Who knows?

For some time I want to know how it goes when a band has released a new CD.

How it goes with the labels?
Has every band a label?

How it comes that some online CDs have it as soon the CD is released, while other online CD stores get it after a longer time?

I want to know everything about the distribution from a new released Cd.
So ... tell me everything you know about this.

Oooo I wanna know too!
Maybe John, Chris and Derek can share their experiences with us.

I have no clue as why the labels release things they way they do.

Ooo, good question. I can only speak as an unsigned, independent artist.

John and I do everything ourselves except for distribution. We distribute through CD Baby who partner with itunes, Spotify, Anghami, etc to make our music available to the world. Each of these partners has different rules that a band needs to follow. So, our finished CD goes first to CD Baby and gets put through their review process (e.g., does it have cover art, does it have the correct licenses if there are covers of other people's songs on the album, etc). Then, once we've satisfied them of that, they send our stuff to their partnered distributors. From that point, the CD is available through CD Baby but not through anyone else. Some distributors have a longer process so they might take weeks to make the music available to the public.

So, as indie artists, there are two reasons for delays. The first is, as above, where the distributor has a longer review process and, perhaps, stricter requirements that result in the initial release being declined. The second reason is that we only distribute through CD Baby so our albums are only available through them and their partners. You won't, for example, find E&S on Bandcamp.

It's not the complete answer, but it's as much as I know on the subject.   

Wow, very interesting.  I didn't know pretty much all of that.

Quote :

The second reason is that we only distribute through CD Baby so our albums are only available through them and their partners. You won't, for example, find E&S on Bandcamp.

While CD Baby doesn't market through Bandcamp, you still own all your rights and CAN distribute through BC as well.

I actually sell more downloads from Bandcamp than I do through CD Baby's partnership with iTunes, Amazon, etc.

That's neat. Our best streaming comes through Anghami, followed by Spotify. We certainly talked about using Bandcamp, but have never done anything about it. We probably should. It's the most widely used selling platform down here by far. Most bands I know sell there. It's free to sell there too, which is a bonus. CD baby has distribution costs that Bandcamp doesn't have.

CD Baby does have distribution costs, but they get your music out to many more platforms.

Sure do.

See, that's very interesting to know.

Now I want to know how it goes with the big labels who release Christian music.

After signing a band and recording their album, most major labels use other companies to distribute the albums for them.  These companies then negotiate with various sellers in various countries to orchestrate when releases happen and who will carry that CD.  Sometimes, extra songs will be added to European or Japanese releases just to help sales there.  Sometimes, those markets will get a release first (Japan always sees Impelletteri albums first) and a song will be shaved when the US version comes out.

So, there is no real set formula for when something gets released.  With smaller labels like Roxx and Retroactive, they do their own distribution.  When they release albums, of course the USA gets them first due to the label being here.  They then have sellers contact them for European and Austraiian markets.  It will take a while to get them in your favorite sales sites as it takes forever to ship something from the USA because it typically travels by boat.  Air mail is super expensive.    Even after it arrives in your part of the world, your customs agents will check packages to ensure they aren't receiving illegal goods or bombs or whatever into your countries.  It is a long process that makes you all have to wait.

In a perfect world, we'd all get the releases the same day.

That's interesting to read this.
It helped me to understand more about the label, CD "business.

I remember that some CDs of Rob rock also were released as first in Japan.

Often times bands release to Japan first. Japan has a great fan culture. They are very supportive of the bands they love. A band can be very big in Japan and then be relatively unheard of anywhere else.

I've noticed that.

What is better to be an indie band, or a band with a label?

I remember that we have had on the old CHM a thread for indie bands.

Ooo, hard question. They both have their benefits. A label, of course, has industry contacts, marketing muscle, expertise, and visibility. Conversely, an indie band has complete control and more flexibility. These days, a label can be a mixed blessing. I've heard some horror stories. That said, I've also heard some really positive stories. So the answer to your question is, really, neither is better. It just depends on the band and the deal being offered by the label.