Can album pins save the indie music business? What is an Album Pin and Why do you want to own one?
The music business is changing. Fewer people want to buy CDs. Vinyl is thriving, but the base cost is too high and too cumbersome to store. Cassettes… seriously?
Fortunately, there another brilliant new option–the album pin. Let me tell you more.
What is an Album Pin?
An album pin is a lapel pin with artwork inspired by a specific album or song. It could be the actual album artwork or it could be inspired by a specific track on the album.
The best album pins stand out on their own. It is interesting to a specific audience. It appeals to more than just your fans. It is simple, bold, and visually engaging.
However, that is only the start.
What truly makes it an “album pin” (sometimes called a “musical pin”) as opposed to a lapel pin is that the purchaser also gets a digital album with their pin. The digital download is delivered through an Album Pin Card.
Two Types of Album Pin Cards
There are two types of Album Pin Cards. There's the Album Pin Card and the Album Track Card.
The Album Pin Can is printed on two-sided business cards. On one side you have the name of the artist, the album title, the regular album cover, a URL and an email address.
On the back side, you have a download URL and a QR code easier access. It also includes info to tell people how to redeem the digital download.
The Album Track Card is printed on postcards. It includes the album title, a picture of the album cover and a complete track listing. The main purpose of the Album Track Card for fans who want to know what song is on what album. It's also a bigger item to autograph for fans who are interested in such things.
The back side gives you space to include “liner notes” about the album. You an also include a digital download URL and QR code if you want to use just this.
The Album Track Card is a signal that says, “this is not just a pin”, it's an album as well.
Do you need both the Album Pin and the Album Track Card?
No. You really only need one or the other. Attach the pin to either the Album Pin Card or the Album Track Card.
I attach it to the Album Pin Card. The paper will bend with metal pins. Use a heavy weight paper for either Pin Cards or Track cards to prevent too much bending.
I prefer the Album Pin Cards. However, I do print a short run of Album Track Cards as well so that fans can see the Track Listing when they're shopping for the album that they want.
What's on the Album Download Page?
Once someone buys the album, they get access to a URL or QR code that takes them directly to a private Album Download Page. The page is NOT just a link to download the album. It's a deeper dive into your musical artistry. Here's what's on the page.
First you get the album title, description and a list of the tracks on the album. That way, the fan knows that this what the ordered.
Second is the chance to sign up to your mailing list. This is one of the reasons I prefer Album Pins to CDs. The fan goes straight to a place to dive deeper into your music and become more than just a basic fan.
Third, you get a link to download the album. I host my files on a Google Drive. I include directions on how to download the album.
Fourth, I include contact information, just in case there is a problem, they can reach me by email.
Fifth, I include a link to my Patreon Blog. They can become even more active by Following my Patreon and maybe even become a Patron of my music.
Sixth, I have a link to my Podcast. Again, my goal is to get fans into my ecosystem. My podcasts are an important part of that.
And finally, I offer links to Streaming Music sites. Most people are on Streaming these days. So I make it easy for them to add my album to their library and stream when they are in the mood. They can also stream it for free on Bandcamp.
What size and shape album pins should you create?
That is ultimately up to you. Most of mine are hard enamel. Those that are custom cut are soft enamel.
I typically prefer round album pins that are 1.25″ in diameter.
The 1.5″ pin feel too big if round. But 1.5″ works well for soft enamel pins because those are custom cut.
However, in general, I like the smaller pins.
Why should you want to sell Album Pins?
Most fans want to support their favorite musician, especially after the thrill of a live show. Album pins solve a few problems for fans.
First, many fans no longer have a CD players, record players or even cassette decks. They don't want to buy something that they can't play. Sure, they could display the album.
Some fans may want to buy a CD to archive the music. But those fans are rarities.
An Album Pin gives a physical reminder of the show that your fans enjoyed.
Second, album pins help fans remember what albums they have.
I have released 25 studio albums. I can't tell you how many fans come to table, look at my catalog with their eyes glazed over and say, “I don't remember which albums I have.” An album pin solves that problem because you can literally wear your album on your sleeve.
Although to be fair, it's uncomfortable wearing them on your shirt. BUT you can pin them to your jean jacket? You backpack? A lanyard or scarf? A kilt? A hat?
