blog

amazing founder Paul Campbell explains the company's expansion plans, and why Amazing Radio is leaving DAB in the UK

Monday 15th May

It's over five years since amazingtunes.com went online, almost three years since Amazing Radio was born. It's been an incredible time. We launched in one of the worst economic environments since the Great Depression, with a very bold ambition.

We wanted to change the music industry for the better, to help new and emerging musicians to find an audience and make money without getting ripped off.

We aimed to do something radically different in radio, something inspired by the BBC (where I trained) but commercially viable, and globally scalable. We hoped people would find amazing, like it, and tell their friends. We were incredibly fortunate to have financial backers, all of them private individuals investing their own money, who understood the vision for the company and gave us the time, space and cash to pursue our plan.

Boy, it's worked. There are amazing listeners and partner musicians all over the world. Things really went crazy just over two years ago, and the graphs of users, listeners and uploads now all look like hockey sticks. The feedback, from musicians and music lovers alike, has been utterly incredible. I've worked in media since 1978, in the UK and the States, in radio, TV and new media, for big companies and small, and I've never known a reaction like the one we get for amazing. We've seen, every day, the excitement of bands getting their first ever radio play, and the reaction of listeners who often stumble across us, and then email or Tweet to say they love it. There have been awesome reactions from national and international journalists too, who have called amazing 'a revolution', 'superb', 'a force for good', 'the end of the closed shop' and 'nobly democratic'. It' been astonishing and humbling.

As we grew, we were privileged to add more broadcasters to our stable, some of them new voices doing their first job after Uni, others experienced music experts, bringing a lifetime's experience to curate the uploads to amazingtunes.com. We've been lucky enough to create quite a lot of jobs, now approaching 50 full and part time, many of them in the north-east of England where they are especially needed.

It's been a huge struggle but, finally, we broke even in January of this year. Not by covering Amazing Radio's output in adverts (I love that we're a commercial radio station with no commercials) but by streaming some amazing tunes direct to shops and business premises. It's a real win/win: the shops save money, the bands get paid roughly 120 times Spotify's streaming fees, we can run our entire business from what's left.

As time passed, and the audience and buzz grew, we started to look overseas. Later this year, amazing will formally launch in the States, with some terrestrial radio stations in key cities. We are also in advanced discussions with some, ahem, global digital brands, to make amazing part of their output. That will add many tens of millions more people to the amazing family.

So why, if everything's going so well, is Amazing Radio coming off digital radio in the UK? Why for a time at least, will it be broadcasting online and on mobile Apps only?

It's not our preference. We would have loved to stay on the UK airwaves - it's been a real privilege to be 'six clicks to the left of Radio 1'. But we've got into a barney with the people who own the transmitter network. It's about money. 'Nuff said. The net result is that Amazing Radio will continue on wi-fi, but no longer on the wireless. For the moment, at any rate.

If you have access online or via mobile Apps, please keep listening - we'll still be there, still innovating, still expanding, still playing the world's best new music before anyone else. If you can only listen on DAB, we're really sorry for the inconvenience. We heartily recommend you tune to 6Music instead, our second favourite radio station. (In a funny way, we kind of feel part of the BBC. Its values have inspired amazing from the start).

If you have any questions or comments about this, please feel free to tweet or email me - pc@amazingradio.co.uk I promise to reply to every one personally.

Many thanks for reading this - and for supporting amazing. We're sorry to be no longer on the radio in the UK, but thrilled by what's happened in the past five years. We'll keep going, helping musicians to find an audience and make money, expanding in the UK, the States and beyond, continually innovating. You'll still hear it here first. And quite possibly on the radio again soon.

Paul Campbell
amazing founder
@drumpaul

Amazing Instore featured artist #20

Thursday 10th May

Amazing Radio listeners will already be familiar with Dreams, having topped the Amazing Chart with his inappropriately summery disco funk hit 'Feelings 4 U' in the height of winter.

