-
Steve Jobs, 1955-2011
October 7, 2011
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. -
"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma -- which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."
-- Steve JobsWe lost a true visionary this week.
Steve Jobs was only here on this planet for 56 short years, but his legacy will live on forever. For a short list of "10 Ways Steve Jobs Changed The World" you can go here: http://tiny.cc/8wkbf
One item on that list is, of course, titled 'Music,' and from that: "Apple launched iTunes in 2003. A digital content service that charged for music, its ease-of-use and tight integration with the popular iPod proved irresistible to consumers. Now, iTunes is the largest online music retailer in the world, with over 200 million registered users who have downloaded 15 billion songs. The fall 2011 launch of a cloud-based iTunes service should only further cement that standing."
Rather than rewrite what has already been said on TV and written about Steve Jobs on hundreds of websites this week, I thought I would just revisit a few of Steve's quotes and a few the things I've written about him in the newsletter since it started. My tribute, sort of, to a man I admired greatly.
"The Internet presents as many opportunities for those who choose to explore and exploit it, as it does challenges. There are now real signs that millions will pay for downloading. Look at what Steve Jobs has done with Apple's iTunes in a very short time for real evidence of this. Sure, the few million who have paid are miniscule in comparison to the tens of millions still downloading for free, but it's a start ... and a good one. Now that we know people will pay when the service they use is easy to navigate and the download they need to receive to get mp3s is easy to set-up in their browser, it's time to think of ways to get even more folks to do the same. Mr. Jobs is already doing that by creating strategic alliances with second and third parties." (11/19/03)
"Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations." - Steve Jobs
"You can't just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they'll want something new." - Steve Jobs
"I think it safe to say that while many in the music industry are still trying to figure out how to create the new model(s) that will be the 'labels' of the future, Steve Jobs has taken a giant leap forward for the entire industry by leading the way and showing just how much can be done with innovation and an approach that views the Internet as a vital and viable distribution system." (7/15/04)
"To turn really interesting ideas and fledgling technologies into a company that can continue to innovate for years, it requires a lot of disciplines." -- Steve Jobs
"A lot of companies have chosen to downsize, and maybe that was the right thing for them. We chose a different path. Our belief was that if we kept putting great products in front of customers, they would continue to open their wallets." -- Steve Jobs
"One reader e-mailed me recently and asked why I was 'such a big Steve Jobs fan.' I answered that e-mail by saying the following: "It's not that I am such a 'Steve Jobs fan' as much as I'm a fan of ANYBODY who utilizes technology at hand to advance the SALES of music online and keep consumers in the habit of BUYING." As I've said in the newsletter many times, Apple's iTunes has done that, whether music industry executives want to give Mr. Jobs credit or not." (12/9/05)
"About the only thing the iPhone won't do is 'beam you up' like those hand-help communicators we saw on Star Trek, but at this point, I'd be inclined to believe that Steve Jobs and his Apple team are working on that technology as I write this." (1/12/07)
"Apple is leading the digital music revolution, but at its core, it's all about the music." -- Steve Jobs
Every artist who ever met Steve Jobs knew his passion for music was real and that his desire to make music more accessible and have less stolen online, drove his never-ending quest for making iTunes the best online store in the world, and the iPod the best digital player/storage device, that would make people want to buy and enjoy more music.
There are currently over 69 million results on Google for 'Steve Jobs.'
"And in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make." -- Lennon/McCartney
-----------------------------
THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 2
GREAT RESOURCE PAPERS
Download these exclusive whitepapers on the Midem blog: Is streaming steaming ahead? (Nielsen); Why use audio streaming websites? (Virginie Berger); Music Content Strategy Wrap-Up (Virginie Berger); Image Conscious - Music Video Streaming Online (Nielsen); The Real Cost of Direct to Fan (Good Lizard)' and many more.
Discover more resources and join the Midem community blog here: http://tiny.cc/9kqw9
-----------------------------
THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 3
APPLE A BIGGER THREAT TO MOVIE INDUSTRY THAN PIRACY? REALLY?
For years the music industry blamed Steve Jobs for cannibalizing album sales. (Even though their 'Now That's What I Call Music' volumes do the exact same thing)
Now, Miramax CEO Mike Lange says Apple might be more threatening to movie companies than piracy. Lang argued at an event this week that it is dangerous for the same reasons that any monopoly is bad for industry. "Piracy really is not the bigger issue for our company or for our library," Lang said, as reported by AppleInsider.
