Those who mine their sources for information about the music industry know that raw talent is probably the last factor that contributes to making someone a star. Marketing skills and connections, for example, are much more important factors. This is why people with little to no musical talent - think of princesses and heiresses, not naming any names - get to release tracks and get them heard by the world, while the fully dedicated and talented guitarist languishes in his garage or bedroom.

The Internet, luckily, has become a lifeline for such independent musicians. Now, they no longer need a "sugar daddy" to get their music heard by the public. With some studio time, a well-made track and some clever naming, it is possible to get your music heard by the world, and evaluated on its own merit rather than on the strength of their PR skills.

While the mainstream always remains the mainstream, every generation of music-lovers sees a certain percentage of people who are dedicated to their favourite indie artists. Some of them, in fact, are completely against the mainstream music of their day, arguing that it goes against their values or is just not cutting-edge enough. In order to get what they think is the best music of their day, they have to look underground.

Much greater in number than the indie-fanatics are the people who swear that no good music is being made in their day. These people would be highly receptive to independent record labels... if only they knew that such things existed. THESE are the people who are most likely to be influenced enormously by the online music industry.

Stores such as iTunes and Amazonmp3 have put the big names right on the same level as the indie label. While super-hit tracks are priced higher than obscure ones on these stores, all average songs stay at the same price tag. This gives rise to an interesting situation - listeners can access the big hits for free on the radio or the television, or they can pay a nominal sum to purchase something that sounds promising. Additionally, the pressure to make a large investment and splurge on an album goes away, as single-track purchase is the norm on online stores. As if this were not enough motivation, people can access 30-second previews of tracks before making a purchase - something that allows them to judge whether or not something is of value worth buying.

For the independent musician, then, making money off music is easier than ever before. No need to spend on fuel and equipment to sell your music from your car a la Ani DiFranco. Just make the requisite clicks, and wait for the revenue to start coming in!

Jim Striker is a musician and loves writing about online music distribution services. Get your music heard with single song distribution on iTunes, AmazonMP3 and many more.

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