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Revolutionizing the Music Industry: How Ani DiFranco Created Her Own Brand (and Didn’t Sell Out Doing It)

I stood outside the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. on a warm, March night with my friend, Calla, clutching a $40 ticket in my hand like it was giving me oxygen. I wanted the doors to open already, so I could get inside and stake my spot, and it sounded like the people around us felt the same way. The 40-something lesbian couple in front of us held hands and smiled as they recounted their last concert experience. The 20-something girl behind us bounced next to her boyfriend, chattering about how the lyrics spoke to her as a woman. As for me, I failed to contain my excitement and was talking Calla’s ear off about my favorite songs and poems…loudly. (Sorry to all of the people who stood anywhere near me that night!) Who could inspire this excitement in women across generations, sexual orientations and economic classes? The one and only Ani DiFranco.

“DiFranco is something of a modern musical marvel.”




At 38-years-old, DiFranco is something of a modern musical marvel. She has released 22 albums in 18 years, toured continuously over the same time and sold over 4 million albums. And she did it all without ever signing to a record label. How is that possible? How can an artist gain a devoted following in today’s music industry without Top 40 radio cuts of her singles and music videos on MTV? The answer: by changing the rules.

Righteous Babe Records: The Beginning

That is just what Ani DiFranco did. In 1989 at the age of 18, DiFranco founded Righteous Records, renamed Righteous Babe Records in 1994. When it started out, the Buffalo, NY based Righteous Records was nothing more than DiFranco herself, as she admitted to Bo Burlingham of Inc. Magazine. “In the beginning, it was more of a joke than a real business…You know, ‘Yeah, uh-huh, I got a record company. You’re looking at it,” she said in a 2004 interview with Burlingham.

“Righteous Records was nothing more than DiFranco herself.”




In 1993, she partnered with Scot Fisher to expand the label and make it into a more successful business venture that could reach more people. One problem: neither of them had a lick of business experience or a desire to make money. Not usually a recipe for success.

But DiFranco’s sole goal was to find a way to produce her music that didn’t feed the corporate pig she rails against in her songs.

She created her own label so that she could make music and market herself while still being able to sleep at night. Sure, she wouldn’t make millions of dollars every year, but if DiFranco could expand Righteous Babe Records enough to sell albums and book a lot of gigs, she would be a happy folksinger (an oxymoron, I guess).

In selling her music and herself, DiFranco’s goal wasn’t to rake in the profits; it was to say what she wanted to say – controversial or not. For instance, in April of 2002 she debuted a poem called “Self Evident” at a concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The poem rails against the United States’ arrogance and George W. Bush, even going as far as to say he “stole the oval office and that phony election.” Keep in mind this was in the aftermath of 9/11 when most Americans were feeling majorly patriotic. Artists like the Dixie Chicks were chastised by their own fans for saying anything negative about the president for years after 9/11. But not Ani. Her record sales only went up, and fans only became more loyal.

And though her goal wasn’t to be financially successful, Righteous Babe Records now boasts a dozen artists (as well as Ani herself) and grosses some pretty impressive profits for an independent record label.

According to Burlingham’s research, Righteous Babe Records makes about $5 million a year – $1 million of that in profit. Not too shabby for an independent label, huh? Plus, because DiFranco owns Righteous Babe Records and can make her own rules, she gets $4.25 of the profit on her record sales as opposed to the standard $1.00-2.00 pocketed by artists signed to big name labels.

So, how exactly did DiFranco gain a loyal fan base while still becoming a financially successful artist?

Ani DiFranco: The Brand

Go to Righteous Babe Records’ website and you will find a merchandise section complete with t-shirts, coffee mugs, and key chains. Smells a little like shameless self-promotion and selling out, right? Well, take another whiff.

“DiFranco’s merchandise sales go back to the community.”

Keep surfing through Righteous Babe’s website, and you will find a section called “Action” in which DiFranco uses her financial fortune and star power to mobilize fans to change the world in small ways. So, she sells merchandise featuring her name, making herself into a brand, but she also gives back her time and profits to the community.

In a way, DiFranco’s entire career mimics this balance, and that is where the key to her success lies. In DiFranco’s own words, “The older I grow, the more I understand peace and stability as a product of balance.” She tours and puts out albums like any other artist, but she balances it with political activism and a mom and pop record label. For example, when fans write to Righteous Babe Records, they get a hand-written response, and if they call they speak to someone in Righteous Babe’s Buffalo headquarters, not in India. Those small personal touches make DiFranco relatable and keep her fans (like myself) extremely loyal.

“DiFranco was revolutionary for her time.”

Independent Labels: The Future of the Music Industry?

While DiFranco’s business venture was revolutionary for its time, the music industry might take a few hints from DiFranco’s way of thinking. Or so says Seth Godin, a big time marketer and author of numerous bestsellers like Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us. According to Godin, “do it yourself” artists stand out in today’s industry because of their grassroots efforts. “You have to make it easy for people to speak up,” Godin said in an interview with Rollo and Grady. “You have to make it easy for people to find each other, to talk about it. You have to create a culture for your tribe.”

DiFranco does just that in the “Mobilize” section of her website. Here, fans can sign up to be part of DiFranco’s Street Team program, “a small army of volunteers in major markets with a long-term commitment to promoting the music of [Righteous Babe Records] artists.” In essence, any Ani DiFranco fan can become an integral part of marketing DiFranco and other Righteous Babe Records artists.

What does this do for DiFranco? It keeps her fans feeling connected and invested in her success while gaining her valuable (and free) exposure.

“True success of independent artists rests mostly on their skills.”

Success and Integrity: “Self preservation is a full-time occupation”

But Godin is quick to point out that the true success of independent artists rests mostly on their skills. “Top 40 radio has a long history of being just like the other guy, but with a slightly different song…That doesn’t work in a totally flat digital world. You only spread if you’re remarkable,” he said. Relying on this logic, Ani DiFranco is successful exactly for the reason she wants to be – because of her music.

Keeping her integrity while becoming successful wasn’t always easy, however. In 1997 she wrote a letter to the editor of Ms. Magazine after they included her in a piece about 21 feminists who would shape the 21st century. In the article, Ms. Magazine only included information about her business success. DiFranco was having none of that. “My hope is that my music and poetry will be enjoyable and/or meaningful to someone, somewhere, not that I maximize my profit margins,” DiFranco wrote. She is successful in business because of her talent, but unfortunately, the two are easily teased apart.

DiFranco went on to write, “We have the ability and the opportunity to recognize women not just for the financial successes of their work but for the work itself.” Good point, Ani, and coincidentally the exact same thing Godin said about musicians. But staying true to yourself is always difficult as a successful musician. DiFranco says it best in her song “Talk to Me Now” – “Self preservation is a full time occupation.”

Carrie Milford Carrie is a huge fan of Ani DiFranco’s music and philosophy on life. She listens to Ani at least once a day and thinks you should, too (an Ani song a day keeps the ignorance away!) Want content written for your Brand that shows up #1 on Search Engines and brings you new customers? Contact us.