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Digital Data 4 U
April 30, 2010
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"No matter what computer you buy, no matter how much you spend, by the time you get it to your car, it's an eight-track tape player."
-- Dennis MillerTechnology moves fast and changes things by the nanosecond. It's actually faster than the updates on your Facebook Home page.
This week I received an e-mail from the Center for Media Research titled "Digital Potpouri" (Source: http://tinyurl.com/2cm297a ) that includes information from the new national survey from Arbitron and Edison Research, The Infinite Dial 2010, and provides a selection of metric insights into the use and users of social networking, online radio, MP3 players, Wi-Fi, Broadband, mobile phones and television.
Here are some highlights: (I highly recommend the full reports I have links to at the end of this article)
Social Networking: The percentage of Americans age 12 and older who have a profile on one or more social networking websites has reached 48% of the population in 2010, double the level from two years ago. The new study reveals that consumer use of social networking sites is not just a youth phenomenon. Personal profile pages are maintained by: 78% of teens; 77% of 18-24s; 65% of 25-34s; 51% 35-44s.
The study also shows that 30% of Americans, age 12 and older, who have a profile on at least one social networking website, use those sites "several times a day" compared with only 18% one year ago. Bill Rose, SVP/Marketing, Arbitron Inc "The use of social networking sites has expanded beyond younger consumers, with substantial numbers of Americans over the age of 35 now using social media,"
Key Findings about Radio and Digital Platforms:
mp3 Players: Nearly one in four Americans has listened to audio from an iPod or other mp3 player connected to a car stereo: Although consumers often have to deal with myriad adapters and other barriers to in-car listening, 54% of iPod/mp3 player owners have listened to their device in their car; this equates to 24% of all persons age 12 and older having listened to an iPod, iPhone, or other mp3 player while connected to a car stereo.
Radio: Three in 10 12-24s are "very interested" in online radio in the car and on mobile devices: Among those age 12-24, 30% are "very interested" in listening to online radio in-car, while 28% are "very interested" in listening to online radio on mobile devices. Consumers say radio station websites are improved but TV and print sites are leading the local battle.
Nearly half of people age 12 and older give credit to radio for improvements in their websites; 48% say that radio station websites have gotten more interesting compared to 17% believing them to be worse or less interesting. However, monthly visitation to radio station websites (16%) among persons 12+ lags visitation to local TV and local newspaper websites.
Internet: For the first time, more Americans say the Internet is "most essential" to their lives when given a choice along with television, radio and newspapers: 42% chose the Internet as "most essential"; 37% select television; 14% choose radio; 5% said newspapers. While television still leads among those over the age of 45, Internet dominates among younger persons age 12-44.
Wi-Fi: 62% of homes with Internet access have wireless network set-ups in their homes, more easily enabling the consumption of digital media in any room of their home.
Texting: 45% of mobile phone owners age 12 and older text multiple times a day. Other segments texting several times a day: 75% of teens; 76% of persons age 18-24 ; 63% of 25-34s; 42% of 35-44s; 37% of 45-54s.
Broadband: Growth of residential broadband has leveled off, with 84% of homes with Internet access having broadband connections. The slower growth of residential broadband is associated with little year over year change in weekly usage of online radio (17%) and online video (29%). The study suggests that expanded use of use of mobile devices and in-car Internet may spark the next wave of growth.
More information may be found with Arbitron here: http://tinyurl.com/36pgosq, and for access to the PDF file with charts and graphs, please visit here: http://tinyurl.com/d734oq
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 2
'GLEE' SELLS RECORDS, BUT I'M JUST SAYIN'...
Before I say what I'm about to say, please understand I think it's great when records sell. It shows that people are forking over their hard-earned dollars for music instead of stealing it online.
This week the new #1 album on the Billboard Hot 200 Album Chart is the "Glee" Soundtrack, "The Power Of Madonna." The show is a Top-10 smash, so obviously it has a big audience.
Madonna has a ton of hits, too many to enumerate here. And I think it's great the producers of "Glee" put a one-hour show together featuring some of Madonna's biggest hits.
