innovation and tone

—BRETT BUSH
MondoTunes
Upstart Distribution Service “By Musicians for Musicians”
In the cluttered area
of artist services now
available via digital
downloads, social
networking, electronic
marketing and even
physical distribution,
it can be confusing to
choose who to pay to get
your music out, and how
much value you’ll receive.
MondoTunes was created
to streamline the options.
The company was cofounded
in 2011 by Javan
Mershad and his associates,
who set out to create a service
“by musicians, for musicians.”
The primary service it offers is
a vast international distribution
system. Artists pay a one-time
fee to have their single, EP,
album or video distributed via
MondoTunes, and artists retain
100 percent of their royalties
and rights. MondoTunes
distributes the recordings to
more than 750 online retailers
including iTunes and Amazon.
The one-time fee (starting at
$7.99 for a single, $37.99 for
an LP) is a unique approach
compared to other online
distributers, which typically
charge additional monthly or
annual fees. MondoTunes also
offers the option of creating
your own label for $39.99.
“We bought stock in the
idea that with technology these days, artists have so much material
available,” says Mershad, “and don’t necessarily have the
recording and rehearsal fees of a few years ago. This is a
great, affordable way for artists to try out their music.
We count on making a profit with repeat business.”
According to Mershad, the company currently
represents thousands of artist projects, from
up-and-coming artists to established artists
including former Pussycat Doll Kaya Jones
and Jim Sonefeld of Hootie and the
Blowfish.
Mershad’s background is as
an artist, producer and writer who
performed with a touring band for
several years. “We never really broke,”
he says. During that experience,
however, he became more interested in
the business and distribution side of the
industry and decided to create
an affordable, simple way
for music to be distributed. “I
developed many relationships
with Amazon and others that
artists can’t always approach
directly.”
Based in Southern
California, MondoTunes can
offer such low fees by keeping
its own overhead low. “We
do everything in-house,”
says Mershad, “with a staff
of six that we plan to expand
to 10.” The company has
built a strong word-of-mouth
business, in addition to repeat
business. “We did a lot of
research on the keywords
musicians typically use when
researching services, and we
talked to a lot of musicians,
and most of us involved with
the company are musicians,
so we know what artists are
looking for.”
The company’s efforts
to create a true “music
service” extends to an
available marketing package
that includes creating and
distributing press releases,
electronic press kits,
international blog posting and
monitoring, and mastering
services. MondoTunes
also has relationships with
music supervisors and
clearinghouses seeking music
for television and movies.
Future plans include helping
artists reclaim past royalties,
and to expand their licensing
and publishing services.
Clients represent all
popular genres, including
alternative, rock, pop, urban,
country, children’s music and
R&B. “We also offer the opportunity for artists to redistribute back
catalog tracks. Some of our clients are established artists who no
longer have record deals.”
The fees taken by the retail partners are the only
fees from sales that the artist will not receive.
Typically, a retail single download sells for 99
cents, with the retailer taking its (varying)
percentage. The rest of the sale price goes
to MondoTunes, where it is distributed to the
artist on a quarterly basis, complete with
detailed statements of sales. Mershad
notes that artists often see more of a
return on international sales.
“We want to create a culture that truly
serves the artist,” says Mershad. “The
rest of it will fall into place.”
“Most of us involved with the
company are musicians, so we
know what artists are looking for.”
Visit http://mondotunes.com
48 April 2013 www.musicconnection.com