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/Mixtape DJs raided by RIAA jacketed agents in Atlantahttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/17/mixtape-djs-raided-by-riaa-jacketed-agents-in-atlanta/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/17/mixtape-djs-raided-by-riaa-jacketed-agents-in-atlanta/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/17/mixtape-djs-raided-by-riaa-jacketed-agents-in-atlanta/#commentsFiled under: ,

Two well known mixtape producers have been raided in Atlanta by police accompanied by RIAA jacketed quasi-agents. The agents confiscated boxes of CDs, production equipment and cars from the location, and scored a lead story on local news for themselves where they were quick to remind the public that raids on pirate mixtape producers often yield drug and gun arrests in addition to stopping piracy, just not this raid.

DJ produced mixtapes are a strange animal. Record companies often welcome and profit from the hype generated by mixtapes for upcoming artists, but are bothered by the competition mixtapes can provide once an artist is well established. Wikipedia explains, "The mixtape format is increasingly popular as a way of generating hype for hip hop artists. [...] Hip hop mixtapes are usually sold on the street or through independent record dealers or mail order, mainly relying on word of mouth to increase the artist's street credibility. An unsigned artist might release several mixtapes to generate buzz, leading to interest from record labels, while a signed artist may release a mixtape to promote a future studio album."

The two arrested suspects, DJ Drama and Don Canon have yet to be officially charged, but it looks like their successful production house is out of commission. Drama and Canon claim to be responsible for breakaway success by Hip-Hop artists such as T.I.

You can watch the (heavily biased and misleading) news footage from Atlanta's Fox 5 here. If you're looking for an informed look at the balance between piracy and promotion that exists in the mixtape culture, the documentary Mixtape, Inc. is worth the watch.

[via Nah Right]
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]]>AphiliatesDJ DramaDjDramaDon CanonDonCanonpiracyGrant Robertson2007-01-17T14:43:00+00:00Your ISP is the IFPI's next targethttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/17/your-isp-is-the-ifpis-next-target/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/17/your-isp-is-the-ifpis-next-target/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/17/your-isp-is-the-ifpis-next-target/#commentsFiled under: , ,

According to the IFPI's "Digital Music Report 2007", your residential ISP is the their next front in the war on piracy.

The report spells out in pretty stark language exactly what the IFPI expects from the ISP who's services you pay for, "We should not be doing this job alone. With cooperation from ISPs we could make huge strides in tackling internet piracy globally. It is very unfortunate that it seems to need pressure from governments or even action in the courts to achieve this, but as an industry we are determined to see this campaign through to the end." (emphasis added)

It's unclear exactly what the IFPI wants ISPs to do but, it is pretty clear that they want it done now. With Bittorrent carrying more and more legal content every day, blocking a specific protocol or port is a non-starter. The next logical request would be that ISPs take up the business of data monitoring, inspecting what traverses their network and playing Big Brother by informing the IFPI, RIAA or law enforcement of what you're downloading at any given time.

Will 2007 be the year of the ISP nanny-state?
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]]>Grant Robertson2007-01-17T13:39:00+00:00AP looks at our favorite major label bullyhttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/17/ap-looks-at-our-favorite-major-label-bully/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/17/ap-looks-at-our-favorite-major-label-bully/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/17/ap-looks-at-our-favorite-major-label-bully/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Ah Doug Morris, unibrow baby to the digital music revolution. His hard-ball approach with Microsoft, fighting hard for a $1 cut of each Zune sold in exchange for allowing Microsoft to license Universal Music's stable of artists, won him a place on the enemies list of every music blogger from Anaheim to Zurich.

The AP takes a softer look at the man who's mission is to change music licensing forever, and not for better. Glenn Coolfer aptly explains, "In contrast to most portrayals as a lone renegade, this one shows a more accurate scenario. Even though other label heads aren't acting so tough, they're more than happy to let Morris do their dirty work."

Morris' next hardware licensing target is Apple, who's current deal with Universal expires in May of this year. According to the AP, "Speculation in the industry is that he'll seek a slice of iPod sales. Apple declined comment." Morris stopped short of threatening to pull Universal's catalog from iTunes if the Cupertino kids won't cough up extortion payments royalties but, I wouldn't consider that option completely off the table.