But why would anybody want to buy the cast of "Glee" singing Madonna's hits when they could buy a Madonna's Greatest Hits collection instead? The Material Girl's originals sure sound a whole lot better (in my opinion) than what was on the show.
Yeah, I know, the TV show wrapped it all up so nicely and there's a whole bunch of kids out there that just want what they saw on TV. A lot of those same kids probably wanted the "High School Musical" music and DVDs as well. (Note to the parents of all these kids: When they want these CDs, do your parental duty -- buy the original artists doing their own songs. Your children will thank you when they get older and realize they now have almost every album on the Billboard Top Catalog Albums chart)
Tribute bands exist because people like to hear the songs by their favorite artists sung live, as close to the originals as possible.
But even people who like tribute bands play the originals at home. Not sound-alikes or redone versions by other people.
In the meantime, 'Glee' sells records. For further edification on the subject, you can read the article in this week's Los Angeles Times I link to below.
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 3
STRATEGIC ALLIANCES AGAIN ... THEY ARE GOING TO PLAY A BIGGER ROLE IN MUSIC
I've written many articles about strategic partnerships and how the music industry can benefit from them. There's little doubt they will become more common and play a bigger part in the music industry in the future.
This past week IEG released their Sponsorship Report, and they estimate North American-based companies will spend $1.09 billion to sponsor music venues, festivals and tours in 2010, a 4.2% increase from the $1.08 billion spent in '09.
You can read the entire report here: http://tinyurl.com/38698q4
AND MORE...
Taking its name almost literally, Henkel brand Tone is launching a music-oriented online marketing campaign that promotes the brand's new Daily Detox body wash, while also giving consumers access to music videos from Epic artists, such as Shakira and Jennifer Lopez.
The Tone VideoBox operates like a "modern-day online version of the jukebox," says Richard Shore, chief operating officer of RedLever, the branded content company that developed the technology and partnership. Through the tool, which operates like an expandable banner ad, consumers can see videos from top artists, as well as other content such as behind-the-scenes footage and artist interviews.
Read the rest here: http://tinyurl.com/2d6583r
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 4
RETHINKING ILLEGAL FILE SHARING
Jerry Del Colliano has a great post this week on his 'Inside Music Media' blog titled "Rethinking Illegal File Sharing."
I don't condone the theft of music, but it's not going to stop. I've written endless commentaries about file sharing, and why it will never go away despite the best efforts of politicians, lawyers, certain artists (I don't think Jeff Tweedy would ever have a bad thing to say about file sharing) and record labels. I've always said the key to survival for the music industry in the future is accepting that fact, and creating new revenue streams via a myriad of opportunities and possibilities online and off. (e.g., new strategic alliances like the one mentioned above)
Jerry talks common sense in his article, and it's a worthy read. Check it out here: http://tinyurl.com/27o3t4r
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 5
READING ROCKS
Reading Rocks is the digital sequel to the quintessential and award nominated guide to the European music industry, the Rock 'n' Roll High School magazine.
The brand new website contains feature articles about the music industry worldwide, that are both useful and fun to read. Always wanted to tour China? Go to their website and read all the tips and tricks and dos and don'ts of first hand experts. The best part: it's absolutely free! Website: http://tinyurl.com/34a9ycp
Check out their 'Do-It-Yourself: Your Own Label' file. They'll e-mail it to you in PDF format. Check it out here: http://tinyurl.com/36tjo96
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The Music Industry ... Past, Present & Future, And The Internet
I answer questions on EconTalk
I recently 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.
You can listen to the interview (it runs a tad over an hour) or download it here: http://tinyurl.com/y9f3tld
And Now For Some News ...
Leak, Leak Everywhere A Leak ... This One From An Industry Website
CNET.comAs if the record industry hasn't tasted enough bitter irony lately, a bunch of album leaks over the weekend apparently came from a service used by music labels to share files with radio stations, media and other trusted insiders.
According to a post on AbsolutePunk, somebody signed up for an account with Play MPE under false pretenses, claiming to be an Australian music critic.
Read more about it by clicking here.
