Audio Democracy aka Toxx takes over the world

[Toxxic 0]

I have a new project called Audio Democracy, and we envision it as the future of music reviewing. Based at http://audio-democracy.com it's not currently 'live', but we're planning on launching on Monday 28th May 2007. At the moment an overview of what we do can be found HERE.

 

Basically, we're a bunch of people reviewing music. Any music. It doesn't matter about the genre, it doesn't matter about the recording quality, it doesn't matter if the band or artist is big or small. However, we also have a few little features that we think will make us useful:

 

*We accept tracks to review electronically. At the moment all submissions should go to [email protected], but when the site goes live people will be able to sign up for an account (for free) and then upload music directly to the site ready for review. Part of the reason we've done this is to cut down on the carbon footprint of all those CDs being burned, posted in envelopes, listened to once and then maybe never listened to again. No, it makes more sense to send the track via the internet, and it can be deleted from a harddrive once no longer needed.

 

*However, those reviewed tracks don't just go away. No, they get streamed on Audio Democracy itself, so people reading the review can listen to the music at the same time. No more will people think "well, this writes them up as being OK but I don't know if they're my thing". They'll know.

 

*Anyone can view the site, but registered users will be able to post their own comments and (if they want to get that involved) reviews in reply to the main review. That's why it's called Audio Democracy - we may be the reviewers, but that doesn't mean we know it all. Everyone gets a say, and if enough people think we're wrong we'll be shouted down. We're aiming to blur the lines between the critics and the audience (but please note that overly offensive or downright malicious comments will be deleted).

 

*Every track gets rated... but not just by us. A registered user can vote on a track to put the average score up or down.

 

*Bands/artists who've signed up for accounts will be able to put their upcoming gig and show dates up so people who've read the reviews and listened to the tracks will know where they can next see the band live.

 

*We're also looking at becoming an iTunes affiliate so readers can buy the tracks straight from the website if they want to. That means readers can discover, read about, hear, find out gig dates of and buy tracks from a band on the same day, all in one place!

 

 

We're hoping that enough people will start using Audio Democracy for us to become a real, vital tool in the world of music. Imagine if a record label starts looking through and sees a band they'd never heard of with a really high rating for their tracks, and hundreds of posts from people going "yes! I love this tune!". How about if a record label gets a demo that sounds interesting and can go "hmm, I'll see what the public says on Audio Democracy"?

 

 

I don't really know if many of the people on here are at all involved in the music industry, in whatever level. However, I'm hoping that some of you might be in bands, or know people in bands, or know people involved in independent record labels, or something like that. Please, pass the word out because I really think that this could become a useful tool for such people... but the more people use it, and view it, and sign up to it to make their voices heard, the better it will be.

 

"Audio Democracy - because everyone's a critic"

[Secret Agent 0]

Interesting. I was in a band once, in my younger years, and we won a Oklahoma state 'battle of the bands' type of competition. I might have to upload an old recording, though they mixed it with the bass way to loud.

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

Sounds intriguing, but I'll pass, if it's all the same. No offense but, given the music you've expressed a taste for, I don't know how qualified I'd consider you to be to evaluate the sort of music which I prefer.

[Toxxic 0]

Cheers, WC. Clearly you haven't factored in that also on the reviewing squad is my best mate who co-runs the biggest hip-hop and drum n' bass night in Central England.

 

Seriously, I've thought this one through.

[HollywoodSpikeJenkins 0]

JJ just jerked off onto his Mastodon album.

[Toxxic 0]

As long as it makes people happy.

[HollywoodSpikeJenkins 0]

This could be the next napster. I want to buy stock.

[Toxxic 0]

You mean we have a period of huge success before being shut down by lawsuits and then re-emerging as an ass-kissing version of our former selves? No sir. We ass-kiss the record labels first.