A&R - today

move!

2008-01-23T12:58:00.000+01:00

Please move your subscription to mi03.net as that's the place where it's all gonna happen the coming months.

As promised, me and my old classmates are going to whoop a blog more intensive as this one was. With more backgrounds and more media2.0

see you there!

CLICK!

RIAA wiped of the net

2008-01-22T16:47:00.000+01:00

HA-HA. big time

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/01/21/riaa_hacktivism/

The launch

2008-01-18T16:14:00.000+01:00

me and my old classmates are launching a website about the music industry. including my blog. So I'm moving my digital ass over there on Monday I hope.

www.mi03.net will be a place to go in the future.

EMI 'leaks' future plans

2008-01-17T15:40:00.001+01:00

Obtained by Digital Music News, clickable right HERE

I got excited over this line: "A new global functional organization structure for the business as a whole will be in place by the end of June, 2008" (!)

Did I hear global and functional, business as a whole? Hate to say, but I was expecting something like this (see previous posts).

EMI = 'Vision' ? You tell me!

2008-01-17T11:41:00.001+01:00

Click for an article about the 'sick' Majors of the music business

Credits to Boycott-riaa.com for publishing another great article.

Note from my side:
In the article the 'chiefs' of the Majors get severely criticized, only EMI stays in the clear because they have 'vision'. Told you before. They should move forward looking for a way to run their business in the 21st century.

Because I know a guy that worked for EMI and back then they were struggling over moving from tape to CDs. The guy (who taught me the world of blog, future of music, Gerd Leonhard & Seth Godin) is not active anymore within EMI - but still teaches kids like me about the industry.

There is a call for change. Somebody answer it. Let the messiah in.

RIAA says what? UPDATE#2

2008-01-16T15:44:00.000+01:00

In his war on RIAA, Mike (Shmoo) from boycot-riaa.com posted a great interview from Don Reisinger with a spokesman of the RIAA; Cara Duckworth.

There are some points in the interview that makes me LaughingOutLoud - LOL painted on the wall. Big time. Listen to this

But let it be said--the RIAA is much more than lawsuits. For example, we also are responsible for the Gold &Platinum program awarding artists who have achieved successful album sales and are active proponents of free speech in music.
A nice quote from C. Duckworth. Allow me

1. Nobody needs you to do the album awarding. That's what we have Nielsen for who are very well capable and extremely precise in monitorising this stuff
2. Freedom of speech is something arranged by law (in some countries) and where it's not political persons are trying to set this straight. Get real.

One more and I'm getting pretty heat-headed already:
In their (the RIAA's) efforts implementing copyright acts they forget the foremost and far more important ISSUE on the place.

THESE TIMES CALL FOR A NEW COPYRIGHT ACT, A GUIDELINE REFERRING TO THE NEW AGE OF MUSIC DISTRIBUTION AND USAGE. Why don't you pump a bit of that lawsuite money in research? Why?

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”

There are a whole bunch of people out there calling for a 21st century chance, and you keep sticking to the 20th century paper.

future of music

2008-01-16T11:54:00.000+01:00

http://freshbreakfast.com/2007/08/21/how-giving-away-free-music-will-save-the-recording-industry/

How giving away free music will save the rec. industry. Pay special note to these lines:
In the new era, consumers will not be storing their files in their computers, but in their personalized playlists and libraries stored on servers, from which they will stream their media. Online applications will become the streaming platform (or “sideloading players”) that replaces the usual desktop, client-side apps like iTunes, WinAmp, or Windows Media Player. These platforms will become a sophisticated ad serving application, replacing what we future old timers liked to call “CD sales revenues”. This revenue will then be split with the content providers (i.e. artists, labels) in proportion to their respective playback.

The EMI story continues

2008-01-15T15:31:00.000+01:00

EMI has a new chief, praised for his previous successes.
However, the company gets at this point criticised for its solely financial-related course changes (recently cutting down no less then 2000 jobs, main impact in the UK and that at a label with big UK acts as Robbie&Radiohead). They struggled to invest in publishing arm.

Their name in the news is solely used with sidenotes as: Robbie Williams refuses to bring out an album, Radiohead wants to leave etc etc etc.

Still I don't believe they're ruining their own business. They're just being silent for the big storm. Their 'feels like free' storm.

Here's an advice for EMI: you CAN make a difference. Feels like free, spin-off and music like water is stuff that you have to get used to though.

EMI the first?

2008-01-14T09:44:00.000+01:00

With EMI having a new owner (with a great investment history behind him) and their threat of leaving the RIAA (again, it makes me really happy though), could they be the first major label to adjust to media 2.0?
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117978756.html?categoryId=16&cs=1 (EMI/RIAA story)

For me it seems that the pressure on EMI is extremely high, with top artists threatening to move out as a surplus to the downwards spiral of the music industry (which I don't believe to be that severe than stated in all kinds of news). EMI could therefore be the first major label to move forwards, not adapt to the nowadays industry but do something that will help their revenues and forces (and that's the biggest catch) other labels to adapt also. Their business needs to be so striking they won't need the RIAA anymore. They should be the one with the guts to introduce feels like free music. That's their job. (It's everybodies job, but I feel EMI is most likely to be the first major).

Robbie breaks up with EMI?

2008-01-11T13:51:00.000+01:00

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080111/music_nm/music_williams_emi_dc

Now, this seems to me fairly unlikely. As Williams signed a big ass deal a few years ok. I don't think the lawyers of EMI are that stupid to make it easy for him to walk out. Nor I know what part of this story is true.

RIAA says what? UPDATE

2008-01-11T09:29:00.000+01:00

To keep the story going. Wired published an article 'proving' the RIAA does consider 'ripping' CDs onto your computer illegal (copyright infrigment).
And that in a time where DRM is dying...
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/01/riaa-believes-m.html

Thanks to recordingindustryvspeople.blogspot.com.

MIDEM 4

2008-01-10T11:35:00.000+01:00

MIDEM is just around the corner. Or at least 17 days away.

My schedule is almost filled up, 3 slots left. As I said before, it's much easier to find people when you're buying. When you're selling and want to find new importers/licensors for your product... Tough luck. I managed to acquire around 6/7 new partners.

