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Generation C: More Connected Than Ever
March 16, 2012
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"I am putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I think that any conscious entity can ever hope to do."
-- The HAL 9000 computer in Stanley Kubrik's '2001:A Space Odyssey'According to Nielsen and NM Incite's U.S. Digital Consumer Report, "Generation C," is taking their personal connection with each other and content to new levels, new devices and new experiences like no other age group. Born between the launch of the VCR and the commercialization of the Internet, Americans 18-34 are redefining media consumption with their unique embrace of all things digital.
Americans 18-34 make up 23% of the U.S. population, says the report, yet they represent an outsized portion of consumers:
Watching online video (27%)
Visiting social networking/blog sites (27%)
Owning tablets (33%)
Using a smartphone (39%)
Their ownership and use of connected devices makes this group them incredibly unique consumers, representing both a challenge and opportunity for marketers and content providers alike. Generation C is engaging in new ways and there are more touch points for marketers to reach them.
More information from the Nielsen U.S. Digital Consumer Report shows that Since 2000, the number of Americans with Internet access has more than doubled from 132.2 million to 274 million, and online content is increasingly part of Americans' entertainment fare. At the end of 2011, about one-third of consumers streamed long-form content such as a movie or TV show from the Internet through a paid subscription service like Netflix or Hulu-Plus.
Get the full report by registering here: http://tinyurl.com/7jt96eu
Or read the summary blog here: http://tinyurl.com/76ycccx
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 2
BILLBOARD'S TOP 40 MONEY-MAKING ARTISTS FOR 2011, AND THE 'TOP 100' GOES DIGITAL
As the concert business rebounded in 2011, touring remained the biggest source of income for the top earners in the U.S. music business.
Billboard's sixth annual Money Makers ranking includes veteran road warriors U2, Kenny Chesney and Bon Jovi, as well as other artists emerging in recent years as A-list arena headliners, from Taylor Swift to Lady Gaga. But not all of the 40 artists on the Money Makers list relied heavily, if at all, on touring income.
Check out the list here: http://tinyurl.com/6re6zzp
AND...
Billboard magazine's chart of Hot 100 songs -- known as the "Bible" of the music industry -- is finally going digital.
"It will now include data from streaming-music sites and subscription-music services such as Spotify AB, Rhapsody International Inc. and Rdio Inc. to its calculations of a song's popularity," writes the Wall Street Journal's Ethan Smith.
Read more of Ethan Smith's article on The Wall Street Journal here: http://tinyurl.com/7wr9cde
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 3
JUST HOW LONG IS YOUR "FIFTEEN MINUTES"?
An Empirical Analysis of Artists' Time on the Popular Charts
With research was funded in part by a research grant from the Music & Entertainment Industry Educators Association, University of Colorado Denver assistant professor Storm Gloor has shown that nearly one-half of all charting artists never appear again.
Gloor combed through Billboard charts dating back to 1955, and moved through 2005 for the analysis and he found a consistent level of failure over the 50-year span.
Download the report as a PDF file here: http://tinyurl.com/6nyu8a4
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 4
BERKLEE MUSIC'S SONGWRITING HANDBOOK
Following in the footsteps of Berklee's popular Music Business Handbook and Music Production Handbook, they are happy to unveil the latest installment in their educational e-book series: the Songwriting Handbook.
In this free PDF, you'll get exclusive songwriting tips and techniques from some of Berklee music's superstar songwriting faculty, including Pat Pattison, Jimmy Kachulis, Ben Newhouse, Brad Hatfield and Andrea Stolpe.
Topics include harmony, melody, writing hit songs, song licensing, avoiding writer's block, and much more. Download it here for free: http://tinyurl.com/77zb78o
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 5
FORGET ABOUT "BIG OIL," THIS IS "BIG TECH"... APPLE NOW BIGGER THAN EXXON'S MARKET CAP
Apple stock continues to soar into the stratosphere, and it closed on Monday at $552 a share, which is an all-time record for the Cupertino, CA-based computer company. Monday's high now puts Apple's market cap over $514 billion, which now exceeds Exxon's market cap -- the No. 2 company, currently standing at $403 billion -- by more than $100 billion.
