-
It's (Still) All Steve Jobs Fault? Get Over It!
May 16, 2008
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. -
"Steve Jobs ... quote me ... does not give a shit about music. Because what he's done is bifurcated the music business. No longer is the test of an artist's work the embodiment of an album; what is considered as consumable are single songs, and that's because of the Apple platform. He's a genius; the only thing he cares about is selling his platform."
-- Former hedge fund operator and now SOS Records head, a record label that promises to offer all of its music as free MP3s at WeLoveFreeMusic.com, commenting on Wired.com.Mr. Nowack has joined the legions of those with the idea that free downloading can be supported by ad revenue. It's certainly a possibility as new models are being examined daily for revenue potential, and any opportunity to expose artists to a broader audience is one that should indeed be exploited.
So, I congratulate Mr. Nowack on his new venture. However, his statement about Steve Jobs is simply ridiculous. Blaming Steve Jobs for the problems in the music business today is as silly as believing Paula Abdul makes sense when she opens her mouth.
It's most likely his reason for venting against Mr. Jobs is his frustration in trying to break Naomi Streimer, an artist on his label. (And a damn good one, I might add) Last October, Billboard called Naomi one of the acts to watch in 2007. The video of her single, "Cars," features Carlos Santana on guitar as well.
But, as we all know, real talent doesn't necessarily correspond to success at radio or retail. Unfortunately, the wonderful Eliot Spitzer investigations into radio and records relationships resulted in the tightest playlists ever at radio. Now, it's near impossible for independent artists to get major radio exposure. So blame the ex-governor, who got caught with his pants down, for that. But the current state of radio playlists has nothing to do with iTunes or Steve Jobs.
I've said often in the newsletter the real reasons for the much of the music industry's problems are related to a lack of artist development and good A&R. The loss of both areas are critical to the long-term success of any artists, and the reason why so much of the music out there today is disposable and what I've previously called "Chinese junk food for the ears." (i.e.: Your ears are hungry for something else an hour after you listen to it,)
It isn't Steve Jobs' fault that so many of the albums put out by artists over the past decade were anything but (as Mr. Nowack says) "the test of an artist's work the embodiment of an album." They were, in many cases, overpriced CDs that contained only one or two hits, and the music buying public got tired of paying the price for them. Those CDs contributed more to people buying single songs instead of albums than Steve Jobs ever did.
Once people realized they could download those songs for free on any number of P2P websites, they started doing so illegally in BIG numbers. They still do so today despite the RIAA's spin to the contrary, but since iTunes has now surpassed four billion songs sold, it means that four billion less were stolen.
Mr. Nowack should ask all the artists who received checks from iTunes over the past few years whether or not they think "Steve Jobs does not give a shit about music." (Ed note: I have a whole lot of independent artists who read this newsletter, and they all e-mail me and tell me they are thrilled that their music is on iTunes ... and yes, they do get checks)
If Mr. Nowack thinks the four billion songs sold contributed to the year-over-year decrease in CD sales that has accelerated, he need only look at the multi-platinum success of artists who do make albums that embody a better body of work. Because even in this distressed retail marketplace, artists such as Carrie Underwood, Daughtry, Nickelback, Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Leona Lewis, Rascal Flatts, Amy Winehouse, Alicia Keys, Michael Buble, Linkin Park, Sugarland, Alison Krauss, Maroon 5 and others wouldn't be reaching the sales levels they have if iTunes has indeed "bifurcated the music business."
Sure, Steve Jobs wants to sell iPods. I don't know if he's a "genius" because of that fact, but he had the vision to see what could happen if a great online store was married to great technology. That certainly makes him a really good innovator and businessman. More important, he (unlike the record labels) had the foresight to make the Internet an ally, instead of an enemy, when it came to selling music online.
Since iTunes has become a globally branded store and made buying music online so easy, others have created online stores and are seeing sales increase dramatically. Amazon.com has seen dramatic success at its online store and according to one story online: "One exec I know at a big label, who asked to remain anonymous, says he's excited by one trend in particular: At Apple's iTunes store, two-thirds of the music sold is single tracks and one third is albums. But at Amazon, two-thirds of the music sold is albums and one-third is tracks. "It's fantastic," he says. "We make a bunch more money from albums than if you buy one track at a time." My friend said his label's experience with Amazon could well point to some relief for the music industry down the road: "As soon as we wise up and realize that online albums are worth about $5, the music industry will be fixed." (Source: http://tinyurl.com/4zwdvu )
Of course, if that does happen, iTunes would end up selling albums for the same price and iTunes would likely see an increase in album sales as well. In the meantime, don't blame Steve Jobs if the consumers are choosing to buy more songs instead of albums at iTunes. It's an open online marketplace, and they can choose to buy whatever they want.
