By Ramona Mark

Alicia Keys Scores First U.K. No. 1 Album

"Alicia Keys is celebrating her first U.K. No. 1 album, after "The Element of Freedom" (J/Sony Music Entertainment) moved up one place on the new Official Charts Company survey. Owl City's "Fireflies" (Universal Island) started a third week atop the singles chart."

(via Billboard.com)

Bon Jovi Adds London 02 Arena Dates with Kid Rock

"Bon Jovi has added two more dates to its June 2010 residency at the London O2 Arena. Kid Rock has signed up as support act for the additional June 25 and June 26 shows at the venue. The AEG Live-promoted residency currently runs to 13 dates between June 7 and June 26."

(via Billboard.com)

Super Bowl Ads Tap KISS, Beyonce , Cheap Trick, T-Pain

"In between the New Orleans Saints winning the Super Bowl and the Who rocking the big halftime show, a few good commercials featured quality music or cameos by our favorite artists. Check out some of the best ads below, and visit Adweek for the full Super Bowl commercial lineup, quarter by quarter."

(via Billboard.com)

JB Hi-Hi Reports Strong Results, CEO to Step Down

"Australian music, home entertainment and electronics retailer JB Hi-Fi today (Feb. 8) announced another blistering set of financial results and revealed that the executive who engineered the company's success would depart in the coming months." (via Billboard.biz) 

Is Twitter the Next Second Life?

"If you're a marketer who has steered clear of Twitter, your (non)strategy may be paying off! It's possible that this Twitter thing may just take care of itself."

(via Billboard.biz)

Joan Baez Joins White House's Celebration of Civil Rights Music

"Joan Baez has been added to “In Performance at the White House: A Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement,” a PBS special airing this Thursday, February 11th. Baez joins a lineup that includes her partner at the 1963 March on Washington civil rights rally, Bob Dylan. Three original members of the Freedom Singers — Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, Rutha Harris and Charles Neblett — have also reunited for the “In Performance” special, which will be hosted by President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama. The event will feature songs and readings from the Civil Rights era."

(via Rolling Stone)

Fans React to the Who's Super Bowl Halftime Performance

"More than 100 million people tuned in to Super Bowl XLIV last night, and it seems like each one of them has an opinion on the Who’s 12-minute halftime performance. Readers flocked to Rolling Stone’s report on the Super Bowl set to leave comments praising and criticizing Daltrey and Townshend’s pyro-packed show. “The Who were an amazing band, but you gotta face the fact that they really didn’t sound good,” Bob wrote" (via Rolling Stone)

Jamie Lidell Get Help From Beck, Grizzly Bear, Feist and Wilco on New Album

"On May 18, new-soul singer Jamie Lidell new record, Compass, will come out on Warp Records. But he’s not going it alone. Compass will feature contributions from Beck, Feist, Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear and Pat Sansone of Wilco."

(via Paste)

Topspin Shares Impressive Music Marketing Study

"Perhaps more than any existing modern music marketing and sales platform Topspin is based on data.  They collected it from the beginning, have done enough diverse campaigns to see the trends and have a team to understand the patterns.  At a recent MidemNat presentation Topspin co-founder Shamal Ranasinghe shared the most in depth overview of their findings to date." (via Hypebot)

Renzer expects tough year

"Universal Music Publishing Group's global chairman and CEO David Renzer is warning 2010 could be the most challenging year yet for music publishers, but is optimistic his company will grow its revenues." (via California Chronicle)

DOWNLOAD: Vampire Weekend Cover Rancid!

"Leave it to Vampire Weekend to transform a fierce ska-punk classic into the soundtrack for a dance party aboard a mega-yacht in St. Barts. Grab your boat shoes."

(via Spin)

Music Gets More Social As It Moves To The Cloud

'"Social tools and media are of course already inherently connected and inherently cloud based, whether it be Facebook, Twitter or MySpace.  When woven into the fabric of a digital music offering they bring that experience to life..."'

