MP3 technology is allowing little-known, unsigned artists to reach a broader audience.

The High Tide Steel Drum Band, a Caribbean music act in Elkridge, Md., doesn't have an entourage, a video or a contract. But it does have something in common with recording artists such as Pete Townshend, Alanis Morissette and the Eurythmics. Each has taken advantage of the latest Internet audio rage, Mpeg Layer 3, or MP3.

"It's unbelievable what a difference MP3 has made to us," says band member Mike Miller. "Our music has a very specific audience. Since we have been added to Amazon.com's Advantage Program, we have been able to reach new fans from all over the United States and sell copies of our first CD."

Developed during the late 1980s by Germany's Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, MP3 allows musicians to create musical files that can be downloaded quickly and cleanly, translating into near CD-quality sound. This means nearly anyone can cheaply put a song or entire CD onto a Website. Artists can give away a single track (usually to entice listeners to buy more songs) or charge a nominal fee (no more than $1 or $2) for each selection.

"The success of consumers embracing this technology is a good indication as to where the future is moving," says John Lenihan, director of public relations for MP3.com, one of the largest repositories of MP3 downloads. "Just as the eight-track tape came and went, eventually music is going to go to the Net."

MP3.com began in late 1997 and today claims more than 400,000 visitors every month, roaming among its more than 30,000 artists and 180,000 free songs. "The coolest thing about MP3 is that it empowers the artist and the consumer," says Lenihan. "It returns the power of song ownership back to the artist and allows the consumer to make his own choice."

Selection, immediacy and price are distinct advantages for online music outlets. Traditional record stores typically only carry about 6 percent of all available CDs. Consumers are limited to listening to the artists the labels decide to promote. That's why the MP3 movement started on university campuses, where cash-poor students are looking for the next new sound and artists.