"It's been a lack of exploitation, just not getting it out there." In other words, so long as Apple dominates media distribution through its iTunes online store, it's hindering movie companies from distributing their catalogs to a wider audience, according to Lang. "The Miramax chief believes that more competition is healthy for both creators of media and the end consumer, as it drives prices down and allows for more content to be available in more places," AppleInsider writes. The movie industry, therefore, can't fall into the same trap as the music business, Lang adds. "Apple is the strongest company in the music industry, and ... as an industry it can't then influence packaging, merchandising, all the things that are vital."
Well, gee Mr. Lange, how about developing something on your own then?
Read the article here: http://tiny.cc/yt3xl
-----------------------------
THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 4
SUPREME COURT: INTERNET DOWNLOADS OF SONGS DO NOT CONSTITUTE A PUBLIC PERFORMANCE
The Supreme Court let stand on Monday a ruling that Internet downloads of sound recordings do not constitute a public performance of the recorded musical work under federal copyright law. The justices refused to review a ruling by a N.Y. appeals court to that effect.
ASCAP had appealed the ruling, saying it has profound implications for its members, costing them tens of millions of dollars in potential royalties each year.
Read more here: http://tiny.cc/407yi
-----------------------------
THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 5
FLOWD IS HERE
Flowd, the social network designed for music lovers, officially launched this week in the U.S. and announced a deal with Digital Mind State's CEO Mike Johns to help drive its success.
Flowd's free service enables musicians to engage directly with their fans by building a customized community on its mobile platform.
Check it out here: http://tiny.cc/wjr28
-----------------------------
THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 6
TABLET USERS GOBBLE UP THE WEB
If early adopter metrics are a fair indication, then the tablet is poised to be a genuine game changer in both the ways in which people access the Web and the sheer volume of their use.
According to research from Knowledge Networks, tablet-owning consumers on average spend 48% more time each day with the Internet -- 4 hours and 19 minutes across platforms compared to 2 hours and 55 minutes for all users.
Read the rest here: http://tiny.cc/6unx5
-----------------------------
THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 7
MICROSOFT'S ZUNE, R.I.P.
It never really was a game player in the digital music marketplace. CNET reports on the Zune's last days here: http://tiny.cc/uh05d
-----------------------------
THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 8
RHAPSODY TAKES NAPSTER
Napster has entered a new chapter in its storied life.
In news that will cause flashbacks for digital media veterans, Rhapsody has signed an agreement to acquire Napster subscribers and certain other assets, in exchange for which Napster's parent Best Buy will receive a minority stake in Rhapsody. Further details were not disclosed for the transaction, which is expected to close around the end of November.
Read more here: http://tiny.cc/k50ct
-----------------------------
THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 9
A GOOD READ FOR BEATLES FANS
From Rolling Stone, "Michael Lindsay-Hogg directed videos with The Rolling Stones for 15 years, starting with 'Jumpin' Jack Flash,' and also their fabled Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus. He also directed videos for The Beatles, including 'Revolution' and 'Hey Jude,' as well as their last film, the documentary 'Let It Be.' Here is an exclusive excerpt from Luck and Circumstance about the making of that film."
Read it on Rolling Stone here: http://tiny.cc/0t31d
------------------------------
THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 10
RANKPAD ... A SOCIAL RANKING SITE
A new Potomac-based start-up aims to provide Internet users with an entertaining forum for ranking just about anything, from "top NFL quarterbacks" to "best iPhone apps."
Rankpad, launched by DC-area entrepreneur Andre Averbug, is currently in open beta testing, with plans to roll out new features over the next few months that will focus on deeper integration with social networks and expanding its revenue model.
Check it out here: http://tiny.cc/q68d2
Short News Items ...
QUEEN CONTESTANT:
Queen's Roger Taylor has launched a North American talent search in order to assemble the band for The Queen Extravaganza, which will begin touring next year -- and while Freddie's unitard may be hard to fill, there's one contestant who appears to be up for the challenge. That would be one Marc Martel, the lead singer of a Christian band named Downhere, whose Queen audition has already racked up more than 3.8 million views. so Marc's performance so impressed Ellen DeGeneres that she booked him on her show to perform his audition of "Somebody to Love."
HUH?
Hewlett-Packard's TouchPad tablet was temporarily available on the company's website, according to a report, for the first time in more than a month.