See Also:
Universal may shoot for royalty deal with Apple
Universal Music's Doug Morris, phone phreak
Universal rasies pressure on Youtube and Myspace
Universal Music Group vs. Music Listeners
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]]>Grant Robertson2007-01-17T12:34:00+00:00RIAA as 17th Century French button makerhttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/16/riaa-as-17th-century-french-button-maker/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/16/riaa-as-17th-century-french-button-maker/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/16/riaa-as-17th-century-french-button-maker/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Ever think that there's never been an industry group in the history of man with the sort of bulldog spirited anti-competitive mindset of the RIAA? Think again. Techdirt draws an interesting parallel between the RIAA of today, and French button makers of the 1700's. It seems tailors began making buttons out of dense cloth, which outraged the established button making industry, leading to the government imposition of strict fines on the cloth button makers, and some rather-paranoid tactics to ensure control of the market.

"Shortly after the matter of cloth weaving has been disposed of, the button makers guild raises a cry of outrage; the tailors are beginning to make buttons out of cloth, an unheard-of thing. The government, indignant that an innovation should threaten a settled industry, imposes a fine on the cloth-button makers. But the wardens of the button guild are not yet satisfied. They demand the right to search people's homes and wardrobes and fine and even arrest them on the streets if they are seen wearing these subversive goods."

Looks like the RIAA's play book is a little less updated than we thought.


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]]>Grant Robertson2007-01-16T10:51:00+00:00Atlantic Monthly : Mp3 = VHS / DRM = Betamaxhttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/12/atlantic-monthly-mp3-vhs-drm-betamax/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/12/atlantic-monthly-mp3-vhs-drm-betamax/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/12/atlantic-monthly-mp3-vhs-drm-betamax/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Michael Hirchshorn of The Atlantic Monthly takes a look at Web 2.0 music services and while drawing lines though a connect the dots progression comes up with several gems of inference. The highlight of which is a comparison of Mp3 to DRM "protected" media that contrasts VHS and Betamax, "One next step could be a move by the labels to make more pay-per-download music available without restriction, meaning that once you've purchased a song, you can do anything you want with it, currently a no-go on Zune or iTunes. Unrestricted MP3 sites could play VHS to iTunes's Betamax. However it occurs, though, the execution of a widely used free and free-flowing music download and sharing system is surely imminent."

Coolfer was struck by the same quote, and asks not "if" but "when" this whole magical convergence of factors will result in the reiterated statement, "everything will eventually become available everywhere for a price that will approach zero" will become fact rather than lore. We're already on record as saying DRM will die, so where and when can we expect the fiery crash and burn which we all agree is inevitable? I wanna bring marshmallows and watch the flames.
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]]>Grant Robertson2007-01-12T16:43:00+00:00Digital sales healthy, holiday sales figures may hang aroundhttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/12/digital-sales-healthy-holiday-sales-figures-may-hang-around/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/12/digital-sales-healthy-holiday-sales-figures-may-hang-around/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/12/digital-sales-healthy-holiday-sales-figures-may-hang-around/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

I'm always enlightened when Glenn Coolfer grabs his calculator and starts making sense of the sales figures Billboard and Nielsen throw around. Often you find that when Coolfer works over the numbers he gleans insight that no one else is spouting.

This week is no different. While the nay-sayers are forecasting the demise of the music business (once again), Coolfer shows us that optimisim may be the better track, "Last week, digital track sales totaled over 21 million, a 29% drop from the previous week but still 61% higher than the same week in 2006. That 29% drop was an improvement over last year's 33% decline. In other words, sales are higher and are not dropping off the holiday peak as quickly as last year."

He's talking about the same week in which the Dreamgirls Soundtrack was the best thing going, which slipped into the top spot while only moving 66k copies. Its the same week Paul Resnikoff used to declare, "Album sales continue to drop year after year, and chart-topping releases are losing their sales potency. [...] the continued declines are generating anxiety among investors."

Patience and prudence Grasshopper. I say 2007 will end up a banner year, and the year we'll all look back on as the point when a solid transition was made from physical to digital. No doubt, it'll be a bit painful for some. Transition is never comfortable, nor should it be expected to be.

