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Will People Want To "Own" Music In The Future?
June 29, 2012
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"I am an avid music listener, concertgoer, and college radio DJ. My world is music-centric. I've only bought 15 CDs in my lifetime. Yet, my entire iTunes library exceeds 11,000 songs. I wish I could say I miss album packaging and liner notes and rue the decline in album sales the digital world has caused. But the truth is, I've never supported physical music as a consumer."
-- Emily White, this summer's All Songs Considered intern. She is a senior at American University in Washington, D.C. and the general manager of WVAU.In the continuing saga of the problems facing the music industry when it comes to people actually owning music in the future, and as a follow-up to last week's newsletter commentary 'The Trend To listen To Music Via Streaming Grows' (which broached the same topic), these articles provide more insight into the subject.
Read Emily's full article, "I Never Owned Any Music To Begin With,' here: http://tinyurl.com/cl26q65
Then head on over to the A.V. Club at the Onion to read 'What does it mean to "own" music in 2012 here: http://tinyurl.com/7amlawo
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 2
FROM HYPEBOT 'HOW THE MICROWAVE GENERATION IS BURNING MUSIC'
"Go ahead, turn on music and do anything else in the world besides actually listen to it. No one will blame you. Who can, when everyone else is doing the same thing? Whether you're the playlist-for-every-occasion-type person, or just the type to throw Pandora on because the thought of being alone with your thoughts is just scary, the way we are listening to music is changing."
Read the rest here: http://tinyurl.com/cthsam8
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 3
FLEETWOOD MAC'S 'RUMOURS' 35 YEARS LATER
From CNN, "After a year of 10-to-14-hour workdays, the use of seven recording studios and just under $1 million in production costs, Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" was released in 1977 -- and it hasn't fallen out of rotation since.
The classic disc was the #1 album on the charts for 31 weeks, with Rolling Stone naming "Rumors" the 25th greatest album of all time. It is the 10th best-selling album ever with more than 40 million copies sold to date, and it features four top 10 singles."
Read why, 35 years later, the album is still an all-time great: http://tinyurl.com/7zspaw6
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 4
IS REALITY TV THE NEW HOME FOR LABEL EXECS AND ARTISTS?
Former pop music chart-toppers Jennifer Lopez, Paula Abdul, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera seem to have hit paydirt by morphing themselves into judges on television talent competitions.
But they aren't the only ones. Record label honchos such as Jimmy Iovine, Mathew Knowles, Ron Fair and Antonio "LA" Reid are also moonlighting on unscripted TV shows.
Read the rest here: http://tinyurl.com/72jgpm3
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 5
YAHOO AND SPOTIFY TEAM UP
Yahoo and Spotify have announced a global content distribution and promotion agreement, a deal which eliminates Rhapsody as Yahoos on-demand music partner.
Read the rest here: http://tinyurl.com/7v6e73q
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 6
READ WHY CNET'S ROGER CHENG SEZ '3-D MOVIES ARE A WASTE OF MONEY'
The technology behind the 3D visuals in "The Amazing Spider-Man" promises new advances, but studios have been hesitant to push the limits.
Read the rest here: http://tinyurl.com/8989jub
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 7
APPLE GETTING READY TO CHANGE iTUNES AND MAKE IT EVEN BETTER
Apple plans an overhaul of iTunes that would mark one of the largest changes to the world's biggest music store since its 2003 debut," reports Bloomberg, citing sources.
Along with greater reliance on its iCloud file-storage service, sources say that Apple is planning new features for sharing music. One source tells Bloomberg that Apple has been in talks with record labels to let users send each other songs and listen to them for free.
Read the rest here: http://tinyurl.com/83mtvfz
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 8
GOOGLE SCIENTISTS FIN EVIDENCE OF MACHINE LEARNING
A neural network created by connecting 16,000 computer processors appears to support biologists' theories on how the human brain identifies objects.
Hint: It's all about the cats.
Read the rest here: http://tinyurl.com/7fwn2lq
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 9
ATTENTION ALL BEATLE FANS & ALL THOSE WHO LOVE GREAT ANIMATION
By hand, frame by frame, and without the use of automated software, The Beatles' 1968 Pop Art masterpiece Yellow Submarine has been digitally restored and re-released to huge acclaim. The delicate, hand-drawn artwork that revolutionized animation in its day has been brought back to its original condition, revealing it to be as thrilling a psychedelic odyssey as it was at the time of its original release.
