SmugglersMusic.com - The Site Where Bands Can Get Fans

Think of a semi-obscure, possibly menacing but ultimately rebellion tinged handle (which reminds one, incidently of whiskey); get some cool graphic logo action going, and you’ve got Smugglers Music. Yes, another music site. But not just another, Smugglers is all about the impoverished artist. Specifically, they seek to help bands promote and sell their tunes. The site’s main feature is a music player which streams songs from both signed and unsigned bands. Click on a band to view details, cover art, and to download songs. Artists can upload their songs without charge however the company does take a 10% transaction free. Downloads can range from 60p to 9 quid. Other features include widgets and badges for displaying info on MySpace etc., and an autonomous radio player. Smuggler’s also got a gig guide which pulls up in a separate window. It’s pretty much separate from the rest of the site; you’ll have to perform a completely new search to find local concerts and shows, but it does span a wide selection of countries.

“Smugglers Music is powered by Music Minx Ltd. It is completely free to sign up and to create your own page. We believe that unsigned artists should be able to sell their music in the same right as signed artists can. Some of the greates talents in the industry haven’t signed contracts either due to bad fortune or to choice—Smugglers Music allows all artists the freedom to sell your own tracks, set your onw prices and let your fans enjoy your music for free on the site with the 100% preview option!”

Smugglers looks cool; it has that certain hip band vibe down. The profile pages are well put together, with all your relevant info in one place. Also like the stand alone radio player and the gig guide. Altogether, the site offers a pretty comprehensive platform for marketing bands.

What really sets Smugglers apart? There are many of these types of sites, how will Smugglers compete? The site could use some recommendation action, also more integration of the gig guide with the rest of the site.