Try This ‘Cocktail’: Apple, Labels Talking Album 2.0…
What happens when albums get smartly bundled with interactive extras, instead of positioned as one-off, flat downloads? Good question for a recording industry still reeling from the implosion of its once-prized physical bundle, the CD-based album. But according to a report surfacing Sunday in the Financial Times, Apple and the majors are discussing the possibility of offering interactive album bundles [...]
The Jet-Setting Music Industry Executive Is Back…
Tough to justify private jet transportation in the music industry these days, though some high-flying action is still happening on the fringes. The latest comes from KKR, a recent entrant into the music publishing business.
SoundCloud Slowly Making It Rain…
Popkomm may be taking a rest, but action is still bubbling in Berlin. That includes SoundCloud, a company that is gradually roping marquee users and growing its base. SoundCloud is focused on more controlled transfers of music between different parties, essentially replacing more traditional promo CDs and less-targeted distributions like MySpace Music. It also aims to supersede other delivery methods [...]
That Distant API Rumbling… Is a New Renaissance Afoot?
In February, a funny thing happened. Not only did EMI Music sue Seeqpod, they also sued Ryan Sit, just one of several developers using the Seeqpod API to create a variant app. In a nutshell, Sit’s ‘Favtape’ was a software mash-up that combined elements of Seeqpod, Last.fm, and Pandora using available APIs. Seeqpod was used for its decentralized, web-based music [...]
Publishers Gone Wild: ASCAP Chasing Every Possible Royalty Source…
ASCAP has caught some backlash for claiming that a ringtone qualifies as a public performance – and therefore, should require extra royalty payments to PROs. The latest claim – lodged recently against AT&T – has limited merit, based on the ‘broadcast’ of a ringtone to a generally tiny group of people (frequently, one).
Just Say No to Plateaus: iTunes Store Hits 8 Billion…
The broader picture on paid downloads has been disappointing, though a sluggish plateau appears to be ending. During its most recent quarterly review, Apple chief financial officer Peter Oppenheimer revealed cumulative song downloads of 8 billion, since a mid-2003 start. “The iPhone OS 3.0 software allows customers to wirelessly download movies, TV, and audio programs directly to an iPhone or [...]
Why Publishers Are Suddenly Facing the Heat…
Think that publishing is the ‘rock’ of the music industry? A steadfast generator of copyright annuities? Think again. According to several sources inside and outside the publishing world, this business is now facing serious pressures in 2009, and 2010 could be quite messy. “This year, publishers are feeling their own recession,” commented Nettwerk Music Group chief executive Terry McBride at [...]
The iLike Situation: Fresh Investing, With a Few Twists…
Another question-mark on the digital landscape is rumbling. This time it’s iLike, which appears to be entering into some unusual financial game-playing. According to details shared by TechCrunch on Wednesday morning, the founders of iLike are now rallying a round designed to gain greater control over the company. The plan includes the buyback of a significant portion controlled by Ticketmaster, [...]
TopSpin’s Self-Serve Platform Scheduled for ‘Early 2010′…
So far, TopSpin has been focused on boutique solutions for mostly established artists. That makes it difficult to determine whether the TopSpin special sauce is something that can work for more obscure acts, or whether the TopSpin model itself is scalable.