Weird music
Canadian independent artists will soon have Wyrd Distro, a new platform to sell their work
Becca Paterson
Arts Editor
The underground music scene is gearing up to get much better for independent Canadian Artists. Weird Canada, one of the country’s largest underground music communities, will launch Wyrd Distro on Feb. 15. Wyrd Distro will be an online platform for Canadian artists to sell their music and merchandise.
According to the Wyrd Distro FAQ on the Weird Canada website, “few emerging Canadian artists or labels have the necessary business acumen, marketing, guile and social savvy to effectively market and sell their music — leaving a great majority of Canadian talent unknown to a larger audience. Canadian musicians are scattered across the country, connected only by new online curators and scattered but avid fans.”
The FAQ goes on to say: “The problem of selling, purchasing, and distributing independent music is old, but the magnitude has increased. The internet has made previously scarce information about DIY music widely available to new Canadian consumers, resulting in digital information overload and causing fans to turn to curators like Weird Canada to discover new music.”
Wyrd Distro, then, will be a place for music-lovers and record stores alike to discover new Canadian talent through an online platform that makes each artist’s work accessible and available. Further, this new platform will benefit the artists greatly, as none of the distribution deals will be exclusive, and prices are largely to be set by the artist.
To celebrate the launch of Wyrd Distro, Weird Canada will be holding free events across the country – including one here in Calgary – that will feature prizes, bands, and a “cross-Canada digital Hangout with Marie Flanagan and Aaron Levin.” This event will be on Feb. 15.