New Referral Model and Social Distribution Network Reshape Digital Music Scene

AUSTIN, Texas (Business Wire EON/PRWEB ) April 14, 2008 -- Surrge, the hottest new brand in the business of online music, launches during South by Southwest this week. Ushering the music industry into the Web 2.0 world, Surrge is a social distribution network and music community that lets fans play a part in any given musical artist’s success. The Surrge experience is one where artists are promoted by their biggest fans; performance fees for music streams are finally paid; and access to target audiences pays off for fans and artists alike. By marrying social networking with music culture, the company is driving a new paradigm for music in the 21st Century.

We're giving good music a chance to be heard by fans who care. And, in turn, we're helping artists succeed on the quality of their music rather than their business acumen.

By creating a fan-driven, word-of-mouth distribution channel, Surrge enables artists to recognize the fans who contribute to their success. Those fans are then compensated through Surrge for their promotional efforts. As a result, new music spreads quickly, conversations and music sharing ensues, fan bases grow, and the hottest stars rise to the top creating a true social community “Top 40” effect based on real sales.

“True fans know that the hottest new sound is often rumbling underground. It’s not typically on display in some high-end showcase with glitzy costumes and raging stage effects. So, how do you find it in the digital age when the number of new songs posted on the Web weekly probably exceeds the amount most people hold in their personal collections?” asked Jonathan Bingham, CEO of Surrge. “The best way to raise the music up is to talk it up. This is something today’s music industry is unable to harness with a viable economic model in new media. As a result, fans are being alienated. The answer is simple, though. When fans know they had a hand in an artist’s success because they told someone to listen or see a show, they are far more likely to support that artist any way possible to help him continue making great music.”

Employing social communities to foster viral discovery, connect like-minded individuals and widely distribute content to targeted audiences is not new. Where the music industry has struggled is with finding the right model that capitalizes on social media, while also keeping all parties’ best interests in mind. While the last few years have witnessed some remarkable changes in the digital music scene, road-blocks like digital rights management and fair artist compensation still exist when it comes to devising a practical solution for extensible distribution channels.

“We’ve fixed a very broken system by bringing everyone into the fold, making everyone a participant in the success of musicians,” added Bingham. “We’re giving good music a chance to be heard by fans who care. And, in turn, we’re helping artists succeed on the quality of their music rather than their business acumen.”

Promoters can participate in the viral campaign, too, taking advantage of targeted audiences who have already expressed interest in particular music types or artists. Surrge offers a repeatable distribution channel that is tailored to push an artist’s music directly to the fans most interested or to curious browsers. Updating fans with new music and artists’ relevant news is now simple, fast and economical.

“I can see Surrge becoming a successful tool for artists and fans because everyone has motivation to use it,” said Linda Strawberry, an artist currently on Surrge. “There are lots of new sites that are based on the idea that people use them just because they exist. I think Surrge is a smart one that’s actually answering the question of ‘why’ people want to use it. There’s incentive on every side.”

To learn more about how Surrge is revolutionizing the music industry, visit www.Surrge.com

About Surrge

Surrge is redefining the music industry with its social distribution network. Through its repeatable distribution and referral models, Surrge helps artists build their distribution network and fanbase by rewarding existing fans for spreading the music. Surrge’s online community fosters relationships between artists, fans and music labels to present listeners with music that they would never have found before—or even known to look for. For more information visit: www.surrge.com.

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