Sellaband

Sellaband is a new website that bypasses the record labels and exposes musicians and their work to web savvy music lovers. Site registrants vote for the artists they love, would like to see succeed in music or who they believe have commercial potential. This voting is done with hard cash to give it extra weight and even more to create a stash of cash for the artist: once the amount reaches $50000 the artist is sent into a studio to record his music professionally. Proceeds of this recording is split between the artist and the supporters, who have now transformed from 'believers' (in Sellaband speak) into investors. This whole site is a wonderful example of how to use the web as a distributed filter for quality, and create a worldwide marketplace for even the longest tail. Of course not everybody is a music expert - it seems as if at least some voting is done on the bands already on the rise just because they are. A surprising number of bands is still exactly $50000 away from fame and fortune. However, some good bands have already been recording, and overall the system appears to work. I'm a believer! Just put $40 on my account and am judging artists as we speak!