See also:
US Album sales slow during 07's first week
Fergie pops digital sales record, fails to credit humps
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]]>Grant Robertson2007-01-12T14:01:00+00:00Default judgment entered in Santangelo part deuxhttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/11/default-judgment-entered-in-santangelo-part-deux/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/11/default-judgment-entered-in-santangelo-part-deux/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/11/default-judgment-entered-in-santangelo-part-deux/#commentsFiled under: ,

Its a long and winding story; The RIAA sued Patricia Santangelo, a mother of two minors accused of filesharing on the internet. Santangelo refused to settle and fought the lawsuit, which the RIAA eventually dropped and replaced with a lawsuit against Santangelo's children (both of which were minors at the time of the alleged copyright infringement, the eldest of which has since turned 18).

Failing to properly answer the suit against her, Michelle Santangelo, who was a minor at the time of accusation, has had a default judgment entered against her in the amount of $31,240.

This is an unbelievable situation. I'm totally at a loss to explain how a minor child can end up owing a multi-billion dollar record company over $30,000, but I'm pretty sure it speaks volumes to the inequity of our legal system and the uneven playing field offered to defendants of RIAA lawsuits.

See also:
The RIAA vs. John Doe, a layperson's guide to filesharing lawsuits
RIAA Lawsuit Roundup
RIAA Turns Focus To Kids in Santangelo Case
RIAA Gives up on Santangelo, still aiming for children
Patricia Santangelo Requests Trial vs. RIAA


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]]>Recording Industry Vs. The PeopleRecordingIndustryVs.ThePeopleRIAA vs everyoneRiaaVsEveryoneSantangeloGrant Robertson2007-01-11T13:36:00+00:00Online consumers re-energizing music business?http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/11/online-consumers-re-energizing-music-business/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/11/online-consumers-re-energizing-music-business/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/11/online-consumers-re-energizing-music-business/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

A new survey by The Digital Media Association says online consumers are driving music in new ways, and causing a renaissance among music fans.

According to the survey, "The vast majority of online music service users report that enjoying music over the Internet has expanded their musical tastes, allowing them to discover new artists and explore new music genres. About 25 percent reported having discovered a lot of new artists, while more than 60 percent of consumers surveyed say they have discovered some new artists. Nearly 7 in 10 online music consumers are enjoying new genres of music since listening to online music services."

A wider range of artists sharing a slightly growing pie is a great thing for music itself, although it puts the music industry in a precarious position. The major's need to learn to work with a model in which blockbuster albums are fewer and further between, and deeper catalog cuts move with a little more ease.


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]]>Grant Robertson2007-01-11T12:34:00+00:00US Album sales slow during 07's first weekhttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/11/us-album-sales-slow-during-07s-first-week/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/11/us-album-sales-slow-during-07s-first-week/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/11/us-album-sales-slow-during-07s-first-week/#commentsFiled under: ,

Soundscan data for last week shows a major slowdown in US album sales, prompting a new slew of sky is falling prophecy from the music press.

Overall sales including both physical and digital album sales, reached 9.41 million units. That's a drop of 17.6% over the same week in 2006. Maybe more insulting, the soundtrack for Dreamgirls was the number one selling album, with only 66,000 units moved.

I don't know that everyone should start panicking. Any week in which a soundtrack that, at best, appeals to a narrow and unpredictable audience, makes the top spot should be a sign that the numbers you're viewing are an anomaly.

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]]>Grant Robertson2007-01-11T11:35:00+00:00Hypebot asks indie labels about DRMhttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/10/hypebot-asks-indie-labels-about-drm/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/10/hypebot-asks-indie-labels-about-drm/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/10/hypebot-asks-indie-labels-about-drm/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Bruce at Hypebot has been an an anti-DRM rampage in the new year. He's started contacting industry figures and asking them a few questions each about how they view the Mp3, and on the flipside of the coin, DRM.

His most recent victim target is Director of New Media for Beggar's/Matador Adam Farrell. Wanna know what Beggar's position is on Mp3 downloads? "At the end of the day, we support any steps that a DMS or device company or label might take to reduce friction in the market and improve the customer experience."

