snapshot 6/25/07

Digital riches await savvy indie bands
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070623/wr_nm/digital_dc_1;_ylt=AlxZVlve2UJWUMLrcJWy309kM3wV
Unsigned and indie artists for years have sold CDs and tapes from their merchandise table at live gigs to earn a little extra scratch while on the road. There is perhaps no more important moment for an unknown act to make an impact than at the point of initial discovery -- which almost always means at a live gig. Until recently, the only way to capitalize on this digitally was for bands to announce their MySpace profile and hope fans would visit later.

A handful of new companies now offer digital DIY resources to savvy artists interested in converting the live experience into an opportunity for profit and promotion. One that's been commanding a decent degree of attention lately is DiscRevolt. The company provides artists with customized prepaid cards that fans can redeem for MP3 downloads on its Web site. Here's how it works: Artists buy in bulk a set of cards that they can design with their own custom artwork and text. Each card has a unique redemption code and holds 15 credits. Participating artists then upload their music in MP3 format to their profile on the DiscRevolt site, which can also accommodate a bio, contact info and artwork. Bands can either sell or give away these cards to fans, who use the redemption code to download individual tracks -- one credit per track.


Microsoft's anti-virtualization stance: forget DRM, think Apple
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070624-microsofts-anti-virtualization-stance-forget-drm-think-apple.html
The time is ripe for more speculation as to just why Microsoft says "no" to the virtualization of those two OSes, yet allows virtualization of other editions of Vista. I think Lai's contribution to the discussion is interesting, but I'm not convinced that DRM has much to do with the issue. In fact, I'm fairly certain there's a bigger concern at Redmond, and it has nothing to do with DRM, and everything to do with the long-term fate of Windows.

All of this paints a picture in which Apple could use OEM pricing to offer Windows for its Macs at greatly reduced prices and running in a VM.


Starbucks Idol
http://futuremusic.com/blog/?p=1583
Looks like Starbucks is going to enter the American Idol fray. The Starbucks Music Makers Competition is set to kick off with several partners in the near future and will focus on a search for unsigned, emerging artists who are well-suited for intimate cafe performances. The competition will follow the American Idol format with preliminary judging by industry veterans, and final judging by the public.

Could this be the test bed for Starbucks’ next-generation A&R efforts? With the locality of each Starbucks store, the concern has the ability to release albums by emerging artists by geographical area, and then break them nationally. The company could even develop a Music Maker’s “tour” for further promotion.


Report: Video game spending to surpass music spending this year
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070623-report-video-game-spending-to-surpass-music-spending-this-year.html
The video gaming industry is poised to overtake the music industry in the US, with global spending on video games surpassing music spending as soon as this year, according to consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers.


LaLa.com's 'big gamble' versus iTunes
http://www.contentagenda.com/articleXml/LN630583139.html?nid=3038
Last week, the online music site Lala.com launched an ambitious free music streaming service. Within two days, the website was temporarily down as it was barraged with millions of interested customers. Lala may be just another in a long line of online music sites to have come along since Napster, but it has been able to generate a critical buzz that even heavyweights like Microsoft, with all its marketing muscle, haven't been able to attract.

The appeal of Lala's plan is that it not only allows users to listen to entire albums for free over the Web (rather than just 30 second samples), but it gives them the option to buy the music and download it directly to an iPod, bypassing their computer's hard drive, as well as Apple's software, iTunes.


Rock On: 12 of the Best Music Social Networks
http://mashable.com/2007/06/22/music-social-networks-2/
Internet radio may be facing uncertain times, but many musical social networks continue to thrive. If you’re in a band, these sites are essential for promoting your music: take note, and sign up for as many as possible to maximize your reach. For fans, meanwhile, we’ve included some great places to just listen to music.


We Need Wall Street Out Of The Music Business
http://hypebot.typepad.com/hypebot/2007/06/we-need-wall-st.html
"...We need Wall Street out of the music business and return to the days of pioneers and believers, people who take measured, calculated risks to support real artists over long periods of time – not a bunch of bean-counters who pressure and bribe artists to put out crappy records to meet goals for the fiscal year."

"These people are already out there – they’re called MANAGERS, and they are the future of our business. It’s no coincidence that the White Stripes and Shins are managed by the same team. It’s no coincidence that the Chili Peppers and Metallica are managed by the same team...even Kobe Bryant needs a Phil Jackson."


eMusic gives Steve free subscription, tries to cash in on iPhone-mania
http://www.tuaw.com/2007/06/25/emusic-gives-steve-free-subscription-tries-to-cash-in-on-iphone/
They are trying to make news by offering Steve Jobs a free lifetime eMusic subscription as a thanks for DRMless music in iTunes (though I have a feeling Steve gets his music from iTunes). They are offering 35 free songs for the 'iPhone.' I won't point out that this is eMusic's standard free trail membership offer, since that would make me something of a wet blanket.


FILE-$HARING - TOP MUSIC LABELS BACK QTRAX SWAP SERVICE
http://www.contentagenda.com/articleXml/LN631595219.html?nid=3038
Music file-sharing service Qtrax is about to hit the markets with the blessing - not to mention the catalogs - of all four major record labels, The Post has learned. In a deal expected to be announced today, parent company Brilliant Technologies plans to spin out Qtrax and merge it with an entity called Flooring Zone which will serve as a shell company so that the file-sharing service can be traded publicly.

With a full complement of songs from the major labels as well as the esoteric live recordings and personal tracks stemming from users' own collections, Klepfisz estimates Qtrax will have access to between 20 million and 30 million copyrighted songs at launch in October. "Young consumers are increasingly shunning music buying in favor of file-sharing, which is four times more popular than digital-music buying among ages 15 to 24," the report notes


Consumers Increasingly Tap PCs for Home-Based Music Listening
http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/062407cea/view
An increasingly large number of US-based consumers are listening to music on their PCs, according to information recently released by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). The home-focused study, which first surfaced late last week, noted that nearly three-fourths of online adults are listening to music on their computers, a figure that easily trumps percentages associated with TVs, DVD players and CD players. "In the span of a few years, the PC has risen from an enigmatic beige box to what some consumers today might call the epicenter of infotainment in the home," said Steve Koenig, senior manager of industry analysis at the CEA.

The number of computer listeners, specifically 72 percent, includes a heavy percentage of satisfied users. According to the data, 86 percent are largely happy with their PC-based experience, and 77 percent listen to music an average of nine hours per week. CEA reported that a substantial number of PC-based listeners would like to improve the sound quality of their computer speakers, though few have linked their computers to stereo systems. The PC has claimed its place as a hub of audio content procurement and playback in the home," said Koenig. "The next step is to allow consumers to see the benefits of connecting their PC to their existing home audio system for a more enjoyable home audio experience."