The man behind Dreams is Los Angeles based producer Jesse Pimenta. Following his chart success we were pleased to see him upload his 'Flyte EP' to amazingtunes.com, which carries on in the sun kissed sound of 'Feelings 4 U'.

Jesse has expertly revamped the sound of electro-funk made so popular during the post-disco movement in the early 80's. Listening to his tunes evokes images of colourful bright lights and smiling faces atop bodies popping in unison.

With summer rapidly approaching we need to start gearing up for the inevitable tropical weather that'll no doubt hit our shores. It'll probably rain, but at least we have Dreams.

Award nomination for The Revolving Birds

Thursday 29th March

Amazing Instore favourites The Revolving Birds have seen their self titled debut album nominated for 'Best Indie Alt. Rock Album of 2011' in the Independent Music Awards. It's worth noting that TRB are the only band in their category who self released their album, a real testament to their dedication.

Colen from the band tells us -

"Honestly, for us to go from recording songs in a laundry room to being nominated for best Indie album is kind of mind blowing."

Judges for this years' awards include Ozzy Osbourne, Keith Richards, Tori Amos, Tom Waites and members of Gwar.

We wish The Revolving Birds the best of luck. The winners of each category are announced in April.

Amazing Instore featured artist #19

Monday 26th March

Last week we were delighted to be bombarded with new uploads courtesy of the formidable PNFA. We've been pining for new material from this Frankfurt based electronica artist for some time and we were pleased to see 6 new albums and 8 EP's fly onto the amazingtunes.com latest uploads page.

We first encountered PNFA aka Public Nightmare Folk Art over a year ago when he uploaded tracks from his 'Zigot' album. We were immediately caught by his exceptional production. It's crisp and dynamic, ensuring it's an engaging listen. Our favourite from his early uploads is 'Schwarzes Eis', check out the bass line. Describing it as grooving would be an understatement.

Some of his latest uploads are a lot more laid back than his earlier efforts. One of the standouts for us at the moment is 'From Sunrise to Sunset'. Its acoustic guitar loops and beautiful string arrangements make it similar to orchestral electronica act Bonobo. It's also appropriate to listen to whilst basking in the current sunshine.

PNFA has given us much to explore here, and we're more than happy to spend hours exploring it.

Amazing Instore featured artist #18

Monday 19th March

This week we bring you the fantastically titled Crash & The Bandicoots. Hailing from Bath, this four piece not only have one of the best band names we've ever come across, but also some of the most joyous and raucous Indie-Pop we've heard for a while.

Formed by self-described "hyperactive and slightly warped" brothers Callum and Ewan Merrett, Crash & The Bandicoots are currently receiving acclaim through all the right channels. Notably the band have achieved national airplay on Amazing Radio courtesy of Charlie Ashcroft.

Maintaining a DIY ethos has been key to moulding the sound of the band. Crash & The Bandicoots use homemade instruments and toys to create their unique brand of lo-fi alternative pop. If you search enough, you can find a video of Ewan playing with his 'Circuit Bent Top Hat'. Sounds intriguing? Try looking here first.

While you're in the mood for watching videos you should also check out the video below for their single 'Brian Fury Wins!'. We've spent enough time watching and listening to Crash & The Bandicoots when we're supposed to be, you know, working. Now it's your turn.

Amazing Instore featured artist #17

Monday 12th March

Last week Opaque Nature uploaded their new album, 'Open Up Your Heart' to amazingtunes.com. It's always great to see bands uploading albums in their entirety, especially when they're as good as this.

We first heard Opaque Nature about a year ago when they uploaded four demo tracks. Despite these songs being in their infancy they didn't go unheard here at Amazing Towers, mainly due to some excellent songwriting and neat production, something that we don't usually expect from demo tracks.

So it was a pleasure this week to hear how these four tunes have blossomed and sit amongst newer tracks within a full album. Everything we loved about Opaque Nature's demos remains; the songwriting, the production and the intimacy, which is important.

