In 2006 singer/songwriter Derek Webb gave away free downloads of his album in exchange for a little demographic information from his fans. The trade reached 80,000 fans and is said to be responsible for sold-out shows and sale spikes.
This success turned into the foundation for a little company called NoiseTrade. Today, consumers can either pass along the e-mail addresses of five friends or can pay what they want for music downloads of up-and-coming artists. If fans choose to pay for a download, the artist keeps 80% of the payment. In the end, everyone wins.
Head over to NoiseTrade’s blog for more information, or dive right in and get downloading.