It's an avalanche waiting to happen. If nothing else, the labels are all exceptionally competitive. Once a few start mp3 distribution, opening themselves up to new possibilities online and (in my estimation) increasing their digital sales by sharp margins, the rest will be forced to follow. Frankly, I believe that for the most part, the labels know full well that DRM isn't working, only they've painted themselves into a rhetorical corner over the last few years and, no one ever wants to be the first one to eat crow.
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]]>Grant Robertson2007-01-10T15:45:00+00:00Jupiter 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+00:00Since when is "making available" considered "distribution"http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/08/since-when-is-making-available-considered-distribution/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/08/since-when-is-making-available-considered-distribution/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/08/since-when-is-making-available-considered-distribution/#commentsFiled under: ,

A newly contested RIAA case involving Sony in South Carolina may help set some important precedents. Court filings obtained by Recording Industry vs. The People show a legal team that's stepping back from the trees to take a whole new whack at the forest.

An astute reader of RIVTP points out the crux of the argument in the counterfiling, "The Complaint fails to join an indispensable party or parties, including but not limited to the "online media distribution system" [...] and therefore should be dismissed pursuant to Rule 12(b)(7), Federal Rules of Civil Procedure." That same astute reader explins it for the rest of us, "this lawyer went one step further and is requesting that the RIAA include anyone who ACTUALLY downloaded content from the defendant."

Thus far the RIAA hasn't ever proven anyone has downloaded music from a defendant, aside from the RIAA or its own representatives, and this suit is essentially asking them to put up or shut up when it comes to that specific point. Even one successfully defended case that rests on the difference between "making available" and "distributing" copyright protected content could be quite important for other defenses.
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]]>Ray BeckermanRayBeckermanRecording Industry Vs. The PeopleRecordingIndustryVs.ThePeopleGrant Robertson2007-01-08T17:33:00+00:00Eulogizing the CD, the ills of disposable musichttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/08/eulogizing-the-cd-the-ills-of-disposable-music/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/08/eulogizing-the-cd-the-ills-of-disposable-music/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/08/eulogizing-the-cd-the-ills-of-disposable-music/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

"The CD as it stands is dead", that's what Alain Levy of EMI told a packed room at London School of Business in October (Lomax's article says different but, we checked). John Nova Lomax of Houston Press is taking the time to eulogize it, examine why it's dying and take a cursory look at where the format is heading.

Lomax writes, "Looking back over the past 45 years, it is now plain that the move from vinyl to CD was not the bold step forward we were told it would be. CDs were not scratch-proof (as the labels had us believe early on), nor was the sound an improvement on vinyl -- indeed, most audiophiles argue that their sound is inferior. Jewel cases were ridiculously brittle -- they were rendered useless by a drop of four feet or so -- and they were hard to open, as were the huge and idiotic long-boxes CDs were packaged in well into the 1990s. Their visual appeal was almost always minimal and yet they took up what now seems like a lot of shelf space."

The truth is the CD, due to its fragility, has become a disposable item. One hipster quips in Lomax's article that she treats her music burned to CD with the same dismissive regard as she would treat any disposable lighter. As a culture, we're plenty fed up with disposable items which are sold to us as a "semi-durable" good. We know we'll be back to replace it far to early, and we feel ripped off when we find ourselves back in line again, holding a package full of the same empty promises we bought last time.
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]]>Alain LevyAlainLevycdCD eulogyCdEulogyEMImusic businessMusicBusinessGrant Robertson2007-01-08T16:36:00+00:00The first week of 2007 in reviewhttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/07/the-first-week-of-2007-in-review/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/07/the-first-week-of-2007-in-review/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/07/the-first-week-of-2007-in-review/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



A video look at the Digital Music highlights from the first week of 2007. Featuring music from The Blackhorse Remix Project featuring Musetta.

There's also a YouTube version.
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]]>black eyed peasBlackEyedPeasfergieipodriaazuneGrant Robertson2007-01-07T17:25:00+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+00:00Fergie pops digital sales record, fails to credit humpshttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/05/fergie-pops-digital-sales-record-fails-to-credit-humps/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/05/fergie-pops-digital-sales-record-fails-to-credit-humps/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/05/fergie-pops-digital-sales-record-fails-to-credit-humps/#commentsFiled under: ,

A new high water week for US sales of digital music downloads was driven in part by a record breaking debut for Black-Eyed Peas-breakout Fergie and her single "Fergalicious."

