For several years now a new wave of music fans have grown accustomed to remixing tracks. From the early days of companies like UK firm Umyx (now called Gomyx) which launched in 2004; through artists campaigns like Radiohead’s Reckoner stems remixing campaign; to the raft of iPhone apps offering remixable tracks, the idea of fans interacting with music is becoming increasingly mainstream. We asked Albin Serviant, CEO of French firm MXP4, for his view on how this trend is likely to evolve.
The following is taken from a recent issue of the Music Ally Report. For details on how to sign up for a free trial, click here
At the end of 2009, MXP4 interviewed up-and-coming artrockers Pony Pony Run Run as part of the lead up to their first MXP4 release. Their lead singer made an interesting point when talking about why the band has been engaging more and more with new technology and social media: “the CD is frozen”. (more…)
Every morning, Music Ally subscribers are sent our daily email bulletin, offering a snapshot of news, analysts and rumours from the last 24 hours. We’re sharing today’s for free on this blog, to give an idea of what subscribers get in their inboxes by 9.30am GMT. If you’re interested in subscribing, you can sign up for a free two-week trial here.
Read on for today’s Bulletin, and do pass this link on to any colleagues or contacts who you think would be interested too.
Music Ally has been spreading the digital love through music conferences around the world. To prove it, here’s a video from Resonancia Colombia 2009, the last event we did in Bogota and which is becoming the go-to event in Latin America.
Resonancia Colombia focuses on general music industry issues with a strong, and practical, focus on digital issues. In September, the event was sold out with over 800 attendees and over 50 international and local speakers, including the multi-million seller Carlos Vives and music industry executives such as John Dyer (Domino Records), Ady Harley (Nokia Brazil) and Martin Morales (Disney Music).
As a heads-up, more versions of the conference will soon be announced in other countries for 2010…
We’re conducting a survey on digital music marketing, and would love to hear your views. If you have a few minutes spare, please take our survey. As an incentive, we’ll be giving away an iPod touch as an early Christmas present to one lucky entrant.
It’s one entry per person, obviously, but if you have colleagues who handle digital marketing, please do forward this link onto them too. It’s open to artists, managers, labels, publishers, promoters, PRs and other relevant jobs that don’t have to start with the letter ‘P’…
Sellaband is a fan-funding website based in Holland. Since its launch in August 2006, SellaBand has coordinated recording sessions for 34 artists or acts who had their albums funded by their fans with over USD $3,000,000 invested so far. This week the company announced that it’ll be funding the next album from Public Enemy frontman Chuck D. We asked Sellaband’s UK head to talk us through how the Sellaband model has changed and what it means for artists and labels looking for a deal. (more…)
Music Ally is looking for a young, passionate digital marketing executive for a role which could be either full time or part time.
Those applying must have relevant label or agency experience in implementing digital campaigns and have excellent communication and writing skills. This newly created role will involve writing about the subject as well as campaign implementation.
Salary is negotiable depending upon experience. Send CVs to jobs@musically.com, or call us on +44 (0) 207 420 4320 for more information.
We all know Bob Dylan isn’t shy about sharing his disdain for all things digital-music related, but this week his wrath has been specifically aimed at streaming services. Over the past few days his back catalogue has been pulled from sites like we7 and Spotify, as Dylan takes issue with those who are sharing his music with their users. An instruction was issued by his US reps, through Sony, asking sites to prove they have the right to put the material up.
So far no one from Sony has responded to our requests for comment; presumably everyone at Columbia is busy sifting through years of licensing agreements and contractual binding looking for a solution to this latest outburst.
Clive Gardiner, we7’s digital music SVP, said: “We took it off the site a few days ago. Spotify would have had the same instruction. But it may be a short listing and it may come back again.
“There are some artists that will take umbrage at this from time to time. We expect this sort of thing, especially with streaming, and it not being fully understood where it sits yet. “
The only Dylan albums Spotify is carrying at the moment are Bob Dylan 60s Live, A 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration and a Tribute compilation, leaving out the 30-plus longplayers he’s wracked up since his first release in 1962.
Dylan is not the first artist to question the rights of streaming services, with Bryan Adams issuing a similar request through Web Sheriff a few months back. Eventually the situation was ironed out, and Adams’ catalogue reappeared.
In his new book Appetite For Self Destruction: The Spectacular Crash Of The Record Industry In The Digital Age, Rolling Stone business reporter Steve Knopper frames the last 30 years of digital music against a backdrop of fear, ignorance and big bucks, to present a compelling narrative. We caught up with him to find out more. (more…)
To follow is a blow by blow account of the Music Ally ‘labels in the dock’ session at the Great Escape festival in Brighton. Played out to a packed house it’s an interesting insight to the debate around whether artists really need labels in the digital age. (more…)
We recently revealed that Nokia’s Comes With Music service has only attracted 23,000 subscribers in the UK, and 4,500 subscribers in Singapore. Nokia then contacted us with some more figures, which gave a more positive spin to its music service highlighting, for example, that new Comes With Music users download an average (more…)
, but this week his wrath has been specifically aimed at streaming services. Over the past few days his back catalogue has been pulled from sites like we7 and Spotify, as Dylan takes issue with those who are sharing his music with their users. An instruction was issued by his US reps, through Sony, asking sites to prove they have the right to put the material up.
