The Digital Music Weblog http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com The Digital Music Weblog http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/media/feedlogo.gif The Digital Music Weblog http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com en-us Copyright 2009 Blogsmith, LLC. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Jupiter predicts digital sales through 2011http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/10/jupiter-predicts-digital-sales-through-2011/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/10/jupiter-predicts-digital-sales-through-2011/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/10/jupiter-predicts-digital-sales-through-2011/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Jupiter Research has done some prognosticatin' and come to the conclusion that digital sales are going to keep on growing. In fact, if predictions hold true, digital sales will grow at a compounded rate of 16% per year, to a total of 2.5 billion dollars, or just over 22% of total US consumer spending on music.

Glenn Coolfer astutely observes, "Before you do any math, read a blog post about the survey by Jupiter analyst David Card. He explains something the press release does not: Jupiter did not count ringtone sales as digital revenues. He wrote, "Digital music sales will total 22 percent of US consumer music spending in 2011, and ring tones another 12 percent." Combined with download spending, the adjusted digital figure is actually 34%. That leaves the CD with about 66% of the market."

Subscription services are forecast to keep growing as well, with a staggering 32% compounded growth rate in just that category alone. Napster must be salivating but, frankly I don't see it. Unless some major shift comes along and changes the subscription landscape, or the Major labels relent to an eMusic style model, I just don't see how 32% growth in subscriptions is remotely possible.
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]]>Grant Robertson2007-01-10T14:45:00+00:00Cringely says DRM doomed in 2007, so is Zunehttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/06/cringely-says-drm-doomed-in-2007-so-is-zune/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/06/cringely-says-drm-doomed-in-2007-so-is-zune/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/06/cringely-says-drm-doomed-in-2007-so-is-zune/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

This year will see ecosystem changing digital music milestones, if Robert X. Cringely's crystal ball is working properly. In his 2007 predictions Cringely writes, "No one DRM technology emerges as the winner and the RIAA begins to back off as it loses a few legal cases. Still, no Internet-only song wins a Grammy or is even recognized as existing." He also turns his six-shooter of prognostication on Apple's unibrow baby wanna-be, "Zune 2.0 appears, isn't brown, but still nobody buys it."

Cringely's predictions give us something to think about. I've already gone on record as saying DRM is deadmeat in 2007 and, I think he's certainly within reason to believe the RIAA will eventually tire of its endless stream of litigation. What I think the RIAA won't do is end one strategy without starting another, so look for signs of a new direction in "piracy management."

Let's face it, piracy isn't going to shrivel up and die, but will be managed like a chronic disease, rather than through a frantic hacking off of limbs.

As for the Zune, I don't think it matters. Zune 2.0 or not the only thing that will displace Apple as top dog in the digital music marketplace is the end of DRM for mainstream, major label music. The death of DRM would make major changes in the hardware ecosystem possible, as manufacturers compete for eardrums and eyeballs on a level playing field. Apple's DRM has the labels stuck in a very tight place, and there is every reason to believe that deep within the darkest layers of the RIAA's war room there is a sincere desire to break free from Apple's bonds.

As for an internet only song winning a Grammy, as long as the Recording Academy members are exclusively members of the "club", I think it's safe to say that the Grammy awards won't see any internet party crashers invited to the dance. That's just simple logic.
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]]>anti-drmappleiPodmp3Robert X. CringelyRobertX.Cringelytech industrytech predictionsTechIndustryTechPredictionszuneGrant Robertson2007-01-06T13:36:00+00:00Big boulder of mp3 set to overtake music business in 2007http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/02/big-boulder-of-mp3-set-to-overtake-music-business-in-2007/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/02/big-boulder-of-mp3-set-to-overtake-music-business-in-2007/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/02/big-boulder-of-mp3-set-to-overtake-music-business-in-2007/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Hear that rumbling sound? It's a giant boulder of DRM-less Mp3 goodness barreling down on the music industry like that scene in Raiders of The Lost Arc.

