What is HEAR THE MUSIC

HEAR THE MUSIC is a web based online application for digital music promotion. HEAR THE MUSIC allows you to compose and dispatch newsletters in HTML. To be able to use HEAR THE MUSIC all you need is a computer and an internet connection. HEAR THE MUSIC allows you to provide your licensers, media and business partners with your music digitally - compared to conventional promo mail-outs with CDs it all happens much faster, easier and more cost-effecient. You can decide on the format the recipient is to receive (e.g. mp3 or wav files), and send relevant information such as label copies and info sheets right along. The embedding of video clips is possible, too. The results of your digital promo mail-out process will be statistically analyzed and presented as clear charts and graphics.

HEAR THE MUSIC lets you connect to your partners worldwide at a steady low cost. Watersign protection provides maximum security for you reportoire, without limiting use for the recipient

Who is our offer aimed at

Our offer is aimed at record companies and small labels, promotion agencies, tour promoters and music publishers. It is also a good marketing instrument for artists and music producers who are managing their own music reportoire

What are the advantages

HEAR THE MUSIC helps you:

To lower the cost of your promo mail-out process, save time and to operate environmentally sound.

With this inexpensive offer HEAR THE MUSIC can help you lower the cost of your promotional mail-out process considerably. With HEAR THE MUSIC you can send promos to press and radio journalists, bloggers, DJs, licensers, muzak services and agencies as well as inns/clubs worldwide and perfectly timed. 

Even if you use HEAR THE MUSIC only as an additional measure to your conventional mail-out process with CDs and CD-Rs it can already save you money today.

Because with only about 30 to 50 domestic promotional contacts you are already saving money in contrast to physical mail-outs with CD and CD-R, which lie at about two Euros per mailing, considering production, packaging and mailing fee. Plus, the conventional mail-out process requires high cost- and time consuming personnel expenditure. If you are providing promos for contacts abroad or overseas HEAR THE MUSIC pays off even quicker. Should you not already be doing this, HEAR THE MUSIC provides you with the opportunity to extend your future promotion activities internationally without great expenditure or additional costs.

Incidentally, digital promo mail-outs with HEAR THE MUSIC help sustain rescources, and as such, contrary to physical mail outs, help protect the environment.

The system is designed so simple that no prior technical skills are required in order to use it. That way it can be operated quickly and trouble-free by employees as well as interns. 

User-friendliness was one of the main focuses while developing HEAR THE MUSIC. Our goal is to be able to navigate it without a user´s manual. You can get a first impression by taking the TOUR.

The acceptance for the proliferation of digital promo mail-outs is steadily rising and already custom with internet based contacts, such as web radio, music blogs and DJs, since they are using digital formats for their purposes anyway, and are in no need of a physical carrier.

Especially your contacts abroad will understand, that physical mail-outs are financially increasingly unfeasable for many labels and artists.

To design your promotion activities effectively

You will receive real time feedback of your promo action immediately. You can see directly who has actually received your music, who has listened to it, and finally who has actually downloaded it... and who hasn´t. Processed graphically and statistically by HEAR THE MUSIC, for you and your partners (e.g. distributors).

With that information you can react to your partners more individually without getting on their nerves by constant nagging as to wether they have received/listened to the CD, and wether they like it or not. The same goes for manually collecting and processing feedback. Because all this information is already provided by HEAR THE MUSIC in clear statistics and graphics.

To secure your promotion activities against file sharing 

Protection of your sent files makes illegal use traceable. That way illegal uploads to filesharing networks prior to the release are being curbed. Because which recipient of a promo file would like it to be "busted" as a file sharer and risk exclusion from the promotional process. 

How does HEAR THE MUSIC work and how can I use it.

Can I provide broadcast-ready audio material and/or masters through HEAR THE MUSIC?

Yes. HEAR THE MUSIC supports virtually all audio formats. Therefore, you can provide your music in uncompressed formats (e.g. WAV) to broadcasters and licensers.

I run several sub-labels for which i want to use HEAR THE MUSIC, can i manage each label seperately with one single account?

HEAR THE MUSIC provides the option for multiple templates with individual layouts for each sub-label, managable with one account.

I run a promotion agency and would like to use HEAR THE MUSIC for my clients

Promotion agencies can use HEAR THE MUSIC for their clients. Since it is possible to create different templates in one single account, for dispatch, you can create a new template for each promotion activity/partner and conveniently manage them under one account.

How long is the term of contract and and what are the costs?

We are trying to offer you a charging model that is clear and easy, and which does not include "hidden" costs.

Hence we are offering only two rates:

SINGLE USE  which is aimed at small labels, publishers and artists with no more than 3-5 product mailings per year, as well as the

YEARLY SUBSCRIPTION for those who wish to send out unlimited amounts of products and promos and need permanent access to the system.

Further, the storage space in the yearly subscription allows you to keep promotion actions online for a long while, so that you can send out your music for months on end via HEAR THE MUSIC, for instance newly aquired partners (licensers, compilers, sync agencies).

Due to our long experience, we have provided both models with enough storage space and traffic volume that it normally suffices for regular users.

Should the need arise for more traffic, it is automatically available at a very low cost (€ 1,- per GB), so no bad surprises here.

We have more information pertaining to traffic in the following chapter.

In case of increased excess traffic in single use you will be charged seperately after usage. If the agreed amount of traffic is being exceeded in the yearly subscription, you will be charged at the end of the month. That way you will retain direct cost control and planning safe.

What is the meaning of "traffic" and what is the charge?

Traffic in this case means the transfer of data. 

Are there any system requirements in order to use HEAR THE MUSIC?

No. Since you are dealing with a web-based application, HEAR THE MUSIC can be used with any computer equipped with an internet connection and a browser (e.g. Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer). Regardless of Mac or PC or Linux

Wether you are in the office or at home, travelling domestic or abroad, you can log into your HEAR THE MUSIC account with your password at any time, and completely use the entire system´s functions location-independent.

Is my data´s security guaranteed?

To manage your data as safe as possible is both in our as well as in your interest. Only that way do we deserve your trust. For that reason we are cooperating with Germany´s biggest, most experienced and most reliable provider, who is also maintaining the security of the servers storing your data.

Your populated contacts will not be used or shared with other customers by us. We guarantee you this, since we would only damage ourselves should something like this go public.

Can you sell music via HEAR THE MUSIC?

HEAR THE MUSIC is an online tool exclusively designed for promotional mail outs. HEAR THE MUSIC does not provide you with a shopping system. You cannot sell music with it, but only provide your partners with your music digitally.

Who is behind HEAR THE MUSIC?

With Jan Hagenkötter and Phuong Doan you have a seasoned team behind HEAR THE MUSIC, with long years of experience in the music economy (Jan Hagenkötter is also working as a DJ and label owner of INFRACom!) as well as in IT (Phuong Doan), combined under one roof.

Reinforded by the experienced communications designer Rafael Jimenez Heckmann and Ira Iraklis (IT) with whom they have  a ten-year long collaboration, this results in reliable partners for you, with very short comminication path.

I have more questions about HEAR THE MUSIC

Please feel free to contact us by email contact(at)hearthemusic.de and send us your questions.

We can also call you back to discuss your questions personally. Just mail your phone number/skype contact, along with suggestions of what time of day you can be reached best for a personal conversation.