It's also interesting to note that this week Duffy, already an established artist in the U.K., is already the #3 album seller on iTunes behind Death Cab for Cutie and Jason Mraz. Again, I don't see how sales of these albums at iTunes has "bifurcated the music business" ...and I don't think you'll find any of these artists complaining about their iTunes sales.
Back in February 2007, I wrote the following in the newsletter in reference to those who were attacking Steve Jobs for speaking out on doing away with DRM (Digital Rights management), something consumers were demanding overwhelmingly while the RIAA and major labels supported it: "The old rhetoric about how iTunes and iPods have damaged the business was tossed about in articles all over Internet along with the arguments about DRM. Blame it on Steve Jobs. He's the villain and the reason why the industry isn't making money. All he cares about is selling iPods. iTunes destroys CD sales. (And those "Now That's What I Call Music" volumes that make lemonade out of lemons ... don't?) Yadda yadda. You've heard it all before."
Yes. We have heard it all before. Too many times.
Steve Jobs obviously plans well for his company's success. Apple is constantly introducing new innovative products in the marketplace, and they are being received by the consumers with open arms. This week, there's even news that iMac sales are accelerating as former PC owners switch to Apple's new Leopard Operating System.
It's 2008. Long past the time to blame Steve Jobs for the failures of the leaders in the music industry, who have compounded the problems that exist as the industry shifts daily in the digital world.
And Now This...
Back on April 19, 2004, I dedicated my entire commentary to reprinting the speech Carly Fiorina, then the Chairperson & CEO of Hewlett-Packard, gave as the keynote address at NAB in Las Vegas. It was a great speech, and one that predicted so many things that have since come to pass. (I highly recommend it as worthy reading and if any of you can't find it online, drop me an e-mail and I'll send it to you)
In her speech, Ms. Fiorina said the following: "In the digital era, the future is one in which consumers watch or listen to what they want to watch, when they want, at any time they want, on any device. This is a generation that will not wait for content to be delivered to them at a prescribed time. "
I've reprinted that quote several times over the past four years, and thought I should do it again this week after reading the New York Times news story below 'In TiVo Era, What Is Prime Time?'
Thanks to TiVo and other similar devices now available from cable and satellite companies, the world as the big networks once programmed it, no longer exists. Ms. Fiorina predicted that and summed it all up in her speech four years ago.
And This...
Back in 1980 I had the privilege and pleasure of meeting Neil Diamond, and promoting "The Jazz Singe" album he did for us at Capitol Records. I'll never forget the day that Bruce Wendell, then Capitol's Vice President of Promotion, and I drove over to Neil's offices on Melrose Place to listen to some of the tracks he recorded for the film.
We heard "Love on the Rocks," "Hello Again" and "America," and our only problem after listening to them was choosing which one to release as the first single. All three ended up becoming Top-10 singles, and to this date, it's the only album that Neil had that spawned three consecutive Top-10 singles. The album ended up becoming Neil's biggest seller as well. It was certified at 5 million back in the '90s ... I don't know what the total is today.
Neil's collected a whole bunch of industry "firsts" during his career and now he has another. This week, 42 years after his first top-10 single in Billboard, "Cherry, Cherry," Neil Diamond's new Rick Rubin-produced Columbia album, "Home Before Dark," becomes his first to debut at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart. Congrats to Neil, his label, and to the team at Irving Azoff's management company on a job well done with an artist who continues to make great music.
Neil hits the road here in July. If you're a fan, and the tour comes to your hometown, don't miss it.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK...
"No one under the age of 18 comes home and turns on their TV before their computer."
-- SNL producer, Lorne Michaels
Pop & Country Unite To Fight Wireless Proposal
The Grand Ole Opry and MTV may be at opposite ends of the music spectrum, but they are part of a coalition urging federal regulators to stand up to a frequency grab by Microsoft and Google that could render wireless microphones useless.