To kick off the year in fine mp3 positive fashion, Reuters reports on a string of news coming from all corners of the music biz. The two current "Biggies" are:
  • Former EMI exec Ted Cohen has been hired by a post-lawsuit Limewire to convince labels they can "start charging its 40 million users $1 per download and share the revenue and user-behavior information with the music industry." According to the article Limewire wants this to be a DRM-free experiment.
  • Amazon is pushing for a DRM free entry into the digital music market
Add to the equation the supporting evidence provided by eMusic's recent 100 Million track milestone and Mp3 experiments from EMI and Yahoo! Music and the only question remaining is; Will the RIAA member labels be able to deftly maneuver around this speeding boulder or, will it overtake them?
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]]>drm free mp3DrmFreeMp3mp3no drmNoDrmyear of the mp3YearOfTheMp3Grant Robertson2007-01-02T11:24:00+00:00Mp3 format as major label curehttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/12/29/mp3-format-as-major-label-cure/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/12/29/mp3-format-as-major-label-cure/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/12/29/mp3-format-as-major-label-cure/#commentsFiled under: , ,

An interview with Bob Kohn (co-founder of eMusic and the man who wrote the book on music licensing) in Forbes gets to the core of what Kohn thinks of DRM and the digital music market, "When the majors told us in my eMusic days that they wouldn't sell their recordings in MP3 format, I would say, 'You already are--you're selling CDs, and you can turn them into MP3 files.' If they [drop DRM] today, you will see a tremendous increase in digital download sales, because then you will finally see some good competition to iTunes."

eMusic's popularity has done a great deal for the credibility of the mp3 as a distribution format, and Amazon's new entry should do still more but we've still got a long way to go. It's encouraging to see Mp3 positive language in a publication like Forbes but, we need a full court press on the labels to make 2007 the year of the Mp3. Music fans and musicians need to step up and demand that the majors give us music in the format we want.
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]]>year of the mp3YearOfTheMp3Grant Robertson2006-12-29T12:46:00+00:002007: The year of the Mp3http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/12/26/2007-the-year-of-the-mp3/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/12/26/2007-the-year-of-the-mp3/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/12/26/2007-the-year-of-the-mp3/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

This year we saw several DRM free experiments from the major labels. 2007 can be "The Year of The Mp3," the year unencrypted, DRM free mp3s revive, rather than raze the music business but, you and I have to stand up together and yell loudly in order for the dream to come true.

As we get ready to bid a fond farewell to 2006, I've been doing some thinking; It's high-time we as digital music consumers make our desires clear.
  • We want DRM free music.
  • We aren't thieves.
  • We're willing to pay, if you give us what we want.
It really is that simple. eMusic has proven this year that the mp3 is a viable media format, without any crippling DRM layer applied. The continued growth of P2P, even after a slew of lawsuits, settlements and unhappy PR moments also proves that DRM isn't saving anyone from anything.. and most certainly isn't protecting music from piracy.

It's time for the record execs to give up the flimsy arguments that have boxed them into a corner so deep they're unable to see the light at the other end of the room. Mp3 is here to stay, it's nothing to be afraid of and, if the record labels would just treat us like adults, everyone would be much better off.
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]]>2007anti-drmGrant Robertson2006-12-26T04:05:00+00:00Amazon to enter mp3 markethttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/12/18/amazon-enters-mp3-market/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/12/18/amazon-enters-mp3-market/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/12/18/amazon-enters-mp3-market/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Hypebot reports that Amazon will enter the universally compatible, DRM free mp3 market in 2007. Aiming for a late first quarter launch (otherwise known to those who can do basic math and read a calendar as "the month of March"), the new Amazon offering will reportedly offer variable pricing.

It's an encouraging sign that larger players are dipping their toes in the DRM free waters. EMI has been open to experimental use of mp3s lately, and the smaller labels are selling thousands of DRM free tracks every day on eMusic and Aime Street.