Read about it here: http://tinyurl.com/737ae63
AND...
Apple could sell 1 million iPads on first day available.
Company has already pushed back the shipping date for the iPad by three days or longer for online orders, which will likely drive lines at the stores. Read more here: http://tinyurl.com/7smkgwl
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 6
GOOGLE'S ENTERTAINMENT STRATEGY IS NOT FOCUSED
Google Music no longer exists as a standalone service. Google TV was an embarrassment. YouTube may lose music videos next year.
Sources say not everybody at YouTube and Android is pulling in the same direction.
Read about it here: http://tinyurl.com/78wd868
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 7
WAL-MART ANNOUNCES DISC-TO-DIGITAL CLOUD SERVICE
Wal-mart is giving physical DVD/Blu-ray collections across the country a second life by turning them into digital movies. Movie fans can now legally transfer their DVDs and Blu-ray discs into Vudu cloud-stored digital files, following an announcement by Walmart and the five major studios this week.
The initiative is set to launch April 16. Read about it here: http://tinyurl.com/7b5uac7
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 8
REALITY SHOWS DROPPING IN RATINGS
It had to happen sooner or later, and now it looks like some of TV's biggest reality shows might be ready to "jump the shark."
Read more on The Wrap here: http://tinyurl.com/876p8ws
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THE 'A-SIDE' - BONUS TRACKS
* Again, if you want to check out what songs are getting the most listens via spins at radio, check out the Top Listens Chart which is based on average.Billboard/BDS/Mediabase reporting stations having 3,000 listens per spin, each. Only U.S. stations in markets #1 to #130 are included. Check it out here: http://tiny.cc/l2h3aw
* Check out the Washington Post's article on Bruce Springsteen and his keynote speech at SXSW this week, "Bruce Springsteen gives music history lesson at SXSW, advice to young musicians" here: http://tinyurl.com/7mjw2am and check out his whole keynote speech here: http://tinyurl.com/82jnde3
* They've unveiled a totally new VEVO: a more personalized, social experience including a closer integration with Facebook and iTunes and now a way to play videos like a TV station via continuous play. The new VEVO also offers continuous play of music videos in a more advanced "sit back and watch" environment - blending the old-school TV style of watching videos with the on-demand and socially charged experience that today's digital consumers have come to expect. In addition to a larger, better quality and faster video player, users will be able to check out the lyrics of the videos they're watching, browse the latest music news headlines or read up on their favorite artist's bios without ever having to click away from the video experience. Check it out at Vevo.com
* Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan railed against "posers" in the record industry in a one-on-one interview conducted by author Brian Solis at the SXSW festival this week in Austin, Texas. Over the course of the conversation, Corgan lamented changes in the way music is consumed that would've made it impossible for him to break into the record industry, much less become a prominent rock star. He also explains why he is passionate about social media and its potential for directly connecting musicians with their audience. Read more on Rolling Stone here: http://tinyurl.com/82e8o2o
* Looking for an ingenious way to pump music out of your smartphone loudly enough for a dance party in the park? You need one of these affordable, versatile, and portable wireless Bluetooth speakers. Check them out here: http://tinyurl.com/8x74rem
* On March 15, 1972, "The Godfather" hit movie screens. In the four decades since, it has become acknowledged as one of the greatest movies of all time. TIME has compiled the most interesting stories, anecdotes and tidbits from the film's production. Check them out here: http://tinyurl.com/7bj9xr9
Short News Items ...
MAYER SIDELINED:
John Mayer took an indefinite break from live performance after learning that a granuloma on his vocal cords has grown back after doctors believed it had healed.
BURKE BUSTED BIG TIME:
Kareem Burke, who co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records with Jay-Z and Damon Dash, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 100 kilograms -- that'd be 220 pounds -- of marijuana. He faces a minimum of five years in prison, and a maximum of 40 years. He'll also forfeit significant assets, including $660,000 in cash, plus another $15,000 that was seized in October 2010, a North Bergen, N.J. property, and a 2010 BMW 750.
