The Master Plan

What Is SoundExchange and How Does It Work?

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:58:12 -0800

artistshousemusic:

SoundExchange is the US organization responsible for collecting royalties for music performed via non-terrestrial radio and distributing those royalties to the artists so featured.

This video has been making the rounds on the blogs, and I didn’t want to miss out. But I’ve got more for you than the other folks. Not only do we have a full 50-minute interview with the head of SoundExchange itself, John Simson, but we also have many other music industry professionals commenting on the subject from the perspective of their various fields. First, from SoundExchange itself:

Next we have an exclusive Artists House interview with Attorney Dina LaPolt, founder of LaPolt Law, P.C., an entertainment law firm based in Los Angeles, CA. Here she briefly explains how SoundExchange works in the real world:

Finally we have a fantastic interview with John Simson. In addition to being the head of SoundExchange, he is also an attorney and a former artist manager (Mary Chapin Carpenter, Steve Forbert) who has long been involved in advocacy and legal matters within the music business as a whole.

If that didn’t quench your thirst, you can search the Artists House Music video database for more music industry professionals talking about Sound Exchange here: http://is.gd/4YczT

U.S. Labels Unconvinced By Spotify’s Freemium Model

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:57:50 -0800

U.S. Labels Unconvinced By Spotify’s Freemium Model:

artistspaid:

Patrick Smith / paidcontent:

On-demand music streamer Spotify’s U.S. launch is being held up because labels are concerned too few users may migrate from ad-supported to premium.

FT.com reports anonymous concerns from three of the four major labels. One exec: “As an ad-supported service, the economics don’t work at all.

“We think Spotify is a great service but they’re going to have to convince us they can convert enough people from free to paid subscriptions to make it worth our while.”

MySpace Music Charts: Billboard for a New Generation

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:57:13 -0800

MySpace Music Charts: Billboard for a New Generation:

(via yvynyl)

$10,000 in 48 Hours (without a label) | Music Industry Blog

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:03:42 -0800

$10,000 in 48 Hours (without a label) | Music Industry Blog

music to have sex to

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:21:44 -0800

music to have sex to :

yvynyl:

a new tumblr music blog worth blogging about

Music industry bows to point-and-shoot cameras - CNET News

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:05:40 -0800

Music industry bows to point-and-shoot cameras - CNET News:

(via yvynyl)

Music’s Demand Problem

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:59:35 -0800

Music’s Demand Problem:

shelbot:

artistspaid:

hartleymanages:

yvynyl:

“The glut of new music, including reissues of everything under the sun, seemed like a gift to us critics who yearned to hear long out-of-print albums and all kinds of bizarre recordings from around the world. Scarcity had been abolished!

Then something changed. It was overwhelming, even to critics who longed to hear rare and forgotten gems. There was no way to keep up! Yet the steady flow of new releases didn’t stop, even as the industry plunged deeper into the abyss. The solution, it seemed, to a decline in music sales was to flood the market with even more of them. If you ever needed a refutation of rational choice theory, look no further than anyone working for a label in the post-Napster music business.”

The internet made it easier to release music and at the same time, infinitely harder to make anyone give a crap about said music release.

artistspaid: Rdio: First Screenshots Leaked of Skype Founders’...

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:17:18 -0800

artistspaid:

Rdio: First Screenshots Leaked of Skype Founders’ New Music Service

According to Rdio’s Get Satisfaction page the service will offer a desktop client, a Blackberry application, an iPhone app and a web interface. The company’s Blackberry application (that’s what’s pictured here) is already available to beta testers. Users can control their community dashboard, listen to playlists, find other music in heavy rotation and stream collections.

"[Their] version of ‘Guitar Hero’ generated far more in revenues than any Aerosmith album..."

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:06:26 -0800

““[Their] version of ‘Guitar Hero’ generated far more in revenues than any Aerosmith album ever has,” said Kotick. “Merchandising, concert sales, their ability to sign a new contract [have] all been unbelievably influenced by their participation in ‘Guitar Hero.’””

- Activision: ‘Guitar Hero’ A Bigger Money-Maker For Aersomith Than Any Album » MTV Multiplayer

"The greatest companies deliver profits, passion, and purpose. If the research shows that vision,..."

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:17:52 -0700

“The greatest companies deliver profits, passion, and purpose. If the research shows that vision, meaning and higher purpose leads to happiness. What is your company’s higher purpose? What is your own higher purpose?”

- Zappos CEO Hsieh: How to build a company culture that delivers happiness | VentureBeat

"I don’t think information (content) wants to be free. I think it just wants to be distributed..."