The album opener is a two-minute instrumental that sets the scene for what to expect from the rest of the album, essentially what you hear is a forward thinking folk band. Opaque Nature blend elements of contemporary pop and rock with their own brand of folk, without losing sight of what makes a great song. There are melancholic moments in their album, but there's an uplifting edge to many of their songs, not to mention some infectious melodies.

Our favourite is 'Mixing The Colours' but with so many quality songs on the album you may well discover your own. Listen to the album in its entirety here.

Amazing Instore featured artist #16

Monday 5th March

This week we feature Stumbleine, the solo project of one man based in Bristol. Since uploading his fabulous 'All For Your Smile' EP to amazingtunes.com last year, an featured artist slot has been guaranteed. So good is his music, I'm embarrassed it hasn't happened sooner.

Our love for Stumbleine isn't just confined to team Amazing Instore. He's previously received much deserved attention on the amazingblog and on Amazing Radio. It would appear that all corners of Amazing Towers agree his music is awesome.

Regular plays courtesy of Mark Ryan have seen 'Kaleidoscope' hitting the heights in the Amazing Beats Chart. On top of this success, Stumbleine provided a smashing 20-minute guest mix for the show. It's available to download for free here.

Now to describe his music and attempt to do it justice. It's a blend of gorgeous, beautiful and quite stunning minimal electronica and chill-wave. Waves of blissful synths and spliced up glitchy vocals hit the spot, every time. There's a shoegaze feel to it too and as minimal as it seems, he manages to make it all sound huge. It's very powerful but in a completely soothing way. Never has euphoric seemed such an appropriate adjective.

Develop your Stumbleine addiction by clicking here.

Amazing Instore featured artist #15

Monday 27th February

This week we introduce you to Vague-à-bonde, a solo project of Minneapolis based bedroom-pop songstress Nicole Brenny. Her amazingtunes.com profile currently showcases three tracks from her debut album Involution/Evolution.

These tracks present Vague-à-bonde as an artist that's managed to find a suitable balance between upbeat electro-pop and a resonant, ethereal darkness. It's quite the blend, and Nicole is ambitious to try it out. We get the impression that Vague-à-bonde will have that rare ability to appeal to both fans of pop and staunch enthusiasts of more left field genres.

This is typified in 'MV' in which a Kraftwerk style backing-track is dominated by Nicole's reverb laden vocal hooks. 'Voices' on the other hand is slightly more restrained, where the strict pluses of a drum machine are replaced with vocal layers and handclaps which make it comparable to some of Camille's earlier output.

Indeed Vague-à-bonde is already making waves, her next show is supporting Porcelain Raft. So if you're anywhere near Minneapolis on the 6th of April be sure to head down to the 7th Street Entry for what we're sure will be a fabulous show.

Amazing Instore featured artist #14

Monday 20th February

Landing on amazingtunes.com last week were two incredible EPs from Frankfurt based, Jogging House. This self-described one man "Lo-Fi RnB" project immediately caught our attention.

Having uploaded his tracks last Thursday, Jogging House was promptly championed by Amazing Radio tastemakers Dani Charlton, Tobi and Mark Ryan. Mark being so impressed he played four tracks in a row on his Amazing Beats show.

One of the main reasons Jogging House has whipped up such excitement here, is due to his flawless production. At times it's not far-removed from the likes of Burial or even Clams Casino as it carries a similar kind of dark, brooding atmosphere.

A large part of what Jogging House achieves is down to his effective use of vocal samples that he chops and screws, with lashings of reverb and delay for good measure. They become more a textural element rather than something to sing along to and as such, enhance the stunningly smooth and warming glow of his tunes.

I could write much more about music this good but I probably wouldn't do it justice. It's a privilege to hear, so I urge you to do so. While you're at it, there's a video below for 'So Much', taken from his debut EP.

Amazing Instore featured artist #13

Monday 13th February

The number 13 is unlucky for some, though we don't play bingo here, so we're not too concerned. Indeed, there's nothing unlucky or unfortunate about discovering our featured artist #13, Teeside based, Eeves.