Rhapsody: Updated Info on App For iPhone, iPad, And iTouch
TouchReviews.netRhapsody, the popular music streaming service recently updated their blog with information about the latest update to their iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad app. The latest version 2.0 adds 'offline caching' functionality and enables caching of playlist which can then be played without an active WiFi or 3G connection.
In the earlier version of Rhapsody for iPhone users could only stream music when they were connected to the Internet. In version 2.0 now you will be able to download user created playlists and enjoy your favorite music offline.
Read more about it by clicking here.
EMI Pulls Back On Sell Off
ThisMoney.comEMI Music chairman Charles Allen is believed to have pulled back from suggesting sales of parts of the group in the strategic plan he has just submitted to financier Guy Hands, who runs parent company Terra Firma.
Allen is understood to be keen to renew attempts to strike a sales and distribution pact with rivals for the company's business in the Americas.
Read more about it by clicking here.
Spotify Takes On iTunes
The Financial Times (UK)Spotify, the U.S.-bound digital music service, is making what The Financial Times (UK) calls "an ambitious challenge to Apple's iTunes" with an important upgrade to its technology. Since launching in 2008, Spotify's application has been used by more than seven million people across Europe to access its online music library. New features will now allow Spotify to "absorb" a user's existing digital music collection within the same interface, and synchronize it with mobile devices running its app, reports The Times.
The new software will allow Spotify users to dispense completely with iTunes for the first time. Still, larger and better funded companies (Microsoft, Napster) have failed to challenge iTunes. Meanwhile, plans to launch in the U.S. this year have been held up, partly because of some music companies' concerns that too few Spotify users were upgrading to its premium service.
Read more about it by clicking here.
'Glee' A Bonanza For Songwriters ... But Not Everyone Is Enthusiastic
Los Angeles Times"Glee" looks poised to be pop's new taste maker. Much like "Idol," "Glee" is helping alter the dynamic between music and television, showing ways that both media can help prop up each other. It's music that drives the show, and the show in turn drives music sales. On Monday, the three cast albums were Nos. 1, 7 and 10 on Apple's iTunes album chart and together have sold more than 1 million units, according to SoundScan.
Most crucially, "Glee," like "Idol," is bridging the gap between classic rock favored by boomers and hip-hop popular with their kids. It's used Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" and Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" to great success, upping sales for both. Creator Ryan Murphy claims to be guided by instinct in picking songs that run the gamut from '70s balladeer Eric Carmen, R&B diva Jill Scott and show tunes from "Cabaret" and " Wicked."
Read more about it by clicking here.
Global Music Revenues Drop 7% in 2009, Digital Up 9.2%
Digital Media WireAnother recap of IFPI's report about 2009 that says worldwide recorded music sales fell 7% in 2009 to $17.03 billion, as sales of physical products like CDs dropped 12.7% globally.
Read more about it by clicking here.
Amazon Has Amazon Earnings of 68%
CNNMoney.comAmazon.com posted first-quarter earnings Thursday that topped Wall Street's expectations, but the online retailer's outlook was less rosy.
Amazon reported a profit of $299 million in the first quarter, up 68% from a year ago. Earnings per share totaled 66 cents, compared with 41 cents in the same quarter last year. Sales rose 46% to $7.13 billion from a year ago. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters were looking for earnings of 61 cents on sales of $6.87 billion.
"[The forecast] is implying some sort of slowdown in growth," said Sameet Sinha, senior analyst at JMP Securities. "It seems that they're being conservative about revenues from Kindle because of the competition from the iPad."
Read more about it by clicking here.
Wired Magazine Already Getting A Boost From The iPad
MediaPost.comHow fast is the iPad changing things for online magazines? The iPad has already become a key platform for at least one magazine's mobile site. Only three weeks after launch, the Applet tablet accounts for more than a quarter (26%) of the mobile devices accessing Wired.com.
Overall, mobile devices account for between 2.3% and 3.5% of the site's traffic. For the past year, the vast majority of Wired's mobile visitors have been iPhone owners, with 10% using the iPod touch and 15% to 18% using other devices.
Read more about it by clicking here.
