Asbury Park Songwriter Explores New Way to Release Independent Music

Asbury Park, NJ, March 02, 2017 --(PR.com)-- It’s no secret that the music business has changed. There was a time when every shopping mall had a record store or two, but good luck finding them these days. The dreams of signing a big record deal and having a label produce and release an album are largely gone. Musicians have been searching for a way to survive in the new era and singer-songwriter Eric Ginsberg may have found one.

With his arsenal of alternately upbeat and somber pop/rock songs, more infectiously catchy than a sailor on shore leave, Ginsberg has performed across the country at colleges, cafés, bars, and clubs.

After having traveled to Louisville, Kentucky, to record with acclaimed area recording artist Peter Searcy serving as producer, Ginsberg is now releasing his next album, "Fire," in a way that’s never been done before: he’s letting fans subscribe to the record via Patreon.

Patreon is a creative crowdfunding website similar to Kickstarter or Indiegogo, but with a twist. Fans pay a pledged amount per month or per piece to fund artists who create constant content like podcasts or videos. But by taking a complete piece of work like an album and breaking it up into monthly content, Eric Ginsberg is utilizing this platform in an unintended way, releasing the album one song at a time.

“Every month I'll send you one new song from my upcoming album, Fire – 10 songs in all,” explained Ginsberg. “You'll get to download that song and, depending on your patron level, a bunch of other goodies that make each song a whole experience. At the end of the year, I'll spend that money to make and release a tangible album. It's like Kickstarter, but backwards, because you get the music now – no waiting!”

Subscription packages range from $1 to $10 or more per month. Packages range from a new song each month on up to a monthly package that includes a new song, an exclusive acoustic video, the song’s original demo, a demo of an additional never-before-released song, a monthly online acoustic concert, and an invitation to the album release party.

“One of the hardest things about releasing an album,” said Ginsberg, “is that the clock starts ticking the moment you release it and, like most independent musicians, I don’t always have the time or money to just go out and live on the road to tour in support of a record.” By releasing his new album, Fire, in one-song-a-month increments, Ginsberg hopes to give it a longer shelf life and give himself more of an opportunity promote it.

“The best thing about Patreon for my subscribers is that they only pay when they get something, and they pay as much or as little as they want,” continued Ginsberg. “The best thing for me is that, when I release a song, subscribers will get to hear it and their subscription helps with recording expenses.”

Will this become the wave of the future for independent recording artists? Time will tell, as the album’s first song has just been released on February 28, with each subsequent song slated for release on the last day of each month until all 10 songs are out.

To check out Eric Ginsberg’s “Fire” and be a part of this new way to experience an album, visit Patreon.com/EricGinsberg, pick your level, and subscribe.