CD-R Us
Smithsonian Folkways Recordings is the repository for much of America's pre-rock musical heritage, including Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Leadbelly and other seminal folk artists whose records tend to sell in the dozens in the 21st century. But thanks to the same technology that allows PC users to burn their own audio CDs, the label can offer more than 2,000 of its most obscure titles without the costly process of mass-producing and stocking "official" copies. Can't live without 1955's Folk Songs of the Canadian North Woods? For $19.95, you can buy a CD-R of the original album from Folkways, along with a photocopy of the original liner notes.

These legal bootlegs ensure that virtually every album ever produced can remain "in print," regardless of its relative popularity versus Eminem and the Dixie Chicks. Connoisseurs get a high-quality digital product instead of taping someone's scratchy vinyl copy, while labels collect and distribute royalties to artists and their heirs.

Concert CDs While-U-Wait
There are few rock bands more fan-friendly than Phish, so it's no surprise they have become one of the first performers to offer fans the option of buying (or downloading) complete concert recordings within hours of the show's conclusion. Actually, Pearl Jam started this trend in 2000 by selling "bootlegs" of every concert the band played that year; in 2003, they're selling them directly from their own website instead of via traditional retail outlets (www.pearljambootlegs.com).

Clear Channel Communications, the monopoly-wannabe that probably own most of the radio stations and concert venues in your town, is getting into the act as well. The company plans to record live CDs of the shows it promotes, and sell them to patrons within five minutes after those shows end. Multiple CD burners will be brought into venues, and the instant live CDs will probably sell for around $15 in the same way that T-shirts and other merchandise can be purchased after concerts.

Custom Mix CD
There are few rock musicians more worthy of the term "artist" than Bob Dylan, so it's no surprise he has become one of the first performers to offer fans the option of creating their own customized CD of various songs from his repertoire, including rarities. For $15, you get 12 songs (or 78 minutes), plus your choice of one of four different vintage photographs as cover art.

Once Sony expands the selection to include his entire catalog, and installs burn-station kiosks at retail locations (preferably ones that will allow direct downloads to Apple iPod MP3 music players), this is the way you will buy albums from now on.

Listeners get what they want, artists get paid, labels stay in business. It is truly that simple.

For a bunch of companies dedicated to ear candy, it's sure taken the record labels a long time to listen to their customers instead of treating them like criminals for taking advantage of the latest technological advancements. Is your business doing likewise?

Based in Brussels, Chris Clark is senior vice president of strategic services for Mainsail. He is also the author of "Byte Back," a monthly humor column for Adweek Magazines' Technology Marketing.

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