(via Hypebot)

By Ramona Mark

Kenny Rogers to Mark 50 Years in Music on TV

"Country music veteran Kenny Rogers is marking 50 years in the music business with a star-studded TV special. "Pretty courageous, isn't it?" Rogers, 71, said in a phone interview, laughing."

(via Billboard.com) 

Springsteen Wants Name Off Royalty Lawsuit Against NYC Bar

"Bruce Springsteen wants his name off a lawsuit demanding licensing fees from a Manhattan bar where a band played his songs. A statement on Springsteen's Web site said he didn't know about the lawsuit that was filed Wednesday (Feb. 3) in federal court and wouldn't have agreed to be a plaintiff if he had been asked."

(via Billboard.com)

Black Eyed Peas, Ludacris Kick Off World Tour

"Picking up where they left off last week at the Grammy Awards, the Black Eyed Peas kicked off their world tour at Atlanta's Philips Arena Thursday night, creating an over-the-top electronic-hip-hop-pop-rock'n'roll circus, costarring hometown hero Ludacris and party boys LMFAO."

(via Spin)

James Brown Gives Dance Lessons

"James Brown teaches James Brown's dance steps to James Brown's music. What could be better?" (via Hypebot)

MySpace Chief Product Officer Jason Hirschhorn On His Way Out After 9 Months On The Job

"MySpace Chief Product Officer Jason Hirschhorn will soon be leaving the company, we’ve heard from multiple sources. Hirschhorn joined MySpace in April 2009 as part of the major executive shakeup that replaced the old guard, including long-time CEO Chris DeWolfe. After current CEO Owen Van Natta was chosen, Hirschhorn and COO Mike Jones were quickly brought on board to fill out the newly vacated roster."

(via TechCrunch)

Frances Bean Cobain Records with Amanda Palmer!

"Frances Bean Cobain is entering the family business. The daughter of late grunge godhead Kurt Cobain and Hole frontwoman Courtney Love is set to make her recording debut with Evelyn Evelyn, a new project from Dresden Dolls frontwoman Amanda Palmer and bandmate Jason Webley." 

(via Spin)

Did The Recording Industry Really Miss The Opportunity To 'Monetize' Online Music?

"There's been a lot of talk in the last year or so about the fact that the recording industry supposedly "missed an opportunity" to "monetize" online music a decade ago when it failed to come to an agreement on licensing with Napster. The idea was that Napster could have been iTunes, and people would be paying for music. That claim is made, yet again, in a CNN article about the decade since Napster, with a Forrester analyst claiming" (via Techdirt)

Some Thoughts From New Music Seminar LA

"Some random thoughts and takeaways from this week's NMS LA:
-It was exciting to see both a sold out crowd and this great event coming into its own.  It's a credit to the tenacity of Tom Silverman and Dave Lory and bodes well for the future of the new music business." (via Hypebot)

TuneCore Names Steve Rosenberg SVP Biz Dev

"TuneCore has added to their executive team by bringing  in Steven Rosenberg as SVP, Business Development.  His portfolio within Tunecore was not specified in the company's announcement."

(via Hypebot)

EMI Posts Full-Year $2.48 Billon Net Loss

"EMI Group, at the centre of an acrimonious legal dispute between buyout house Terra Firma and Citigroup (C.N), posted a full-year 1.56 billion pound ($2.48 billion) net loss and said it needed more money to stay afloat. The deal by Guy Hands's Terra Firma at the height of the buyout bubble in 2007 has come to epitomize the worst aspects of private equity dealmaking, with a high debt burden and a weak performance crippling the business." (via Billboard.biz)

By Ramona Mark

Guy Hands Orders New EMI Strategic Plan, Huge Loss Unexpected

"Guy Hands has asked EMI Music chief executive Elio Leoni-Sceti to draw up a new plan for the recorded music company, in order to persuade Terra Firma investors to inject a reported £100 million ($158.5 million) of additional investment." (via Billboard.biz)

