For those of you who didn’t see it, Tunecore and Universal announced a joint-venture that could mark a change in how the major labels interact with independent artists. It isn’t clear yet how the services will be priced by Universal, which could make a big difference on whether this has the impact the article suggests. What strikes us as significant is the possibility of independent artists getting big label support without any big label pressure to have a hit. One of the core concepts that drives Wanduta is the fact that musicians can sustain their careers, and have a quality and meaningful existence, without ever having a hit. We know that it takes a lot of hard work, but no real artist and especially not one whose art must cross the line into commerce has ever had success chasing what is easy. It takes a core fan base being fed with regular live performances combined with continued work on your craft and smart decisions off the stage along the way. That is the basic model for a more sustainable kind of success. And it is the kind of success that allows you to remain truly independent in all ways.