In papers filed Tuesday at the Federal Communications Commission, a coalition that includes the Opry, Country Music Television, the Country Music Association and MTV Networks contends that allowing millions of wireless devices to use the same frequencies as wireless microphones would be a "catastrophe."
Read more about it by clicking here.
Mobile Social Networking To Surge Over Next 4 Years
Mobile social networking is expected to grow from 82 million users in 2007 to over 800 million worldwide by 2012. This population "will comprise current online social networkers who are expected to extend their digital lives to mobile as well as a growing number of mobile-only social networkers," said John du Pre Gauntt, eMarketer senior analyst.
Read more about it by clicking here.
There Might Be Gold For Techies In Hollywood
The emergence of online video has begun enticing Silicon Valley entrepreneurs to Hollywood, and unlike an earlier migration during the dot-com era, the film industry is rolling out red carpets.
After spending three days at the Digital Hollywood conference, where CNET's Greg Sandoval spoke with dozens of entertainment executives as well as tech CEOs, it's easy to spot what's going on: studio executives are more comfortable with online video and clip-playing gadgets than in the past. The entertainment sector also needs help figuring out how to make money from digital. On the other side, the geeks seem less dismissive of studio's copyright concerns and are much impressed with the film industry's glamour and riches.
Indeed, the film industry has begun galloping into the digital age.
Read more about it by clicking here.
House Rams Through 'Copyright Czar' Bill
The House took swift action last Thursday on a measure that would further crack down on intellectual property violations. A Senate version of the bill was introduced in November by Sen. Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat. The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the bill, S. 2317, but it has not seen any action since. Read the whole PCMag.com report for more details.
Read more about it by clicking here.
In TiVo Era, What Is Prime Time?
From The New York TimesEach of the major broadcast networks, except for Fox, has seen its audience shrink this season, mainly because of a sharp increase in time-shifting. People are watching shows when they want to, thanks to TiVos, streaming video online and cable video on demand. The linear broadcasts favored by advertisers are in decline.
Accenture consultant David Wolf says that prime-time TV might become a television relic. "The days of the 'lineup' are numbered," he warns. But the change also means that powerhouse shows can be scheduled at the same time with little damage to any of them. As a result of the growing irrelevance of prime time, "the biggest shows are getting bigger and some smaller shows are getting negatively impacted," says a senior TV exec.
Read more about it by clicking here.
'Grand Theft Auto IV' Gets Guinness Record
If worldwide headlines about the record-setting first-day and first-week sales of "Grand Theft Auto IV" weren't enough, the game's publisher and its developer, Take-Two Interactive and Rockstar Games, now have a Guinness world record to boot.
On Tuesday morning, Guinness issued a press release certifying the game's insanely profitable launch as the entertainment industry's best ever for one day ($310 million) and one week ($500 million).
Read more about it by clicking here.
Google Search Revenue To Surpass Windows By Next Year
Silicon Alley InsiderIf you've ever wondered why Microsoft, with its $277 billion market cap, is so worried about Google, Silicon Alley Insider's Henry Blodget has some interesting statistics to show you. By early next year, he said that Google's search business (excluding contextual revenue from AdSense) will surpass that of Microsoft's Windows.
Read more about it by clicking here.
Radio and Airlines
From Jerry DelColliano's INISDE MUSIC MEDIAThe radio business is really the airline business. Radio and airlines crave consolidation and each has failed miserably as consolidated industries. That doesn't keep them from lobbying for further monopoly, however. See, they are birds of a feather.
The airline business blames high fuel prices for not being able to make a profit. The radio stations of America blame just about anything that can be called entertainment. Those damn iPods are killing us. The Internet is siphoning off radio listeners. Just about everything but newspapers gets the blame.
What's killing aviation and radio is mismanagement and lack of leadership.
Read more about it by clicking here.
NEW FESTIVAL NEWS
Bob Dylan, the Raconteurs, the Roots, Gnarls Barkley and Spoon will headline the inaugural New American Music Festival on August 8 & 9 at SouthSide Works in Pittsburgh, PA.
DIVORCE COURT PROBABILITY
Liv Tyler and her husband, British rocker Royston Langdon, have decided to separate.
