@Bob (the OP of this thread)

Do you see a common thread here? There is a huge difference between getting a record deal and releasing a CD. 20 years ago, that was not the case - the second required the first.

These days, it's rather simple to release your own CD through CDBaby and other sites. (though CD Baby has the system down to a science). No record deal involved.

But the place you will move the most CDs, is at your own shows, as rharv and Mac have pointed out and the 1000 true fans article points out in many more words.

At CD Baby, you can even 'release' CDs with minimum quantity of 5. Yes, you read that right, 5 CDs is all you need to supply them to get onto their distribution. They can even be CDs that you burn at home on your computer. Your 'fans' might not like to receive it that way, but there's really not a whole lot to it. Read here: http://members.cdbaby.com/cd-distribution.aspx

Getting a record deal is a whole different ballgame. I suggest using sales on CD Baby to see if you can build up a fan base (though performance or viral videos on YouTube are the way to build up fans so it seems) and then approach record companies. However, they are trolling YouTube as you read this for the latest unsigned musical acts that are skyrocketing. It's almost better to go niche style-wise, and approach small labels that cater to a very specific narrow slice of the musical scene.

Want to see what your competition is clawing for Record Deal attention? Go to Noisetrade.com and you will see at least 20-50 new CD projects from 'Contemporary Christian' artists released FOR FREE, every single day. Some are samplers, but a whole bunch of them are even quite famous people trying to reinvigorate their existing or develop a new fan base. I just got a Charlie Peacock album for free on there. In the 1980s and 1990s, Charlie was one of the top CCM artists and producers. He either intentionally, or by proxy dropped out of the scene. Now he's back - giving his stuff away for free, to gain a new fan base. That album is still free there by the way.

Or check out the 'spiritual' section of CDBaby: http://www.cdbaby.com/style/gospel Take a look at all of the unknown and known artists there. Boatloads. Most of them don't have a current 'record deal'. Most of them can't get the deal. Some of them choose to avoid it. But if they sell a CD on CDbaby, they get the selling price minus 4$ - the portion that CDBaby keeps.

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