Garth Brooks has launched his download store
Country music heavyweight Garth Brooks has officially launched his download store GhostTunes.
Live today, GhostTunes offers 10 million digital songs by thousands of acts signed to the three majors and a handful of independents, as well as ticket and merchandise bundles. After years of shunning all digital download services Brooks is looking to take on iTunes and audio streaming platforms by letting the artist decide how their music is marketed: either as a standalone or bundled.
Brooks announced the service in September and has launched the site on the same day as the release of his latest LP Man Against the Machine, out exclusively through GhostTunes.
Through GhostTunes, Brooks is selling nine of his studio albums as well as live recordings and a 2015 release, for US$29.99. The site shows music available from acts including Nick Jonas, Calvin Harris, Foo Fighters, Queen and Taylor Swift (including 1989, which incited her withdrawal from Spotify) with some LPs selling for US$3.84.
GhostTunes does have streaming capabilities, but it’s only available to those who have actually purchased tracks through use of the cloud-storage or ‘locker’ feature.
In terms of royalties, GhostTunes is giving 80% of each song’s sale price to rightsholders – Apple’s iTunes and Amazon pay around 70%.
GhostTunes is headed up by Randy Bernard, the ex-CEO of Professional Bull Riders Inc. organisation and the IndyCar auto-racing sanctioning body.
Brooks, who has sold 134 million records worldwide, is rumoured to tour Australia in early 2015 as part of a world tour that will see him break the record for the biggest tour in history.