(This article was written by Chandler Coyle and published on The Coyle Report on May 13th, 2015)

Josh Garrels – © Sasha Arutynova

You’re an independent artist and are about to release your first album in almost four years. You’ve been running a pre-order on your website, iTunes, and Bandcamp during the weeks leading up to the release. On release day, in addition to making the album available via download stores and streaming services, you decide to give free downloads of the album away via NoiseTrade. Are you crazy? No, you are Josh Garrels and your new album Home just charted on Billboard despite also being available as a free download.

Giving away a new album on the day that it’s first made available has become for me, the ultimate form of ‘release,’” explains Garrels. “I pour my sweat and blood into the work and an album often takes me years to complete, but somehow, making it available for free creates a healthier relationship between myself, the work and the listener. In short, giving away my music over the years has proven to be life-giving practice.

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