There are lots of new innovative music websites popping up lately and I have taken quite a shine to some of them. They provide an alternative means of entertainment and allow to get something back for basically just listening to their music. There are sites that pay you to review music or give you prizes or redeemable points which you can exchange for offers or free stuff. I've compiled a list of the most alternative ones here.

Bandstocks - An alternative business model that raises the finance to professionally record and release albums by selling shares in the album to investors. Artists can raise $100,000 and shares are at a cost of $10 each. Artists are first put into a voting pool and the ones that receive the most votes go on to raise their money. Investors receive rewards depending on the amount they invested, such as backstage access on the website and even a trip to the studio while the album is being recorded.

Sellaband - Similar to the above but here any artist can sign up and have the opportunity to raise $50,000 to record and release their album professionally by selling 5,000 parts to investors at a cost of $10 each. Starting at a free limited edition copy of the album, 0.01% share of the net revenue generated by the album and their own shop in return for buying just one part, investors are also given an incentive scheme so the more parts they buy the more rewards they receive.

Bandengine - A relatively new website with a very alternative model. Artists and bands are given the chance to feature on one of Band Engine's compilation albums. Music fans are awarded points for reviewing music which can be turned into cash if you're in UK, or downloads and services if not, after the reviewing ends. The top rated fans and the artists on the album are then allowed to sell the album for profit and Band Engine use it to promote the artists throughout their network of music contacts and partners for exposure.

Promosquad - A music site where fans of new music can listen to songs and earn redeemable points for reviewing and rating them in their jukebox. Users can also take part in polls and surveys, decide which artists they think should get famous and redeem their points for various prizes in the prize store.

Songpeople - Songpeople used to be similar to Promosquad but have recently changed.  Now they offer their users points and prizes in return for taking part in music surveys.

Slicethepie - Probably the best but not for the faint hearted!  Fans can get paid for reviewing music in return for vouchers or cash depending on their skills to recognize new talent.  Users can then invest their earnings in unsigned artists helping to finance the production of their album.  Artists can raise £15,000 as long as they are rated highly in a scout room.  The twist here is that every £1 buys 1 contract which is a tradable bet.  Non-USA members can buy and sell contracts on Slicethepie's trading exchange at any time.