Radio Royalty Rights Battle Heads to the Senate…
The hardscrabble fight for recording royalties from US-based broadcasters heads to the Senate early next week. The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing chaired by co-sponsor Senator Dianne Feinstein on Tuesday, August 4th, another face-off between the special interests. The hearing, titled “Performance Rights Act and Parity Among Music Delivery Platforms,” is also co-sponsored by Senate Judiciary Committee chairman [...]
RealNetworks Losses Top $188 Million, Music Subscriptions Plunging…
At least they warned you. During the recent quarter, RealNetworks suffered significant losses and revenue declines, according to details shared during a scheduled earnings disclosure on Thursday. Specifically, losses topped $188.5 million during the period, and revenues declined 11 percent to $135.7 million (7 percent on a constant currency basis). The company blamed a number of “one-off timing related issues” [...]
Spotify Beware: Grooveshark Testing Its Own iPhone App…
Who says the lawyers get to call the shots, anyway? Under the weight of a major label lawsuit, Grooveshark is still pressing ahead with an iPhone app. Grooveshark vice president Josh Bonnain tipped Digital Music News to the app on Thursday evening, and offered a pre-release version ahead of an Apple approval.
What YouTube Just Did for Chris Brown…
Chris Brown has plenty of problems these days, though the latest viral video on YouTube is not one of them. No, this isn’t the recent apology video Brown delivered to the public. Rather, it’s a wacky wedding ceremony in which the procession dances to the beat of Brown’s “Forever,” a huge surprise to guests – and Brown label Jive/Zomba/Sony Music [...]
Even More Engagement: Virgin Mobile Says ‘Book This Band’…
And another way to engage fans ahead of a big festival? Ask them to pick a supporting band. That is what the soon-to-be-acquired Virgin Mobile USA is doing ahead of its Mobile FreeFest next month. The Fest happens August 30th at Merriweather Post Pavilion outside of Washington, DC, an all-day even that features headliners Franz Ferdinand, Weezer, Blink-182, and Public [...]
An Orange Mobile Monkey Appears In Britain…
Think that Spotify is the only thing buzzing in mobile music? Not quite. Universal Music Group, Orange UK, and Channel 4 are now joining forces on an unconventional mobile music offering in Britain. Instead of a mobile-screen menu and an exhaustive song selection, the ‘Monkey’ service will allow Orange pay-as-you-go customers to dial up playlists and stream music over the [...]
Want Close Fans? You Might Want to Check Out This Flick…
Perhaps the phrase ‘direct-to-fan’ has been a bit overused, though bands are well-advised to establish tight fan relationships. Indeed, that is a major focal point for a number of startups, whether Polyphonic, ReverbNation, or TopSpin.
The iTunes Growth Arc: What’s Really Happening?
So, the iTunes Store has now sold 8 billion songs since mid-2003, a break in the plateau logjams of 2007 and 2008. In fact, the past 6-7 months have witnessed a doubling in volumes, from roughly 2 billion annualized to a projected 4 billion-plus in 2009.
Exclusive: Got Gigs? AppliedSB Delivers Post-Show Monetization…
Some of the biggest opportunities happen after the gig is done, and for the right fans, memories last a lifetime. Indeed, the live recording is a well-known staple for fans and artists, though several companies are trying to perfect a completely different recording and distribution process.