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Store Wars? Google's Music Service Getting Ready To Challenge iTunes
July 30, 2010
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"The music industry largely feels it ceded too much territory to Apple when it launched iTunes, and a rival product from Google could help them gain more leverage -- not to mention better terms when it to its shares of the per-download revenue."
-- From the NY POST article "Google Music Takes A Step Closer To Reality"It's been reported in lots of places, and I had mention of it in the newsletter a few weeks back as well. Google is readying a music download service for a late-year debut (that will supposedly be followed by an online subscription service next year).
Music industry sources told the New York Post this week that the search giant's iTunes killer is on -- and perhaps even ahead of -- schedule.
"Google's plan to challenge Apple's dominance in the music marketplace is advancing more rapidly than expected," reports The Post. "The search giant's Android whiz, VP Andy Rubin, is said to be having 'accelerated' talks with a music-industry group publishing firm in hopes of gaining digital publishing rights to as many songs as possible to enable the launch of a Google Music store." ( http://tinyurl.com/2eew3zv )
From 9to5mac.com this: "Google's attempt to build an iTunes-killer is gaining momentum with the search giant now speaking to publishing companies after successful discussions with record labels." ( http://tinyurl.com/2agqcgw )
From Fortune: "Google is said to be in 'accelerated' talks with the Harry Fox Agency, which is the largest owner of mechanical music licenses in the Unites States, to build out its Music store. Google would need to have Harry Fox signed up before it could start selling major label music on its own ... Google currently sells lots of music, though it fulfills orders through Amazon and iTunes." ( http://tinyurl.com/2vhcoj9 )
Last month, unnamed sources told The Wall Street Journal about Google's music store. At the time, however, it reported: "Google's proposals [to music industry execs] are still vague ... and it's unclear whether it has struck any deals with record labels so far."
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 2
ANOTHER TWITTER UPDATE ... LIKE I'VE BEEN SAYIN'
A new study from the Center for Digital Future at USC's Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism found that 49% of respondents have used free micro-blog sites like Twitter -- but 0% of those polled said they would pay to use Twitter. ( http://tinyurl.com/232jgnh )
Another study also released by digital agency 360i, reports that most brands are still irrelevant on Twitter. The most-mentioned brands on Twitter tend to be there because they are part of constant daily conversation, not because of anything the brand is or isn't doing on Twitter. That's one of the conclusions of the six-month analysis of the service's ubiquitous 140-character messages conducted by digital agency. ( http://tinyurl.com/32hlpfv ) or ( http://tinyurl.com/23v48ek )
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 3
"JAILBREAKING" THOSE iPHONES IS NOT A PROBLEM ANYMORE ... SORT OF
A new ruling by the Library of Congress' Copyright Office will let iPhone owners legally download and run apps from sources other than Apple's App Store. (http://tinyurl.com/29q3dfe )
In the meantime, Apple has responded to the U.S. Copyright Office's ruling that consumers aren't violating the law when they "jailbreak" their iPhones, by noting that the act will still void their warranties. ( http://tinyurl.com/2fvd498 )
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THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 4
MICROSOFT'S PIRACY BATTLE
In the very first issue of this newsletter back in November 2003, I wrote "CDs and software today are easily pirated in the billions of dollars annually around the globe despite the best efforts of all companies to prevent such piracy. Just ask Bill Gates how much Microsoft loses annually because of piracy. It's a staggering figure in the billions with global piracy proliferating worse than ever."
As this week's quarterly earnings clearly show, Microsoft sells tons of software worldwide. However, the tech giant would likely sell tons more were it not for the tireless work of counterfeiters.
Bloomberg Business News this week investigates how Microsoft is working to rid the world of these thieves, one disk at a time. (And it isn't doing it by suing people one by one who download their pirated software. They're going after the sources) Read more here: http://tinyurl.com/38x96bd
And Now For Some News ...
Store Music In Google Docs
CNETGoogle Docs is primarily designed to give you online access to Microsoft Office and other types of documents via a Web browser, but technically, you can store just about any type of file in the Docs database. A new iPhone app called Cloud Music, which debuted in the App Store on Monday, takes advantage of this flexibility to deliver a quick-and-dirty music locker service.
Read more about it by clicking here.
Apple On Top Of The World's Most Valuable Brands
FORBESIt will take more than a problem with antenna reception on the iPhone 4 to affect Apple's brand.
Tech brands make up 30% of the top 50 in this year's ranking of the most valuable brand names. Apple, with a valuation of $57.4 billion, squeaked by longtime nemesis Microsoft to take the No. 1 spot, Kurt Badenhausen reports. Coca-Cola, IBM, Google, McDonald's, General Electric, Marlboro, Intel and Nokia round out the Top 10.
Read the rest here: http://tinyurl.com/3yk4446
AND RE: THAT ANTENNA PROBLEM...
This week Apple released of a free iPhone app allowing iPhone owners to order their free bumper from Apple or cases from other manufactures, and it looks like the company seems to have offered a solution that has actually satisfied consumers.
Read more about it by clicking here.
