snapshot 5/5/08

"Grand Theft Auto" simplifies song purchasing
The emerging effort to use videogames as a channel for selling music is entering its next phase with the recent release of "Grand Theft Auto IV." But "Grand Theft Auto IV" includes a feature that lets players tag any song in the soundtrack in order to receive more information about the title and artist, as well as store tagged tracks in a custom playlist on the Amazon digital music store for later purchase.

It's been well established how TV shows, ads and videogames are growing areas of music discovery and promotion. But until "GTA IV," there's been no construct that allows for the immediate identification and purchase of those songs from videogames. "GTA IV" has added that "buy" button, and record labels welcome the innovation.


Bryan Adams sees independence as future of music
Canadian rocker Bryan Adams has some advice for his younger counterparts as he prepares for the self-funded release of his 11th studio album in America -- take control of your music. While Adams did not elaborate on how he was creating his own buzz, many bands are seeking new ways to sell their music and connect with fans, particularly over the Internet. As a result, record labels are struggling to keep pace and have lost several top acts as part of the industry shake-up.


New Nine Inch Nails Album - “The Slip” - Available In HD Audio, Free
Trent Reznor has done it again. Reznor announced on the nin.com website that the new Nine Inch Nails album, “The Slip” will be available for download in a variety of formats for one low price: Free. Here’s how he put it: “thank you for your continued and loyal support over the years - this one’s on me.”


Indies See Hope In Merlin's Power
Merlin appears to be on track to become the global rights body of choice for independent labels and distributors. In its first month accepting general membership, more than 12,000 labels have joined giving it control of the most significant bundle of music rights outside the four majors label groups. Many of Merlin's members come via major aggregator distributors including IODA, PIAS Digital, Finetunes, Kontor, Red Eye, Kudos, State 51 and Shock. Hundreds of labels have joined directly as well.


And the Beat Goes On – Out-of-Print CDs From SONY BMG and EMI Music to Be Made Available on Amazon.com, Providing Customers With Greater Music Selection
Amazon.com , SONY BMG and EMI Music today announced that they will bring back the music of hundreds of highly coveted out-of-print albums on CD through CreateSpace “Disc on Demand” and to offer these titles on Amazon.com. Formerly out-of-print albums now available to Amazon customers include “Hatari Soundtrack” by Henry Mancini, “Earthquake Weather” by Joe Strummer and “Motorcade of Generosity” by Cake as well as albums from the legendary Blue Note catalog, such as “Telepathy” by Bill Stewart, “Foreign Intrigue” by Tony Williams and “Carryin’ On” by Grant Green. The new CDs will be manufactured on-demand and shipped when customers place an order.


Gems from Verizo’ns Press Release via Coolfer
In Q1 2008, Verizon Wireless sold 34.8 million audio and video downloads. With 67.2 wireless subscribers, that comes out to 0.52 per subscriber (but not per download-capable handset).


iTunes movies may actually be Apple TV loss leaders
Apple is allegedly paying more for its same-day-as-DVD iTunes movies than it charges customers for the downloads, indicating that the company views the movies as a loss leader to help sell other products. The ever-popular "person familiar with the matter" told the Wall Street Journal (subscription) that Apple pays the movie studios a wholesale price of $16 per movie while only charging customers $14.99 for new releases. The $1.01 loss on each movie sale is sure to add up, but Apple is apparently confident that such an agreement will pay off in the long run.


Report: ad-support content will soon dominate digital media
Ad-supported content is where it's at for the next five years, according to new survey results from Accenture. The market research firm surveyed 100 senior executives in the media and entertainment industry as part of its annual Global Media Content Survey in order to get a feel for how they believe digital content is evolving. The ad-based model is apparently more popular among media execs than subscription or even pay-per-view models.


Whole Foods Steps Up Music Commitment; Discovery Ahead
Starbucks is stepping away from a non-core, music and entertainment program, a move that comes alongside slipping profits. Whole Foods, on the other hand, is actually intensifying its commitment towards music, and possibly attempting to avoid the mistakes that Starbucks made.

According to information tipped by Idolator, the higher-end supermarket is pushing an initiative with Inspire Entertainment to bring undiscovered talent to buyers across the United States. The hand-picked CDs will be featured throughout the store, and at checkout. The Whole Foods Artist Discovery Series is starting with Greg Laswell, a Vanguard Records artist that will release a dedicated Whole Foods EP prior to a full release in July.