It's too early to call 2007 the "year of DRM" however, it's pretty clear that it will be a year of increased pressure against the dominance of Apple's iPod.
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]]>AmazonGrant Robertson2006-12-18T16:44:00+00:00LA Times wakes up, realizes that music biz is changinghttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/12/13/la-times-wakes-up-realizes-that-music-biz-is-changing/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/12/13/la-times-wakes-up-realizes-that-music-biz-is-changing/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/12/13/la-times-wakes-up-realizes-that-music-biz-is-changing/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

It's the democratization of the music business, and it's becoming a trend to large to ignore. The LA Times reports on artists who've given up (or never wanted) a major label deal, and are instead finding success online.

"It's nice to have the deep pockets and clout of a major record company. [...] Nonetheless, the Web is turning into a viable alternative with which bands can develop a following and earn some money while still pursuing fame and fortune. Such popular groups as Britain's Arctic Monkeys used the Web extensively before getting a break. Indeed, music companies are embracing the Internet as a convenient way to scout new talent."

What's more, artists with online followings have a whole lot more negotiation clout when they do sit-down to discuss a deal. Making it in music is hard, and the internet hasn't changed that. What it has done, is serve to create a much more even (although still rather slanted) playing field in which the indie artist has a real fighting chance, something they definitely didn't have just 15 years ago. With music blogs playing the part that radio stations once did (and no sign of radio recovering from its glut of self serving poppycock), could we really be that far from taking the major label system and turning it on its ear?
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]]>DIYfinding an audienceFindingAnAudienceGlenn CoolferGlennCoolferindieLA TimesLaTimesmusic bizMusicBizmusician tipsMusicianTipsGrant Robertson2006-12-13T16:35:00+00:00eMusic crosses 100M markhttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/12/13/emusic-crosses-100m-mark/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/12/13/emusic-crosses-100m-mark/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/12/13/emusic-crosses-100m-mark/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Thumbs up to eMusic, who've managed to pass the 100 Million download mark (all without DRM!) and congratulations to Michael Brennan, the lucky customer who downloaded that milestone track.

As promised earlier, the Barenaked Ladies will write and record a track all about Michael Brennan, which will then be packaged as a bonus track for the upcoming album, "Barenaked Ladies Are Men." The track will also be available as a free download for a period in January as part of eMusic's celebration.

"Subscribers like Michael Brennan are what make eMusic the number one site for serious music lovers. We congratulate him on downloading eMusic's 100 millionth track and helping make us the world's number two digital music store," said eMusic President and CEO David Pakman.

So, uh, Mr. Major Label executive guy; How many million DRM free tracks does eMusic have to sell before you join the party? No, really.. how many?
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]]>100 million downloads100MillionDownloadsBarenaked LadiesBarenakedLadiesdrm freeDrmFreeMichael BrennanMichaelBrennanGrant Robertson2006-12-13T09:49:00+00:00eMusic prepares to roll over 100M downloads, BNL help celebratehttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/11/20/emusic-prepares-to-roll-over-100m-downloads-bnl-help-celebrate/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/11/20/emusic-prepares-to-roll-over-100m-downloads-bnl-help-celebrate/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/11/20/emusic-prepares-to-roll-over-100m-downloads-bnl-help-celebrate/#commentsFiled under: ,

The Barenaked Ladies will help eMusic celebrate dishing out its 100 millionth download by recording a special song, written about and for the lucky downloader. eMusic reached it's 50 millionth download over a period of two years, and has doubled that in less than a year, showing the phenominal growth path eMusic has seen with its subscription service.

BnL's drummer Tyler Stewart calls eMusic and , "a fabulous way to bring music to our fans in a fast, efficient, and good-sounding way," adding "eMusic is an important part of Barenaked Ladies' thrust into the digital music revolution."

Even cooler than the specially recorded BnL song, the 100 millionth downloader will also receive a lifetime premium subscription to eMusic and the opportunity to participate in an upcoming eMusic print advertising campaign.