One of them was quite a shock. I got emailed about an artist on my MIDEM profile. So it worked; I've posted a song+picture and small description about 3 of my artists (that's maximum). One of them draw the attention of a label in the UK. Hurray for the MIDEM profile system (new this year). IT WORKS! One meeting only, but worth the work I put into it.

The power of YouTube

2008-01-09T14:51:00.001+01:00

Here, in the record company I work for, we released a single song from one HipHop/Pop group. Their video was released just after the elections (Croatian elections 5-6 weeks ago), a blend of critical words and images of politicians wasting their money on food while poor old grandma's are begging for a few coins on the street. Reality is hard here.

Guess what!? the video got banned from national tv stations (public and commercial) - because of the critical stand the band took. A few regional ones played it.
We were afraid it was going to happen, so we put the stuff on YouTube (and our Myspace page).

Now the most famous artists (from Croatia) and their songs generate 100.000 hits in 6-8 months. We did over 50.000 in 5 WEEKS. Thank you! Hard to get will increase the popularity (Seth is always right). We'll see it in the album sales.

Here is the video (or link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfNU7rU41jo)

Napster to sell mp3 files

2008-01-08T16:49:00.000+01:00

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/music/la-et-napster9jan08,0,6901192.story

that's right!

Napster Inc. said Sunday it will begin selling music downloads as unprotected MP3 files in the spring, joining other online retailers.

The file format change will apply only to single tracks and album purchases, according to a company press release. Tracks downloaded as part of the company's music subscription service will continue to have copyright restrictions.

A small hurray for Napster. A small one.

Hurray for Classical music

2008-01-08T16:47:00.000+01:00

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080108/music_nm/britain_violinist_downloads_dc

A violin player called Tasmin Little will give the next recording away: FOR FREE!

Hurray. Not new, but already made it to the Yahoo news.

SPIN OFF!

Pandora skips UK also

2008-01-08T12:52:00.000+01:00

http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/01/07/memo-to-uk-no-pandora-for-you/
As describe above.

But here are possible ways to keep enjoying Pandora:
http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/01/06/accessing-hulu-pandora-and-other-sites-from-outside-of-the-united-states/

Because: Pandora is just nice. ON Demand, hands raised, yes I do want to listen music I like.

Audio comments behind the RIAA 'stop copying stuff onto your computer'

2008-01-08T09:08:00.001+01:00

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17814972

Listen carefully. Mistakes have been made. However the trail is still so 1999.

Lesson about the industry by Seth Godin

2008-01-07T14:36:00.000+01:00

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/01/music-lessons.html

I'm glad, even thrilled, that these lessons mostly correspond to what I'm blogging about all this time. Perhaps it's time to start my own business.
Seth Godin relates all this more on the permission based marketing idea.

DRM free world opens doors for unlimited.

2008-01-07T11:39:00.000+01:00

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jan2008/tc2008013_398775.htm

Might have been a few days ago. But it will happen. Here's a side note:
* Amazon is rocking, every company delivering without DRM is a win for Amazon. And they have the power to integrate 'feels like free' into their store, thanks to their stunning amount of products offered!!!
* the iPhone won't be unique anymore in a short while. Therefore Amazon can do something to outclass the iPhone: deliver drm free, flat fee and 'feels like free' music to the carrier of the phone. Including artwork, cause the device will have a screen as the iPhone.
* of course, Apple could do this too. They'll have their course a bit. That's never good, but sometimes needed.

The includence of a model as proposed above could get us into media2.0, the future of music and be the next step to music like water.

US album sales down, digital and new models up!

2008-01-04T09:09:00.000+01:00

This news: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080104/ap_en_mu/music_sales
(Album sales down in US, digital up. Majors going slightly down)

is very much related to this blog: http://www.longtail.com/the_long_tail/2008/01/how-not-to-do-1.html
(The new model -pay what you want- brought Nine Inch Nails more revenue then their previous album would, looking purely at sales)

Note: A record company does not only sell you record but takes care of media attention as well. And media counts for spin-off. Legal sales are growing fast in percentages, however just since a few months there are ways to pay less then $0,99 for a track.

Know me?

2008-01-03T15:35:00.001+01:00

http://www.linkedin.com/in/anrtoday

then link in!

We're all thieves to the RIAA

2008-01-03T15:15:00.000+01:00

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2008/01/02/were-all-thieves-to-the-riaa.aspx

Read the last few lines and knod your head twice. Then start building ideas that show the writer of this article wrong about the downwards spiral we're in.

This is the piece:
As I've said before, a good sign of a dying industry that investors might want to avoid is when it would rather litigate than innovate, signaling a potential destroyer of value. If it starts to pursue paying customers -- which doesn't seem that outlandish at this point -- then I guess we'll all know the extent of the desperation. Investor, beware.

RIAA says what?

2008-01-03T10:03:00.000+01:00

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/12/31/riaa_cds_copies_computer/

That copying your own CD (or putting the CD that you bought on your computer, on your mp3 player) is illegal. They are filing charges against a person to prove this.

In a time where DRM is practically gone, they are after people who copy CDs on their own computer? say that again?

Booklets COUNT!

2008-01-02T16:05:00.000+01:00

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080102/music_nm/digital_album_dc

Basically: people prefer to have more info/entertainment then purely the music. They want to read the lyrics (and not search for it but find it with the music), see photos etc etc etc.

So, the CD is getting a knock-out punch:
* My colleague showed his new iPhone to me this morning. He switched between album cover in a freakin good looking 3d screen. How hard will it be to include the booklets in here, distributing this info in one package to the iPhone user? Who said Apple's innovations have been slow?

DRM free

2008-01-02T16:00:00.000+01:00

only SonyBMG is the one we're waiting for. They'll come, now the other mighty three have accepted their digital defeat.

Last news of 2007

2008-01-02T09:52:00.001+01:00

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22443898/

a good overview of artists that went after radiohead. Radiohead was not the first to do this by the way, but they were the first that got the wanted spin-off.

All the best of 2008

New Sonific spot as you can hear. I think I don't like the CD that much but we'll see how long it stays.

what do we do?