Lady Gaga, Ke$ha Rule Euro Charts

"Lady Gaga maintains pole position on Billboard's European Albums chart with "The Fame" (Interscope/Universal), but loses out to a new female frontrunner on European Hot 100 Singles, as her "Bad Romance" is replaced at No. 1 by Ke$ha's "Tik Tok" (RCA/Sony Music Entertainment)." (via Billboard.biz)

Australian ISP iiNet Wins Copyright Case

"Australia's film and TV industries have failed in their landmark attempt to hold an Internet service provider liable for illegal file-sharing. The Federal Court in Sydney on Thursday (Feb. 4) ruled in favor of iiNet, which had been accused of supporting copyright infringement by failing to stop its customers from distributing copyright-protected files." (via Billboard.biz)

The Strokes Get Back to Stroking It

"It's good news for rock fans: The Strokes have begun recording their new album at New York City's Avatar Studios. The yet untitled release will be the quintet's first since 2007's First Impressions of Earth. In a post to their website, the bandmembers confirmed that they're working with Grammy award winning producer Joe Chiccarelli (White Stripes, Beck, Bjork, My Morning Jacket) and engineer Gus Oberg (Bloc Party) on their fourth studio LP, and promise to document the process in "video vignettes."

(via Spin)

LISTEN: New She & Him Song!

"She & Him's second album, Volume Two, doesn't drop until March 23, but new track "In the Sun" has leaked online and given us a taste of what M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel have been working on"

(via Spin)

Arcade Fire, John Mayer License Songs to Benifit Haiti Relief

"Arcade Fire and John Mayer have licensed big songs to help support Haiti. Arcade Fire — whose Regine Chassagne’s family has roots in the earthquake-ravaged island — has given the NFL permission to use their Funeral song “Wake Up” for charity ads during the Super Bowl. The commercials will later run during broadcasts on the NFL Network."

(via Rolling Stone)

Mary J. Blige Covers 'Stairway to Heaven' With All-Star Group

"R&B queen Mary J. Blige is making new friends inside Studio A at Hollywood's iconic Capitol Records building. Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker is hitting the drums, Michael Jackson's former touring guitarist Orianthi and legendary rocker Steve Vai, who Blige calls "my friend with all the hair," are shredding their guitars and her old pal, 'American Idol' judge Randy Jackson, is playing bass. To bring all the motley music genres in the room full circle, Blige is belting out the lyrics to Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven.' "

(via Spinner)

A.C. Newman Talks Upcoming New Pornographers Album, Together

"Before the 2000s began, A.C. Newman wondered if he and the rest of his New Pornographers stood a chance in the music industry. “I remember, we would take smoke breaks from practicing, and then I remember somebody playing Belle and Sebastian—If You’re Feeling Sinister or The Boy with the Arab Strap—and thinking, God, these guys are so good, and we fucking suck,” Newman, the band’s principal songwriter, tells Paste. “I remember thinking it was so demoralizing, and I was like, Why do we even try?” (via Paste)

Sony Sales, Earnings Bounce Back

"Thanks to intensive cost cuts, and buoyed by sales of Vaio PCs and PlayStation 3 game consoles, Sony's quarterly results are back in the black.
After four straight quarterly losses, the company rebounded in the third quarter of its fiscal 2009. Net income jumped 660 percent to 79.2 billion yen ($871 million), compared with 10.4 billion yen in 2008's third quarter, Sony reported Thursday." (via Cnet) 

 New Deals Add Indies To Thumbplay's Mobile Music Subscription Offering

"U.S. mobile entertainment provider Thumbplay has forged agreements with 20 new content partners for its new music app bringing the total track offering of Thumbplay Music to 8 million.  Beggars Group, Merge Records, Redeye Distribution and Tunecore joining all four major labels CD Baby, INgrooves, IODA and The Orchard."

