Digital Media News
As much as it hurts me to say something positive about a record label, I am forced to give credit where credit is due. Universal Music actually did something smart today. A little overdue but smart. Today Universal Group Distribution launched an online storefront, Groovetown Vinyl, specifically for vinyl and FLAC formats. “In recent years, there’s been a revolution in sound quality, and consumers are clamoring…
I know I’m a little late weighing in on this (I’ve been out of commission for the last couple of weeks) but I’ve read all of the coverage and I can tell you one thing for sure—the labels won’t sue Amazon over it’s new locker service. Why? It’s very simple—money. Like in legal fees. The main issues are currently being litigated in the EMI v.…
Apple is reportedly pushing hard to re-launch their new and improved MobileMe service this April, but what hasn’t been mentioned is that they’re pressuring major record labels to have all of the music licenses in place for the long rumored locker service planned for launch at the same time. Informed sources say that Apple has sealed its deal with Warner and has been using that…
Last Wednesday a few people started tweeting that “Free and Legal Music Downloads now available from @Qtrax – Check it out: http://tinyurl.com/qtrax18”. At first most of these tweets emanated from Qtrax’s PR firm based in West Palm Beach, FL and from one of its attorneys, followed by some company insiders and acolytes. The tweet was immediately posted anonymously on an investors’ forum dedicated to Qtrax.…
The record industry is putting all of their eggs in the Google basket, some labels believing that the search engine giant’s music service will deliver them from ruin, as well as the grips of Apple, and restore them back to health. They’re looking at the Google deal as a monster payday, with one label in particular thinking that the company’s future depends on it. I’ve…
You’ve probably heard by now that Apple plans to charge fees on any subscription services purchased through their platform. Publishers and service providers are apoplectic over it. Simply put, Apple is insisting that any subscription service, like Netflix for instance, that generates cash from IOS4 apps must give Apple a 30% cut. Users can certainly subscribe directly from Netflix and download the Netflix app without…
On Tuesday morning the Warner Music Group reported disappointing earnings for the quarter ended December 31, 2010. Revenues dropped again, this time 14%. Losses amounted to $18 million, or 12 cents per share, on revenue of $789 million. Analysts forecast a loss of 19 cents per share on revenue of $798 million. During the earnings call, Junior Bronfman said ”We expect digital revenue to accelerate…
Everyone by now has prognosticated on what the new Google music service will look like. It was going to be a subscription service, then it wasn’t, instead looking to acquire a service like Spotify, but that never was in the cards. It was going to allow users to share playlists. They supposedly want users to be able to play every song on their service once…
The clouds parted earlier today and the hand of Jesus came down and touched the head of Junior Bronfman, resulting in a religious conversion not seen since Katie Holmes converted to Scientology to marry Tom Cruise. On an earnings call today in which he discussed WMG’s widening losses for the quarter, Junior said that he loved Spotify so much that Warner Music just renewed their…
The Music Void
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