WikiTunes is a new music lover’s website. Wiki is a Hawaiian word for fast. The website is all about being able to quickly access good and free music. Users of the website will be able to find free downloads sorted by Genre, the name of the artist, or the user can browse by random. It’s also a great way for artists to get their music out there. Artists can download their own creations to the website with a small written article about whatever they find relevant along with pictures that they want to upload and any additional links to their posted videos. All the music is free and the musicians welcome downloads. The website itself is well laid with the different sections easy to find and navigate.
On the top of the pages there is easy to find tabs. One of those tabs takes you to the country music selection, another takes you to the pop, there is also a tab for rock music, as well as a tab for browsing through the artists, there is also an about tab (which tells you more about the website) and there is also a tab which takes you to the subscription section for the website. The subscription section isn’t asking for money, it is asking for your email address if you want any updates on anything in particular on the website. Also the website specifically states that they will not share your email with anyone else.
One of the artists on the website it Billy Ray Deiz, he is a great example of what is to be expected from the artists on the website. When his page opens you first find yourself looking at the close up shot of him on his page. It really gives a personal touch to his page. Then there is a brief discussion of his career as a musician and where he is today, along with some fun details about him, like, “On this occasion, Cliff got one of the greatest guitar players in the world: George Marinelli, of the Bonnie Raitt Band, to play lead guitar!” This bit of insight definitely gives you a good idea of where the artist is coming from. This personalization is a really great part about the website. There is also a comment section on the bottom of the pages for you to respond to the artists’ music and maybe even communicate with the musician.
Overall the website is easy to navigate and straightforward. It offers an opportunity for artists to get their music heard. It’s pretty easy for the artists to upload their music and information to the website. The website offers easy uploads for pictures, a short narrative, and whatever free music they want to update. Also, it is great for those who want to listen to something different than the typical music you can hear over the radio. The music is varied and suits the musical needs of the many different tastes of different people. WikiTunes makes a great website for music lovers and music makers alike. Easy to navigate and well thought out, this website is one you should definitely check out for a listen.
To help give readers a better understanding we hooked up with Billy Rae Deiz to tell us more:
Why did you choose & how did you hear about Wikitunes?
As an independent recording artist I know how hard it is to promote our music and our recordings when radio airplay is so limited. My dream is to build a community of music makers and music lovers who can come to the site and share new music with each other—for free! By giving a free download the recording artist can build more fans and expand his/her reach to new audiences in a very friendly way.
What does Wikitunes offer artists/bands that other social sites do not?
We want to build a very friendly site, for both artists and music lovers to come and find and experience new music they otherwise wouldn’t know about. Our goal is to always offer a free service so that folks can come for free downloads and get a better feel about what is new on the music scene.
What are you looking to gain by being on Wikitunes?
As the site grows in popularity, I hope that more and more music lovers will discover my music, take my free download, like my free song, and then follow my links to other sites where they can purchase my songs: Amazon, iTunes, CD Baby. I hope eventually enough music lovers will like my free songs to actually buy other songs that I record and release.
Why did you choose ‘Daddy’s Comin Home’ to give away for free?
Good question! It is one of my all-time favorites with the special guitar solo by George Marinelli of the Bonnie Raitt band that endears the song to so many fans. I was tempted to keep it for purchase, but so many folks seem to like it when they hear it I thought it would be good to give it away as a free sample so that more and more folks can enjoy it and I hope learn more about me and purchase my other singles and Eps and albums.
How have your fans response been so far to your Wikitunes page and do you expect new fans?
Right now the site is so new that folks are just beginning to discover it. We are in the Beta testing phase right now, tweaking the site and seeing how to make it easier to use and more friendly for everyone. As word spreads, we are looking forward to welcoming new fans.
If I were in a band what would you say to me that we should join Wikitunes?
Come join our free community of music lovers and music makers! You will make new fans for your songs and, we trust, get more folks to buy from you as they discover how much they enjoy your music!