CHEAP TRICK DOES PEPPER AGAIN IN VEGAS:
Cheap Trick will bring their "Sgt. Pepper Live" show to the Las Vegas strip for a limited engagement beginning June 11th at the Paris Las Vegas Theatre. The show will also feature the Sgt. Pepper Symphony Orchestra. Cheap Trick will perform the Beatles' classic album in its entirety, and also play some of their well-known hits. Geoff Emerick, the renowned engineer of The Beatles' classic 1967 album, supervises the audio production. (I saw the show last year at the Las Vegas Hilton ... and it is a fantastic production. If you're headed here, don't miss it!)
AVATAR NOW:
James Cameron's Avatar 2D on Fox Home Entertainment, is now the fastest-selling Blu-ray of all time after just four days in North American retail outlets. Excluding rental sales, the 3D spectacular, the highest-grossing film ever, sold 2.7 million Blu-ray units, beating Warner Bros.' record with The Dark Knight, which has sold 2.5 million total over 18 months.
LETTERMAN STARTS A LABEL:
David Letterman's World Wide Pants company has started a record label called Clear Entertainment/C.E. Music. The first signing is Huntington Beach, California quintet Runner Runner. Runner Runner's self-titled debut is due late this summer on C.E. Music in partnership with Capitol and MRV.
SOLO KILLER:
The Killers' frontman Brandon Flowers has announced he will be releasing a solo album titled "Flamingo." No release date has been set yet, and Flowers is allegedly not leaving The Killers.
BILLY JOEL AND DRUMMER SETTLE:
Billy Joel and his former drummer Liberty DeVitto have settled their dispute over 30 years' worth of what DeVitto claimed were unpaid royalties. "The case has been amicably resolved," Joel's legal team said yesterday, Reuters reports, almost a year after DeVitto filed the suit. Terms of the deal were not revealed.
MOBILE AD BUX TO EXPLODE:
MediaDailyNews reports that Borrell Associates forecasts that all forms of mobile marketing and advertising (including coupons) will reach $57 billion by 2014.
THE CRITICS BE DAMNED:
Despite mixed reviews, Green Day's American Idiot's first week on the Great White Way has been a good one. In one week, the boy's Broadway show based off their most successful record pulled in $777,860 in ticket sales.
PAUL & ART IN N'AWLINS:
Simon & Garfunkel began a long-awaited U.S. reunion tour Saturday night at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.
Quotes of the week
"I have a deal with the studio and it goes like this: Any movie I make that makes over a billion dollars goes out without a bunch of crap trailers for your other movies."
-- Director James Cameron, on Avatar's all-movie-no-extras DVD, to EW.com"There's no competing with Lady GaGa. She'll just fucking run you over. She eats, breathes and shits that stuff."
-- Katy Perry in Rolling Stone"Being around her, I felt like the dust was shaken off of me. I find it very comforting to sit next to somebody and not have to worry that I look like the freak. She isn't a pop act, she is a performance artist. She herself is the art. She is the sculpture."
-- Cyndi Lauper, commenting on Lady GaGa, who was named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential people
The B-Side - 'Blips'
THE ONION (www.theonion.com) STORY OF THE WEEK:
FBI Uncovers Plot To 'Sex And The City 2'
WASHINGTON-Following an extensive eight month investigation, the FBI announced this week that it had learned of the potentially devastating plot to Sex And The City 2. Speaking at an emergency press conference Tuesday, FBI director Robert S. Mueller revealed details of the "chilling" romantic-comedy plot, which he claimed could put millions of moviegoers at risk.
"We have strong reason to believe that on the morning of May 27th, 2010, Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha will once again be unleashed on the American public," Mueller said. "While many details still remain unclear, including how large of a role Mr. Big will ultimately play, our intelligence indicates that countless men and women could soon be made to suffer."
According to federal operatives, unless preemptive measures are taken, Americans will likely face a barrage of highly orchestrated puns, overindulgent displays of fashion, and several rounds of Samantha droning on and on endlessly about her most recent sexual exploit.
Read the rest here and laugh: oOLINKOo.
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.comWebsite
Check out attorney Ray Beckerman's website at: http://recordingindustryvspeople.blogspot.com where he prints news about the RIAA's ongoing activities
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!)
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