Yellow Submarine was the first great, non-Disney animated feature and it's as if the music, themes, surreal humor, artwork and writing have all just been born again in 4k digital resolution.
Visit here to explore how the film was made including original storyboards, cells and making-of films: http://tinyurl.com/76f7cc3
Also, you too can try to save Pepperland if the Blue Meanies don't get you first! Preside victoriously over your friends in our Blue Meanies Facebook game - climb to the top of the leaderboard: http://tinyurl.com/725hztg
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 10
COURT RULES MEGAUPLOAD WARRANTS WERE ILLEGAL
The case against Kim Dotcom and Megaupload is temporarily in legal limbo, following a New Zealand High Court ruling that the relevant search warrants were invalid.
Read more here: http://tinyurl.com/6u6hrgo
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 11
LIVE NATION ACQUIRES ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC PROMOTER HARD EVENTS
The Electric Daisy Carnival keeps getting bigger, and Electronic Dance Music events are growing.
Live Nation Entertainment said on Tuesday that it had acquired Hard Events, a Los Angeles company that has put on popular festivals and concerts across North America.
Read the rest on the New York Times here: http://tinyurl.com/82w6thw
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THE 'A-SIDE' - BONUS TRACKS
* Watch a great interview with Troy Carter, Lady GaGa's manager. He talks about GaGa's success and what he looks for in new artists that he might sign. http://tinyurl.com/76msxm9
* MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. Once upon a time, these two products were significantly different from each other, two totally different products. That dividing line's been blurring, especially when it comes to the world of 13-inch MacBooks. The truth is, these systems are closer in performance and price than ever before. See which one's right for you: http://tinyurl.com/d6jastl
* Not to be outdone by the competition, Google unveiled a 7-inch tablet of its very own, running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The new device will cost $199, a price tag aimed squarely at Amazon's Kindle Fire. Read more here: http://tinyurl.com/btht4lf
* Hear Alicia Keys new single "New Day" here: http://tinyurl.com/7ojsr3z
Short News Items ...
BROADWAY BOUND:
Cher has announced on Twitter that she is working on writing and starring in an autobiographical Broadway show.
'THE BOSS' HONORED:
Bruce Springsteen will receive the 2013 MusiCares Person of the Year award at a ceremony to be held February 8th in Los Angeles, two days before the Grammys. Springsteen is being honored for both his creative accomplishments and charitable work over the years, in particular to help end homelessness and hunger.
JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT YOU'D NEVER HEAR THEIR NAME AGAIN:
The Spice Girls came together to launch a new musical in London's West End today, reports the BBC. Victoria Beckham, Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell briefly united to announce Viva Forever!, a musical based on the group's hits.
MOTOWN HEADED FOR BROADWAY:
Berry Gordy Jr. and Motown are headed to Broadway in a new musical, reports the New York Times. Partnering with Doug Morris, chairman of Sony Music Entertainment, and producer Kevin McCollum (Rent, Avenue Q), Gordy will co-produce Motown: The Musical, set to open in the spring of 2013
DEMME YOUNG MOVIE:
Jonathan Demme recently completed 'Neil Young Journeys', his third feature-length documentary on the iconic folk-rocker. It opens on Friday, June 29th, in New York and Los Angeles, then rolls out across the country all summer.
BROWN & DRAKE OFFERED BIG BUCKS TO FIGHT:
Following their brawl at Manhattan's W.i.P. nightclub earlier this month, Drake and Chris Brown have been offered $1 million each to fight it out in the boxing ring, reports the New York Daily News.
VAN THE MAN NEWS:
Van Morrison is returning to Blue Note Records. The artist, whose classic albums include "Astral Weeks," "Moondance" and "Tupelo Honey," will release "Born to Sing: No Plan B" on Oct. 2nd, the label announced Tuesday.
COLLECTIONS:
Courtney Love is being sued by former lawyers over unpaid legal bills. Keith A. Fink and Associates allege that while working with Love from January 2009 to October 2009, Love failed to pay up on most of her approximately $518,000 accumulated.
