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Music Videos Go Mobile Big-Time
February 21, 2014
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From Media Post's Steve Smith comes news that "The majority of music videos from the leading source of the form are now viewed off of the desktop. Mobility could be a key driver in the current revival of a form that seemed to exhaust its creativity and cultural power more than a decade ago."
The latest report from Vevo bears out that the majority of music videos from the market-leading company -- 60% to be exact -- are now coursing through devices, not the desktop. In fact, the fast migration of music video to handhelds and tablets speaks to just how much some media has been waiting to get the hell off of the constricted circumstance of desktop and even laptop viewing. Vevo says that last year mobile, tablet and connected TV consumption of its video content was up 176% worldwide and 118% in the U.S. The lifetime app downloads of Vevo increased 66% last year alone, suggesting the velocity of the shift as well."
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SHAZAM & WARNER MUSIC CREATE STRATEGIC ALLIANCEHypebot reports that Warner Music Group and Shazam have formed an alliance to identify new talent and sign them to Shazam branded label.
The Shazam label imprint will promote unsigned music artists by merging traditional A&R with the music ID application's fan activity data. The alliance will also promote existing WMG artists.
"By partnering with Shazam, we have forged a potent proposition: the first crowd-sourced, big data record label," said Rob Wiesenthal, COO/Corporate, Warner Music Group. "While data and crowd sourced analyses will never be a substitute for the expertise and instincts of our A&R professionals, we do believe the information we obtain for this new label will provide very useful signals that will bolster our ability to find the stars of tomorrow." Read More
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FROM CNET: WHICH DO YOU PREFER? LIVE PERFORMANCES OR RECORDED MUSIC?Live music can be more exciting, but recorded music has been honed and perfected and approved by the artist. Which do you prefer? Read more
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THE COMCAST & TIME WARNER CABLE DEALThe $45 billion deal between Comcast and Time Warner Cable has the potential to shake up the pay-TV business -- or does it?
Time Warner Cable subscribers would see the biggest changes, but the implications of the takeover could touch people with no ties to Comcast or TWC. CNET explains how it affects you. READ MORE
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TABLET & PHONE RETAIL TOPS $60 BILLIONAccording to a new study by Javelin Strategy & Research, 2013 marked an important mobile payment's "first," with tablet payments comprising almost half of all mobile commerce.
In 2013, tablets accounted for a massive $28.7 billion in mobile online commerce, or over 50% of the entire mobile online payments space. That is quintuple 2012's $5.1 billion. The portion of commerce generated through tablets is fueled by rising device ownership, as mobile consumers ownership of tablets doubled inform since 2012. See what others are saying on the Research Brief blog.
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STUPID ARTIST OF THE WEEKNicki Minaj drew criticism from the family and estate of Malcolm X this week after using a photo of the slain civil rights leader to accompany her new single, "Lookin Ass N---a." On Wednesday, Minaj had posted artwork that used a photo of Malcolm X looking out a window while holding a large rifle to promote the song on her website and Instagram.
"Ms. Minaj's artwork for her single does not depict the truth of Malcolm X's legacy," Malcolm X's daughter, Ilyasah Shabazz said in a statement to the Associated Press on Friday. An attorney for the estate and family threatened legal action if the photo was not removed. "This is a family photo that was taken out of context in a totally inaccurate and tasteless way," said Mark Roesler, CEO of the business representative for the Malcolm X estate. The photo shows Malcolm X trying to protect his family from death threats after his home had been firebombed. Read the article on Rolling Stone or on The Hollywood Reporter. READ MORE
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 7
WHAT APPLE HAS PLANNED FOR OUR HEADSA new patent award for Apple shows plans for biometric headphones that can read head gestures, heart rate, and perspiration and perhaps interpret psychological states.
We are on the edge of having media read us rather than us reading it. Read the whole story
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THE 'A-SIDE' - THE BONUS TRACKS* Stevie Nicks Wants to Write Music for 'Game of Thrones'
* Nine Inch Nails on 'Austin City Limits'
* Save Google Play Music radio on Android for offline listening
* Yes, that silver orb can store your movies and music
* Apple to Launch iTunes Festival at SXSW With Coldplay, Imagine Dragons
* Music Photos of the Week
* 25 Best Movies of the Eighties
* 5 Movie Plot Holes You Didn't Notice Due to Editing (Pt. 2)
* 14 great gadgets that are under $50
* Nike designer: 'Back to the Future' power laces due in 2015
* Get a Qube2 portable Bluetooth speaker for $55.99
* Samsung's sweet-sounding Sonos alternative
* Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 5030UB review
* CNET's take on high tech cars
Short News Items ...
GEE, WHAT A SHAME...NOT!
