43 Folders

43 Folders feed subscription icon - Shiny! Drowning in email? Try Inbox Zero to learn sane tips for dealing with high-volume email. And don’t miss the free Inbox Zero video. »

Login or register

Register for free on 43 Folders to comment on articles, post to our forum, customize your visits, and much more. Current users can login now.

On MP3s: use them. ...

Paul Roub's picture

On MP3s: use them. ...

Submitted by Paul Roub (not verified) on December 6, 2004 - 8:00am.

On MP3s: use them. Full songs. Downloadable. Not streaming; not clips; not RealAudio.

Give me something I can: link to; share; store on my iRiver and fall in love with; evangelize. One carefully-chosen song is going to get to me infinitely more than 50 snippets I can’t take with me.

I’m not linking to your 30-second sample - why bother? I’m certainly not buying your CD or a ticket based on it. If there’s value in sharing your music (and let’s take that as a given), that value increases with every offline location in which I can listen, every friend I can hand it off to, etc.

»
Five Mistakes Band & Label Sites Make By: Merlin Mann (109 replies) December 6, 2004 - 6:25am
  • Amen, brother! Tell it like... By: Mike Baas (2004-12-06 07:08)
  • Regarding MP3 metadata: hell, yeah. I've... By: Michal Migurski (2004-12-06 07:21)
  • Awesome. I knew you had... By: kathryn (2004-12-06 07:31)
  • I just thought of one... By: Matt Haughey (2004-12-06 07:36)
  • Yes yes, amen. I went... By: Lalitree (2004-12-06 07:42)
  • On MP3s: use them. ... By: Paul Roub (2004-12-06 08:00)
  • from someone who is preparing... By: housepig (2004-12-06 08:21)
  • Band websites are perhaps the... By: emmilliiee (2004-12-06 08:33)
  • One more thing: the music.... By: Shannon Hale (2004-12-06 08:34)
  • I've made a lot of... By: Waldo Jaquith (2004-12-06 08:55)
  • MP3 metadata is huge (as... By: Jake (2004-12-06 09:07)
  • I do think you're overlooking... By: kellan (2004-12-06 09:16)
  • Radio stations are nearly as... By: Stephanie (2004-12-06 09:20)
  • Lack of show details is... By: scottandrew (2004-12-06 09:33)
  • Great tips there :::: I... By: David (2004-12-06 09:44)
  • For housepig, David, and anyone... By: Robert (2004-12-06 09:52)
  • This is exactly correct. ... By: Ben Seigel (2004-12-06 09:54)
  • I'd like to add (and... By: jeremiah (2004-12-06 10:07)
  • How timely! I work on... By: Max (2004-12-06 10:08)
  • I offer our site up... By: Nick (2004-12-06 10:59)
  • From past experience doing these... By: Mark McLaughlin (2004-12-06 12:03)
  • Oh, with regard to radio... By: Mark McLaughlin (2004-12-06 12:08)
  • Excellent post and comments. ... By: Jason (2004-12-06 12:33)
  • Good tips, especially considering that... By: Jay Fienberg (2004-12-06 12:54)
  • This is all well and... By: Anony Mous (2004-12-06 13:22)
  • Snap. http://www.zipworld.com.au/~kashum/blog/1101611873... By: Richard BF (2004-12-06 13:43)
  • My comments turned into an... By: Justin French (2004-12-06 13:44)
  • Very insightful. I've made a... By: lincoln (2004-12-06 13:50)
  • Uh, dumb band guy here,... By: john I (2004-12-06 14:12)
  • To play the devil's advocate,... By: Chris Johanesen (2004-12-06 14:16)
  • Thank you for this article.... By: Robyn (2004-12-06 15:46)