Their latest single 'So Long Hurricane' has caused quite a stir here at Amazing Towers. So much so that Greg Porter recently crowned it his 'Record of the Week' on the Amazing Afternoons show, it's very much deserved too.

The key to Eeves is their ability to write catchy tunes without being annoyingly cheesy or predictable. In 'So Long Hurricane' Eeves stick to the basics, simple parts played with conviction and to great effect. There's a hint of Pavement and the Pixies in Eeves. It's good to hear a band that favours good solid song writing over needless virtuoso noodling.

Having kept a low profile over the past few months whilst writing and recording, we're hoping to see Eeves tear up a venue near us soon. Check out 'So Long Hurricane' here.

Amazing Instore featured artist #12

Monday 6th February

Our featured artist is the somewhat illusive Pushing Hands. I've hunted around for information on this four piece (they could even be a five piece, there's five band members listed on websites but four guys in their press shots) but haven't really managed to rake in much.

Hard facts however, can be overlooked when we're presented with a track as fantastic as their recent upload, 'He's Still Here'. It's a vibrant number that skips along joyfully, enhanced by particularly exuberant drumming. There's something wonderfully smooth about the production too, a tremendous warmth and depth that's particularly satisfying through headphones.

On 'He's Still Here' it's obvious you're hearing a band that are clearly all on the same page in terms of what they're trying to achieve. Each instrument is locked into a solid groove and importantly, Pushing Hands sound like a band truly enjoying what they do.

Check out the brilliant video for 'He's Still Here' below.

Amazing Instore featured artist #11

Monday 30th January

Our featured artist is based much closer to home than those we've featured in previous weeks. Based in Leeds, Mountain Range is the talent of Stuart Thomas who blends his beats and bleeps with his love of post rock.

Mountain Range marked his debut to amazingtunes.com by uploading the fabulous 'Evelyn(e)'. It begins with reverb drizzled orchestral drones that are chopped and looped, creating the foundation on which he begins to construct his delightful slab of electronica.

Percussive clanks, clicks, handclaps and arpeggiated synth emerge which inject an energetic playful feel. In the meantime, warped piano loops, vinyl fuzzed beats and organic bass swells ensure the track doesn't run away with itself and results in a hazy warm ambience.

We get the impression that Mountain Range is still in the early stages of his musical career however the sheer quality he displays in 'Evelyn(e)' means his future output is something we're very much looking forward to hearing.

Amazing Instore featured artist #10

Monday 23rd January

This week sees us introduce our tenth featured artist, which feels like somewhat of a landmark. So what better way to celebrate our first step into double figures by introducing you to a band that are bold, beautiful and wholly absorbing.

Texan quintet Black Books produce the kind of music that's both heartbreaking and euphoric, it evokes the same sensation that can be felt listening to bands like The Shins or Band of Horses. Black Books aren't too dissimilar from either band, listening to them makes us want to throw our arms in the air and shout, "Yes! Yes! Somebody else understands!" It's like their music takes you by the hand and lets you know everything is going to be ok.

Throughout their 'An Introduction To...' EP, melancholic moments of reflection are interspersed with gloriously euphoric explosions of unbridled passion. Opening track, 'The Big Idea', highlights everything they do so successfully as a band and why you should be so excited about discovering their music.

The EP is available to stream in its entirety here.

Amazing Instore featured artist #9

Monday 16th January

It's no real secret that many of us here at Amazing Towers are great admirers of the musical output of Scandinavia. This isn't any form of favouritism, it's simply because evidence seems to suggest that our Scandinavian friends are just exceptionally good at music.

Further cementing our admiration of Scandinavian music is Amazing Instore featured artist #9, Copenhagen based indie poppers, Mount Rushmore Safari. Their self titled 5 track EP opens with No(r)way, which introduces the band perfectly. Its buoyant synth leads are playful and, coupled with sublimely shoegazey guitar, present a track that's as dreamy as it is cheerful.