ADELE CANCELS TOUR:
Adele has been forced to cancel her upcoming, sold-out 10-city U.S. tour due to a hemorrhage in her vocal cord. Vocal cord issues forced the British singer to postpone dates earlier this year.
ROD BIO COMING:
Rod Stewart has signed a deal with Random House to pen a tell-all memoir due out next year. Stewart says that he intends to "hold nothing back" in the book, and will be rather explicit in writing about his prolific love life.
ADELE STAT:
In 33 total weeks of release, Adele's album '21' has only been out of the Top 3 for one week.
NO BLACK-EYED PEAS AT JACKSON TRIBUTE:
The controversial Michael Jackson tribute concert scheduled for this weekend in Cardiff, Wales, took another big hit this week when it was announced that the Black Eyed Peas had canceled.
COEN BROS. DO TV:
Oscar-winning filmmakers Ethan Coen and Joel Coen are set to executive produce an hour-long single-camera comedy for Fox, which the two co-created with another feature writer, Phil Johnston. The project, titled HarveKarbo, follows the title character - an ill-tempered LA private investigator whose cases frequently involve the depraved doings of the Hollywood elite - and his deadbeat friends in Los Angeles' El Segundo.
CASSIDY WANTS HIS PARTRIDGE BUX:
David Cassidy, the singer who starred in the 1970s sitcom The Partridge Family, has sued Sony for allegedly withholding royalty money. In legal action field Wednesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Cassidy's lawyers claimed that the show has generated more than $500 million in profits from ancillary merchandise -- games, lunchboxes, magazines -- in the years since its debut. Cassidy's original contract, signed in 1971, called for the singer-actor to receive 15% of all proceeds from such sales, they claim.
NELSON ESTATE WANTS ROYALTIES:
The estate of Rick Nelson is suing Capitol Records, alleging that the label has grossly underreported royalties owed, though the company claims to have up to $250 million in "unmatched income" not connected to any particular artist. The estate claims that the label has the funds to pay off the royalties, but has refused to do so.
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR REDUX:
Andrew Lloyd Webber's classic rock opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, will return to Broadway early next year.
PASSING:
Marv Tarplin, the Motown guitarist and songwriter behind Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, died on Friday at his home in Las Vegas at the age of 70. His cause of death has not yet been determined.
PASSING:
Bert Jansch, the Scottish folk musician, Pentangle co-founder, and guitar hero to Neil Young, Jimmy Page and many others, died this week after a long battle with cancer. He was 67.
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
"I've known Sting for about 25 years. But our friendship is a little unusual, because every time I read about Sting in a magazine, I don't recognize him. I've read, 'Sting can make love for 29 hours.' I wonder why he never mentioned that to me. After four hours now, you're supposed to seek medical attention ... Anyway, stay hard brother, stay hard."
-- Bruce Springsteen, at the 60th birthday party/concert for Sting"I'm not going to lie. I wanted 20 million when we launched, but now I'm kind of back in the real world and I'm seeing this grow naturally. I'm as happy as I've ever been. We're not in Russia where you have one show. This is life. If you're competitive and it spurs you on, I kind of get excited by it."
-- Simon Cowell, commenting on the 'X Factor'
The B-Side - 'Blips'
THE ONION (www.theonion.com) STORY OF THE WEEK:
New College Graduates To Be Cryogenically Frozen Until Job Market Improves
WASHINGTON-In a bold new measure intended to address unemployment among young professionals, lawmakers from across the political spectrum agreed on legislation Tuesday to subsidize the cryogenic freezing of recent college graduates until the job market recovers.
"Finding employment is extremely difficult for today's college graduate," Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) said. "Our current economy offers few options for the millions of young men and women desperate to join the workforce."
"Were we to freeze these graduates at the height of vigor and ambition, however, there's a chance we could revive them during a more prosperous time," Hutchinson continued.
"When the economy finally bounces back -- 10, 20, even 30 years from now -- we'll have an entire generation thawed out and ready to contribute."
Read the rest here and laugh: Click Here.
The Blogs
Check out Jerry Del Colliano's (the founder of INSIDE RADIO) daily blog, by clicking here: http://www.insidemusicmedia.blogspot.comWebsite
Check out attorney Ray Beckerman's website at: http://recordingindustryvspeople.blogspot.com where he prints news about the RIAA's ongoing activities
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
-
-