Hi Artist,

I can answer that question in one word...NONE!!

Internet Radio Has a hard time selling advertising because of the numbers issues, and if that's the business model they invoke, it is certain suicide, for that, and several other reasons.

There's Main stream radio, who regardless of their "Love it or leave it attitude", maintain the largest group of listeners world wide, which is why they get the largest share of advertising dollars. Then theirs Satellite Radio,with the second largest group of listeners when it comes to the open airwaves, and then of course the very unportable internet radio. The key to Internet Radios success or failure will be resolved on that one issue and that one issue alone.

Right now, because of the numbers issue, Satellite radio is struggling to survive.They have that issue because unlike Mainstream Radio, their ability to deliver their product to every household, and every vehicle is somewhat limited. Combine that fact with the prospect that the pay per use model just isn't catching on as quickly as everyone thought it would, and you have the recipe for a struggling business.

Internet radio has the same issue, only they are even worse off than satellite was when it comes to delivering their product, and availability.

Satellite radio has made major gains in the market by the car radio industry adding satellite stations to the family car radio.
Independent companies have started making and selling receivers, and programming packages, for businesses to have satellite stations pumped into their facilities, to compete with the old Musak system, and eventually they will make, or probably do already, home radios and stereo systems that allow the listener home access as well.

Internet radio on the other hand is still waiting for an affordable solution to let their listeners take them with them where ever they go. There are plans for an additional antenna system that will allow internet streaming to be pumped into your car radio, but I believe there are certain drawbacks to it that limit its marketability at this time. I think that the internet stations have a better chance of competing with Musak, based on the fact that few of them have DJ personalities who want to inflict their opinions on their listeners, most of them just play music, and that's all most businesses want to have, but as of yet no one has picked up that ball and ran with it.

Secondly, I think you'll find that if most artists, or songwriters, have to pay to have their songs heard on internet radio,they will opt out. The better ones anyways. The only folks doing that are the people who can't get mainstream play, either here, or in Europe. In my opinion if the only alternative I have to getting my songs played on the radio is to pay some one to play them, especially internet radio, then I need to get out of the business, and I think most other creditable songwriters and artists will feel the same way. Making the grade,knowing what we do is good enough to make folks want to listen to it, and radio stations play it, is what strokes our ego's. It's our barometer of quality.

Add to that the fact that revenues are just trickling down to the independent singer/ songwriters, and it is highly unlikely that many Singers or Songwriters will want to take on that added expense.

About a year ago I came to the conclusion that paying anyone to let me upload my music to their site was a waste of money, other than CDBaby of course. I feel the same way about paying for plays on internet radio.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Billy Darnell

http://www.billydarnell.com

http://www.songwriterservices.biz