Our Mission
We aim to do more than just “sell great records.” We strive to expand economic opportunities for musicians while documenting and sharing their artistic practices within the evolving world of contemporary improvised and experimental music. By subscribing to our membership, you provide ongoing financial support to 33 artists, helping them continue their creative work amidst the challenges faced by musicians today.
A Cooperative Ecosystem
Catalytic Sound is more than a music retailer; it’s a cooperative between artists and patrons. The musicians contribute the diversity and depth of their discographies and record labels, while fans can directly support their favorite artists by purchasing albums or becoming members. Membership subscriptions provide a steady income stream for all 33 musicians, similar to how a food co-op supports its producers. By buying records or joining as a member, you help sustain a creative ecosystem that directly benefits its artists, ensuring their survival through firsthand sponsorship.
Catalytic Soundstream
Beyond the record store, we created the Catalytic Soundstream, an artist-directed music service designed to counter the inequities of corporate streaming platforms. Unlike other services, every musician in the collective receives an equal share of the revenue generated through member subscriptions. This model ensures fairness and directly supports the artists.
Our History
Catalytic Sound was founded in 2012 with the mission of empowering creative musicians by giving them greater control over the distribution and sale of their recordings. We established a centralized platform where artists could make their albums more accessible to fans, while also distributing catalogs from artist-run record labels within the collective. Our goal has always been to help members increase their income through the sale of their recorded work.
Today, our focus is on fostering artistic sustainability for the 33 musicians in the collective. This means providing financial support to help them dedicate more time to their artistic practice, reducing their reliance on day jobs. We develop innovative economic strategies to support artists in navigating the rapidly changing landscape of the music industry. Additionally, we aim to raise awareness about the collective’s creativity by sharing insights into each artist’s work and the inspirations behind it.
How Our Record Store Works
After purchasing albums at wholesale from independent labels, 50% of the net income from each sale goes directly to the musicians, while the other 50% covers operational costs and funds new projects. These initiatives include our annual festival, the Quarterly publication, the Catalytic Soundstream music platform, and improvements to our website and social media presence.
For example:
- For a $20 LP issued by a non-member label:
- $10 goes to the label
- $5 goes to the musician
- $5 goes to Catalytic Sound
- For a $20 LP issued by a Catalytic member’s label:
- $10 goes to the artist
- $10 goes to Catalytic Sound
Shipping costs to our offices in Chicago and Vienna are covered by the organization, one of the many services we provide to our artists.
Thank you for joining us in this important cause!