#55 - Blue Coast Music is a STORE, not a record label

Sometimes I forget to explain what the difference is between a STORE and a RECORD LABEL. Even my crew can be confused so we have this daily mantra: "Blue Coast Music is a STORE. Blue Coast Records is a LABEL." So, what's the difference?

Blue Coast Music sells DSD and other downloads directly to consumers. Blue Coast Music is a STORE. Call it a marketplace, if you want. Blue Coast Music sells music from many LABELS, like the San Francisco Symphony, Mack Avenue Records, Valence Records, Little Hartley Music, and (funny enough) Blue Coast RECORDS. Yes, Blue Coast Records has the same deal that all the other LABELS have with Blue Coast Music. Blue Coast Music does not own the music copyrights to anything.

Blue Coast Music as a STORE has many competitors for the public's consumption of music: Spotify, Apple, HDTracks, etc. The distinguishing factor is that we sell 8 or more formats of digital downloads and physical products that contain music. Our customers are the consumers of music. Our vendors are the LABELS who provide the music.

Blue Coast Records is a LABEL that sells its music through many STORES. The LABEL produces and markets the music that is sold through the STORE. The LABEL often owns the music or licenses it from the ARTIST for distribution to the stores. Here, the customer is the distributor who has a pipeline to the Digital Service Providers and the vendors who create content are the ARTISTS.

Until now, Blue Coast Records had only sold through selected STORES. That is about to change during the next year. Currently, Blue Coast Records sells through Blue Coast Music STORE and through Qobuz for streaming. Starting in October this year, Blue Coast Records will be making announcements for its expansion into the mainstream markets for HD and later to bigger audiences.

We're working on a new Blue Coast Records website, a new YouTube channel, and podcasts galore. Blue Coast Music continues to attract more LABELS interested in selling DSD downloads.

Yes, BCM and BCR are two different companies with different company structures and different owners. Confused yet? Should I talk about OTR Studios? It's a STUDIO that records music for RECORD LABELS, sometimes also called Blue Coast Studios (oh no! Let's not go there, it's confusing enough right now).

I wish I could put this all under one roof, but believe me, the accounting is tricky and better to keep these all separate for now.

And there you have it, a STORE, a LABEL, and a STUDIO. From soup to nuts, from farm to table, from a song in the artist's head to your playback system, we do it all. :)

Enjoy!

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