2007-12-31T11:09:00.001+01:00

Christmas: as i said: buy, eat, eat, eat, drink, rest, eat, visit people to drink or eat with and buy in the meanwhile stuff to eat and drink. Of course we share good time with friends.
New Year: I got myself a all-inclusive ticket upfront. Meaning I pay a certain amount of money and drink and eat all night for free (or rather FEELS LIKE FREE). I calculated, it would take me a lot of effort to spend that amount of money on food and drinks on one night. But it feels good to go there and be unlimited. That's my point for 2008. Music should feel unlimited, where it feels now 'limited'. Feels like free is the second best term.

Christmas

2007-12-25T16:34:00.000+01:00

We buy up front. We eat in the meanwhile.
My brain is buzzing how to integrate digital music into this....

Find the catch

2007-12-24T13:05:00.001+01:00

http://freeitunessongs.blogspot.com/2007/12/free-content-for-your-new-iphone-or.html

you find it. What's the catch here? Are they really giving away free music. Oh noooooh, it is feels like free. Spin off included. These are all the hints I'll give you. You tell me.

the business

2007-12-23T11:33:00.000+01:00

A very easy to read though informative article about the current music industry:
http://www.wired.com/print/entertainment/music/magazine/16-01/ff_byrne

must-read for everybody that needs to know about the business we're in.
The article is not going deep into new models, just describing models around at this point but leaving space for own inspiration. In other words, read it.

Quote:
What do we need music to do? How do we visit the land in our head and the place in our heart that music takes us to? Can I get a round-trip ticket?

Really, isn't that what we want to buy, sell, trade, or download?

Special thanks to Hennie v. Kuijeren for pointing me to the article.

WTO Legalizes Music Piracy in Antigua

2007-12-23T11:14:00.000+01:00

As said by Maths from Music2dot0. Here is the full article http://www.music2dot0.com/archives/97

Here is the clue: It sounds like a contradiction in terms but there we have it, the tiny Caribbean nation of Antigua is now allowed the right to distribute music, movies and software produced in the US without obligations to pay US rights holders. As Antigua has now been given carte blanche to distribute music as such, this has major implications globally in that companies registered in Antigua, can distribute US copyrighted music for free or for their own profit and would be to some measure, operating legally based on this latest WTO ruling.
I have a record producer that is working right now on a record for one of my artists, he lives in Antigue. I will post him this and tell you guys how the news is received there...

geeez. I need a coffee break and overthink this for a while

You might have read Maths comment about the CHINA-YAHOO case. When I stated to be not to happy with the baby-publishing steps taken I ment to say that this whole trial was damaging the process of getting to a flat-fee based filesharing system. One that I am willing to work on because it can be a new leg for the music industry. And it can rule out majors, that part I like the most...

China and copyright violation

2007-12-21T10:30:00.000+01:00

One of the few markets where legal downloading hardly exists next to an astonishing amount of 'illegal' filesharing opportunities - CHINA -, free music has suffered a major defeat. In my previous china post I talked about the amazing amount of webportals providing filesharing options (Baidu, Yahoo). Yahoo has now been punished for this, read the full article here (a hard-on for IFPI right there...):
http://www.ifpi.org/content/section_news/20071220.html

However publishing arrangments with collecting societies are still taking baby steps, I'm not too happy with this. China felt for me like one of the first possible markets to set the (as proposed by Gerd L.) flat fee filesharing / thanks to their amazingly big and growing webportals.

Get Legal, go screwed?

2007-12-21T10:28:00.000+01:00

I'm not fully agree on this article, but at least it's another punch in the face of the majors, telling them to change their business fast & radically.
http://www.boycott-riaa.com/article/28754

the essence of live music

2007-12-19T15:03:00.000+01:00

special thanks to Gerd Leonhard

Live is everything by Patrick Dixon

China & The long tail, some comments

2007-12-19T11:27:00.000+01:00

http://www.longtail.com/the_long_tail/2007/12/china-the-futur.html

See above link. I've read it with great interest. Then I started thinking, how much of this story would be true. I've checked with various companies in China (One Major and a few surrounding indies):

The assertion that artists and labels are trying to make money out of every aspect of their music (live shows, personal appearances, TV-synch deals etc.) is true not only in China but all across the world these days.
Then Baidu - true: big search engine with lots of (music) file sharing. But please understand that soon the record companies (read: majors) will take control of a yet uncontrolled market and the revenues from advertisement will go to the rightly owner. As (I hope but less likely) with publishing. No long tail? well, perhaps not on the direct visible sight. Bear in mind that the marketing of the limited amount of international artists goes deep into specified target groups, withouth consumers realising it.

Good suggested reading for China is: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/11/01/music_in_china_feature/. As suggested on the long tail blog

a free way of protecting the old business

2007-12-18T09:52:00.000+01:00

http://www.boycott-riaa.com/article/28696

People start to lose their minds:
The music and film industry continues to pursue its idea of
a politically "corrected" Internet - one that they imagine
could protect their old business models without requiring
any extra costs on their part. This time, the fix is
Internet-wide filtering. In a memo to European
policy-makers, the International Federation of Phonographic
Industries (IFPI) has called upon ISPs in Europe to filter
the content sent across their networks, block protocols
used by their customers, and cut off access to persistently
infringing sites from the Net.

flat rate file sharing

2007-12-17T13:05:00.000+01:00

as Gerd Leonhard posted this article, that I've read before, http://radar.oreilly.com/archives/2007/10/music_industry.html
I came across a interesting matter.

I was always anxious about flat rate file sharing, afraid that the big cows will cash faster in this system (non-controlled nor registered will go the same as the black box in collecting societies - most played goes first), totally the opposite of the long tail.

Just recently I had an interesting pitch from AC Nielsen. They have introduced the 'fingerprint' system for songs being broadcasted by radios and in this way they can put up the only reliable chart in the country they monitor. Good system. Now could something like this work for flat-rate file sharing? I guess it does!

fre music on its way, AMAZON makes my move

2007-12-14T09:15:00.000+01:00

The CRM system behind AMAZON will give them the future of music, providing 'feels like free music' for now, and target group specified in the future.
I've written about his a while ago, combining costumer knowledge with digital distribution of music.

http://www.mediafuturist.com/2007/12/amazon-on-its-w.html

MIDEM 3

2007-12-13T09:32:00.000+01:00

Before you ever go to MIDEM, you really need a crash course in Multiculutural communication and people management, or CrossCulturalCommunication, whatever you want to call it.