  • To answer John's question, yes... By: Jeffrey (2004-12-06 16:23)
  • In addition to google.com's search,... By: dege from tripinvite.com (2004-12-06 17:22)
  • Great post, Merlin, I hope... By: david (2004-12-06 17:23)
  • And for band and venue... By: Tim (2004-12-06 18:29)
  • Anyone have any band/label sites... By: Matt (2004-12-07 05:50)
  • Always include a lyrics page.... By: R. Emmett McAuliffe (2004-12-07 06:14)
  • This list was great and... By: matt (2004-12-07 07:18)
  • Couldn't agree more. Applies to... By: PXLated (2004-12-07 17:19)
  • I found this site yesterday.... By: kim (2004-12-08 01:52)
  • duh!... By: JJ (2004-12-08 06:04)
  • Very good post. I have... By: Kim Siever (2004-12-08 06:44)
  • Adonis Music does a good... By: jps (2004-12-08 10:26)
  • I really wish the powers... By: Adrienne (2004-12-08 12:48)
  • CD purchase info: List... By: Old Grouch (2004-12-08 13:00)
  • Amen, brother. It's not surprising... By: peter (2004-12-08 16:49)
  • Awesome post. It's nice to... By: Timothy Allan (2004-12-08 16:59)
  • true enough, but i can't... By: scott (2004-12-08 17:11)
  • One of my all-time favorite... By: z1on0101 (2004-12-08 19:02)
  • As usual, Merlin is dead... By: Richard Ramsay (2004-12-09 06:32)
  • Ha. Just saw this when... By: andrea (2004-12-10 01:44)
  • Checkout my website it doesn't... By: Rich Holler (2004-12-10 17:50)
  • you're speaking of music like... By: Cedric (2004-12-19 21:48)
  • I found much of valuable... By: Digital Beat (2004-12-23 07:25)
  • These are really great tips... By: Atlanta Tickets (2004-12-26 18:06)
  • Sharing MP3 - is bad! if... By: Matthew D (2004-12-28 05:05)
  • My biggest complaint? The... By: Carol (2004-12-30 12:04)
  • Lucid comments about web design.... By: Kenneth Bowen (2005-01-04 18:10)
  • Having worked for a web... By: pat (2005-01-07 11:00)
  • Matthew D. - you're kidding,... By: tom (2005-02-21 16:30)
  • One of the crappiest band... By: Just a fan (2005-02-22 12:38)
  • > The site actually had... By: El Kay (2005-03-29 14:24)
  • Re Cedric's comment: "you're speaking... By: Josh Carter (2005-03-30 12:09)
  • Congratulations on a very informative... By: Ashley Morgan (2005-04-19 01:25)
  • Band Site Mistakes Merlin of 43... By: scottandrew.com (2004-12-06 08:07)
  • Five Mistakes.... In a similar (yet... By: Paul Roub : blahg (2004-12-06 08:08)
  • great site-building advice from 43... By: mamamusings (2004-12-06 08:28)
  • Band Site Mistakes An entry at... By: Undisclosed Location (2004-12-06 09:01)
  • Bands with Crappy Websites Can we... By: Nonliteral: Metaphoric Engineering (2004-12-06 09:33)
  • Five mistakes of music websites A... By: Chromatic Musings (2004-12-06 09:46)
  • Over-used Flash (from Band Site... By: Rob Lambert (2004-12-06 10:03)
  • Avoid These Band Website Design... By: spinme.com (2004-12-06 10:22)
  • Music and Useability Five Mistakes Band... By: eclinkticism (2004-12-06 10:46)
  • Five Mistakes Merlin publishes a list... By: Jeremy Flint - Red Hot and Daily (2004-12-06 11:01)
  • http://vasta.typepad.com/main/2004/12/meatsjust_a_rem.html Meat By: wholesome goodness (2004-12-06 11:11)
  • The Sixth Mistake Band &... By: bedeviled mojo slop (2004-12-06 12:35)