Fergie moved 294,000 units for the week ending 12/31, in a sea of 30.1 million downloads sold. Overall the sales of digital tracks are up 51% from the same week of 2005.

Also of note, digital album "bundles" broke the 1 million unit mark for the week, marking the first time that particular tracking figure required a 7th digit. Great news for the concept in general but, overall the "album" remains on life support.

Overall, despite a few forecasts to the contrary, the sales of digital tracks continue to grow at a rapid pace.
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]]>black eyed peasBlackEyedPeasdigital music salesDigitalMusicSalesfergieGrant Robertson2007-01-05T12:25:00+00:00Should wholesale prices remain a mystery?http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/03/should-wholesale-prices-remain-a-mystery/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/03/should-wholesale-prices-remain-a-mystery/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/03/should-wholesale-prices-remain-a-mystery/#commentsFiled under: , ,

When you spend 99 cents at iTunes, just how much of that buck finds its way to the record label? The short answer is; we don't know for sure. It's long been rumored that the average wholesale price for a digital download is somewhere around 70 cents. We've even used those numbers in our own articles but, to date, no one (aside from the distributors and the labels) knows for sure.

The case of UMG vs. Marie Lindor may change that, at least slightly. The RIAA is refusing to turn over documents conforming the wholesale price of digital downloads unless the defendant's counsel agrees to adhere to a hefty confidentiality agreement which precludes the release of information about pricing and volume of digital sales. In a letter filed with the court, Ms. Lindor's attorney Ray Beckerman writes, "Plaintiffs' would like the well known fact[s] [...] to be confidential. There is no legal basis for such a request. The sole reason they are making the request is to serve their strategic objectives for other cases, a reason which is not a proper basis for a confidentiality order. "

The Lindor case has been particularly media friendly, with Beckerman posting constant updates to his blog. It makes me wonder, just how many of these battles are playing out in similar ways to less exposure in courtrooms across the country?
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]]>BeckermanlawsuitRIAA lawsuitRiaaLawsuitUMG vs. LindorUmgVs.LindorGrant Robertson2007-01-03T14:39:00+00:00Magnatune in Sixhttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/02/magnatune-in-six/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/02/magnatune-in-six/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2007/01/02/magnatune-in-six/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

I've often mentioned Magantune as an example of an upstart company doing things the right way. This is another great example. A six minute video explaining how Magnatune works (non-exclusive contracts, 50/50 split with artists, etc) and showcasing just a few artists from Magnatune's stable.



Featuring interview segments with Artemis, DJ Markitos, Mija and Jan Hanford of Human Response, the six minute video touches on the differences between Magnatune and the majors, the diversity of music at Magnatune, and the fan to artist interaction that comes with a growing net-centric label.
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]]>drm freeDrmFreeMagnatuneGrant Robertson2007-01-02T13:34:00+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+00:00AllofMp3 blogs rebuttal to lawsuithttp://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/12/28/allofmp3-blogs-rebuttal-to-lawsuit/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/12/28/allofmp3-blogs-rebuttal-to-lawsuit/http://digitalmusic.weblogsinc.com/2006/12/28/allofmp3-blogs-rebuttal-to-lawsuit/#commentsFiled under: ,


Public statements from AllofMp3 are regressing to the level of middle school blog-war, albeit with slightly better English skills. "AllofMP3 understands that several US record label companies filed a lawsuit against Mediaservices in New York. This suit is unjustified as AllofMP3.com does not operate in New York. Certainly the labels are free to file any suit they wish, despite knowing full well that AllofMP3.com operates legally in Russia."

Loosely translated that means, "Na-na-boo-boo, you can't catch us. Pffffffft." Ars Technica recently gained a look at the suit filed against AllofMp3 in New York and writes, "A copy of the lawsuit [...] claims that AllofMP3's business "amounts to nothing more than a massive infringement of Plaintiffs' exclusive rights under the Copyright Act and New York law." The complaint also notes that "not surprisingly, that business model has proven to be a roaring success."

I'm all for making things difficult for the RIAA member companies who'd rather sue customers than work towards sane, DRM free distribution but, AllofMp3 stands on some very flimsy legal legs.
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]]>AllofMp3lawsuitGrant Robertson2006-12-28T11:03:00+00:00