existing on the service. If you have distributed music with Record Union, your music will be available in the stockroom. When people buy music from your store, you earn points which you can use towards buying more music.

As an artist, the trick is to find storekeepers who would be interested in stocking and even promoting your music. This shouldn’t be too difficult, as the store search function enables you to sort stores by genre and the diversity of stores is impressive. Most members of the storekeeper community are also passionate about music and generally open to listening to and adding new music to their store. Once you have contacted the store owner and introduced yourself, they may even write a review of your music or list it as a featured release. Like with bloggers, podcasts etc. its all about building relationships.

If you run your own label, you have the opportunity to build your own storefront and attract buyers to check out artists you are releasing. Directing fans from individual artists to your store is a good tactic, because there is every chance they will check music from other artists you have in your stockroom.

The truly wonderful thing about Peoples Music Store is that one quickly notices that it has a strong community behind it and really is effective in introducing listeners to new music, while also providing music enthusiasts an output for their passion. Listeners flock to stores they trust to find new sounds, and the storekeepers are eager to list the best music within their genre which may just as well be from indie/unsigned artists.

If Peoples Music Store is new to you then you should have a closer look. Whether an artist or label, we think it is definitely a channel you should consider utilizing in your promotion campaign. Peoples Music Store also have a number of social networking tools to increase the viral effectiveness of your efforts.

Record Union are excited to announce that another new partner has been added to our ever growing distribution portal, it´s called Thumbplay!

Thumbplay are a major player on the US market and the fastest-growing provider of mobile content in the US. They feature licensed music, video and games from some of the world’s largest entertainment companies, as well as several independent labels. For those who would like to gain entry into the mobile market in the US, this is a perfect digital service provider. For you who are already focused on the US market, this provides an excellent opportunity to make your music mobile and for your fans purchase your music via their phone.

Record Union will send our entire catalog to Thumbplay later this week. If any of you would not like to have your music delivered to this excellent obile provider, please email content@recordunion.com before Sunday 20th December, 16:00 CET.

Fantastic news! Record Union has now secured a distribution deal with yet another major music service. Lime Wire, maker of the popular peer to peer client, launched LimeWire Store in the spring of 2008, selling fully licensed content from an array of artists and labels. Listeners can pay for music in a number of different ways, including monthly subscription models which enable them to download a certain ammount of songs, or a standard pay as you go model. All of their songs are offered in 256kbps MP3, DRM free. LimeWire Store’s music team is committed to providing participating artists and labels unique promotional opportunities with exclusive releases, targeted marketing and events.

Record Union will soon send our entire catalog to Limewire Music Store. If for some reason you would not like your music to become available on this service, please contact content@recordunion.com before Friday the 18th December 16:00 CET.