ROD FOR XMAS:
Rod Stewart has a new home at Universal Music Group. He will release his first-ever Christmas album, for which he'll team with veteran producer and Verve chairman David Foster, who worked on multi-Platinum holiday sets by Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban.
MUSE OLYMPICS SONG CHOICE:
The London Olympics will adopt Muse's new song "Survival" as the official track of this year's Games. The song will play during sporting sessions, as athletes enter stadiums and for the lead-ups to medal ceremonies.
J-LO RELEASES FIRST HITS PACKAGE:
Jennifer Lopez's "Dance Again ... the Hits" is set for release July 24 through Epic Records, her former longtime label announced Monday. Lopez has not left her current label, Island Def Jam, but admitted that she contractually owed Epic a package.
MANN IS THE MAN:
'The Voice' finalist Chris Mann has signed an exclusive worldwide deal with Faircraft/Universal Republic, a new imprint headed up by multi-Platinum producer and veteran A&R executive Ron Fair, and is gearing up for the fall release of his major label debut.
IPHONE 5 WILL RULE NEXT YEAR:
Hardware upgrades and new Apple services will help the next-generation iPhone lead the smartphone market next year, according to J.P. Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz. The new iPhone should debut this September, according to the analyst, with a ramp-up in production throughout the fourth quarter. Offering support for 4G LTE and other upgrades, the iPhone 5 will make a big splash this year, ensuring its dominance into 2013. ( Read more here: http://tinyurl.com/7uvyocl )
PASSING:
Nora Ephron, the screenwriter and director behind "Sleepless in Seattle," "You've Got Mail" and "Julie & Julia" has died at a hospital in her native New York. She was 71. She garnered her first serious screenwriting success with her 1989 romantic comedy "When Harry Met Sally," which became an international hit.
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
"As for me, the tour is going great. I'm having a blast. I love watching the Boys on stage. That's why 'God Made The Radio' charted at #3ee! Can you believe a #3 album?"
-- Beach Boy Brian Wilson, talking about the success of the Beach Boys 50th Anniversary Tour, and their new album"It's pushed back because too many people are releasing those weeks, and we don't want to step on their release dates, So we said, 'You know what, we got the goods, ain't no doubt about [it], we'll wait a couple months.'"
-- Steven Tyler, saying Aerosmith have moved the release date for 'Music From Another Dimension', back from August 28th to November 6th, to Cleveland radio station 100.7 WMMS. Uh, really Steven? Or is that maybe you didn't want those others with release dates in August stepping on you?"By selling the tickets exclusively on my site, I've cut the ticket charges way down and absorbed them into the ticket price. To buy a ticket, you join NOTHING. Just use your credit card and buy the damn thing."
-- Comedian Louis C.K., announcing he will sell tickets to his upcoming tour exclusively on his official website. All tickets will be $45, with C.K. reserving the right to cancel a ticket in exchange for a refund if the ticketholder attempts to sell the ticket for "anything above the original price.""P. Diddy wouldn't know a B-flat" if it hit him, said Jones in a conversation with musician Bruno Mars to mark the occasion of the app launch. "P. Diddy has a doctorate in marketing ... He's got clothes companies and Ciroc vodka."
-- Quincy Jones, telling it like it is as a Spotify event this week to launch a new artist-playlist app"I don't believe in rehab anymore. It's not for me. It's not a one-size-fits-all ... We live in a country where it's always Miller Time. It's happy hour somewhere in the world."
-- Charlie Sheen, admitting he's drinking again on 'Good Morning America'"It's a bad sign when you take a nap and people instantly call the paramedics."
-- Jimmy Kimmel, on Lindsay Lohan's latest medical emergency, during his monologue
The B-Side - 'Blips'
THE ONION (www.theonion.com) STORY OF THE WEEK:
Year Of Law School Now Mandatory For Nation's 25-Year-Olds
WASHINGTON-Under the provisions of a bill approved by Congress and signed into law Tuesday, every 25-year-old American, regardless of prior life commitments, is now legally obligated to enroll in a full year of study at one of the nation's accredited law schools. "This new measure gives us the means to compel 25-year-olds to simultaneously placate their parents, impress their friends with complex-sounding legal jargon, and effectively avoid any real-world responsibilities for another full year," said Rep. Steve Buyer (R-IN).
Read the rest here and laugh: Click Here.
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