The New A&R: Is There Any Room for Gut Anymore?
“The music has to be great…” The latest cliche for the music industry is actually more of a truism. And, fans are really the ones that determine greatness, not the arbiters of good taste. But how to find that winning, multi-talented artist that super-connects with a big audience, and delivers great music?
Data Don’t Lie: British Recording Sales Up In ’09…
Perhaps the oft-used ‘freefall’ deserves an asterisk. According to lagging data from the BPI, recording sales in Britain actually gained 1.4 percent in 2009, thanks to a quite solid fourth quarter. Overall revenues topped 928.8 million pounds ($1.44 billion) during the period, according to the stats, and digital surged 47.8 percent to 188.9 million pounds.
Universal Music Taps Mozes on Latin Initiative…
Are we speaking the same language here? Now, Universal Music Group is tailoring its marketing towards US-based, Spanish-speaking mobile users, thanks to an expanded relationship with Mozes.
‘Flat Is the New Up’ for Publishers…
Publishers have mapped a completely different trajectory than their recording cousins. But make no mistake, publishers are battling their own downward demons, the worst of which may be ahead.
Rhapsody Offers the Latest Cloud Enhancement…
The market for cloud-based music remains early, though Rhapsody is jousting aggressively. Ahead of serious stateside entries from both MOG and Spotify, Rhapsody has now layered cached content into its iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad offering. The feature is a major selling point for Spotify’s iPhone app in Europe, and allows users to access large collections while out-of-range.
Why Synch Licensing Remains a Buyer’s Market…
Songwriters can certainly make money in synch licensing, but the variables are stacked against the little guy. Well-established or superstar composers are in a different category, but the rest are struggling against an oversupply of content. For them, this has become almost a textbook example of a buyer’s market.
MXP4 Nabs $4 Million for Digital Music Marketing, Distribution…
MXP4, a provider of digital music marketing and distribution services, announced on Thursday that it has raised $4 million in a new round of financing, led by Orkos Capital.
Those Curiously Strong Music Retail Stocks…
Wall Street was flat overall on Wednesday, despite a nice bump from Apple and other overachievers. After posting stellar earnings, AAPL bumped 5.98 percent to $259.22, a once-unthinkable high.
Not As Big In Japan: RIAJ Stats Show Slumping Sales…
Recorded music sales continued to fall in Japan, part of a broader global trend. According to the latest from the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ), unit sales dropped 10 percent during the first quarter (year-over-year), and 16 percent by trade value.