Throughout the EP Mount Rushmore Safari pay homage to some of the finest moments of 80's music, clearly inspired by former pop masters such as The Cure and Echo & The Bunnymen. Their mission to create hits from this bygone era is done so with diligent expertise. Any band that utilises a harmonica the way Mount Rushmore Safari do in 'Hand That Feeds' are winners in our book and deserve all the acclaim they get.

Check out the EP here and the video for forthcoming single Magic Moment Friend below.

Amazing Instore featured artist #8

Monday 9th January

A warm welcome to 2012 came our way this week in the form of Oklahoma City based Horse Thief. Having recently uploaded their 'Grow Deep, Grow Wild' EP to amazingtunes.com the band immediately caught the attention of Amazing Radio presenters Dani Charlton and Charlie Ashcroft.

Their talents have also not escaped the ears of team Amazing Instore who, upon hearing the EP, emailed them post-haste to inform them of their featured artist triumph.

Horse Thief, who describe themselves as psychedelic folk-rock, remind us of many high profile acts. We can hear elements of Modest Mouse, Flaming Lips, Arcade Fire and Akron/Family in their work. However, they manage to avoid sounding like a carbon copy band. Instead they blend their brilliant song writing with engaging textures, dynamics and most importantly, a sense of raw emotion. Something front man Cameron Neal is clearly passionate about maintaining in their live performances:

"Our music is about more than just the songs we play. It's about losing yourself in the sound and creating an experience that sticks with you long after the show is over."

Check out the Grow Deep, Grow Wild EP here.

Amazing Instore featured artist #7

Monday 19th December

Christmas time is ultimately all about sharing and giving, it's also all about hectic shopping sprees, watching Home Alone and nursing huge hangovers. With all this in mind here's our Christmas gift to you, Amazing Instore featured artist #7, Yusuke Tsutsumi.

This is a musician that never fails to soothe us here with his ambient compositions. He always delivers a delicacy and subtlety that makes his music perfect for escaping the stresses and strains of everyday life.

Judging by his profile on amazingtunes.com he's prolific too, having uploaded 12 tracks over the space of a few months. Our current favourite is one of his latest uploads 'The Strip Club'. Despite its title there's no hint of the kind of debauchery you might expect, only reverb soaked beats, superb lush textures and soulful piano.

If you're nursing a hangover from your work Christmas night out, do yourself a favour and head over to Yusuke Tsutsumi's profile and allow him to sonically nurse you back to health.

Amazing Instore featured artist #6

Friday 9th December

Our 6th featured artist is Brighton based duo Death Rattle who recently uploaded their first single The Dig to amazingtunes.com. This release has a dark atmosphere to say the least, it maintains a perpetual ominous feel with its low-slung synth and abrasive industrial beats.

Mounting repetition and cold metallic textures make 'The Dig' hypnotic and conducive to imagery of working a heavy shovel into the earth over and over.

The vocals throughout are appropriately monosyllabic, complementing the tracks direct, blunt production. In the choruses they elevate along with sustained swells of guitar to ensure a dramatic listen.

Death Rattle recorded this fierce composition in an abandoned house in Normandy, surely inspiring them to reach the level of toil expressed in 'The Dig'.

Check out the captivating and brooding video for this release below, the track itself is available to download for free here.

Amazing Instore featured artist #5

Friday 25th November

We were pleased to see self labelled 'folk and roll' group Joyshop return to amazingtunes.com with their latest ep Faith & Privilege. With these new recordings the Bristol, Cambridge and London (boy, these guys must travel for rehearsals) based 5-piece reiterate everything we already loved about them.

Their music is subtle, coupled with a sense of playfulness that only comes from tight knit groups of friends playing music together.

"It was a chance to get back on the stage, in the studio and around some drinks to make music with friends. We can't think of a better use of time, and sincerely hope that people share in some of the enjoyment that we had when listening to our tunes!"