It's a process of understanding how people think. MIDEM meetings are mostly arranged through email.

From European people I receive emails with heading, opening, main message, friendly closing and contact details.
From American (meaning from the USA) I only get the main message. No opening and from time to time no closing. Yesterday I received an interesting message: We have major dist worldwide but we dont need to absorb the high cost of breaking a new artist in the states.If you have a decent marketing and promotion budget let me know and then ill look into this further
From Asian people I mostly get no reply.

that's how things work.

MIDEM 2

2007-12-12T10:18:00.001+01:00

A new thing about MIDEM

I'll be there 3 days. In these 3 days I have time for approx 45 meetings. My goal the coming weeks is to fill all 45. MIDEM is expensive and only once a year you can meet all the unreachable Asians to actually try to do some business. Because believe me, they are unreachable.

the RIAA 'bites its own tale'

2007-12-12T10:11:00.000+01:00

I found the article on http://www.boycott-riaa.com/article/28627
the title is deducted from the same page.

Does the pressure of EMI drives the RIAA nuts?

The article is about the RIAA trying to sue a person for extracting mp3s from CDs and the availability of these mp3s in the shared folder of his PC - so accesible for his wife....

geeeee, that's so 2001

lot's of money to be made with the unkown

2007-12-11T15:38:00.001+01:00

http://mc.conversationsnetwork.org/shows/detail3431.html

must listen.
or just read the long tail

MIDEM

2007-12-10T15:34:00.000+01:00

In January 2008 Midem (something like Popkomm but then biiiiiiigger)

I'll tell you from time to time what's going on on MIDEM.

i'll start with this:
MIDEM has a flexible pricing system - if you subscribe early, you pay less (I did, I'm Dutch you know). Next to that they are way more interactive then Popkomm: check out www.midem.com and ww.midem.net. Midemnet is a world, database to meet other participants. This year you can feature music on your profile, include artist profiles, pictures etc. Very handy and easy to use/adapt.
If you think you have a great artist, you can submit it for playing a gig there. Limited access though.

In the meanwhile companies that have something to sell (a lot of companies have something to sell) keep spamming each other... examples soon.

Media 2.0, advice about your crappy bands

2007-12-07T14:37:00.000+01:00

Gerd forced me to post with images. Blogging with text is soooooo 2007.

The essence of being able to describe to your music. Just make them curious and shut up.

massive sponsored tour for PSO

2007-12-07T14:28:00.000+01:00

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071207/ap_en_mu/pittsburgh_symphony

the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will get a stunning $1 million a year (till 2011 a total amount of $5 million) to tour around the globe. The funds are received from the Henry L. Hillman Foundation.

Why?
Hillman, who called himself "a one-man chamber of commerce" for the city, said he was glad to support the orchestra because the foreign tours advertise Pittsburgh.
"It's the only exportable cultural asset we have," said Hillman, who attended Thursday's announcement with his wife, Elsie.

So non-classical musicians should search for sponsors and give their music away for FREE.

a good example of "feels like free"

2007-12-06T16:21:00.000+01:00

The Slovenian band Magnifico has just released it's new album 'Grande Finale'. They gave 100.000 albums away with a magazine called DELO. Every album contains a code, and entering this code online can get you a ticket to the band's concert at the end of this month.

100.000 albums in a country where maximum album sales can reach 30-50k very very maximum + the includance of a possible free ticket.

So why do all this? spin-off, sales at concerts, attention (=power)... and all the other stuff i've been blogging about.

Here is the first video, land of champions - great band by the way.. fannie Inglish....
www.magnifico.info and www.magnifico.tv for more...

Attention = Power

2007-12-05T16:34:00.000+01:00

Pimp C is dead. I feel sorry for his family, friends, loved ones. Please do not see the following blog as a disrespectfull piece of writing.

When Dutch famous singer Andre Hazes died he got a lot of media attention. And that boosted his sales. I won't be surprised seeing Pimp C entering the amazontop100 or any other top something soon. I've received over 15 feeds in my reader about his death.

Attention = power = sales = money. Gerd Leonhard described it lately, content is getting overruled by attention. Attention is the future.

I'm close to signing a band with which I can get a lot of attention, because they want to work hard. The harder they work, the better I do my job. got i love the music industry

The album of all times turns 25

2007-12-04T09:08:00.000+01:00

MJ. I adore the artist, the music, the songwriting, the singing and most-perfect production ever made (this is a opinion, matter of taste). Thriller turns 25 (no need to quote, it's all over the news).

Now what's here to blog about? That the album will be AGAIN re-re-re-re-released. With some extra features, remixes and help from Kanye West (that came as a small surprise to me, I was hoping J. Timerblake who recently released an album with Timbaland under the name 'Duran Duran - Red carpet massacre'). Again a re-release. This is what you get when you are famous. You can re-release your stuff knowing it will again sell tons of copies. SO! Make yourself famous and people will start to carry money to you EVEN if you release something that is already out for 25 YEARS!

The player is updated with free hardcore music.

FREE EMO MUSIC

2007-12-03T14:44:00.000+01:00

To all those out there who've read my previous post. There are loads of EMO bands that uploaded their music to SONIFIC because they like that people can hear their music for free. Here you go. Tomorrow it's the real hardcore music stuff. Believe I will find hardcore musicians that want people to listen to their stuff

FOR FREE
FOR FREE
FOR FREE
FOR FREE

*EDIT: special credits for the PERSON who made this awesome avatar, I couldnt find who did it. The link to find this pic is: http://www.doxma.com/bitbucket/Avatars_Funny_Cat_With_Headphones.gif

I give credit to people.

Underground = innovative?

2007-12-03T09:53:00.000+01:00

Through my Myspace account, which I only have to rarely get in touch through a different channel with some of my friends AND check out new music from my friends, I've received an interesting message.