(via Hypebot)

The Latest Facebook Music Rumors

"Traffic and Facebook is soaring and increasingly artists and music marketers are finding it a great place for social networking with fans.  All this activity and still Facebook does not have its own music service leaving room for a plethora of outside music applications such as iLike to fill the void." (via Hypebot)

By Ramona Mark

The Specials Confirm North American Tour Dates

"The Specials have confirmed the dates for the reunited British band's first North American tour in nearly 30 years. In addition to playing a top spot at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival, the band will play club dates in Los Angeles, Toronto, and New York in April."

(via Billboard.com)

See a Preview of Start-Studded 'We Are The World' Remake

"Celine Dion, Lil Wayne, Nick Jonas, Janet Jackson and dozens of other music stars gathered to record the 25th anniversary version of "We Are the World" in Hollywood on Monday, and ABC News cameras were there to capture the historic moment. The recording was organized by Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie, who co-wrote the original "We Are the World" with Michael Jackson."

(via Billboard.com)

Lady Antebellum, Lil Wayne to Dominate Next Week's Billboard 200

"Next week on the Billboard 200, look for Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now" to hold atop the chart for a second week. The set could sell between 190,000 to 220,000 copies sold by week's end on Feb. 9."

  (via Billboard.com)

Terry McBride And The Emotional Power Of Music

"Nettwerk Music Group CEO Terry McBride has always been a thinker as we as a successful music entrepreneur. This year his main project is a rejuvenated Lilith Fair tour that will certainly bring back wonderful memories for many.  In this speech at TEDx in Vancouver, Terry explores the emotional power of music and its ability to bookmark moments in our lives that we can return to again and again." (via Hypebot)

eMusic Gets More Social Via Facebook Connect

"Do fans want to connect around music on generalized social networking sites or would they rather get more social via their favorite music sites? There is no one sized fits all answer, but eMusic is making its first moves to connect the two worlds with the integration of Facebook Connect."

(via Hypebot)

Spotify CEO Daniel EK at NMS LA: U.S. Launch "Looking Pretty Good"

"During an interview yesterday at the New Music Seminar in LA, Spotify CEO Daniel EK said that the U.S. launch of the ad supported streaming music service was "looking pretty good". "This is a huge market," Ek  continued, "and we want to make sure we do it right"' (via Hypebot)

KKBOX: A Freemium Music Model That’s Actually Profitable

"While the music industry watches Spotify’s endeavor to make money on streaming music via the freemium model in Europe, one company has figured out how to turn a profit by converting free listeners to paying subscribers in Asia. Taipei-based KKBOX, which currently provides a catalog of songs from all four major labels plus Chinese-language music, has signed up 200,000 paying users in Taiwan and Hong Kong for its desktop and mobile streaming music service — and is now setting its sights on the U.S." (via Gigaom)

 Thumbplay Adding New Content from 20 Partners

"Thumbplay is adding content from 20 new licensing partners for its new on-demand streaming music service, Thumbplay Music." (via Billboard.biz)

Music 4.5 conference announces line-up

"March 4th will see London host the one-day ‘Music 4.5′ conference, which will focus on music startups and emerging digital music business models. It’s just announced the programme, which will include a keynote interview with UK Music’s Feargal Sharkey and Brian Message (with his Music Managers Forum hat on), as well as panels with the likes of 7Digital and PRS for Music."

(via Music Ally)

Vringo Dials Down Outlandish IPO Validation

"Video ringtone play Vringo is actively dialing down an outlandish IPO valuation.  According to an initial SEC filing (Form S-1 Registration Statement) surfacing last week, the company is preparing an offering valued at $64.3 million." (via Digital Music News)

By Ramona Mark

Randy Newman, T Bone Burnett Earn Oscar Nominations

"Randy Newman has been nominated twice for an Academy Award in the category for music (best original song).The singer-songwriter is nominated for "Almost There" and "Down in New Orleans," both of which he wrote for the animated Walt Disney feature "The Princess and the Frog."

(via Billboard.com)

Shikira, Alica Keys, Usher to Perform at 2010 NBA All-Star Game

"Usher will perform during the introduction of the 2010 NBA All-Stars while Shakira and Alicia Keys will team up for the halftime performance at the 2010 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 14. The event will air live at 8:00 pm ET on TNT, among other networks."