Our highlight is closing track 'All The Lovers'. It begins with Joyshop's signature vocal harmonies and the usual delectable embellishments we've come to expect from them; violin, piano and delicate floating rhythms. All of which are woven seamlessly and builds to quite a crescendo.

There's something amiable about Joyshop and to us they're the musical equivalent of a comforting home cooked meal, maybe a good shepard's pie or hot pot. So if your ears are hungry for new music it's highly likely you'll hear something satisfying on their profile page.

Amazing Instore featured artist #4

Friday 18th November

This week we introduce Haptik, a producer from St. Albans who specialises in all things Dance & Electronica. We're fortunate to have an album bursting with Haptik delights on amazingtunes.com. Titled 'Keramik', it displays Haptik's ability to diligently weave his way through a vast array of dance genres.

This album proudly showcases a producer that's clearly at the top of his game and one that isn't afraid to tinker and experiment with his sound either. In his own words:

"I use a lot of obscure samples in all my music including chainsaws, bells, pots and pans, drills, trains, the wind and my cat."

Such experimentation is always welcomed here at Amazing Instore, after all, it's artists such as Haptik that help keep music stimulating and ever evolving, feeding our desire for new music discovery. Go listen and if you like, as a bonus, you can download your own Haptik desktop background here.

Amazing Instore featured artist #3

Friday 11th November

Hailing from Virginia Beach, USA, The Revolving Birds introduce themselves to amazingtunes.com with their self-titled debut album. You hear a nod to the classics but no copycat formula, here's a band that craft and mould their influences into a sound entirely their own. A DIY ethic can only have helped (the band found themselves recording in a laundry room) and by choosing to take up their own recording duties have allowed themselves to fully experiment with every aspect of their sound.

Album opener 'Birds' sets the tone wonderfully. Meandering synths are underpinned by a grooving rhythm and vocals that sound akin to Elliot Smith, all bound together by some great production. In an age when music can be overly processed and polished The Revolving Birds opt for a more organic, natural and simplistic approach. It's humble and results in the albums warmth, character and charm.

This is a full album too. Sure each song can be enjoyed individually, but when you listen to each track, back to back and in order you realise you're confronted by a band that were determined to make an album the way they used to be. By the end of the soaring closing of 'Over The Ocean' you land with The Revolving Birds, eager to take flight with them again soon.

The band are currently recording their follow up album 'Head For The Hills' with a new single to be released before the end of the year. Until then their debut is available to download in its entirety for free here. Fly forth and enjoy.

Amazing Instore featured artist #2

Friday 4th November

This week's Amazing Instore featured artist comes in the form of Chelmsford three-piece Wild Combination. They debut on amazingtunes.com with their latest single 'We Are The Creatures', a marvellous slice of Indie Pop.

For the past week it's brought colour into our otherwise grey autumnal existence. There's a lot going on in this track (especially for a three piece!) but it all weaves together into a beautiful pop tapestry.

The chorus is embellished with lush string arrangements and reverb soaked backing vocals whilst a pulsating synth and highly vigorous drummer maintain the energy of the verses. All of this makes for a track that will fully immerse you in the joyful world of Wild Combination.

Check out the video for 'We Are The Creatures' below.

Amazing Instore featured artist #1

Friday 28th October

Discussions on Birmingham music usually begin with nostalgic talk of Black Sabbath and Judas Priest. Here at Amazing Instore we're interested in music of the here and now. Through the ashes of the Brummie rock gods of yesteryear rises Arc Vel, an electronica artist that wouldn't be out of place pushing a PA to its limit in a Berlin nightclub.

His exemplary production skills have not gone unnoticed either. 'Willowwacks' has frequently hit the airwaves of Mark Ryan's Amazing Beats show and as a result sat in the top 20 of the Amazing Beats Chart for the past 3 weeks. For good reason too, this is a track that's progressive, atmospheric and thoroughly engaging. It's a slow burner but that's to its credit. Built with ethereal synths seasoned with shimmering percussion it's an engrossing listen, and climaxes with one of the most grooving bass lines we've heard in a while.