SONY COUGHS UP THE BUCKS:
Sony has paid a $8 million settlement to a group of musicians, including Cheap Trick, the Allman Brothers Band and the Youngbloods, ending a five-year dispute over digital music revenue. A filing by the attorney in the class action suit on Wednesday reveals that the company will pay its artists a total of $7.95 million to resolve claims in the case, and the musicians will see a 3% bump in their royalty rates with respect to digital income. (And of course the lawyers will get a huge chunk)
CALLING BRITNEY:
Simon Cowell reportedly offered Britney Spears $10 million to become a judge on the second season of "The X Factor." The singer rejected that offer three weeks ago and is instead thinking about an offer to become a resident performer at a Las Vegas hotel in the fall, a la Celine Dion. Allegedly Spears' camp wants $20 million. (Source: http://tinyurl.com/79nuu87 )
NO STONES ROLLING THIS YEAR, MAYBE NEXT:
The Rolling Stones will not tour to mark their 50th anniversary this year, Rolling Stone magazine has learned after separate interviews with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.
OH, NO... ANOTHER ONE?
Kelly Clarkson, Lionel Richie, Robin Thicke and Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles will star in "Duets," a new singing competition show for ABC. The show, which is set to air this summer, will have the celebrity vocalists searching for undiscovered talent, and each will choose two duet partners for weekly performances. At the end of the season, one winner will get a recording contract with Hollywood Records.
BRUCE IS 'THE BOSS' ACROSS THE POND AS WELL:
Bruce Springsteen's "Wrecking Ball" also crashed into the U.K. album chart at # 1 last Sunday.
NOT AN IDOL, BUT WANTED:
The "American Idol" contestant booted from the show this week is the subject of five outstanding arrest warrants in New Jersey, The Smoking Gun had learned. Jermaine Jones, 25, is wanted in three separate counties for failing to appear in court on a variety of criminal charges dating back to 2006, according to court records.
LANA CONTINUES:
April 8th sees the release of "Blue Jeans" the third single from Lana Del Rey's new album. Her album "Born To Die" debuted at #1 in 19 countries' iTunes album charts and jumped in at #1 on the U.K. album chart. "Born To Die" has already gone Platinum in the U.K., France, Germany and Ireland and sold over 1.4 million albums globally in under a month, along with 2 million single sales.
APPLE HEADS TO BUBBA LAND:
Apple plans to build a new $304 million campus in Austin, TX expected to create 3,600 new jobs, Texas Gov. Rick Perry announced last week.
ELTON RETURNS TO ROOTS:
With his just-completed new album, "The Diving Board," Elton John revisits the piano-bass-drums trio format heard on his classic early records. The album was written and recorded in a matter of weeks in Los Angeles and produced by T Bone Burnett, and set for release this Fall.
BEATLES INTO DIGITAL JUKEBOXES:
TouchTunes Interactive Networks, which bills itself as the largest out-of-home entertainment network in North America, has made a deal with Apple Corps and EMI that will put the entire Beatles catalog in the company's 50,000+ digital jukeboxes.
OTHER MUSIC, ANOTHER LABEL:
Other Music, one of New York City's best and most enduring independent record shops, is about to open its own record label. Other Music Recording Co. will be an imprint of Fat Possum, the label behind Yuck, Spiritualized, the Walkmen, Tennis and Unknown Mortal Orchestra, to focus on underground music from New York and reissues of albums by foreign artists. The store has specialized in imports and local underground music since the early Nineties.
SIGN OF THE TIMES:
Perhaps inevitable in our digital age, Encyclopedia Britannica is shutting down its 244-year-old book publishing business. Going forward, it will continue to publish a digital version, which can be accessed on its website and through its iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch apps. The digital version costs $70 a year. Britannica has printed a new version of its reference books every two years.
PASSING:
Doobie Brothers drummer Michael Hossack died at his home in Dubois, WY Monday at the age of 65. He had been battling cancer for some time and succumbed to complications of the disease with his family at his side.
PASSING:
Jimmy Ellis, the lead singer of the hit "Disco Inferno" from '70s R&B/funk group The Trammps, died last week in Rock Hill, South Carolina. He was 74.