(via Billboard.com)

Ad-Supported Guvera Launches Down Under

"Ad-supported digital music startup Guvera has quietly launched in beta mode down under. The Gold Coast, Australia-based company today (Feb. 2) revealed that its local service was activated last week with more than 40 Australian advertisers taking part and paying for the downloaded content. Corporate sponsors at the beta launch stage include Johnson & Johnson, Dominos Pizza, Schweppes, Pepsi, Activision, Contiki, McDonalds, Casio, Nestle and Harley Davidson. Sources say about 2,000 users are participating" (via Billboard.biz) 

Digital Downloads Could 'Overwhelm HVM'

"The decline of the physical market for books and music caused by digital could hinder U.K. entertainment retailer HMV Group's ability to prosper, a retail think tank has claimed. The KPMG/Synovate's Retail Think Tank expressed a gloomy outlook for non-food retailers generally this year. However, it singled out the next 12 months as being particularly "important" for HMV and videogame specialist Game, which also sold music CDs during the Christmas trading period." (via Billboard.biz)

Latest Stat: Internet Radio Pulling 60 Million Listeners

"Internet radio attracts a sizable 60 million listeners in the United States alone, according to the latest finding from Bridge Ratings.  Of that, 84 percent listen to terrestrial radio simulcasts (for at least five minutes), and 62 percent listen to internet-only stations (also for at least five minutes).  By 2015, the group projects that the listening crowd will expand to 77 million. " (via Billboard.biz)

Indie Label Exit Stencil Goes Free For February

"Wonderfully named indie label Exit Stencil is giving it all away during Free February. Almost all of their 20 release catalog will be available for free digital download. No gimmicks, no asking for donations, no limit to the number of releases available to each person -- just a free chance to check out a bunch of bands they've worked with over the past couple of years."

(via Hypebot)

NY Rock/Rappers Shinobi Ninja Engage Fans With New GPS Enabled Mobile Game

"NYC indie rock/rap group Shinobi Ninja, have launched their own music-focused gaming app for the iPhone. Part cartoon video game, part music video, and part music/video player, “Brooklyn to Babylon: Shinobi Ninja Attacks!” integrates digital music and video into a classic eight-bit video-game environment. Players get immersed in the band’s imagined cartoon world and are rewarded with free music, videos, and merchandise."

(via Hypebot)

Lights and Music: The Harmonic Center of the Universe

"This beautiful, meditative installation of choreographed lights and sound, by way of Rucyl and Saturn Never Sleeps, is the creation of Chris Harvey, Olivia Robinson, & Jesse Stiles. The Harmonic Center of the Universe evidently narrowly escaped destruction last year during a thunderstorm, but perhaps Art is as much repair as it is creation." (via Create Digital Music)

Ustream Scores $75 Million From Japan's Softbank

"Popular live video streaming enabler Ustream has received another $75 million in funding led by #3 Japanese cell service Softbank. Ustream will primarily use the money to expand  service in Japan, China, Korea and India."

(via Hypebot)

How to make the iPad a better music device

"I was at Apple's iPad launch on Wednesday, and maybe it was just Steve Jobs' reality distortion field, but I don't quite understand why the haters are piling on. A lot of PC-centric commentators are dismissing the iPad as an overpriced gadget, wondering why it's lacking features that are standard on even the cheapest notebook computers, like Flash support, multitasking, USB inputs to connect peripherals, and video outputs (HDMI would be nice). These are legitimate complaints--for a notebook replacement. But the iPad isn't a notebook replacement, and I don't think users will carry it with them on business trips. (Apple's iWork demo confused matters, admittedly.)"

(via Cnet News)

Apple’s Next Revolutionary Product: iTunes

"Apple announced the iPad last Wednesday, and with it added e-books to the menu of content it’s selling via iTunes. But I can’t believe that Steve Jobs is going to stop there. Brian X. Chen and I predicted on Tuesday evening that Apple’s big announcement would go beyond the iPad, and include the announcement of a major, multi-platform content store centered on iTunes. We were wrong. Wednesday’s announcement was all about the iPad, and nothing else."

