Embracing the online music consumer - ilikemusic.com - new look, new focus, new era

a must-see music website," The Web Review, ITV How a small team of music lovers have kept going while others have fallen by the way side - self produced content, drive, user-centricity and passion. Now ilikemusic.com gets over 2,000 daily visitors, has been redesigned and is ready to embrace 2003.

Southampton, Hampshire, UK – December 12, 2002 – Music in relation to the Internet is never out of the media for long. Whether about the huge rise in peer-to-peer file sharing, the slump in online retail sales, or the adoption of paid-for services and move by record labels and online music venues towards new licensing and digital distribution deals.

But while others are tightening their reigns or tentatively dipping their toes into the realm of digital distribution, one non-corporate website has been quietly brewing up a highly popular online music venue – ilikemusic.com – a UK online music magazine and directory thats kept afloat while others have sunk without a trace.

Having just relaunched the new look website, just over a year after launching at Music Live, complete with a fully editable back end database, the sites founders, James Suddaby (25) and Cheryl Rickman (28) are looking forward to 2003 as they move into phase two of their business plan.

By steering clear of the problematic areas facing dot coms (especially entertainment related sites), such as over-funding, large outgoings and problems with e-commerce fulfilment, ilikemusic.com has made its phase one focus content not profit.

And now that the site has a good traffic base (over 2,500 unique daily visitors / 75,000 visitors / 1.5 million hits per month) and a huge stock of self-produced content, along with thousands of subscribers to their monthly newsletter, ilikemusic.com is now focusing on establishing partnerships and generating revenue, while remaining user-centric – the mantra of its success.

ilikemusic.com has been so popular because of its refreshing lack of corporate involvement, (set up by four music-lovers) its huge volume of self-produced content and its dedicated, albeit small, team.

Weve not tried to make a quick buck, weve tried to create a site that music lovers, musicians, DJs and unsigned talent will love, find useful and tell their friends about," says Director and Founder, James Suddaby.

Weve invested a great deal of our own time, money and selves into the website – as a non-corporate entity, and are now looking to broaden the sites offerings with a range of new aspects: a revamped website, an online music store, content syndication services, music business information products and a download venue/virtual listening booth," he adds.

ilikemusic.com was recently ranked (327) above other popular music sites in the IMA Peoples Choice Award 2002 (where web users do the voting). The site was ranked above mp3.com (445), dotmusic.com (490), bbc.co.uk/radio1 (589) and contactmusic.com (890). The winning site was westlife.com, with artists sites taking up most of the top hundred sites. But ilikemusic.com have done well to stay ahead of the competition.

By providing music promoters and record labels with a platform for their new releases, and acting as a platform for unsigned artists, ilikemusic.com has built up quite a following. The site recently scored 9/10 on ITVs The Web Review.

The music business, both online and offline, have swallowed recent information about music retail sales declining, and is starting to move forward to cater for the consumer. But thats something weve always done from day one," says founder, James Suddaby.

In the future, ilikemusic.com will be looking at digital download subscription services. And are keeping their eye on events in the music industry online.

Our priority in selecting a partner will be liberal licensing policies and broad selection of music," says James. Were keeping our eye on the music playing field, to enter the market at the right time with our consumers always the top priority."
Our initial aim was simply to build a massive stock of good fresh content, build up our visitor numbers and build relationships with people in the industry," says Editor and co-founder, 28 year old, Cheryl Rickman.

After all, we didnt have an offline business before setting up ilikemusic.com Ltd, so we wanted to build a good visitor base and massive content before entering into a revenue model – one of our reasons behind funding the site ourselves and avoiding corporate involvement."
MORE FOLLOWS

p3 of 4
Now weve achieved our initial goal, we are ready to move towards a revenue model in 2003," adds Cheryl. The first thing to do was to revamp the existing website with a content management system which frees us up to promote the site and set up partnerships. Our first one being with local web firm, Rocktime Ltd."

Until now our primary concern has been to keep content fresh and updated, and give our customers what theyre accustomed to – a huge array of content across the board and, in essence, a one-stop-shop for all things music," says Director of ilikemusic.com, James Suddaby. Now that weve been online for one year – we are now adding site usability and interface design to our list of priorities, hence our revamped site that is getting fantastic feedback."

And with 2003 fast approaching, ilikemusic.com will continue to embrace the online music consumer wholeheartedly. Bottom line – if you like music, youll like ilikemusic.com!

The Online Music Business Factoids for Editors:
·   31% of consumers download music and burn CDs often. These frequent digital music users buy 36% of all CDs.
·   One in three online Europeans has downloaded music from the net. These consumers exhibit an early-adopter profile but shy away from MP3 players, which still havent caught the imagination of many digital music consumers.
·   There is a month on month growth of downloaders reported to have paid to download music.
·   Other factors come into play for the slump in music sales, including recession in economy, rise in competition for entertainment dollars (from music dvd and video games) and the limited access to new acts.
·   According to research by Forrester Research, by 2007, downloads will generate $2.1 billion or 17% of all music sales.
About ilikemusic.com
ilikemusic.com is a new online magazine, community, resource centre, directory and guide to all things music built by music lovers and one DJ for music lovers, DJs, musicians and unsigned talent, plus those seeking careers in music.

MUSICANS can:
·   Access the Make Music pages, including Hardware and Software Reviews, Links and Shop
·   Find links to Instruments, Sheet Music, Studios & Producers, Lyrics, Hardware, Software and Musicians Resources/Insurance
·   Read articles about Making Music

DJs can:
·   Mix music using the DJ Booth
·   Read reviews of Turntablism Championships, Videos and DJ Gear on the DJ page
·   Access articles on Turntablism and DJing and DJ/Production Tuition and courses
·   Find DJ Gear, Studios and Producers, Mix Tapes, Software and Hardware, in the Directory
·   Get featured on the Unsigned Soundstage

UNSIGNED acts can:
·   Get featured on the Unsigned Soundstage
·   Read about up and coming new acts getting their props
·   Access articles on how to get signed, promote themselves and get a record deal
·   Find links and resources to help promote their music online and offline
·   Download free music biz guides and record labels contact report
·   Post classified ads, chat with other new artists

MUSIC CAREER seekers can:
·   Find out about Music Courses and Career News on the career pages
·   Access free music biz guides and record label contact report
·   Read articles on the music industry and download a CV template

MUSIC lovers can:
·   Read the magazine and Find music: Dance, Indie, Metal/Rock, Pop, Hip Hop, Urban (Soul, R&B, Garage)
·   Buy music: CDs, DVDs, Merchandise, etc in the shop
·   Read interviews with their favourite stars and new acts
·   Get involved: send in their own reviews, photos, lookalikes, lyrics, taglines +        Buy boys toys and gifts for chicks via the directory, plus instruments, dj gear, studio time, hardware and software
·   Read live, album and single reviews, music news and features
·   Subscribe to their favourite music magazines and buy music books via the Magazine Rack and Bookshelf
·   Subscribe to the free monthly newsletter via e-mail

What makes ilikemusic.com different to array of music sites on the web is that there is something for everyone: music lovers and fans as well as unsigned bands and artists, djs, producers and songwriters. Plus the site is hugely user-led. Visitors have a voice too and can write and review for ilikemusic.com and can send in their letters, jokes, photos, resources, music and links. And theres the usual news, reviews, interviews and features too.