DIVORCE COURT REALITY
Shania Twain and her husband, "Mutt" Lange, are calling it quits after 14 years, People.com reported on Thursday.
THE MADONNA AND JAY-Z DEAL COSTS PLENTY
Perhaps partially due to the big bucks spent on mega-million-dollar contracts for Madonna and Jay-Z, Live Nation announced a $35-million loss for the first quarter of 2008.
WHAT IF THEY WRITE BACK AND SAY "DITTO TO YOU, DAVE"
The Foo Fighters Dave Grohl has written an open letter to Metallica, requesting they not release their new album "until it's kick-ass" even though he's sure they'll "come out and blow everybody's fuckin' minds, because you're fuckin' METALLICA!"
HEAR HAS MELLENCAMP
John Mellencamp announced a July 15th release date for his new, T-Bone Burnett-produced album "Life, Death, Love and Freedom," which will be distributed by the Starbucks-run label Hear Music. The album will be the first released in a new high-def format called "CODE," which will make the digital tracks sound as warm as the master tapes.
ZEP RUMORS CONTINUE FOR A SECOND AND THEN EVAPORATE
Earlier this week Whitesnake frontman and former Jimmy Page collaborator David Coverdale said a full-scale Led Zeppelin reunion tour was "very likely," could happen by the end of the year, and that his band Whitesnake would open for Zeppelin. Almost immediately, and after his comments were picked up in the media, Coverdale retracted claims that his band Whitesnake would open for Zeppelin for their reunion tour, or that Led Zeppelin is going to have a reunion tour at all. (Gee, I wonder if he got a nasty phone call from somebody?)
STRANGE BREW
Snoop Dogg partnered with Willie Nelson for the video of Snoop's "My Medicine," and said he's working on an LP tentatively titled "Malice in Wonderland" that was inspired by the dark music of composer Lalo Schifrin.
DYLAN ART SHOW
Bob Dylan's artwork will be showcased for the first time in the U.K. in a show opening June 14th. The collection will highlight pieces from Dylan's time on the road from 1989-1992.
MOTLEY JUNE
The new Mötley Crüe album, "Saints of Los Angeles," will be available a week later than expected so the band can record a new song written during the rehearsals for their press conference performance from a month ago. "Saints of Los Angeles," which is based on the band's autobiography "The Dirt," will now be available on June 24th.
ARCADE FIRE FILM MUSIC
Arcade Fire are working on a score for the new film The Box, a thriller starring Cameron Diaz and directed by Donnie Darko helmer Richard Kelly.
PASSING
Larry Levine, who was instrumental in helping Phil Spector achieve his coveted "Wall of Sound" recording technique, has died. Levine passed away last week on his 80th birthday at his home in Encino, his wife Lyn, confirmed.
BABY YOU CAN'T DRIVE MY CAR
Britney Spears was involved in another minor car accident on Tuesday. Spears' Mercedes rear-ended a Ford Explorer in Beverly Hills, but no one was injured and no damage was done to either car.
GUITAR HERO IV GETS MORE PLATINUM ACTS
Tracks by Van Halen, Linkin Park and the Eagles have been confirmed for "Guitar Hero IV." The new game will also allow users to create and upload their own songs.
"THRILLER" INTO LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
Michael Jackson's 1982 classic "Thriller" was among this year's class of 25 recordings added by the Library of Congress to the National Recording Registry. Other recordings making the Congressional cut was Roy Orbison's "Oh, Pretty Woman," Joni Mitchell's 'For the Roses,' Smokey Robinson & the Miracles' "Tracks of My Tears" and Herbie Hancock's "Headhunters."
ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST
Mass Appeal, the 12-year-old Brooklyn-based hip-hop and lifestyle magazine, is calling it quits. The 100,000-circulation title had recently published its 50th issue. Mass Appeal is the third nationally-distributed niche music title to fold this year. In February, Seattle-based alternative country music magazine No Depression folded; Harp followed suit.
Quotes of the week
"I'm still accused of perfectionism. There's no such thing as perfection. But I do think it's a good idea to strive for excellence and have a vision and go for it. This album is very good, but it could have been better. But that thing called democracy reared its head again. And here we are. But that's OK. I stewed about it for a while. But I'm over it now."