  • Like A Bowl Of Cilantro Great... By: whatevernevermind (2004-12-06 13:00)
  • Five Mistakes Band+ Label Sites... By: Modern Musician (2004-12-06 13:02)
  • Flash bash Flash bash: This "5... By: JD on MX (2004-12-06 14:34)
  • 43 Folders posts ... Look at... By: Vinyl Mine (2004-12-06 16:41)
  • Bändisivuista Olen lukenut 43 Folders -blogia... By: Mikko Saari (2004-12-06 18:51)
  • Five Mistakes Band & Label... By: Brunmarde.com: Varia (2004-12-06 18:51)
  • http://www.sixdifferentways.com/remainder/011578.php 4Kick-Ass By: Remaindered links weblog (2004-12-06 20:34)
  • 5 mistakes band and label... By: Quicklinks (2004-12-06 22:05)
  • Reviewing ResinTheBand.com Following my recent work... By: Ben-Ward.co.uk (2004-12-06 22:08)
  • live music blog links Five Mistakes... By: live music blog (2004-12-07 02:45)
  • Designers weigh in on Flash... By: ARTS 428 - Web Design (2004-12-07 17:00)
  • This is not just mistakes... By: c u l t u r e k i t c h e n (2004-12-07 18:27)
  • These are not just mistakes... By: c u l t u r e k i t c h e n (2004-12-07 18:28)
  • Cool Stuff! ... By: Bootstomp 4.0 (2004-12-08 03:55)
  • Blogdex: Today's Outrages, Advice and... By: Bloggerheads (2004-12-08 05:28)
  • Mistakes Rapper's Sites Make I have... By: Hip Hop Blogs (2004-12-08 05:41)
  • Good info for nascent web... By: Kinrowan's LinkBlog (2004-12-08 07:50)
  • Band & Label Site Blunders I... By: TeledyN (2004-12-08 09:15)
  • Five Things Band Websites SHOULD... By: Josh Woodward (2004-12-08 10:53)
  • Five Mistakes Band & Label... By: inluminent/linkblog (2004-12-08 11:25)
  • Five Mistakes Band & Lable... By: Timothy Allan - Blog of Blogs (2004-12-08 16:59)
  • 43 Folders on Band Websites 43... By: ZenYenta's Blog (2004-12-12 16:09)
  • Mistakes That Band Sites Make This... By: kadavy.net (2004-12-12 19:29)
  • Hot and cold running topics From... By: Fischler.org (2004-12-15 06:24)
  • "Song" by "Artist" I've been reading... By: FuzzyCo (2004-12-15 12:22)
  • Social bookmarking, redux ... By: the Queue (2004-12-20 15:49)
  • Website tools and instructions ColorSchemer -... By: Ihan kiva linkki - Rather nice link (2004-12-28 01:08)
  • Website tools and instructions ColorSchemer -... By: Ihan kiva linkki - Rather nice link (2004-12-28 01:10)
  • The Delays So I read about... By: Nothing to Say and Saying It Loudly (2005-01-02 21:01)
  • Library RSS Dynix is the first... By: marginalia.org (2005-01-12 07:55)
  • Your Website Sucks... And Five Mistakes... By: Music Business (2005-02-10 20:01)
  • Our Band Could Be Your... By: Ed Batista (2005-02-19 16:19)
  • Good read. Five Mistakes... By: Ticias (2005-04-26 05:36)
    		•   
    EXPLORE 43Folders THE GOOD STUFF

    An Oblique Strategy:
    Distorting time

    STAY IN THE LOOP:

    Subscribe with Google Reader

    Subscribe on Netvibes

    Add to Technorati Favorites

    Subscribe on Pageflakes

    Add RSS feed

    The Podcast Feed

    Inbox Zero

    The original 43 Folders series looking at the skills, tools, and attitude needed to empty your email inbox — and then keep it that way. Don’t miss the free video of Merlin’s Inbox Zero presentation.

    Making Time

    3-part series on attention management for artists and makers. Read Bad Correspondence, The Job You Think You Have, and One Clear Line.