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And Now For Something New...But Will Consumers Care?
August 14, 2009
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. -
"There's no success like failure, and failure's no success at all."
-- Bob Dylan, 'Love Minus Zero/No Limit'If you haven't already heard or seen the news online, the big four major record companies major labels are preparing something new and it's called CMX. Sony, Warner, Universal and EMI are reportedly preparing a new digital album format that will include songs, lyrics, videos, liner notes and artwork.
The news of the labels doing this comes just weeks after reports of a similar project, Cocktail, being developed by Apple. Apple allegedly rejected CMX and instead began work on an in-house alternative and at this time it is not clear how Cocktail and CMX will differ, other than ownership.
From one article about this development comes this quote from a label rep, "Apple at first told us that they were not interested, but now they have decided to do their own, in case ours catches on. Ours will be a file that you click on, it opens and it would have a brand new look, with a launch page and all the different options. When you click on it you're not just going to get the 10 tracks, you're going to get the artwork, the video and mobile products." (Source: http://tinyurl.com/m684f6 )
Well, I'm all for innovation and the creation of new technology that gives consumers more bang-for-the-buck, but at this point there is little information about CMX pricing. More important, isn't the whole point of having digital music files portability?
This from CNET's Matt Rosoff in his article this 'New Digital Album Format Doesn't Have A Prayer': " So let's get this straight. First, it's a new format. Unless it takes advantage of existing technology like Adobe's Flash, that means users will have to download some new software or plug-in to access these files. Second, this format is meant to be consumed from your computer. But in my experience, the main reason to put digital music on a computer is in order to move it to other devices. Third--and probably most important--without Apple's support, the format won't be compatible with iTunes, the iPod, or iPhone. You can count the market share of the other players in this field on your fingers. Finally, the entire premise assumes that people aren't buying complete albums in digital format because they're not getting the fetishistic experience they used to get--unwrapping the physical object, admiring the cover, reading the liner notes. But the sad fact is that a lot of albums aren't and never were worth buying, and customers grew tired of paying $18 for one song they liked. (Chumbawamba, anyone?). Digital downloads free us from bundling practices that we never liked in the first place." (Source: http://tinyurl.com/mdzwqe )
Since there are already 206+ million iPods already sold and out there in people hands (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod ), it's hard for me to imagine that just because there's a new digital album format all those people are going to start putting their iPods down and turning on their computers to see graphics, liner notes, etc., or stare at small iPod screens to see the same.
Then there's the opinion that Apple's version of this, Cocktail, could be good for the record industry. You can read the opinions of one writer as to why here: http://tinyurl.com/lbzw2f.
Whatever the outcome of either format, if it helps elevate sales for artists and gets consumers more involved with buying albums in entirety again, I'm all for it. ( Perhaps the best thing that can happen to increase digital music sales will happen as a result of what Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine are trying to do. See the article below 'HP, Dr. Dre, And Jimmy Iovine Plan New "Digital Music Ecosystem' )
The problem is not that many artists are making the kind of albums today that consumers want to listen to in entirety. And as for the ones who want to listen to those albums that are classics and every song is a winner, well, my guess is that most of those 200 plus million plus iPod owners already have them and have had them for awhile.
Then again, there is a whole new audience at retail that loves seeing album covers, reading liner notes, and getting the whole album package feel again. And they are buying albums again...on vinyl.
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 2
THE MICHAEL JACKSON CHART THING IN BILLBOARD...OTHERS SAY THE SAME THING
Back in the issue of July 2, I wrote in a commentary 'Charts Should Reflect Current Sales' the following: "Though retail music sales this week belonged to Michael Jackson albums, Billboard magazine chose NOT to put any of the albums on their Top 200 Album Chart. Nope....Instead, Billboard put Michael's sales on their Top Pop Catalog Albums Chart, where the top nine slots are all his. ..Why these albums would NOT be considered for inclusion on the Top 200 Album Chart is beyond me. Yes, Billboard does have some rule about once an album reaches so many weeks old, it is moved onto the Catalog Charts, but in this case the overwhelming dominance of Michael Jackson at retail this past week, should somehow have been reflected in the Top 200 Album Chart in my opinion, if indeed Billboard wants the Top 200 Album Chart to be an accurate reflection of what is happening NOW a retail."
