Wow! September is already here. Pretty soon we will be getting out the holiday decorations and fighting the crowds at the stores. The year has really passed by quickly and before we know it 2010 will be here.

A big welcome to the new artists and listeners that have joined the site recently, you will find that IMW is a bit different than some of the other sites out there. What makes the site different is the community.

The success of any music site is reliant on the community. IMW is not a site to just drop some music off and leave. We can appreciate artists marketing themselves but you will find this site is a bit more than off line storage for music tracks. As the site continues to grow we will be weeding out and deleting accounts of artists who are not active on the site and plans are to do the first phase at the 500 mark of membership.

This site has a strong and active community. Doing things like making it to the live radio shows is a great way to get your name out there and hear music that you may not normally slow down and listen to. Networking is a strong point of the site and one that every artist should take advantage of. The forum is also a great way to read about different music subjects, collab, and get to know some of the other folks. It doesn’t cost you a dime the only sacrifice is a little of your time.

One of the great things about technology today and Indie music is that the listener has access to the artist that creates their favorite music. The artists also have the ability to interact with the DJ’s on the site. A DJ is more likely to play a track from an artist that makes it out to one of the shows since the artists name is fresh in their minds as they talk to them in chat during the shows.

In this next year, IMW will be working on the growth of the listener base here on the site. It’s going to take everyone’s help to accomplish this. We are asking the members here to help get the word out, not only to other artists but also to listeners. I’m sure everyone has at least one friend, coworker, or neighbor that enjoys music. Unlike traditional radio, Indie DJ’s are not dictated a play list so the shows are quite diverse. Listeners and artists can join chat during the radio shows and actually be a part of it.

We’re working on some innovative ideas for the site and will continue to do so. IMW is your site so your involvement on the site is important. I remember a sign in the dentist office when I was a kid that read, “Ignore Your Teeth and They’ll Go Away”. Music sites are much the same way. It’s the members that make a difference on this music site. Over the years I’ve heard a lot of complaints about sites but it seems few people are willing to try to change things they don’t like. The fact is that you have more control over things and play a part in how good or bad a site is than you realize. IMW is your chance to change that, the site is free and caters to the Indie artist and listener. This site isn’t here to extract money from your wallet or shave profits from your CD sales.

It is simple to navigate the site and it is ad free, nothing to distract anyone from hearing music. We don’t need ad’s here for the local doughnut shop we’ve got hundreds of ads; they are your artist pages. After all a music site should be about music and the folks that listen to that music shouldn’t it?

I’ve made this newsletter a bit more personal and probably have talked about things a lot of sites won’t talk about. The one thing you can be certain of is that this site owner is passionate about Indie music, the artists and listeners. The focus is and always will be the artist, listener and the music. As the site owner I can’t do it alone it’s going to take a group effort. The team of folks that are on the site including the DJ’s are dedicated to it already.

I will be sending out two news letters a month since I am unable to get all the information into one. We will try to keep everyone as informed as possible. I try to keep the amount of emails to a minimum because I’ve been apart of sites that were constantly sending out emails that eventually just annoyed me.

IMW does not base any decisions on revenue because we are not a revenue driven site. This site is completely supported by its members and donations so you do in fact own it and are a part of it. We’re not followers; we’re leaders and will continue to be so. Frankly, I just don’t see artists or listeners as “Free Help” in order to generate money for me. It’s not about making money it’s about music and creating an atmosphere conducive to creativity. Thank you for sharing your music.

I’m always open to communicating with the members here and interested in what everyone has to say about the site. As the site has grown it may take me a little longer to respond but I will respond to every PM. You folks are the best I’ve run into on any site that I’ve ever been a part of. I’ve made more friends here and have never run into people as passionate as you about Indie music. My hats off to all of you for making this site what it is today.


Sincerely,

Walt
(Floridamusic)