The music industry is undergoing dramatic changes. Digital music distribution is sharply cutting down sales of CDs, and social networks other digital media have given musicians unprecedented opportunities for self-promotion. As a result, independent artists are increasingly able to gain a fan base and spread word of their music without a traditional record contract.

UnderAge Records, started by four seasoned music-industry veterans, is one model for the record company of the future. Rather than struggling, like many large labels, to maintain control of every aspect of production, UnderAge Records has elected to put the internet at the center of its business. Most of the promotion and distribution of its signed artists is done through the web, as many artists are already doing on their own. The UnderAge founders, who have toured with Carlos Santana and composed for the Kronos Quartet, already had the industry backgrounds to recruit, produce, and market new artists. The went to Keller & Faber for the technical and design help needed to make the project work online.

The finished site shows our ability to seamlessly integrate design and technical elements, giving a complex set of moving parts the polished and intuitive feel of a desktop application. The technical core of the site, a custom web-based media player, allows users to easily play, search, sort, and queue up the label’s music on their browser as if they were using iTunes. Built in equal parts Flash, Ajax, and HTML, the player fits into a comprehensive online identity for the company. We designed a new logo and integrated customizable album art in order to emphasize the company’s roots in supporting young, visually exciting artists. And an extensive, custom content-management system allows the founders of UnderAge Records to add new artists, tracks, and album art and to review online music submissions without stressing over the technical details.

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