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J-Bird Music takes flight

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Written by Jay Barbieri

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J-Bird Music takes flight

The first Internet record label re-launches with iTunes and

AmazonMP3 distribution.

In 1993 before the iPod, iPhone, iTunes Facebook and American Idol, there was J-Bird Records. J-Bird Records was the first all Internet record label founded by EMI record executive, Jay Barbieri. Barbieri was inspired by the idea from his work on the multi-platinum and highest selling classical CD in history, "Chant" by the Gregorian Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos. "This album was a complete anomaly. There was no formula or prediction that this type of recording should have sold millions," said Barbieri. "It was timing, graphics and marketing that made this a phenomenon. It was not hit driven."

The premise for J-Bird Records was simple--sign all artists without exercising any bias towards the music: market, distribute, and promote it on the Internet. The label took off in 1996. During the next five years, J-Bird Records signed hundreds of artists and built an inclusive catalog of over 3500 songs. However, at that time, J-Bird Records was faced with huge challenges: the first being the lack of technology to sell music digitally, and secondly, the resistance from the

traditional music industry fighting any type of digital distribution.  "I was told over and over again that no one would ever listen to music on their computer," commented Barbieri.

To raise money, J-Bird Records went public. But unfortunately, the company was caught up in the dot com boom. Barbieri says, “Investors didn't understand that J- Bird Records wasn't a dot com company but rather a content based business." With no digitally distribution models in place and the bust of the dot com market

in 2000, Barbieri resigned as president.  It seemed like that was the end of J-Bird

Records. The company sat idle for ten years.

Over the last ten years, everything that Barbieri predicted about digital music distribution came to fruition, and behind the scenes, Barbieri began trying to privatize J-Bird Records and re-take control. "It was a long process, and at times, I wasn't sure it could be done."  But, in 2010 J-Bird Records was successfully carved out of the public company and Barbieri was back in the driver's seat. "In my opinion, as portrayed in the movie Moneyball, the traditional music industry model like professional baseball was broken, by nature I’m a fixer and I just couldn’t let go of my dreams to reinvent the way artists were discovered”.

In Jan 2012, J-Bird Records re-launched its catalog under the new company

name, J-Bird Music, securing distribution through iTunes and Amazon MP3. To date, J-Bird Music has over 1000 songs online for sale and is in the process of gathering more of the original CDs and masters to restore the entire 3500 song catalog.

The concept for J-Bird Music is the same as it was back in the 90s--sign all artists to a record deal without passing judgment on their music. “It's the music- buying public that decides what's going to be the next big hit, not an individual,” said Barbieri. “The goal is to make J-Bird Music the first place consumers go to discover new music."

If you’re an artist considering signing with J-Bird Music, there are a few things to know: (1) There are no recoupable charges. (2) Artists get royalties from the

first song sold. (3) An artist can sign a single song deal or full CD deal. (4)

Royalty earnings are a true 50/50 spilt between the artist and the label. (5) An artist can have as few or as many songs signed through J-Bird Music, and (6) One of the biggest differences between J-Bird Music and other digital distributions companies is that there are no costs to the artist. The J-Bird Music

business model is based on the success of selling an artist's music, not on set up fees, recurring membership fees or additional services or marketing programs.

The new web site, j-birdmusic.com built by web designer, John Colley, is officially up and running and signing new artists.

J-Bird is no longer a prediction about the music industry. It's the reality.

For more information contact:

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. "> This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call: 323 871-2247

J-Bird Music Inc.

6671 Sunset Blvd Hollywood, CA 90028 • 323 871 • 2247

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