If you're a fan of Four Tet or Caribou this is definitely worth lending your ears to.

BBC to fund rollout of DAB radio to 97% of population

Wednesday 19th October

The BBC has just confirmed that they will fund the roll out of DAB to the vast majority of the population. Every area that has a population greater than 5,000 will have, according to the corporations director of audio and music Tim Davie, indoor DAB coverage.

Davie stated that the priority was 'solid coverage' in the UK's top 25 cities, with boosts to signals in areas including London, Leicester, Glasgow, Coventry and Swansea.

As the government concedes there is a huge amount of work to be done before the switchover becomes a reality. But at least now there is a real commitment to cover the initial cost. (Thought to be in the region of £100 Million)

The original switchover date of 2015, which has been abandoned by the industry, was always destined to fail, as there was no real leadership with who would take responsibility for the huge initial cost. The government were cautious as the country is not exactly affluent at the moment, the commercial industry were reluctant as they already had a product that worked, and the cost could not be passed onto the consumer as they would not pay for something that wouldn't provide any new content or a better service.

Digital ownership has increased with around 14 million radios being sold. Which has been aided with a 'radio amnesty' where a 10-20% discount was available if people traded in their old analogue radios. This equates to around 27% of the population who now have the ability to tune into DAB. So with the government's target of 50% being covered by mid 2013, there is still some way to go.

DAB does have its fans (with us being one, obviously) as it allows a far greater variety of stations to be heard. After all isn't that the key to the popularity of radio? It has the unparalleled ability to be a friend to all of the listeners, all of the time.

But DAB will always have some form of coverage issues (mainly because there are bound to be some blackspots around the country). If you're a business that needs consistent background music, then you may find that DAB could let you down.

Fortunately, we here at Amazing Instore have cunningly devised a neat way around this coverage issue. Our streaming service is purely over the internet, which we're sure has more than adequate coverage. Even if there is the slightest interruption to the internet it wouldn't trouble our music boxes as they are able to store all of the music locally.

The radio digital switchover, we're sure, will have far ranging benefits to stations and listeners alike, but for those with any lingering doubts, Amazing Instore has another option.

The Amazing Instore team

PRS for Music 2010 figures show revenues down 4.8%

Monday 10th October

With sales of CD's dropping, the music world gripped by digital piracy and a number of the bigger name acts not touring, revenues gathered on behalf of UK music industry dropped by £189 million.

This is down in no small part to the current economic climate that we are going through. Bands managers, who may have thought about taking their artists on tour, probably thought better of it as people all around the country started tightening their purse strings. This helped to stall the live music revenues that had been increasing year on year for the last decade.

CD sales fell by 7.9% to £1.24bn as music piracy and the shift to digital services such as Spotify and Pandora continued to take their toll.

What was also worrying from these results was that Adele accounted for nearly 10% of all sales in the first four months of the year as her album '21' conquered all before it.

Now this may be worrying for artists who have attained a reasonable level of fame, but must also be a little dis-heartening for artists at the start of their musical careers. Especially with the behemoth of X Factor casting it's shadow of many a new release.

There has to be another way. There is far too much natural talent out there for formulaic pop songs to continuously dominate the charts. New artists need to be given a fairer chance to get their original music heard.

The main problem that any new artist has is gaining exposure. amazing has developed a three-stage plan that can help balance out this inequality.

New artists can upload their music to amazingtunes.com. If they gain a following from the users of the site then they can get their music played nationally on Amazing Radio. If they remain unsigned to royalty collection agencies then their music can be further exposed through Amazing Instore.

How is this beneficial to the artists? Well, on amazingtunes.com they receive 100% of any sales that they make. Furthermore their music has the chance of being broadcast to the nation over the airwaves of Amazing Radio and through Amazing Instore they could pick up more royalties each quarter than they would usually get from the PRS.