STOP THIS BULLSHIT!!!! (repost 2 save the underground)
I hope you are out there and this blog will be passed to you in some way.WHY you want to damage small HC labels?They don't get a dime for what they do,they produce bands and they believe in them,they sell cds for ridiculous prices just to try to get back in the expanses.Just buy the fucking cds asshole,and if someone is using this site to download these albums for free,well you are as HARDCORE as PARIS HILTON,you are more fashioncore that Bullet for my Valentine.BOICOTT THIS SITE!!! THIS IS NOT HARDCORE!!!!http://dice-of-death.blogspot.com

How many times do I have to scream, post, gargle when I'm drunk to other drunks, write, mail, wire, W-Lan, transmit rather communicate:
Just buy the * Cds? Oh come on. If your label wants to survive, THEY SHOULD BE HAPPY TO GIVE THEIR MUSIC AWAY FOR FREE! Unlock the music (hope you all subscribed to Gerd Leonhard's blog) you'll be praised for it.
I expected the 'underground' (I disguise this term) to be the most flexible and innovative of all, instead people that call themselves the 'hard-core' of this underground are the most stiff, blind and fast-cash consumer hating disguise of the music industry.

Y'all ought to be ashamed of yourselfs, calling yourself hardcore underground. Yes I'm angry.
The guy's blog is gone. and comparing hime to a lifestyle of a very popular band doesn't increase your credability.

International future

2007-11-30T16:21:00.000+01:00

I hardly discuss any of my projects here, which was originally also the plan.

Let me start with the great news that I got one of my artists released in Japan, Korea and China. This is, for a (internationally) small Croatian label, some achievement.
Besides this we are focussing on attracting Croats around the globe to buy our digital only online releases. This requires a lot of effort, but once you get the attention I'm sure our catalogue has much to please them.

EMI to cut down costs?

2007-11-29T10:41:00.000+01:00

Yes I will also blog about EMI cause blogs give insights of what can happen with news. Reuters just provides the news with a tiny tiny line at the end stating: Analysts at UBS said any move to reduce the funding to trade bodies could hamper the industry's efforts to fight piracy and protect music copyright.
Full article:
http://www.reuters.com/article/technology-media-telco-SP/idUSL2834755220071128?sp=true

So here we go: EMI is likely to stop supporting anti-piracy *sputter* organisations as IFPI and RIAA. I want to compare this with a Hokey game I play (on a gameconsole that is).

If you are lets say 30 seconds before the end of the game one goal behind, Hokey teams are likely to pull their goaly. Why? they have an extra attacker to score the game-tying goal. However, lose the puck and you'll be most probably down by two goals: your net is unprotected.
EMI is falling (read: does not want to find other solutions to stay big), and is desperatly seeking the game tying goal. For this year. They cannot spend much more money cause they have shareholders and a whole bunch of other people that can't be patient and take their loss for a few years. You can lose the game, you won't lose the season. OK, spending billions on these organisations is quite not helping out because I can get the all EMI releases of the last 6 months in a day on my Mp3 player, still.

You choose, lose the game or try to make something of the season in other games.

an example why...

2007-11-28T14:56:00.001+01:00

as an artist you should play live gigs.

One of the bands I'm working with has been hitting the road now for 18 years. They play their asses off because they understand the importance of playing live shows. This is how they got popular (besides their good/appealing music).

Now they are at the point they get paid more then 10.000 euros a gig. For a band from around here, this is awesome.

NOW GET YOUR ASS ON THE ROAD AND PLAY THEM SHOW.

SonyBMG/Yahoo Content/Legal use

2007-11-26T16:35:00.001+01:00

http://www.boycott-riaa.com/article/28539

At least sonybmg understands a little bit. Legal/free use of SonyBMG videos on Yahoo.

Soccer fans tortured by copyright freaks from own clubs

2007-11-26T13:30:00.000+01:00

Something from my home country but relatable to all kinds of music groups in the international world.

A few days ago, big football clubs in The Netherlands started to delete moving pictures of their games from Youtube, claiming the images are copyright protected. However, it made a lot of fans at least 'angry'. Most of them feel mistreated by their club. And they're right, media 2.0 calls for a new copyright system. Officially the clubs can take the movies from youtube, no matter if they're put together by amateurs or not.

But what's the use, sunday night every dutch citizen with a TV can watch all the game highlights (games are played during the weekend). I am happy to watch the highlights of my team on monday morning, put together by colleague fans.

It is FREE EXPOSURE. FREE EXPOSURE = GOOD. The chance that you will SELL (and that what it's about right?) more MERCHANDISE is BIGGER because you have FREE EXPOSURE.

The teams owners/boards do this because they have big TV contracts. Now, what is on youtube has already been shown through the official/legal channels so take this extra exposure and be pleased. Deleting stuff for fans kills their mood. In this way they are more likely to SPENT LESS ON YOU.

this relates to f.i. TOOL & Prince also. check previous posts for more info

fight piracy?

2007-11-23T13:40:00.000+01:00

http://www.ifpi.org/content/section_news/20071123.html

The IFPI is proud of having signed one of the biggest laws/documents ever in France. It allows a special organ from the French government to fight illegal (and subscribed) filesharing.

hmmm.

Dear President Sarkozy: Sandi Thom.
(scroll don't if you don't understand)

No new model!

2007-11-22T09:39:00.000+01:00

Suburban home records are praised for their 'new strategie' by Andrew Dubber on http://newmusicstrategies.com/2007/11/21/hows-this-for-a-new-model/

Quote:
This from a label who has just sent out entire album downloads to customers who have pre-ordered the vinyl or CD. That is… they’ve been given the download before the pre-ordered physical album is available. That’s kind of interesting, right?

Dear Andrew; it's not.
And they give away the sampler of their catalogue with 14 tracks through Yousendit. You know what this means?: Limited downloads, temporary storage... Don't they have a website were it can be available LONG TERM? Smart thinking... not!
Posting your yousendit link to peopl won't make them listen to the stuff. Try Sonific for a change.

No model?

2007-11-20T12:03:00.000+01:00

In the search of new business models for the music industry, newmusicstrategies.com states there is no new model. At least, not solely one that works. A good article about the models being introduced right now: http://newmusicstrategies.com/2007/11/20/this-years-model/

Still I think a lot will have to come from the artist's side and LIVE ENTERTAINMENT, meaning you need to play as much as possible and in as many different places as possible. Impress!