This past week Jimi LaLumia writes in Good Times about the same subject saying, ""Soundscan has indicated that Jackson's Number Ones has been the top-selling CD in America for most of the summer. Problem is, because it's an old album, Billboard has a separate chart for what they call 'catalog,' meaning CDs that aren't current, but were released more than a year ago. The result: the Billboard Top 200 chart was listing either Maxwell, Demi Lovato, the Black Eyed Peas or Fabolous CDs as America's top seller, even though, in reality, they weren't. When a TV show or radio program announces the top albums in the country and excludes the Jackson titles, it's misleading and not reliable, especially as the public hears and reads that the Jackson CDs are outselling everything else anyway. All this does is hurt Billboard and the public's faith and belief in the charts, and what else are the charts for, really, than to instill faith and belief(translation: hype) to the public regarding the stars of the music scene (in the same way, people pay attention to the Top 5 Box Office Movie stats every week, something that nobody really cared about in the '60's and the '70s except the studios... Billboard, get your act together."
As I wrote in my follow-up on July 17, "Billboard can try and justify putting Michael's albums on their 'Top Pop Catalog' charts all they want, but what's #1 at retail is #1. Period."
Glad to see others are saying the same. Billboard should realize how much credibility they are losing at retail and with consumers because of their decision before even less people pay attention to their charts.
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 3
NEW POLL AMONG MOVIE GOERS SAYS "WHAT'S TWITTER?"
Earlier this week, the ticket-selling site Movietickets.com asked users, "Does buzz on social media platform Twitter.com affect your desire to see a film?" Only 12 percent of the 1,139 respondents said yes, while 58 percent said no. And in a result certain to come as a surprise to those with a crush on the 140-word updates, or tweets, 30 percent of respondents clicked on a third option: "What's Twitter?" (Source: http://tinyurl.com/ppmkdk )
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 4
A PERSONAL NOTE ON A GOOD FRIEND'S PASSING...
I was saddened this week to learn about the passing of a good friend, singer-songwriter-musician, Otha Young, at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles after a battle with cancer. He was 66.
Otha was the longtime musical partner of another good friend, Grammy-winning artist Juice Newton. Otha and Juice had been together since the early 70's, and he wrote Juice's 1980's hit "The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known)." The song was No. 1 on the adult contemporary and country charts and appeared on the Top 40 pop charts, reaching No. 7, and helping the 'Juice' album achieve multi-platinum status.
Otha was an incredibly talented man, and one of the kindest most gentle people I have ever met in my life. Of course, if any of you reading this knew Otha, you already know these things. I feel I am a better person for having met Otha and I will miss him.
Memorial Services will be held Saturday, August 22 at First Presbyterian Church of Encino, CA, 4963 Balboa Blvd. at 2:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made for an education fund for his beloved daughter Makena at Otha Young Memorial Fund c/o P.O. Box 230850, Encinitas, CA 92023.
My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Brenda, and daughter Makena.
HP, Dr. Dre, And Jimmy Iovine Plan New "Digital Music Ecosystem'
A new alliance between hip-hop impresario Dr. Dre, Interscope Chairman Jimmy Iovine, and computer maker Hewlett-Packard aims to save digital music.
No, this is not an attempt to fix the record industry's business woes. The goal is to lift the sound quality of the too-often tinny tunes squeaking out of our ear buds, and it's an ambitious plan nonetheless. HP will release premium-priced laptops, headsets, and software featuring the "Beats by Dr. Dre" brand sometime this fall, music industry sources with knowledge of the offering told CNET News.
In an interview last week, Iovine declined to discuss HP or any other company that may be involved. He confirmed, however, that he and Dr. Dre are part of a plan to reconstruct the entire "digital music ecosystem" from the sound file to the computer and culminating with high-end headsets.
"We have to fix the entire chain," Iovine told CNET News. "Our position is to go to all the sources and try to improve sound and educate people...We can't put anything weak in the line. Whoever puts out things that sound bad shouldn't be as cool as something that sounds great."
Read more about it by clicking here.
Inside The Short & Troubled Life Of A Music Start-up
Hyped music service SpiralFrog had money, big partners, and promising traffic. But it lacked effective leadership and a strong business model.
The day SpiralFrog likely reserved a corner in the pantheon of the Web's most noteworthy busts came on July 14, 2008. At 2 a.m. that day, an agitated Amir Khan, an executive at hedge fund 3V Capital Management, SpiralFrog's main financial backer, e-mailed several fellow board members at the pioneering ad-supported music service.