The Music Industry Past, Present & Future, And The Internet I answer questions on EconTalk
I did an interview about the industry and the Internet at EconTalk with host Russ Roberts. Russ is also a professor of economics at George Mason University, blogs at Cafe Hayek, and has written three novels that teach economics. He's also the co-creator of the Keynes-Hayek rap video. (And if your understanding of the economic meltdown that occurred needs to be enlightened, this video will do it)
In the interview we talk about the evolution of the music industry, the impact of the digital revolution, and I give my reasons for believing in the virtues and potential of the Internet in enhancing the music industry. I point out, as I have many times here in the newsletter, that the internet allows numerous artists to make money from their music and it can enhance revenues from live performances by expanding an artist's base. We also discuss the challenges facing record companies and I suggest that the full potential of the Internet as a distribution channel has yet to be fully exploited. There's a lot of ground covered, but based on the comments already posted of those who have tuned in, they've enjoyed it.
Read more about it by clicking here.
Quotes of the week
"The mantra that I go into in the last verse of "We Take Care of Our Own" - "Where are the eyes, where are the hearts?" - it's really: "Where are those things now, what happened to those things over the past 30 years? What happened to the social fabric of the world that we're living in? What's the price that people pay for it on a daily basis?" Which is something that I lived with intensely as a child, and is probably the prime motivation for the subjects I've written about since I was very, very young."
-- Bruce Springsteen, interviewed by Jon Stewart in Rolling Stone"Here we are in this town, young and old, celebrating each perhaps in our own way a sense of freedom that was Woody's (Guthrie's) legacy. So rumble, young musicians, rumble. Open your ears and open your hearts. Don't take yourself too seriously and take yourself as seriously as death itself. Don't worry. Worry your ass off. Have ironclad confidence, but doubt. It keeps you awake and alert. ... And when you walk on stage tonight to bring the noise, treat it like it's all we have. And then remember it's only rock 'n' roll. I think I'm going to go out and catch a little black death metal."
-- Bruce Springsteen, in his keynote speech at SWSX this week"I was not here for Ben. I mean, let's face it, I was here for the girls."
-- Ellen DeGeneres, digitally inserting herself into The Bachelor's Women Tell All special"One of the greatest things I heard someone say about him is, 'He's so great doing impersonations. But the greatest impersonation he does is that of a normal person.'"
-- Mad Men's Elisabeth Moss, finally speaking out about ex-husband of eight months, SNL's Fred Armisen, to Page Six Magazine"Whether it's Paris Hilton or Kim Kardashian or whoever, stupidity is certainly celebrated. Being a f*****g idiot is a valuable commodity in this culture because you're rewarded significantly. It's celebrated. It doesn't make sense to me."
-- Mad Men's Jon Hamm, in the April issue of ELLE UK
The B-Side - 'Blips'
THE ONION (www.theonion.com) STORY OF THE WEEK:
This Article Generating Thousands Of Dollars In Ad Revenue Simply By Mentioning New iPad
SAN FRANCISCO-According to industry sources, this news article is generating a veritable bonanza of highly lucrative advertising revenue by mere virtue of the fact that it mentions Apple's new iPad. "Current estimates show that the particular article I am being quoted in at this very moment began to accumulate thousands of dollars in ad-based profits as soon as the words 'new iPad' appeared in the headline," said market analyst Jonathan Bowers.
Read the rest here and laugh: Click Here.
AND...
Google shuts down Gmail for two hours just to show how powerful it is, and socially inclusive hip-hop group the Black Eyed Peas have added the wheelchair-bound rapper TruWheel to their lineup, plus more stories in the NewsBlitz.
Read the rest here and laugh: Click Here.
Smart Marketing Consulting Services
Smart Marketing Consulting Services has been in business sixteen years, and consults clients in the music, entertainment, attraction, media, and technology industry on branding, marketing, online exploitation, maximizing new media, and more.
"And the beat goes on, the beat goes on ... drums keep poundin' rhythm to the brain."
"Work is life, you know, and without it, there's nothing but fear and insecurity." -- John Lennon
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