BTW: Subscribing to their feeds means you will receive more spam about the book that's for sale rather then interesting articles like this. Perhaps they should read Seth Godin's blog from time to time...

Future of music

2007-11-19T10:20:00.000+01:00

This, my dear artists, is working to get your carreer LIFT OFF.
http://www.sonific.com/gateway/artist/500000400?album_id=500000417&song_id=500001450

Sandi Thom:
Too broke to go on the road, 24 year old singer/songwriter Sandi Thom decided to set up a webcam in her South London flat and staged a three week world tour from the basement. Find out more through the link. People, WORK!

Gene Simmons

2007-11-16T09:38:00.001+01:00

... and his frustrated view on the music industry. It's hard to see that such a successfull and influential man can be such a disguise to today's music industry. The guy unfortunately is not supportive in any way to new bands finding new clues to get their music heard. media 2.0?

Quote from Reuters/Billboard interview
There is nothing in me that wants to go in there and do new music. How are you going to deliver it? How are you going to get paid for it if people can just get it for free? I will be putting out a Gene Simmons box set called "Monster" -- a collection of 150 unreleased songs. KISS will have another box set of unreleased music in the next year.The record industry doesn't have a f---ing clue how to make money. It's only their fault for letting foxes get into the henhouse and then wondering why there's no eggs or chickens. Every little college kid, every freshly-scrubbed little kid's face should have been sued off the face of the earth. They should have taken their houses and cars and nipped it right there in the beginning. Those kids are putting 100,000 to a million people out of work. How can you pick on them? They've got freckles. That's a crook. He may as well be wearing a bandit's mask.

Artists

2007-11-15T15:51:00.000+01:00

I would like to scream these few sentences in the ears of some of my complaining artists:

Music isn't about effort. It isn't about money. It's aboutinspiration.The truth resonates with the public, not the work involved.Do it out of passion. Be thrilled people want to hear it. Maybeyou'll never get paid. But, if you're supremely talented, and you must be,you will make money. Probably more than you dreamed of at a date aftermost of your competitors have given up.

Posted by Mike (Shmoo) on November 15, 2007 at 8:43 AM at boycott-riaa.com. Whole dictate is here: http://www.boycott-riaa.com/article/28476

if you work in the business, you understand.

Work your darn ass off to get people to know your music, cause you need fans. Maybe they'll buy, maybe not. But sitting at home being proud of your (maybe very expensive) piece of music IS NOT GOING TO HELP YOU. Use Myspace, Sonific, Facebook, play shows, invent ways to promote your music, blog, blog, go out, play shows, don't sign with majors that twist your wallet out your pocket the moment you sign your contract and IF you have enough talent, there is a CHANCE you make it.

Sonific

2007-11-14T13:59:00.000+01:00

Sonific is an invention of Gerd Leonhard. First I neglected it due to shitloads of work (dumb me!), but now I'm part of it. It's not perfect yet, but you see I've added the Songspot player on my profile. Sam Beeton is my first piece of nice music I found through Sonific.

www.sonific.com

meet Gerd Leonhard

2007-11-14T09:35:00.000+01:00

If you don't know him, if you don't know his thoughts about the future of music, here is a very good and informative interview with the guy:
http://wickedwhammy.com/interview-with-gerd-leonhard

after this you'll know media 2.0, the future of music and why record companies can exists, but not as they are now!

Sellaband reaches out

2007-11-13T13:12:00.000+01:00

11th band of sellaband.com has raised the line of 50.000 dollars, meaning ready to record, produce and release.
In the meanwhile Sellaband has concluded a deal with The Orchard, a worldwide digital distributor with a lot of shops attached.

However concluding a deal with BroadStreetDigital would give them practically the same distribution arm + 35% more income on gross earnings. Whatever you prefer.

- EDIT: with the possibility that the strength of Sellaband has given them a better deal, it might be more reasonable, might be -

Myspace

2007-11-12T16:51:00.001+01:00

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071112/music_nm/myspace_dc

read the interview with Myspace founder 'Tom'. He founded a very, very strong experience marketing feature called community and keeps expanding it to, for the music business, very high level. I have the feeling he can form a key part in the development to media 2.0 - perhaps it's already happening!

the stupidfilter!

2007-11-12T10:45:00.000+01:00

http://stupidfilter.org/wiki/index.php?n=Main.HomePage

this will prevent a lot of people from posting non-contributing comments to serious websites. However, we will have to see how it works!

Prince

2007-11-12T09:36:00.000+01:00

The last artist of its sort that makes money while fighting the new music industry (transferring in media 2.0). http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/entertainment/music/story/7515770p-7414730c.html

He fights at this point practically anything regarding the free use of his material. Even his own fans. There is a point where you can go to far.

But still: he's got his own fanclub, still filled with thousands of fans, paying a lot of money for exclusive tickets, new material, CDs, merch etc etc etc. How long will they keep doing this? Im afraid long time, cause they love him long time...

ubiquity in the london Tube?

2007-11-09T09:31:00.001+01:00

Big ups for the person who will make this happen. MUSIC LIKE WATER!!!

http://www.boycott-riaa.com/article/28428

who cares?

2007-11-08T09:59:00.000+01:00

http://www.411mania.com/music/news/62875/Most-Fans-Paid-$0-For-New-Radiohead-Album.htm

over 60% paid $0. does radiohead care? no!

why?
SPIN OFF!:
1. because of the free (or rather feels for free) music they've got a lot of attention. This will not be the case with other bands that start to do this, but still. They've got it. And media attention is power.
2. as i posted a few days after the release, THEY WILL GO ON WORLD TOUR. WORLD TOUR IS MONEY, INCOME, HARD CASH.
3. the chance that they sell more special products is high. merch the same.

SPINN OFF PEOPLE, SPINN OFF

Gerd is my hero

2007-11-07T09:42:00.001+01:00

he finds stuff that i want to find first

http://www.switched.com/2007/11/05/can-privacy-exist-on-the-internet/

privacy & internet

digital sales

2007-11-04T09:33:00.000+01:00

a small piece of research on my own showed that ;
for a small independent label, the income on digital sales account after all deductions and encoding fees are 19% of gross earnings. Imagine you are an artist that takes 18% royalties; you better give it away for free.