Fans can show others how much they enjoy their favorite musician by the number of albums they bought and are wearing. All the world gets to see.
The Album Track Card solves another problem. There's a complete track listing of what's on the album. Fans have another way to collect autographs. Instead of autographing a CD, a musician can sign the Album Track or Pin Card that fans can save and display for years to come.
I found at my shows that more and more fans are extremely grateful to have a non-CD alternative for supporting my music. This makes a HUGE impact on my ability to make a living as a musician.
Are Album Pins Better for the Environment?
Sort of.
CDs are made from lots of not-easy-to-recycle plastic. They are often wrapped in plastic. If there's a scratch on the CD, they become unusable and difficult to recycle. There's just too much wasted plastic with CDs.
Album Pins are made from either enamel or wood.
From what I understand, enamel is basically fusing a type of colored glass to metal. There is some petroleum used in the process. So that sucks. But there's definitely less plastic used and the cards are all paper. But the Album Pins have a long life. You can pass them down for years.
Busy Beaver Company prints my enamel pins. I specifically ask them NOT to package each pin in plastic. They wrap them instead in paper. But this is a special request you have to do.
Busy Beaver Company is a US-based company, but the pins are ordered from China. In fact, there are no US-based enamel pin printers. Apparently it is too cost-prohibitive. However, there is another option.
You can also print Album Pins with wood and even add color to the pins thanks to the low costs of laser engravers these days. This is what I recommend to be most-environmentally friendly.
Oh! And of course, the music is all digital!
How do you display Album Pins?
If you start collecting Album Pins and you don't want to wear them all at once, then you need to find a way to display the pins. Musicians aren't the first to get on the Lapel Pin bandwagon. Pins are super popular among the younger generations.
In fact, you can look up Disney Pins are a big business. You can find a huge number of pin board or pin books to keep track of your album pins. It's not too dissimilar to the CD Wallet books from the 90s. It's a big business.
Personally, I bought a cork board and painted it black. Originally, I stuck my Album Pins in there to display at a sales table. Then I realized I could also pin all of my Album Pins there just for me to see and enjoy.
Are they called Album Pins or Musical Pins?
I sometimes refer to Album Pins as Musical Pins because my fellow Brobdingnagian Bards partner, Andrew McKee prefers that name. I used it for a while. However, I like “Album Pin” better.
Album Pin captures the idea that it's an album that comes with the pin.
Musical Pin makes people ask a question and invites curiosity.
Both do the trick and help musicians make more money. So go with what works best for you.
Is there an alternative to Album Pins?
Album Pins are not the only way to ditch CDs, vinyl records, and cassettes. Honestly, the options are endless. I chose Album Pins because the price was comparable to CDs for indie musicians AND it was a way to public talk about the musicians you love.
I have seen bands with tea towels and shirts. You could also do stickers, buttons, or songbooks. You could also just USBs. However my goal is to find a comparably profitable merch alternative to CDs. The Album Pins seem to fit the bill.
If you have an alternative that you think works great, let me know.
Should you sell CDs alongside Album Pins?
If I was starting in the music business today, I would not sell CDs. Sure, they will have their come back day, like everything else. The simple fact is we are in a new era. It's far better to sell an Album Pin with digital music attached than to try and sell CDs. Or even better find fans who will support you on Patreon.
“But some people still ask for CDs!”
It used to blow my mind when I saw band didn't sell CDs. They sold shirts instead. I've had little success selling shirts. Plus, there so bulky and there are so many different sizes to guess at. And yet, those bands made a killing selling shirts. How?
That's when I realized that if fans don't have an option, they will love any option you give them.
Now that said, I DO still have CDs. I order 1000 back in 2011, and I'm slowly still selling them. I also order new CDs each time I release a Kickstarter. But here's how that works.
Depending on the success of the Kickstarter, I only order 100 CDs or 100 CDs over the ones that were already funded. That way, I don't have to worry about having too many CDs sitting on my shelf. I can probably sell 100 CDs in a year to those fans of mine that still listen to CDs.
Once those are gone, the only option are the Album Pins.
If the CDs sell well, go ahead and make another run. But keep the numbers low or fund their purchase through pre-sales. That way you don't end up with a 1000 CDs sitting on your shelf.