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:45:59 -0700

“I don’t think information (content) wants to be free. I think it just wants to be distributed friction-free. Which is why this fourth road - social distribution - has so much potential. It opens up distribution in ways that never existed before.”

- The Golden Road (to Online Distribution)

NONALIGNMENT PACT » I’ll Take A Raincheck On Those Songs: Bookmarking Music

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:15:35 -0700

NONALIGNMENT PACT » I’ll Take A Raincheck On Those Songs: Bookmarking Music

"Wikia, the home of fan-based wikis, has acquired the LyricWiki database of licensed song lyrics...."

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:47:19 -0700

“Wikia, the home of fan-based wikis, has acquired the LyricWiki database of licensed song lyrics. LyricWiki users, in return, are now able to use Wikia’s custom tools including the Question and Answer section. Part of the deal is that Wikia secured a licensing deal with Gracenote, so that music publishers will get paid their due royalties.”

- Wikia expands into lyrics (via annielin) (via artistspaid)

Curt Smith discusses Twitter and music fans

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:27:58 -0700

Curt Smith discusses Twitter and music fans

Orchard Lays off 20% of Team; President Greg Scholl Resigns

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:51:05 -0700

Orchard Lays off 20% of Team; President Greg Scholl Resigns:

(via annielin)

YouTube Musicians Launch a Label

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:42:17 -0700

YouTube Musicians Launch a Label:

(via yvynyl)

REASONS I PREFER A LESS KNOWN BAND

Sat, 05 Sep 2009 20:07:58 -0700

yvynyl:

jonmtm:

There’s a good chance you’ll talk to me

Even better, that you’ll know my name and not be a passerby

You appreciate/recognise individual supporters and interact with us closer

WE CAN ACTUALLY BUY TICKETS TO YOUR SHOWS

Sometimes you’ll come and play at ours because you can

Sometimes you’ll Tweet and say “I’m going to be playing here” and play there… FOR FREE

Sometimes you’ll spend four and a half hours playing all your songs back to back to say thank you

Sometimes you’ll send us emails or letters to individuals just to say ‘Hey, I like what you’ve been doing, thanks’

I get to be in your album notes and contribute in various shapes and forms

The music quality isn’t actually WORSE than the big bands, and in some cases, exceeds it

I don’t go out and like the unknown bands to be indie, cliche, cool or whatever. I do it because I really enjoy the music and get the chance to be a part of something.

So to Regina Spektor, who I will see in December, to Ingrid for November, to David Ford for tomorrow, for Amanda Palmer next week, to Alex Berger when you get your ass back in the UK, thanks.

To MUSE and Them Crooked Vultures who are breaking my heart with their over popular status that makes getting tickets impossible, especially when combined with ticket touts, POOP to you.

Oh and if Jenny Owen Youngs ever cares to read this, I’m still waiting for you to come back to England please. Fair’s fair, I did Chicago and New York and I don’t think you’re as commited to this make-believe relationship as I am.

justinleon: Reblogged for truth. I am also not a fan seeing a show at a arena. Arenas are for sports and maybe the circus, not a concert.

"In music business speak, “A & R” has long meant “Artists and Repertoire.” It is a term that..."

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:06:58 -0700

“In music business speak, “A & R” has long meant “Artists and Repertoire.” It is a term that refers to the elusive brass-ring-key-to-the-kingdom-Holy Grail for many musicians when they ask, “How can I get the attention of the industry?” A&R people have traditionally been the gatekeepers of glory; those sought-after staffers at record labels who find talent and roll them up and out at the door of “the deal.” As we all know, the music world has changed. Forever. So, I’m proposing a new interpretation of the term A&R. I believe we have moved into the era where those letters will more accurately stand for “Advocacy and Radar.””

- The Pill Box: The New A & R…

(hat tip wvmusic)
(via yvynyl)

"The idea that you are going to hard wire the key goals of an early stage company is nutty. The best..."

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 20:26:20 -0700

“The idea that you are going to hard wire the key goals of an early stage company is nutty. The best entrepreneurs weave and bob their way into the market, changing things as they go. Setting hard goals is a mistake early on in the life of a company.”

- Fred Wilson
(via entrepreneurwisdom) (via mikehudack)

Agreed, especially on the internet things where change so quickly.

(via blakeley)
(via soupsoup)

Radiohead Says No More Albums

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:14:58 -0700

Radiohead Says No More Albums:

“None of us want to go into that creative hoo-ha of a long-play record again. Not straight off,” said Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke, in an interview with the Believer. “I mean, it’s just become a real drag. It worked with ‘In Rainbows’ because we had a real fixed idea about where we were going. But we’ve all said that we can’t possibly dive into that again. It’ll kill us.”