IN this example im talking about a small label that i know that has a struck a deal with one of the biggest digital distributors in the world.

But would giving it away for free increase attention? well, at least what keeps an unkown costumer from getting the record, cause now its for free. more people listen your record, more people might go to your show, buy your merch etc. Free music is the future

something up close

2007-10-31T09:10:00.001+01:00

today no post about worldwide news. Yesterday the Croatian music industry has started opening its eyes and realizing that globalisation also applies to the music industry.

soon more... can't tell you now..

Brick & Morter

2007-10-29T09:19:00.000+01:00

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071028/music_nm/formats_dc;_ylt=AimLOz_b.AF83jsGqQmotzmVEhkF

is not what it seems. With the new feature 'download album carts', a first real cooperation between download and physical.

Physical retailers like the idea. Even spokesmen from majors like the idea cause 'sales could go up'.

Sales...

if any small band finds a clue how to get his unkown music heard, we can all start offering music for free. I say radio, concerts and darn hard work.

live in your car

2007-10-25T12:14:00.000+02:00

http://www.mediafuturist.com/2007/10/music-in-the-ca.html

never get out of your car again.

again, special thanks to Gerd Leonhard.

( Hennie, eat your heart out ;) )

copyright, new age

2007-10-24T09:24:00.001+02:00

http://mc.conversationsnetwork.org/shows/detail3347.html

Copyright is not what it was. You knew that, but now you hear it from 'the wiseman'.

It's like the train replacing horse-transport. I like that phrase.

facts

2007-10-22T09:21:00.000+02:00

& figures show what's left

Concerts and merchandise: UP (+4%)
Digital tracks: UP (+46%)
Ringtones: UP (+86% last year, but probably just single-digit percent this year)
Licensing for commercials, TV shows, movies and videogames: UP (Warner Music saw licensing grow by about $20 million over the past year)
Even vinyl singles (think DJs): UP (more than doubled in the UK)
And, if you include the iPod in the music industry, as I'd argue a fair-minded analysis would: UP, UP, UP! (+31% this year)
Only CDs are down (-18%). They're around 60% of the industry not including the MP3 players, but just around 25% if you do include them.

from the long tail blog

Radiohead around the world

2007-10-19T09:15:00.000+02:00

the news of today is not anymore the free (or, 'feels like free') album of Radiohead, but the fact that now they can go on world tour. I feel the dollars screaming around my ears.

copyright

2007-10-17T09:59:00.000+02:00

an interesting piece of copyright hussling....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071017/music_nm/smith_dc

do i get the money, do i not, who gets it, when, what where?

mass ticket purchase

2007-10-16T09:17:00.001+02:00

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071016/music_nm/ticketmaster_ruling_dc

An important step in mass-purchases of concert tickets. Ticketmaster wins against the people who make software that automatically purchases a lot of tickets. These people re-sell these tickets for ridiculous prices. With the gaining importance of live entertainment, it is fair enough that consumers can buy tickets for what it's actually worth.

Radiohead leads the way

2007-10-12T09:05:00.000+02:00

Everybody knows it by now, radiohead is giving away its new CD for any price you want to pay for it. Including $0,00 = free. Real fans pay, so they will earn their money.

I consider this the thunder after the many small lightnings we had. The thunder shocks, but does not destroy. Why? Because the new solution will be found, this is just a way from these bands to show that the 'ordinary' way of record labels dealing with music is NOT the way.
Small bands will find another way to deal with their music. Live entertainment will intentensively grow and RADIO will gain more and more importance. Radio is the only way for bands to reach the status of Radiohead and start giving away their music for free and actually earn money from it.

future of music

2007-10-09T14:38:00.001+02:00

http://sonific.com/

check it out! the future is almost now!

end of control

2007-10-09T09:38:00.001+02:00

chapter two, now online!
www.endofcontrol.com

Recording Industries won?

2007-10-05T09:02:00.001+02:00

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071005/music_nm/musicindustry_lawsuit_dc

no! they lost: their chance on the acceptance of a new music industry!

Microsoft's new ZUNES

2007-10-04T09:40:00.000+02:00

http://www.topix.net/music/2007/10/microsoft-rolls-out-new-zunes

Microsoft Corp. introduced Tuesday three new models of its Zune digital media player that wirelessly and automatically update their music, photos and videos when placed near a user's computer.

still, getting the content is not for free

Pay what you want

2007-10-03T09:18:00.000+02:00

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071002/ap_en_mu/on_the_net

Radiohead will release (without any record company involved) their new album for ... yes, you decide. being it one cent up to 100 dollars, 200 dollars - whatever you feel like paying. Finally a 'big' band forcing a breakthrough.

it's not totally free, but I like the system VERY MUCH. However, for small bands this is not going to work - they don't have many TRUE lovers that will pay FULL PRICE meaning that the vast majority will obviously pay a VERY SMALL AMOUNT to get their hands on the piece of unkown music. calls for b2b involvment.

future of music - next version!

2007-10-02T09:10:00.000+02:00

one of the co-authors of 'the future of music' is releasing a FREE and podcast ONLY blook, about the future of music, called 'the end of control'.

http://www.endofcontrol.com

RIAA in court

2007-09-28T09:19:00.003+02:00

http://recordingindustryvspeople.blogspot.com/2007/09/first-riaa-jury-trial-to-start-monday.html

the long story continues after 4 years. well, after 4 busy years.

HD radio in your car

2007-09-27T09:39:00.000+02:00

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070927/music_nm/media_radio_dc

of course! in the car! that's another source for free music:
1. HD quality radios will be used in future cars of Ford Motor Co.
1. they should involve gps wise transmission to provide the driver with free music. on-demand radio. sort like pandora (which have gone totally insane by not providing free music anymore thank you very much).
* 1+1 = added value

variable pricing on amazon

2007-09-26T12:33:00.000+02:00

not the news that they will launch a competitive download store to iTunes, but the variable pricing makes Amazon the news of the day
http://www.elabs2.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=cc4,12em,21,b6cw,ga1i,1x9q,f364

variable pricing principally means that you pay what the track is worth - so new hitsongs are supposed to be more expensive then old unkown tracks. that's the way the music business works folks - unkown artists will earn less from their download sales. if that's a problem - find a new business model that makes you rich...

