Published
Wed, Oct 7, 2015, 07:00
- Pro DJ accounts on the promo platform will give users more flexible access to their inboxes, with the monthly fee subsidizing the cost of the service for labels.
FATdrop is rolling out a new tier of service today.
DJs, music writers and many others will know FATdrop as a platform for delivering digital promos—labels from Ninja Tune to Ostgut Ton use it to get their music out to select corners of the industry before it's available to the general public. Previously, this happened primarily over email, but users who sign on to their Pro DJ account will gain new access to their promos. The service is based around an iOS/Android app, which has a fully sync-able inbox where you can play and download promos (to a designated Dropbox account). It also features an offline mode, described as similar to Spotify's, so you can listen to promos, leave feedback and "flag" tracks for downloading when your devices aren't connected to a data network or wifi.
Pro DJ accounts also mean changes for the labels using the service. The accounts cost users £3.99 (€4.99 and $4.99 where applicable), and that money is used to subsidize the cost of FATdrop to labels, who typically foot the bill for delivering promos despite often operating on a shoestring budget. Users can try the service for free for one month.
"We work with labels and PR companies operating on increasingly tight budgets, as well as DJs and music journalists who rely on the up front music they receive," says Alex Stacey, FATdrop's founder and director. "We hope this becomes a valuable development in the industry, and helps to maintain the creativity and diversity in music that drives us all."