Yesterday Digital Music News ran a post titled “What Really Killed MegaUpload? MegaBox, That’s What…” promulgating a conspiracy theory essentially claiming that Kim Dotcom’s new music platform so intimidated the record industry that they conspired with the government to shut down a foreign entity, Megaupload, in order to save its own ass. The post stated...
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While everyone at 550 Madison Ave. eagerly awaits the exit of Rick Rubin, speculation has risen that the barefoot producer’s next stop will be Universal Music. Uni owns Def Jam Records, co-founded by Rubin and Russell Simmons, and could conceivably be the last stop for the Hagrid look-a-like who went from the pre-UMG Def...
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In an attempt to re-write history, the music industry is honoring a man they all reviled.
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There's been a big resurgence of interest in vinyl records lately. Kids have been snapping up new and used vinyl by the kilo. Taking inspiration from the high-end decks and systems of the 70’s & 80’s, the engineers at the iconic AIR Studios along with app developers Bappz have found a way to turn...
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Lucian Grainge and Universal Music's surprise acquisition of EMI Music big-footed the competition. Now Warner Music, desperate to stay alive after posting huge losses, is in talks with Sony for a distribution deal. The once prestigious super hip label is now an embarrassing shadow of its former self, the caretakers having sullied a legacy...
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Lucian Grainge has made a very smart move by bringing Don Ienner into the tent. What could it mean for the "new " EMI?
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(Or How Doug Morris Gave Away The Record Industry) Walter Isaacson’s terrific biography of Steve Jobs is full of interesting little gems. Of interest to most of my readers is, of course, the section dealing with iTunes and Jobs’ negotiations with the record industry. As Isaacson describes it, Jobs launched a massive...
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Rod Stewart kicked off a two-year run last night at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, the latest addition to the hotel’s pantheon of resident hitmakers that includes Celine Dion, Elton John and Bette Midler. Fortunately Rod the Mod will not be performing any of the Clive Davis saccharin-coated crap from the American Songbook series....
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Who knew that I’d be running Sony Music. I sure didn’t, but evidently septuagenarian CEO Doug Morris is taking me very seriously, especially when I suggested that he revive Portrait Records. Today he actually did, but instead of hiring Tommy Mottola to run it he went back to the well and hired old crony...
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