THENEWRECORD.COM: Launches First-Ever Free Music Discovery Platform Created By Independent Record Labels

Anti-, Kill Rock Stars, Sub Pop, Century Media, Daptone, and Side One Dummy and 30+ labels have announced that they will be releasing songs on TheNewRecord.com with more added daily.

Rabid music fans often look at what their favorite record labels are releasing to discover new music. TheNewRecord has announced a partnership with over 30 independent labels to create a digital newsstand where every week the site will offer users a free filtered environment to play and download new songs weeks in advance of release. This is the first-ever music social network created by independent labels.

With a free one-time sign-up, a user can play and download unlimited free MP3s, use a built-in widget to embed songs or playlists, create and swap customizable playlists with other users, and share new finds over Facebook, Twitter, e-mail, and 340 other social networks. Using the “Follow” feature, users will have new music delivered to them directly from the record label or artist before the release date. Users can also follow each other, filtering new music through their friend’s tastes.

TheNewRecord was founded by Bill Armstrong (co-founder of SideOneDummy Records) as a place to discover great new music and to solve some of the problems he faced as a label owner trying to get his artists noticed and above the static. “As a fan, I felt that new music wasn’t being organized in a way that made it easy to find.” From a label’s perspective, Armstrong’s solution was to create a music discovery community with other independent labels. “I wanted a filtered environment with what I consider other high quality artists whom we might share similar or even some of the same fans.” The New Record is a result of those two concepts and a lot of shop talk with other labels to try and define an idea that could be approached as community.

Cathy Bauer of Daptone Records explains, “TheNewRecord approaches the digital promotions arena with a focus on selling records, tapping into the familiarity of the social environment, and ultimately driving people to our store. Which is why we are into it!” Jim Mahoney, VP of industry group The American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), adds, “Every A2IM’er I know who has seen how TheNewRecord works has been blown away.”

TheNewRecord’s launch will be limited to North America. Stay tuned for more announcements of exclusive new releases and new label partners.

Hi Res Photos / Links / Bio: http://www.shorefire.com/clients/thenewrecord/

View a full list here: http://www.thenewrecord.com/labels