Read more about it by clicking here and here.
The Waning Days Of 'Mere' Music Licensing
From MediapostFrom the early strains of "Revolution" by Nike, marketing has increasingly co-opted the soundtracks of popular culture to create emotional resonance. And, boy, has the dance between marketers and music changed. Kevin
No longer are brands and agencies willing to "crutch-up" their advertising with simply a popular song. In fact, the practice of slapping a song in at the last minute is moving into the Ice Age. What continues to thaw and thrive is the shared-values model, that fertile area where what the brands want us to experience and what the bands want us to experience is the same place.
So what does that look like? Well, imagine Band of Horses, All-American Rejects, Fall-out Boy, etc., in the studio working on their next release. Album tracks are still taking shape. The potential opportunity emerges to re-enforce a sound a brand is garnering and to mine this sound.
McKiernan, founder and CEO of Creative License, talks about it.
Read more about it by clicking here.
Streaming Media Is Steaming Hot
Data from Ipsos MediaCT's MOTION study illustrates that in the past 30 days, 26% of online Americans have streamed a full-length TV show and 14% have streamed a full-length movie. This is more than two times the levels measured in September 2008. Young adults 18 to 24 years of age have been the most ardent supporters of this medium, as 30% have streamed a full-length movie in the past 30 days, and 51% have streamed a full-length TV show, dramatic increases from last year.
Read more about it by clicking here.
Apple At Work On Social Tools for iTunes?
The Boy Genius ReportIf the rumor mill is to be believed, Apple is working on some seriously social tools -- apart from a new feature on iTunes 9, which will allow users to broadcast songs they're listening to out to various social networks.
Read more about it by clicking here.
Guitar Hero 5 Ready To Rock
The latest iteration of the immensely popular franchise launches on September 1. But can it withstand the tremendous publicity that Beatles Rock Band will get?
Read more about it by clicking here.
Facebook 'Lite' Twitter Like
MashableFacebook has begun testing a new service dubbed "Facebook Lite," which, by all appearances, could be quite the little Twitter killer. Judging by screen-shots taken by some lucky members selected to test the service, "Lite" a completely stripped-down version of the Facebook platform. Like a Twitter stream, users can see their most recent status updates and the updates of friends.
Word is that the new service was only designed for regions of the world with spotty and prohibitively expensive broadband service like India -- where it is, in fact, being tested. That has convinced TechCrunch -- at least for the moment -- that Facebook's intentions are benign. That Facebook isn't be breathing down Twitter's neck is hard to believe, however, particularly given its moves, announced earlier this week, to buy FriendFeed for $50 million, and then roll out a real-time search capability.
At the very least, and as Mashable puts so well, "Facebook's clearly up to something big."
Read more about it by clicking here.
Pepsi And Rock Band Equals A New MTV VMA Category
The contest will be promoted through heavy viral promotion, through which Rock Band fans can campaign for votes for their favorite band. There will also be promotional television spots on MTV and other Viacom networks, as well as online promotion on MTV.com. And, Pepsi is including information about the promotion in its consumer e-mail blasts.
Read more about it by clicking here.
R.I.P. Guitar Legend And Studio Innovator Les Paul
The man behind such creations as multitrack recording, tape delay, and the solid-body guitar he designed, passed away this week at age 94 from complications of pneumonia.
Read more about it by clicking here.
IT'S OFFICIAL, JACKSON FILM TO HIT THEATERS IN OCTOBER
This Is It, a film comprised of rehearsal and behind-the-scenes footage of Michael Jackson preparing for his 50-concert run at London's O2 Arena, will be released in movie theaters on October 30th.
HURDY GURDY MAN HONORED
Donovan will be named a BMI Icon at their annual London Awards, October 6, at the Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane.
GAGA AT VMA'S
Jay-Z and Lady Gaga have both been added as performers for this year's MTV Video Music Awards, invading New York's Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, September 13th. Other performers include Green Day, Taylor Swift, Muse and Pink.
PEARL HONORED
Janis Joplin has been announced as the subject of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's American Music Masters series in November. Joplin will be the subject of November 14th tribute concert in Cleveland, as well as a special exhibit at the city's Rock Hall's museum and a full-day retrospective at Case Western Reserve University.
