Can Venues Reach Around Ticketmaster? The Vision of DIY Ticketing…
Ticketmaster takes a boatload of ticketing, ecommerce, and promotional issues off of the hands of venues. But outsourcing also carries a boatload of costs, including limited access to attendee data and higher pricing. That could spell market opportunity, and Irish startup Ticket Text is betting that venues will embrace cheaper software solutions, more direct management and greater control.
It Used to Be So Simple: BigChampagne Unveils the “Ultimate Chart”
Charts like the Billboard 200 made perfect sense in the 90s, but ten years later, measuring success is a very tricky affair. That was the motivation for the Ultimate Chart, an attempt by BigChampagne to rank artists and songs according to a broader number of metrics. It also represents an attempt to seriously challenge Soundscan, a yardstick that has plenty [...]
Live Nation: Top Tours Dropped 9% This Year; Broader Industry 17%…
Ticket sales for Live Nation’s top 100 tours dropped nearly 10 percent during the first half, according to a financial meeting on Thursday. That is part of a 17 percent industry decline across the top tours, based on company breakdowns.
Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes: Bandcamp Starts Charging…
Hey, the free ride is over at Bandcamp, but most seem fine with the change. According to details disclosed Wednesday, the well-regarded direct-to-fan platform is moving towards a revenue-sharing model, good news for those worried about the longer-term sustainability of the company. And, good news for anyone fearing a straight-ahead subscription or advertising approach.
Lessig Responds: We Are Not Undermining Copyright…
Is ASCAP really assailed by ‘copyleft’ commies, or merely fighting progressive copyright thinking? The performance rights organization recently rallied its members to fight against the influence of the EFF, Creative Commons, and Public Knowledge, arguing that these groups are seeking to undermine the sanctity of copyright.
Faxon’s New Plan: Can It Save EMI?
Roger Faxon is rumored to be drafting a fresh plan to save EMI. But will this have an impact, or merely shuffle the deck chairs once again?
Keep It Moving: Eminem On to the Next Chart-Topper…
Who says the major label machine is dead? When it comes to the top-grossing, blockbuster artists, over-the-top marketing is quite alright, thank you very much. And over at Interscope, the action on Eminem is fierce: just moments after crossing one million units on Recovery, a second track is already over-performing.
Tommy Boy: “80 Percent of All Records Released are Just Noise — Hobbyists”
Are most musicians today merely hobbyists? Yes, according to Thomas “Tommy Boy” Silverman, who poked another hole in digital utopianism over the weekend. “80 percent of all records released are just noise — hobbyists,” Silverman told Wired. “Some companies like Tunecore are betting on the Long Tail because they get the same $10 whether you sell one copy or 10,000.”
Exclusive: RIAA’s Mitch Bainwol Making $2 Million Plus Annually…
The RIAA can hardly be categorized as a glowing success story, yet its CEO now earns more than $2 million in annual compensation. According to year-2008 federal tax filings shared over the weekend with Digital Music News, RIAA chief Mitch Bainwol raked an impressive $1.91 million in annual pay, with “other compensation” from the RIAA and “related organizations” offering another [...]