(via Wired)

By Ramona Mark

Disruptive Industry Malaise? Relax it's the Grammys

"Sure, the music industry is struggling through the throes of a devastating downturn, one spreading beyond the recording industry and into publishing and even live events.  Amidst layoffs, softer sales, and dysfunctional business models, questions continue to surround the wisdom of over-the-top, mainstream strategies.  Does it make sense to blow an artist sky-high, only to realize softer downstream sales? "

( via Digital Music News)

Shazam's Download Conversion Claim. Entirely Overstated

"Shazam is a fantastically cool application for identifying songs.  But recent claims about its ability to convert IDs into paid downloads are completely overstated." (via Digital Music News)

Breaking: NMS, Mountain Dew, Ourstage Forge Discovery Partnership

"The New Music Seminar, Mountain Dew, and OurStage have just announced an artist-discovery partnership.  As part of the three-way deal, OurStage is now selecting a winning artist through its 'Artist on the Verge' contest, and an award will be presented Tuesday at the New Music Seminar in Los Angeles.  The 'Reflection Award' includes roughly $25,000 worth of musical equipment, consultation, mentoring sessions, promotional, legal and marketing services. " (via Digital Music News)

Grammy 2010 Video Highlights

"The 2010 Grammys were filled with highlights from beginning to end, but here are videos of the night's top must-watch moments"

(via Billboard.com)

'Hope For Haiti Now' Tops U.K. Chart

"Owl City's "Fireflies" (Universal Island) started a second week as the U.K.'s favorite single, as Paolo Nutini's "Sunny Side Up" (Atlantic/Warner Music) returned to No. 1 on the artist album chart."

(via Billboard.com)

Grammy TV Audience Biggest in Six Years

"A popular and eye-popping mix of stars like Beyonce, Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga drew a TV audience of 25.8 million Americans to the Grammy Awards -- the biggest TV audience for the telecast in six years, according to preliminary television ratings on Monday. The 3-1/2 hour music awards show on CBS on Sunday enjoyed a 35 percent increase on last year and was the most-watched Grammy telecast since 2004, according to early date from Nielsen."

(via Billboard.com)

 Sorry, Majors: “Indie” Artists, Labels Clean Up Again at Grammys

"The one thing you probably aren’t thinking while watching the Grammys is “wow, look at this amazing showcase for independent music.” (Last night, I expect you were thinking something more along the lines of, “I was supposed to get 3D glasses for this? Augh! I’m dizzy! Switch it off!”)"

(via Create Digital Music)

 MySpace's Owen Van Natta Talks About iLike And His 8 Months As CEO

"It's easy to dump on MySpace. After all, Facebook and Twitter are experiencing rapid growth and getting the headlines. But I met Owen Van Natta at MidemNet.  I also got to watch him speak and interact with others. His style is guarded - perhaps the result of being part of a huge public global company.  But I'm convinced that he along with the super smart head of MySpace Music Courtney Holt are sincerely developing a plan to reposition and perhaps save MySpace.  He talks a bit about where things are headed including the iLike acquisition in this video interview via TechCrunch." (via Hypebot)

Lady Gaga's Use Of Free Music

"While Beyonce and Taylor Swift may have outshone Lady Gaga at the Grammy's, it doesn't change the fact that Gaga has become quite a music industry sensation. But similar to what we saw with Mariah Carey, the details behind Lady Gaga's business model success shows how even today's superstars are embracing more nuanced business models that make use of free music and focus on selling unique scarcities. When it comes to free music, apparently that's been a huge part of Gaga getting attention" (via Techdirt)

MediaNet Introduces MN Open in the UK

"Blair Schooff will Spearhead UK Efforts Responsible for Business Development and Digital Media Licensing" (via PR Newswire)

ReverbNation Gets A Makeover

"ReverbNation has become the  marketing hub of choice for many indie artists, but it often didn't look and feel like the cutting edge service it was striving to be."