-edit-: a small 5 minute research:
*variable pricing means either you pay 89 cents either 99 cents for the tracks
* album prices are however varying from around $8 dollars up to 14$

50 million free songs!

2007-09-25T11:42:00.000+02:00

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/entertainment/music/story/7504054p-7401419c.html

starbucks and itunes are seeing the light? well, almost. again with signing up, registering, but FREE and easy-to-share...

the other way around

2007-09-25T09:06:00.001+02:00

for everyone speaking dutch
http://www.techzine.nl/nieuws/13677/The-Pirate-bay-start-zelf-juridische-procedures.html

Popkomm

2007-09-24T09:03:00.000+02:00

First of I apologize for not posting earlier, i simply didn't have the time during my few hours in Berlin.

What is Popkomm?
Popkomm is an international music fair, a place for record companies, publisher, media, producers, artists, practically everyone that even thinks he has something to do with the music industry to MEET. See each other - because we can't do business only by emailing, calling and faxing can we?

What did I see?
everyone sells, (hardly) anybody buys. Everybody thinks he has something to sell. Imagine me, representing a Croatian record company: everybody that passes by the stand (most companies have a stand to show what they have to sell) thinks his artist can easily be exploited in Croatia, because its a small and new market. NEWSFLASH: if we get a good shot with our domestic catalogue we sell between 5-10.000 albums. These are the biggest sellers. What makes you think that your romanian/russian either french b-artist is going to be a success here?
For the rest it's nowadays mostly about digital distribution. I've met around 5 different ones, all of them have the most inovative uploading systems (winner: www.broadstreedigital.com ) and some of them just are the biggest (www.theorchard.com ) and therefore can offer shabby deals.
Most countries also have a stand. and yes, it's all EXPORT! lithuania EXPORT, Switzerland EXPORT, dutchsounds.com - EXPORT, Ukraine - EXPORT ...

So how the helll do your get your deal done? well, it takes a lot of time upfront. I set meetings upfront (unlike many of my fellow Croatian collegues who go in search of meetings at the spot. and yes, nobody has time for meetings becaues they already settled them). If you search long enough in the Popkomm database (which actually has a lot to learn from the MIDEM database, www.midem.com ) you will always find people that might be interested in buying your stuff (if you have artists to 'license out'.)

What didn't I see?
NEW BUSINESS CONCEPTS FOR THE MUSIC INDUSTRY. There was 1 conference about ad-financed music and it didn't handle the FREE aspect for consumers. The music industry is not playing a different tune. Everybody is waiting for the majors (who have fantastic stands if you look at the designs, all great but i don't really see the purpose) to do something so we can follow. INDIES; WAKE UP. IMPALA, where ARE YOU?

Looks like it's time for ME in PERSON to do something about it. You will hear from me. In the meanwhile I will try to exploit my artists abroad, yes the old fashioned way. In the the other meanwhile i will develop the new business concept i've came up with here in Croatia. Perhaps next Popkomm I'll have my own stand.

Popkomm

2007-09-18T09:10:00.001+02:00

tomorrow i'll be flying to berlin for popkomm. i will try from there to keep you updated on this international music fair - see how far the future of music is intergrating in the music industry

vodafone rocks my world

2007-09-14T09:12:00.000+02:00

They will launch the Omnifone MusicStation. This is the trick:
you pay a very small amount of money each month and access the platform (with the mobile i suppose). on this platform you can download, stream and (this is IT) SHARE music 'unlimited' within the community. ROCK N ROLL!
http://www.techzine.nl/nieuws/13551/Vodafone-lanceert-ongelimiteerd-muziekplatform.html

in dutch

EC will approve SonyBMG merger

2007-09-12T09:06:00.000+02:00

somewhere next month! after a year of juridical warfare, there seems to be an end.
IMPALA so far is not stating anything about this news. WAKE UP.

The 'Ringle' is (to be) born

2007-09-11T09:12:00.001+02:00

The ringle (single song, remix or old version + a ringtone released on a CD) is going to be launched, most probably in December.
The idea, by SonyMusic and UniversalMusic, is approved by the RIAA.

You know how i feel about this.

Paid downloads going 'down'

2007-09-06T09:03:00.000+02:00

The RIAJ (Recording Industry Association of Japan - http://www.riaj.or.jp/e/index.html) has published figures about paid downloads. Single songs and ringtone downloads went down between 9-10% compared to last year.

forbidden live material

2007-09-05T09:04:00.000+02:00

Yesterday I visited a concert of Tool in Zagreb (http://www.last.fm/event/236558). I'm not going to review the show.

I'm reviewing the 'camera policy'. Fans with cameras recording video or snapping pictures were taken from the crowd by the security. They were taken to a seperate room near the entrance in which they had to delete all the material they have taped so far. In some cases the cameras were not returned till after the show.

This is a first grade neglect of the new generation music industry. Why shouldn't fans be able to tape you? are you afraid that they won't buy your live material (then make your live material better then any camer can make it), are you afraid you'll appear on YouTube the next day...? (this is for me one of the best promotional TOOLs you can have).

well - I don't know who made it up, but fans that tape or record you is an honour, can even be used as a promotional TOOL and punishing them for their actions is kicking your fans in the teeth.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=tool+live
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=tool+live

:(

free music, another idea

2007-08-30T16:28:00.000+02:00

without probably realising it, the Croatian webportal index.hr added another input to free music

http://www.index.hr/xmag/clanak.aspx?id=356695

like hilton gives info and exclusive info about artists (see previous posts) webportals could give music away for free. Companies could be the distributors of music.. through their websites.

ok, the song might be not that good and streaming but still, the idea... I LIKE!

Learn more about DRM-free

2007-08-30T11:47:00.000+02:00

http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/08/24/finding-drm-free-music-online/

thanks to Mark Hendrickson. detailed info on various providers of DRM free music. Few majors are in - all on different platforms. but still, i consider this one of the first small steps to 'free' music.

Next is buy few tracks and get few more for free? DRM free?