So, congrats to eMusic for serving up 100 million DRM free songs over the last few years, and for offering the only DRM free download service that competes with the big boys.


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]]>Grant Robertson2006-11-20T14:31:00+00:00Peter Jenner declares DRM-era "dead"http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/11/06/peter-jenner-declares-drm-era-dead/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/11/06/peter-jenner-declares-drm-era-dead/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/11/06/peter-jenner-declares-drm-era-dead/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Joining the "usual suspects" in decrying DRM is a new voice, but one you'll recognize. UK manager Peter Jenner (The Clash, Pink Floyd, Billy Bragg) is singing a song that many in the industry aren't going to like hearing.
In an interview with The Register, Jenner goes on to explain how the big winners are going to be the indies. "he's [...] optimistic that for almost everyone else - indie labels, musicians, songwriters and budding entrepreneurs - as well as network providers - the future's going to be pretty bright. The Big Four know that the DRM era is nearly over - and within two or three years, he predicts, "most countries" in the world will have a blanket licensing regime where we exchange music freely, for a couple of quid a month."

Jenner is a bit of a legend and, whether what he says holds true, the fact that he's saying it is a pretty big win. He's a brash and uncharacteristic guy, but his points around where the industry is headed are on pretty solid ground. His interview should be required reading for anyone who's trying to divine where this big, lumbering digital music ship is headed thorugh the murky fog of the present.

[via The Register]
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]]>Billy BraggBillyBraggPeter JennerPeterJennerPink FloydPinkFloydThe ClashTheClashGrant Robertson2006-11-06T14:01:00+00:00eMusic offers less music for the buckhttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/11/02/emusic-offers-less-music-for-the-buck/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/11/02/emusic-offers-less-music-for-the-buck/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/11/02/emusic-offers-less-music-for-the-buck/#commentsFiled under: ,

eMusic has announced it will cut back on the generous subscription packages it offers. The change will see the basic package dropping to 30 songs per month from 40, the plus package dropping to 65 to 50 songs per month and the premium package will drop from 90 songs per month to 75.

An eMusic spokesperson told The Register, "We have a much bigger catalog than we had when we relaunched in 2003 - 1.7m songs as opposed to 250,000 - and the web site is much more sophisticated too."

It's tough to say how this will effect the momentum eMusic has mustered. In honesty, what they offered before was a fantastic deal, and what they're offering now is still a fantastic deal, albeit a little less fantastic. If I have a criticism of the move it would be this; Many people I talk to about eMusic love it particularly because they use their "extra" subscription songs each month to explore new artists. Reducing the discretionary budget of eMusic users in this manner could quell some of that pioneer spirit among the eMusic user base.

[via The Register]
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]]>Grant Robertson2006-11-02T12:54:00+00:00Cingular takes another direction for music on mobilehttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/11/01/cingular-takes-another-direction-for-music-on-mobile/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/11/01/cingular-takes-another-direction-for-music-on-mobile/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/11/01/cingular-takes-another-direction-for-music-on-mobile/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Cingular is set to launch a non-OTA music service for its mobile phones. Details are a bit sketch but, the new Cingular service will be vastly different than that of its mobile phone market competitors. Users will be able to download from three competing web services, Napster, Yahoo! Music and eMusic and transfer those tracks to their Cingular handset of choice via cable connection to a PC (Uh, wasn't 3G supposed to make all these wires go away? Bluetooth? Wi-Fi?)

Cingular's system breaks the mold set by other mobile operator backed services which have attempted to dive deep into your wallet while failing to mention that most handsets will happily play the Mp3's you already own. It may be a bit old school but, Cingular's service sounds like a good deal for end users, as opposed to a magic tool for removing dollars from customer's wallets.