CeeLo Green has left "The Voice." The "Forget You" (his one real hit) singer announced his decision to leave the NBC singing competition in an interview scheduled to air on Wednesday's installment of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," saying he does not plan to return to the show "at all." However, "Green's decision to quit was a move to avoid being fired by NBC and producer Mark Burnett Productions, an individual with knowledge of the situation told The Wrap. Full story at TheWrap
APPLE SCRUFFS:
She came in through the bathroom window, literally. Emma Eldredge, a 63-year-old retired nurse from Gloucester, England, recalls the time she broke into Paul McCartney's house and stole a pair of trousers. She was one of the Apple Scruffs, the Beatles' own Beliebers. Read More
MORE BEATLE STUFF HITS AUCTION:
The latest Fab Four treasure heading to auction is a signed copy of their second American album, 'Meet the Beatles,' autographed by all four members and given to Dr. Jules Gordon, who treated George Harrison's sore throat before the band made their legendary Ed Sullivan Show debut on February 9th, 1964. The sure-to-be-heated bidding war will be handled by New Hampshire-based RR Auction beginning Thursday, March 13th until Thursday, March 20th.
DAVID CROSBY HAS HEART SURGERY:
"It seems I am once again a very lucky man," said David Crosby in a statement after undergoing heart surgery and postponing several solo shows. He plans to return to the stage on March 4th when Crosby, Stills and Nash begin a month-long tour in Virginia.
GARFUNKEL ALMOST AT 100%:
Simon and Garfunkel's 2010 Jazz Fest set was one of the most difficult hours of Art Garfunkel's life. He'd just begun to experience major vocal problems: "I was terrible," he tells Rolling Stone. After a long recovery, one of rock's most beautiful voices is "96%" healthy. Read More
GNR BACK TO VEGAS:
Guns & Roses (okay, Axl and sidemen) GN'R will play nine concerts at the Joint inside the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas between May 21st and June 7th, for a residency they've dubbed, "No Trickery! An Evening of Destruction." Tickets go on sale this Friday.
BETTE MIDLER ON OSCARS:
Bette Midler will sing on the Oscars, producers for the Academy Awards broadcast said. The Divine Miss M will perform an unspecified number, marking her first time singing on the broadcast. Midler previously appeared as both a presenter and a Best Actress nominee for "The Rose" and "For the Boys."
INTRABAND RELATIONSHIPS? DO THEY WORK?
The old adage "Don't mix business with pleasure" evidently doesn't apply to the music industry. From Fleetwood Mac and Sonic Youth to Ike and Tina Turner, here are 15 noteworthy intraband relationships and a look at how their creativity was affected. Read More
'THE BOSS' DOES INXS:
In Sydney, Australia, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band paid tribute to one of the country's beloved bands with a thrilling, high-energy cover of INXS's 1982 hit "Don't Change." The band has also covered AC/DC on this leg of their world tour. Read More
ACOUSTIC NEIL:
A little less than three months after his stellar four-night stand at New York's Carnegie Hall, Neil Young has announced plans for two shows at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on March 29th and 30th. Tickets go on sale Monday, February 24th at 10a. PT. Prices range from $82.20 to $413.50.
ELTON TO BONNAROO:
Elton John, Kanye West and Jack White lead a list of more than 100 acts that will be playing the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival this year. The four-day fest – which takes place from June 12th to June 15th this year -- will once again feature a typically diverse lineup of classic and breaking artists from all genres. This year will be the first time John plays the festival. Other artists scheduled to perform this year include Lionel Richie, Vampire Weekend, the Avett Brothers, Phoenix, Arctic Monkeys, Skrillex and Frank Ocean, among others.
FALLON'S BIG DEBUTS:
Letterman and Kimmel beware: Jimmy Fallon's 11.3 million viewers is the second-largest 'Tonight Show' audience in nearly five years. His second "Tonight Show" was the most-watched Tuesday installment in 13 years, with 7.4 million viewers. The post-Olympics midnight show outperformed combined "Late Show" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live" by 52%. Read the full story at TheWrap
Leaving Us
Bob Casale, a founding member of New Wave pioneers Devo, died at the age of 61 on Monday (Feb. 17). A statement from Casale's brother Gerald, also a member of the group, confirms that the cause of death was heart failure. Devo's Bob Casale Dies At 61
Wayne Smith, the reggae vocalist whose 1985 single "Under Mi Sleng Teng" reshaped Jamaican music by popularizing digital production in the genre, died in Kingston Monday at the age of 48. Smith was admitted to Kingston Public Hospital Friday after complaining of sudden stomach pains, according to his son, Tidel Smith, who confirmed his father's passing with the Jamaica Observer.
Quotes of the week
"It's basically 'Titanic' with lava -- and without compelling leads."
-- The Wrap's Alonso Duraldo, in his review of the new film 'Pompeii.' "Kit Harington and Emily Browning have about one facial expression between them as star-crossed lovers in this empty epic." Full story at TheWrap The movie is poised to be the first big-budget bomb of 2014, if the box office tracking and analysts' projections are on the money. Also read that at TheWrap
The B-Side - 'Blips'
THE ONION (www.theonion.com) STORY OF THE WEEK:
Open Relationship Gives Couple Freedom To Emotionally Drain Other People From Time To Time
SCARSDALE, NY—Local couple Alison Fry and Peter Hartman told reporters Thursday they have both been pleased since opening up their relationship, saying the exciting new arrangement allowed them the freedom to psychologically wear down other people.
Open Relationship Gives Couple Freedom To Emotionally Drain Other People From Time To Time
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.
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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