Last.FM Growth Explosive
GUARDIANLast.fm, the social music discovery service owned by CBS, has seen 90% audience growth in the U.S. over the past 12 months, where it now counts over 8 million users, CBS Interactive music president David Goodman told the Guardian.
Read more about it by clicking here.
BlackBerry Losing More Ground?
REUTERS"Research In Motion's future looks bleak," says Reuters.
Just last week, Apple said that more than 80% of the Fortune 100 companies were now testing or deploying its iPhone. "Meanwhile, phones using Google's Android operating system appear to be making inroads, too," Reuters writes. R.I.M.'s share of the American smartphone market fell to 41% in the first quarter from 55% in the previous year, according to Gartner, while the combined share held by iPhones and Android handsets rose to 49%, from 23% over the same period. For its part, R.I.M.'s sales in overseas markets are increasing, Reuters reports. Yet, "Handset trends increasingly originate in the United States because of the growing importance of smartphone software."
Read more about it by clicking here.
LATE NEWS: R.I.M. is getting ready to release new smartphones later this year to compete with the iPhone and Android. I'll keep you posted.
YOUTUBE INCREASES VIDEO TIME:
Want to put videos longer than 10 minutes up on YouTube? It's now a reality, with a new 15-minute limit.
THE BIRDS:
A pigeon infestation forced Kings of Leon to cut their performance at St. Louis' Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre short Friday night. Bird excrement rained down on the band, forcing them offstage just three songs into their set.
ANIMAL FARM MUSICAL:
Elton John and writer Lee Hall are reportedly teaming up for a new stage show based on George Orwell's "Animal Farm." "I'm deep into it, writing songs for pigs and other four-legged friends," Hall told The Daily Mail about penning songs based on Orwell's satire about the Stalinism era.
JOHN LENNON CAPSULE:
On John Lennon's 70th birthday, October 9th, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Yoko Ono will plant a time capsule filled with Lennon's solo recordings and fan contributions in Cleveland. The capsules will be preserved and stored until a ceremonial presentation on October 9th, 2040.
U2, SPIDER-MAN BACK ON
After months of financial woes and casting changes, rehearsals for "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark," the Broadway musical featuring songs by U2's Bono and the Edge, will finally begin on August 18th, a spokesperson for the musical told the New York Times.
STONE PONY BOSS:
Bruce Springsteen shocked fans with a surprise appearance during Alejandro Escovedo's Saturday night performance at Asbury Park, New Jersey's Stone Pony. Springsteen joined Escovedo on "Always a Friend," and a cover of the Rolling Stones' "Beast of Burden."
"IDOL" DOINGS:
Reality producer Nigel Lythgoe ("So You Think You Can Dance") is near a deal to executive produce Fox's "American Idol" -- and that could spell trouble for the current judges panel. Rumors also are still rampant that Elton John and Justin Timberlake are being pursued as possible replacements for Simon Cowell.
MORE BOOTLEG DYLAN COMING:
This fall, Bob Dylan will release the 47-track "The Bootleg Series Vol. 9," which will feature studio recordings from 1962-1964, known to fans as the Witmark Demos and Leeds Demos, named after the New York studios where Dylan recorded. Dylan will also reissue his first eight albums in mono, which have never been issued on CD before. The reissues - reportedly mastered using "first issue copies of the mono LPs" in order to recreate the sound of the original LPs - will come packaged in paper sleeves with liner written by Rolling Stone contributing editor Greil Marcus.
WA DAT?
WaTunes, a social music service that also provides distribution of artists' songs to digital retailers and services, said on Wednesday that it plans to release mobile versions of its Music Store application for iPhone, Android, Palm and BlackBerry platforms this winter.
NEIL YOUNG STUFF:
Neil Young announced the second volume of his Archives box set will be released soon. It will contain at least three unreleased albums (1975's "Homegrown," 1977's "Chrome Dreams" and 1978's "Oceanside-Countryside") as well as live recordings from Young's 1976 tour with Crazy Horse. The albums will originally be released in vinyl before they appear on the box set.
JESSICA? JENNIFER? ELLEN?:
Jessica Simpson is rumored to be on the list of potential new American Idol judges, and so is Jennifer Lopez. (Some online websites are saying Lopez is already signed) In other "Idol" news, Ellen DeGeneres is out after just one year as a judge.
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.
Quotes of the week
"What we're representing ... is the middle class of the music industry. This group really needs a support function, and that is the role that A2IM is trying to do ... [The majors] have international domiciles; they can get reciprocity in the big territories. Most of our members do not."
-- A2IM chief Rich Bengloff to Digital Music News, responding to criticism that the indie org is "RIAA lite." (My congratulations to Mr. Bengloff on being "RIAA lite. What's the return on the investment if you're "RIAA heavy"?)"If you want to know which rehab to go to, ask me. I'm the Conde Nast Traveller guide to rehabs."
-- Courtney Love in Women's Wear Daily.
The B-Side - 'Blips'
THE ONION (www.theonion.com) STORY OF THE WEEK:
Lady Gaga Kidnaps Commissioner Gordon
GOTHAM CITY-Supervillain Lady Gaga brazenly abducted Commissioner James Gordon from a charity fundraiser Tuesday, leaving police baffled and the citizens of Gotham fearing for their safety.
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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