String Cheese
A band called String Cheese actually get it. Instead of sueing consumers, putting DRM on their content which only hurts legitimate consumers, they actually tour! What a novel idea.
Between 1999 and 2003, while much of the music industry struggled with digital piracy and suffered declining sales, String Cheese revenues grew to $14.5 million a year. The band’s secret: uniquely exploiting the Internet, even selling downloads of live concerts.
Since the band launched its own label, SCI Records, in 1998, roughly 20% of its total CD sales have come via the Internet. Such direct sales are about 20% more profitable for the band than selling through retail shelves.