-- Don Henley in Rolling Stone, talking about The Eagles "Long Road Out Of Eden" album, now certified 7x Platinum."Tinkerbell on cough syrup."
-- Scarlett Johansson's music producer David Andrew Sitek, on what she sounds like on her new album. Well, that just makes us want to run right out and NOT buy it."I'm definitely doing her wedding dress. She just doesn't know it."
-- Paul McCartney's fashion-designer daughter, Stella, on wanting to design Scarlett's Johansson's gown."I can wear high heels with Nick because he's tall. Flats are not in my repertoire."
-- Newlywed Mariah Carey, on wearing stilettos to her wedding to Nick Cannon. And the bigger they are, the harder they fall."I think it sucks."
-- Cher, on aging to Oprah Winfrey. It sure does, Cher. Love that honesty. The alleged "Golden Years" are a myth."The sun makes people do crazy things. Walking around in your bra in your own garden when it's hot out isn't all that crazy. She doesn't care about having her picture taken like that. She wouldn't even think about that. It's Amy being Amy -- she doesn't care what people think."
-- One of Amy Winehouse's "friends" to People magazine, commenting on the latest unflattering pics of Amy in the Britsh papers. Gee, what a revelation ..."she doesn't care what people think.""We haven't really had any hits, so what exactly is the purpose?"
-- Thom Yorke, expressing discontent with EMI's release of a Radiohead greatest-hits package. Thom asks a good question, but we all know the answer to his question: Why? Because they can sell the name Radiohead and make more money. Duh.
THIS WEEK'S "WHO CARES?!" HEADLINE THAT COULD'VE BEEN FROM THE ONION ... BUT IT'S REAL
From The Dallas Morning News this week: "Man Uses Gun For Backscratcher, Shoots Himself"
Evidently a Fort Worth man trying to scratch an itch on his back used a revolver and accidentally shot himself.
As Forrest Gump said, "Stupid is as stupid does."
The B-Side - 'Blips'
THE ONION (www.theonion.com) STORY OF THE WEEK:
I Can't Believe I'm Being Forced To Sit On This Couch While Jay Leno Interviews Josh Hartnett
By George Clooney
Don't get me wrong: It's great being on the show. Love Jay, love the audience, really. And this Josh ... Hartnett, is it? He seems like a good kid. Reminds me a little of myself before I hit it big. I honestly think it's great to see him up there telling Jay how "weird" it was to do his first sex scene and all, but I'm just a bit worried that some people might be a little put off by the fact that I am asked to "scoot over" while Jay Leno interviews someone else.
I know, I can hardly believe it myself.
Believe me. I will move over. Always do. I'm a professional actor, after all, so I'm accustomed to adapting to strange and completely unbelievable situations. Remember the time on ER when I saved that boy who was trapped in a flash flood while the local news crews filmed the daring rescue? If I could make that look realistic, it should be a piece of cake to convince 11 million viewers that I flew in from Italy just to sit quietly off camera and listen to Josh Hartnett tell stories.
Oh, well. Next thing you know they'll be asking me to help the musical act carry their amps onstage.
Read the rest here: http://tinyurl.com/3vk2jt.
THE RADIO INTERVIEW on 'THE AMERICAN PERSPECTIVE' - From newsblaze.com
"Steve Meyer is on the front line of global music sales and distribution which he expects will soar to pocket-bursting levels. What's more, he shares his insight and ingenuity with us. Steve gives us both historical perspective and futuristic vision as he chats with Judy about the love of his work, trends of the business and his personal points of view about success, happiness and blending life with the lust for life. Steve joins Judy and helps us discover the thrill of having it all with a sense of balance and purpose. "
You can listen to an interview I did with Judy Piazza of 'The American Perspective' by clicking here: (It runs about 15 minutes)
http://www.thesop.org/index.php?id=10306.
The Blogs
Check out a great blog by Jerry Del Colliano, the Director Executive Programs, Clinical Professor Music Industry & Recording Arts, at the Thornton School of Music,University of Southern California, by clicking here: http://www.insidemusicmedia.blogspot.com.
Box Office
Check The Daily & Weekly Box Office (and more film info) at: www.boxofficemojo.com.
TinyURL
Check out www.tinyurl.com where you can make a smaller URL that will work for any webpage you wish to link to or reference. (As you can see, I'm using it in my news stories above!)
-
-