I've been pretty anti-mp3 phone in the past, and that hasn't changed. I'm still unconvinced that you'll get anything more than a substandard version of phone, mp3 player or both when you attempt to mix the two together in one device. For certain, it's not as easy a recipe as peanut butter and chocolate. If you remove the crazy types of restrictions that most mobile providers use to hijack your wallet, a slightly sub par mp3 player/phone wouldn't be a bad alternative to say, owning a "nice" PMP and a smaller ultra portable class player.
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]]>CingularYahoo MusicYahooMusicGrant Robertson2006-11-01T16:30:00+00:00eMusic and IFC team uphttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/10/30/emusic-and-ifc-team-up/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/10/30/emusic-and-ifc-team-up/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/10/30/emusic-and-ifc-team-up/#commentsFiled under: ,

The Independent Film Channel and eMusic will team up in a partnership that will see IFC viewers exposed to great tracks from eMusic in a video version of the (already popular) eMusic Dozen. The first episode, titled "Independence," will introduce IFC viewers to a host of underexposed indie music including Hold Steady, RJD2, Madvillain and Bjork.

Evan Shapiro, EVP/GM of IFC, said, "Much like IFC and our commitment to 'TV. Uncut.,' eMusic gives independent artists a voice, one that can be expressed without censorship or corporate interference. This partnership between our two companies is a very natural linkage that will enable both us to extend our reach and brand awareness."

The segments will wed music with "a captivating video montage that includes concert footage, interviews, animation and "found" video set to an independent-music soundtrack". The partnership with IFC also includes TV ads, a joint advertising promotion in the December issue of SPIN magazine, and 10,000 co-branded cards offering 25 free eMusic downloads.


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]]>BjorkIFCGrant Robertson2006-10-30T10:57:00+00:00EFF points out RIAA hypocrisy over compulsory ringtone licenseshttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/10/24/eff-points-out-riaa-hypocracy-over-compulsory-ringtone-licenses/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/10/24/eff-points-out-riaa-hypocracy-over-compulsory-ringtone-licenses/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/10/24/eff-points-out-riaa-hypocracy-over-compulsory-ringtone-licenses/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

I wrote last week about the copyright office's recent ruling that puts ringtones under the same compulsory license terms as the broadly defined phonorecord. I also pointed to the publishers, who aren't exactly thrilled with the new structure of ringtone licensing.

The EFF take a bit deeper look at the rift between the RIAA and the publishing associations on this issue. The RIAA is overwhelmingly supportive of the new structure, a point which reminds us all that the interests of the record labels are not always in balance with the interests of the music publishers.

"The RIAA argues that extending the compulsory license best serves public policy goals, regardless of the narrow interests of certain copyright holders (publishers) who might want to hold back innovation. Of course, when the shoe is on the other foot, the RIAA is not so quick to embrace compulsory licenses; like the composers who decried the player piano and the compulsory mechanical license in 1909, the major record labels recoil in horror at compulsory licensing of sound recordings for digital and Internet uses. But make no mistake: the RIAA recognizes that a little compulsory licensed "piracy" can get copyright owners and artists appropriately compensated while leaving lots of room for innovation in both new technologies and new distribution channels."

The RIAA has repeatedly rejected any sort of compulsory licensing schemes that would make legal, trackable P2P services possible.

[via EFF:Deeplinks]
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]]>Grant Robertson2006-10-24T13:46:00+00:00Digital rights in question as business modelhttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/10/19/digital-rights-in-question-as-business-model/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/10/19/digital-rights-in-question-as-business-model/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/10/19/digital-rights-in-question-as-business-model/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

The voices against DRM are increasing in volume almost daily. Scientific American's recent article lays out in clear language what we've been saying for ages, " If the music industry truly wants to loosen Apple's iron grip on digital music sales, it should start allowing music to be sold without digital rights management protection."

Praising eMusic and calling into question the DRM stranglehold allowed to grow and mature under the leadership of Apple Computer and the thickheaded-ness of the major labels. eMusic CEO David Packman said recently, "There's no way you can say with a straight face that [DRM is] something consumers want. This has to get solved for the industry to grow."

The above quote isn't in some left-wing kook rag, espousing the view of the so-called copyleftists; it comes from a Reuters/Billboard article. eMusic is clearly showing that there is another way, and that they aren't harmed by piracy, even when they offer customers what they want, freedom.