(via Hypebot) 

New Music Seminar Comes To LA Tuesday

"I'm in Los Angeles, not for the Grammy's, but rather forthe first ever LA New Music Seminar on Tuesday February 2nd at the Henry Fonda Theater. I'm proud to be a panelist as part of a stellar lineup. Daniel Ek, CEO of Spotify, is one of the keynotes Spotify is an innovative music streaming service that has taken Europe by storm and is poised to enter the US market with equal force." (via Hypebot)

Exile Triumphs at Billboard Japan Music Awards 2009

"Exile was the big winner at the inaugural Billboard Japan Music Awards, held at the Billboard Live venue in the Roppongi Midtown shopping and business complex in central Tokyo.  Chart-topping 14-member pop act Exile picked up artist of the year 2009 and album of the year 2009, with Billboard magazine publisher Howard Appelbaum on hand to present Exile's leader Hiro with the trophies." (via Billboard.biz) 

MediaNet Digital Posts Some Aggressive Steaming, Download Gains

"MediaNet Digital is the latest to post some aggressive year-over-year gains, though broader questions surround longer-term monetization." (via Digital Music News) 

Sly Stone Sues Ex-manger for 50 Million

"Sly Stone has filed a $50 million lawsuit against his former manager, alleging fraud and 20 years of stolen royalties. Stone, the frontman of Sly and the Family Stone, claimed that Jerry Goldstein had diverted an estimated $20-$30 million of royalties and used them to fund a lavish lifestyle."

(via Billboard.com)

Scorpions Forsee Fantastic Future Following Farewell

"Despite Scorpions' recent farewell announcement, guitarist Rudolf Schenker says the German hard rockers "will never be done." "This history of the band is so amazing. We have so much film in our library and other things which will keep coming out," Schenker, who founded Scorpions in 1965 and shepherded the band to worldwide sales of more than 100 million albums, tells Billboard.com. He says the group's treasure trove includes footage from early concerts in Germany and Japan, from the 1983 US Festival, from the Scorps' commercial zenith in 1988 and from the band's 2002 tour of Russia."

(via Billboard.com)

Hendrix's "Valleys of Neptune" Off LP of Last Recordings Hit the Web

"Jimi Hendrix’s “Valleys of Neptune,” one of the guitar great’s final recordings before his death in 1970 and the lead single off a compilation of the same name out March 9th, is streaming now on Spinner. While the track has never been officially released, as Rolling Stone previously reported, it did appear on 1990 four-disc set Lifelines: The Jimi Hendrix Story. The “Valleys” single is due out February 2nd. In addition to compiling 12 unearthed recordings, Valleys of Neptune’s artwork will also feature paintings that Hendrix created in high school."

(via Rolling Stone)

News Tricker: Carrie Underwood, Phish, Simon Cowell, The Shins

"Carrie Underwood has been tapped to sing the National Anthem at February 7th’s Super Bowl, Reuters reports. The big game will feature the Who rocking classic songs during halftime and a pre-game rendition of “America the Beautiful” sung by Queen Latifah."

(via Rolling Stone)

Nokia Music Store to get rebranded as Ovi Music

"Nokia’s consolidation of its various services under the Ovi umbrella continues, with Nokia Music Store next in line for a rebranding. That’s according to the company’s latest financial results, anyway." (via Music Ally)

Behind the music: My solution to the digital licensing mess

"This week, the music industry descended on Cannes for the annual Midem conference. Despite a range of speakers sharing their expertise, there was still one subject notable by its absence: how to sort out the shambolic state of digital licensing."

(via Guardian)

 Grizzly Bear Featured Prominently at Sundance

 "Those Grizzly Bear dudes sure are making a name for themselves in Hollywood. According to TwentyFourBit, the Brooklyn indie rockers wrote the score to two films premiering at this year’s Sundance festival: the previously-reported Blue Valentine, starring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, and Philip Seymour Hoffman’s directorial debut, Jack Goes Boating."

