A
synopsis of the independent artists industry
In the past, the independent artists have attempted to create a
sound and a demo to present to a major label in hopes of being
discovered. The music industry was a much closed society which did not
allow these artists to produce quality products or to obtain
distribution or recognition. One of the greatest obstacles was the
inability of the independent artists to gain access to the technology
necessary to make their music competitive. Another challenge the
independent artists face were the limited access to radio due to
politics and the pay-for-play mentality that existed in radio promotion.
In recent years, the plain field has become much more level.
The
independent artists now have access to technology that they can only
previously dream of. Entire albums can be created in a home studio.
Additionally, these advances in technology have driven pricing down,
therefore making the studio experience a more realistic possibility. The
internet has opened up a new method for distribution and so the
independent artists are no longer dependent upon the major labels to
move their products. In addition to these facts, the government
crackdown on pay-for-play policies in the radio industry has once again
opened the airwaves to the independent artists.
Purpose:
The
Independent Gospel Music Coalition was established in 2005 to
bring exposure to independent Christian recording artists of all genres,
assisting in putting these artists in the forefront and on the national
gospel music platform thus raising the awareness of their work.
Venue: This
event will be hosted at the Robert Treat Hotel Ballroom in the
City of Newark, New Jersey. This venue seats approximately 1000 people
and is a central location that is accessible by any means of
transportation. The City of Newark is approximately 30 minutes from New
York City by car and 20 minutes by subway, and is located across from
the prestigious New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC).
We anticipate that the duration of this
event will be from 4-6 hours.
Eligibility:
Only projects released in 2005-2006 are eligible for nomination
and must be full-length. Recording must be of professional sound quality
and properly packaged. Artists or labels must be visible meaning but not
limited to: Online E-zines, Newspapers, and Magazines etc. In addition,
various websites will be monitored for information on some of these
artists. It is strongly recommended that the artists help to generate
public interest in their projects.
Voting:
Voting will take place online by the public, in addition to this,
listener and reader response are encouraged in the pre-selection
process. Should there be a tie in any category, only the President of En
Sound Entertainment can cast his vote to break that tie using his own
discretion.
Media Involvement:
Radio station that plays independent artists as part of their
programming, are encouraged to send us their weekly play lists via email
or fax. Our staff will then keep track of the artists appearing on
multiple play lists from individual stations throughout the year, which
will determine whether an artist gets to the pre-selection stage.
Voting Deadline:
The deadline for voting is Friday, May 19, 2006 at 12:00AM (EST).