In her PBJ Strategies section story on Portland-based music distribution giant CD Baby that we published last week,, Sue Vorenberg writes that the company expects to soon surpass $1 billion in lifetime revenue.

"Throughout that time, the company has provided a stable lifeline for independent artists in a notoriously turbulent marketplace, finding new ways to sell their work as the music industry shifted from CDs to more modern digital distribution methods.," she writes.

Not only that, but CD Baby has helped bring fledgling artists a platform that deftly allows them more access to those who enjoy their offerings. It's done so by, in 2004, anticipating from where its next income source would flow. That's the year that the company was invited by Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs to become a launch partner for independent music in the iTunes store.

“To create an option on the iTunes store (at the time) was revolutionary," CEO Tracy Maddux told Vorenberg.

After a series of moves, CD Baby is now part of AVL Digital Group, the parent company of Disc Makers and other self-publishing platforms. Maddux joined the company in 2010 — just as streaming services were taking off.

We figured that CD Baby employees are among the most discriminating listeners in the world, so we asked Maddux to take a quick survey of what Portland artists they're keen on these days. Click through on the picture above to get a fuller picture of Portland's music scene.

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