MACCA SETS FENWAY PARK RECORD
Paul McCartney came to town for a pair of concerts on August 5th and 6th at Fenway Park, and according to Live Nation, McCartney's pair of gigs set a new record for the highest-ever two-night attendance in the stadium's 97-year history.
ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME HONORS AUSTIN CITY LIMITS
Terry Stewart, president and CEO of the rock hall of fame in Cleveland announced this week that the 'Austin City Limits' music television show as a historic rock and roll site.
NEIL YOUNG MUSICARES PERSON OF THE YEAR
Neil Young will be honored for his philanthropic work when he is named MusiCares Person of the Year at a gala two days before the 2010 Grammys. The 20th anniversary reception for the group that provides support for musicians in need will be held in Los Angeles on January 29th.
BROOKS AND DUNN DONE
After twenty years together, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn posted a message on their website this week and said it was time to part. They will tour together one last time next year and release a greatest hits album in September.
BILL CHAMPLIN AND CHICAGO DONE
After almost three decades together, singer-songwriter-keyboardist Bill Champlin and Chicago have parted ways. Champlin released a solo album 'No Place Left To Fall' last week and said in a statement, "I'm really looking forward to playing more intimate venues and hearing what fans think of the new music. I can't wait to spend some one-on-one time with my old and new fans!"
SIMON GETS THREE MORE
Simon Cowell will be a judge on "American Idol" for at least three more seasons. Details of the deal were not announced, but since Simon is the show's calling card, you can bet it's megabucks!
PEARL JAM GOES DIRECT
Like other big name acts who have decided to make their own deal with retailers direct, Pearl Jam has made a deal with Target for Backspacer, the band's self-released Sept. 20 album. They will also make the album available through independent record retailers as well.
MCGRAW & PEAS KICK OFF NFL
Tim McGraw and the Black Eyed Peas will perform at the NFL's free kick-off concert on September 10th when the Steelers play the Titans in Pittsburgh.
HANK WILLIAMS BIOPIC IN WORKS
A new biopic about Hank Williams is in the works, according to Variety. Marc Abraham, who produced Children of Men, is writing the script, and says it's likely Williams' original recordings will be used in the film.
PASSING
Willy Deville succumbed to pancreatic cancer at Cabrini Hospital in N.Y.last Friday. Willy was a staple of the mid-70's New York punk scene. As founder, leader, and principal songwriter of Mink DeVille which had a 1977 U.K. hit in "Spanish Stroll." His solo single "Storybook Love" was nominated for an Oscar after it appeared in The Princess Bride in 1987. He was 58.
Quotes of the week
"It's getting really S&M."
-- Adam Lambert, on the unique objects fans have been throwing to him onstage during the Idols Live Tour, to Eonline.com"My music was more inspired by my hair color! After 5 years of blonde, I went back to my original color. It made my music edgier."
-- "Edgy" Ashley Tisdale on how she found her new sound for her latest CD, to Us Weekly. And now we know why her music is completely disposable."It worked on two or three different levels. The first level is just sort of getting a point across that we wanted to get across about music being valuable. It also worked as a way of using the Internet to promote your record, without having to use iTunes or Google or whatever...and it also worked financially."
-- Radiohead's Thom Yorke, commenting on the group's decision to try the "pay what you want" approach for the digital release of 'In Rainbows'
The B-Side - 'Blips'
THE ONION (www.theonion.com) STORY OF THE WEEK:
Rapper Not Entirely Sure Who Else Is On This Track
NEW YORK-During a recording session last Tuesday, rapper Dwayne "Lil Wayne" Carter appeared uncertain as to who else was being featured on his newest track, sources inside the music industry reported. "Yo, check it, we comin' at you with Method [Man] and Redman and...uh, brother over there in the hat. Hatman," said Lil Wayne, whose single "O.G. Crunk" will be released later this month. "Okay, and we got this guy on my left, those two guys there gonna rock the mic, and, Dave, is that you?" The final mix of the seven-minute track reportedly ends with Lil Wayne handing the microphone to the participants one at a time and asking them to clearly state who they are and what they are here to do.
Read the rest here and laugh: http://tinyurl.com/nwgaxs.
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 Jerry Del Colliano's (the founder of INSIDE RADIO) daily blog, by clicking here: http://www.insidemusicmedia.blogspot.com