Mike Matney realizes he's buying most of his music in digital form. So do I. So are lots of folks, especially the kind of tastemakers that can spread the word about your songs.

So, why are so many independent musicians so hung up on recording and releasing full albums, when a string of singles can still meet your audience's needs?

If your audience is tech-savvy, consider releasing your work digitally while you build an audience and raise money for a full-on album release. It's a lot of fun to see your name on a disc, but I think it's more fun to see some bucks in your bank account first.

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