Chicago Startup “8th Stage” Emerges To Lead Significant Change In The Music Industry

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Aug. 7, 2013 - PRLog -- CHICAGO, IL – 8th Stage, a Chicago-based tech startup launches, appropriately, on August 8 and promises to help usher in a renaissance of music – locally in Chicago, across the country, and around the world.

You don’t have to be a record executive to see that the music industry is evolving rapidly. New digital technology makes it easier than ever for music artists to create and share their music with the world. Streaming services like Spotify and Pandora boast millions of users, 5 year-olds are releasing their own rap videos about golf (http://www.golfchannel.com/news/grill-room/cute-5-year-old-raps-about-golf/) on YouTube, and if you want to know if you’ve perfected that guitar lick from your favorite blues song… there’s an app for that (http://techcrunch.com/2013/05/29/jamstar-is-a-cool-free-app-that-teaches-you-to-play-the-guitar/). Yet all of the changes in the music industry haven’t been so great. Many people believe pop music has declined in quality over the last 10 years. Part of the problem, arguably, is that many record labels no longer invest in developing talent. Why? It’s simply more cost effective to let music artists develop themselves. It’s virtually impossible for new artists to have access to the armies of coaches, producers, writers and engineers once behind the development of many of the music personalities we know and love today. 8th Stage changes all of that.

8th Stage is singularly focused on building the world’s first online social community dedicated entirely to helping independent music artists develop their careers. Their website www.8thStage.com is part social network, part career development and entirely about helping music artists take their “music to the next level.”

“Whether you simply want to jam out locally or build a career that takes you on tours around the world, we are here to help you reach your goals,” says 8th Stage Founder & CEO Marcus Cobb. “We empower music artists by providing the resources and tools they need to realize their dreams. We are committed to setting music free.”

The music industry response has been overwhelmingly positive. 8th Stage is currently building partnerships with record labels, booking agents, management companies, recording studios and other industry leaders to create opportunities and future growth channels for its music artist community. According to industry leader Joe Murdock, Founder of Spread The Groove, “8th Stage solves a real problem. This is something that artists need."

When asked if 8th Stage would eliminate the need for major record labels, co-founder Paul Jorgensen explained, “There will always be a place for record labels; they bring invaluable resources and connections to the table for artists. The problem is that labels no longer take risk on talent, forcing independent artists to build their own careers. That’s where 8th Stage comes in.”

When the 8th Stage team talks about their mission, the passion is palpable. They are actively building industry-changing solutions that will integrate crowdfunding, social media, and cloud technologies to make it easier than ever for independent artists to achieve commercial success on an independent level. Cobb, summarizes it this way: “What’s most important to us, is that the artists know they are our primary focus and that our products help them spend less time on their business and more time on their art.”

8th Stage intends to shatter the traditional industry model that supports business models over talent by creating a platform that encourages creativity, collaboration, and healthy competition. 8th Stage tools and services will help music artists connect with other artists and industry professionals, find new opportunities, and take their careers to the next level.

8th Stage launches its public beta on 8/8/13 at 8thstage.com. (http://www.8thstage.com/) It’s free to join the site and premium features start at just $8 per month. Beta users can benefit from discounted rates, which make premium features available for only $4 per month. Additionally, 8th Stage will lock in the beta rate for as long as you’re a member. You can sign up for the 8/8/13 beta launch at 8thstage.com (http://www.8thstage.com/) and submit music for blog consideration at st8ge.com (http://www.st8ge.com/).

http://youtu.be/8CehRE5e2MA