New record label offers free downloads for life

DigSin is a record label that enables subscribers to download singles for free, for life.

While free downloads are seen by many in the music industry as a problem to be fought against, we recently spotted a label that’s embracing them with open arms. Specifically, DigSin is a record label that enables subscribers to download singles for free, for life. Launched in October, DigSin — which stands for Digital Single — will sign artists for a maximum of six songs each and release singles as free downloads for DigSin subscribers. Revenue comes from single sales on iTunes, Amazon and Spotify, where consumers can still choose to buy or stream the singles if they wish, supported by revenue from display ads on the DigSin downloads page. Founder Jay Frank believes the real value of the free download setup, however, is that it allows for a truer picture of what consumers want to listen to, and he plans to use download data to create fan profiles that will facilitate more effective marketing, consumer targeting and trend spotting. The video below shows an interview with Jay Frank:

As record labels continue to struggle in the face of illegal downloads, offering singles for free is a bold step that demonstrates the need to break away from traditional pricing models. Others involved in the music industry, inspiration here for a shake up of your own? Spotted by: Katharina Kieck