Yahoo Music general manager David Goldberg told Billboard, "It's all nonsense. Music is never going to be protected, and anybody who tells you that is not being honest. Yes, you can put up speed bumps, but the people who really want to steal music are going to steal it. So you're just making it hard for people who want to do the right thing to get the music they legitimately purchased on the devices and services that they want."

[via Scientific American]
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]]>Grant Robertson2006-10-19T17:22:00+00:00eMusic passes 20,000 subscribers in Europehttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/10/18/emusic-passes-20-000-subscribers-in-europe/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/10/18/emusic-passes-20-000-subscribers-in-europe/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/10/18/emusic-passes-20-000-subscribers-in-europe/#commentsFiled under: ,

eMusic invaded the continent of Europe, starting with a special beta launch on August 10th, with the same model they employ in the states; DRM free tracks that don't treat you like a criminal just because you want a little freedom. Today eMusic announces that more than 20,000 subscribers have downloaded more than 2 million tracks, and they're openly celebrating their claim to be the number two download service in Europe, right behind Apple's iTS.

"European music lovers searching for a digital music service that truly helps them discover new music and doesn't handicap them with DRM have finally found a home," said David Pakman, eMusic President and CEO. "Selling two million tracks in Europe in two months speaks volumes about the unmet demand for universally-compatible and well-priced digital music services in Europe."

The Europeans have remained quite a bit more vigilant against the encroachment of DRM on their collective digital life. By that example, it's little surprise that eMusic has managed to do so well in its first few months on the continent.
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]]>Grant Robertson2006-10-18T12:33:00+00:00USAToday: Closed systems leave music fans in the coldhttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/10/16/usatoday-closed-systems-leave-music-fans-in-the-cold/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/10/16/usatoday-closed-systems-leave-music-fans-in-the-cold/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/10/16/usatoday-closed-systems-leave-music-fans-in-the-cold/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Could it really be that the anti-DRM message is starting to bubble up to the surface? USAToday, a paper not known for sticking its neck out or producing any ground breaking journalism has a feature today on how eschewing DRM might just allow the majors to wrestle control of the digital music market back from Apple.

"Soul legends The Temptations had a 1970s hit called Ball of Confusion, and no song better describes the digital music business in the 21st century. CD sales are in freefall -down 17% since 2003; online song trading is still rampant, big hits are fewer, record stores are seriously hurting. [...] Digital is widely recognized as the future of the music business. Digital sales are up 72% so far this year, and sales are expected to climb to $9 billion by 2009, from $2.8 billion in 2006, according to researcher In-Stat. But first, digital will have to overcome its compatibility growing pains. "You don't have to buy a camera made by YouTube to show a clip online," says Bill Pence, chief technical officer for online service Napster. "The industry is dysfunctional.""

The article cites Yahoo Music Chief Dave Goldberg, who may be the highest ranking anti-DRM voice available. It also takes serious AIM at Microsoft and it's new closed DRM strategy launching with Zune. ""Microsoft is thumbing its nose to its partners and millions of consumers," says Richard Doherty, an independent analyst with the Envisioneering Group. "I can't think of anybody doing anything like this in all the years I've covered consumer electronics.""

In the end, ease of use is winning customers easier than open formats but, will that always remain the case? Thinking back on the dawn of the PC age, most consumer complaints had the same root; Interoperability. Apple, Atari and Commodore couldn't compete in a world of compatible clones but it took a very long time for the battle to play out. Relatively speaking, we're still in the very early stages of the digital music revolution. The reality is, without government assistance in the form of pro-DRM legislation, the pro-DRM forces have a much tougher battle over the next decade than I think even the most anti-DRM among us realize.

