[LAU] How to do an online album release?

[shane richards]

Hi all,

Sometime in the next 3 months I hope to release a new album.
I wish to completely avoid the record companies - as I got burned
badly in the 90's - and they still don't seem to get the deal with
regards to open, friendly licensing for 21st century.

So I'm looking at releasing on the web independantly.

I know what I want:

- host the CD 44k, DVD 48k images and individual tracks
- provide CD covers/labels etc. for dl and printing
- provide some way of previewing/streaming the tracks online
- provide some kind of ratings/feedback section
- provide a way for people to pay for physical media
  if they want a disk delivered to their door
- lastly, make sure that if someone plays a track or CD
  with ITunes or Amarok etc. that all the graphics, info, 
  homepage etc. appear in the program

But I have absolutely no idea where to start!

Any info/ideas would be greatly appreciated. Especially in
regards to webhosts that are friendly for this sort of thing,
and links to other artists that have done this successfully.

- shanerich