# Grassroots Music Marketing 'Cd Baby' Independent Music Distribution Makes Everyone Happy By Katie Cordrey | Published 2009-03-26 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/grassroots-music-marketing-cd-baby-independent-music-distribution-pdx-onlin References: [yelp](http://www.yelp.com/biz/cd-baby-portland-2) & [cdbaby](http://cdbaby.com/) CD Baby claims that it is, “a little online record store that sells albums by independent musicians.” In fact, it is one of the largest [independent music sellers on the Internet](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/link-zero). Located in Portland, Oregon, the staff takes a great deal of pride in the personal touch. They only sell music that comes directly from musicians. They don’t kick artists out of their catalog if the artist doesn’t make a lot of sales. When you purchase from CD Baby, you get a great little confirmation email that will make your day - if you like to laugh. Founded by Derek Sivers in 1998, the company was purchased, along with [Host Baby](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/host), a [musician-friendly web hosting site](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/1800d2c), by fellow distributor and Partner, Disc Makers in August 2008. Several musicians that I know market through CD Baby. It’s an arrangement that’s good for the performing artist, the customer, and for independent music. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.5/10 - Popularity: 19% | Activity: 79% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Live Arts](https://www.trendhunter.com/livearts) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Grassroots Music Marketing:** CD Baby's success shows the potential for independent musicians to build their fanbase through direct online sales and personal connections with their audience. - **Independent Music Distribution:** The rise of CD Baby suggests that independent music distribution companies can succeed by providing a platform for artists to sell their music directly to fans. - **Artist-friendly Music Platforms:** CD Baby's business model of not penalizing artists who don't make a lot of sales presents an opportunity for artist-friendly music platforms to offer a more supportive environment for independent musicians. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Music Distribution:** The success of CD Baby indicates a growing market for independent music distribution online and the need for more platforms to support musicians. - **Online Music Retail:** CD Baby's direct-to-fan sales approach highlights the potential of online music retail for independent artists with a loyal following. - **Artist Services:** The acquisition of CD Baby by Disc Makers presents an opportunity for artist services companies to expand their offerings and provide a more holistic approach to supporting independent musicians. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Media-Based Music Expansions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/distrokid.md) - [Automated Distribution Networks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/indie-boosting.md) - [Artist-Led Music Streaming Stores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/soundcloud-store.md) - [Hybrid Music Distribution Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/soundon.md) - [Independent Artist Discovery Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/community-for-music-lovers.md) - [Connective Music Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/musicatfm.md) - [Social Music Sharing](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/favesfm.md) - [Membership-Based Distribution Networks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/membershipbased-distribution-network.md) - [Curated Music Discovery](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/disco-by-aulosa.md)