[via USA Today]
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]]>Grant Robertson2006-10-16T14:17:00+00:00USPS rate changes put the squeeze on BMG-Columbia Househttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/10/12/usps-rate-changes-put-the-squeeze-on-bmg-columbia-house/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/10/12/usps-rate-changes-put-the-squeeze-on-bmg-columbia-house/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/10/12/usps-rate-changes-put-the-squeeze-on-bmg-columbia-house/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Postal mailing rates aren't exactly sexy, and they're certainly not digital music. However, BMG-ColumbiaHouse have been bilking selling customers CDs through the mail since CDs came into existence, and were quite happily mailing tapes through the mail long before that. So, postal mail actually does have a place in this digital music menagerie.

According to the PostalNewsBlog (there really is a blog about everything), "BMG Columbia House VP Clifton B. Knight Jr. says that the proposed new Postal rates and regulations "will make it impossible for us to remain in the business of selling music and video products by mail". Knight asserts that his company will face increases of "62% to 115%" in its product shipments. And if the company is "constrained to stop using the mail for product shipment", it will "inevitably reduce, if not entirely eliminate" its "use of mail for marketing and promotional purposes"."

Is this just a heavy postal mail using company pleading its case for special rates? Maybe. The fact remains that if you're looking for who's got the advantage going forward, the answer is digital delivery. With fuel costs rising, the obvious winners are the digital distributors who have no need for the USPS.

[via Postalnewsblog]
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]]>USPSGrant Robertson2006-10-12T12:52:00+00:00How to survive and thrive as an indie record storehttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/09/20/how-to-survive-and-thrive-as-an-indie-record-store/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/09/20/how-to-survive-and-thrive-as-an-indie-record-store/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/09/20/how-to-survive-and-thrive-as-an-indie-record-store/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Glenn Coolfer points to a great article in New York Newsday about Looney Tunes, a "mom and pop" run record store. How has Looney Tunes survived as others around them have failed? Focus and effort.

"When [the owner] first saw signs of people getting their music elsewhere, he joined in 1999 the Coalition of Independent Music Stores, a Birmingham, Ala.-based trade association of 28 independent record stores from around the country that have banded together to compete with bigger competitors. As a member, Looney Tunes gets more advertising packages, promotions, giveaways and exclusive products, such as band concert CDs."

The store promotes local artists, holds in store events and concerts, and generally does all the things you'd expect from a thriving local indie store. The article gives some fantastic ideas for competing with the majors, and frankly, a ton of advice that Tower Records could have taken to heart any time in the last 5 years and exponentially increased it's life expectancy.

Brick and mortar record stores aren't dead. It's not an easy task to keep one alive, but it's obviously more than possible given the right combination of management and creativity.

[Newsday via Coolfer]
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]]>Grant Robertson2006-09-20T15:08:00+00:00Big content still wrong about pleasing the customerhttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/09/13/big-content-still-wrong-about-pleasing-the-customer/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/09/13/big-content-still-wrong-about-pleasing-the-customer/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/09/13/big-content-still-wrong-about-pleasing-the-customer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The keen eyed kids at Techdirt point to two articles today as an example of how Big Content still misses the boat when it comes to DRM and making customers happy.

"Copy protection has never stopped a single piece of content from reaching a file sharing network in unauthorized form. Not one. And once that content is there, it's available all over the world, and the entire point of having the copy protection system in the first place goes away."

And that's precisely it. Big Content has lost consumers like me, who once bought a large amount of music, with their selfish and wrong-headed practices. The reality is, eMusic & Magnatune exist, work, and (most importantly) make money without limiting consumer choice.

This is yet another wake up call to the music industry. Like it or not, Metallica led you down a terrible path and caused you to become an adversarial nemesis rather than a friend in entertainment. I've not, nor do I think I ever will, forgiven Metallica for the knee-jerk reaction that led to the demise of the original Napster. I am however willing to make you a deal Big Content; You back off, drop the DRM and take a modern attitude towards your customers and I'll step back into the fold and purchase my first RIAA member company product in 6 years.. Deal?

[via Techdirt, Thanks Monoto!]
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]]>Grant Robertson2006-09-13T13:34:00+00:00