(via Paste)

Grammys’ Weight Is Now Measured in Face Time

"THE award or the performance? The recognition or the spectacle? Those are perennial questions for the Grammy Awards, which will be bestowed for the 52nd time on Sunday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, and broadcast live on CBS at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. At a time when the music industry is suffering punishing sales losses, and technology has helped music become ubiquitous, is it more important to win the official approval of the Recording Academy’s 12,000 voting members, or simply to get the face time on television?" (via The New York Times)

Spotify’s Promises of Profits and a US Launch? Still MIA

"I’m going to keep this post short and sweet because no one likes a blogger who says “I told you so.” But, Spotify fans: Paul Carr and I told you so. StrategyEye reports that less than 4% of users of Spotify—the gorgeous online music app with a troubled business model—are paying subscribers. StrategyEye quotes Universal Music International digital VP Rob Wells who says the company needs 10% to 12% of its users to subscribe to be a sustainable business. It’s only at the 10%-12% threshold that Spotify is able to ink revenue share deals with labels, until then, it has to pay for music by the stream, driving its costs up substantially."

(via TechCrunch)

Post-Paula, Post-Cowell... is Tommy Mottola Next?

"Can feared label bosses of old reinvent themselves?  Former Sony Music Entertainment chief Tommy Mottola is apparently in talks to replace Simon Cowell on American Idol, at least according to reports floating Thursday morning. But discussions remain early stage."

(via Digital Music News)

The iPad Ecosystem Springs to Life: SDK, Funding Starts

"Apple is now unleashing its iPad, but the real magic comes from the surrounding ecosystem.  That means iPad apps and iPad-related innovations, a discussion that is just getting started.  Already, Apple is releasing a beta-level iPad SDK (3.2 beta) to warm the programming community.  The SDK looks alot like the iPhone SDK, though the iPad introduces a number of expanded possibilities. "

(via Digital Music News)

Nokia Beats Forecasts

"Top mobile phone maker Nokia's fourth-quarter sales and profits beat expectations as it regained market share in smartphones, sending its stock price 14% higher.
The strong results cap an otherwise tough year for Nokia and the cellphone industry, which have been hammered as consumers cut spending in the recession." (via Billboard.biz) 

Lady Gaga Scores Euro Chart Double

"Lady Gaga pulls off a European chart double on Billboard's new composite sales charts, extending her reign on European Albums with "The Fame" to a fourth consecutive week and climbing back 2-1 on Hot 100 Singles with "Bad Romance" (Interscope/Universal)."

(via Billboard.biz)

Jakob Dylan Joins Neko Case, T-Bone Burnett for 'Women and Country'

"Jakob Dylan, the Grammy-winning singer and songwriter who founded The Wallflowers, is readying the release of his second solo album. "Women and Country," a 11-song set due Apr. 6 on Columbia Records, reunites Dylan with acclaimed producer T-Bone Burnett, who produced the Wallflowers' 1996 album "Bringing Down the Horse" and its hit single "One Headlight."

(via Billboard.com)

Mariah Carey's 'Angels Advocate' Remix Album Due March 30

"After being pushed back from a Feb. 23 release date, Mariah Carey confirmed via her Twitter today (Jan. 28) that her remix album, "Angels Advocate," is now scheduled for March 30."

(via Billboard.com)

 Free RFID Reader Connects Real World Objects to Music, Teaches OSC in Pd

 "RFID tags may have negative privacy associations when they’re used without someone’s knowledge. But embed these simple identifiers intentionally, and they can be a cheap, flexible way of tagging the world around you. Add OSC support with a free tool, and you can make anything into a basic music controller. That’s what Martin Kaltenbrunner – best known for his work on the ground-breaking ReacTable music table – has done with his own free software. It’s simple enough that you can easily make use of it, or take it as an opportunity to brush up on OSC and Pd." (via Create Digital Music)

The Music Industry’s Cautionary iTunes Tale Resonates with Publishers–And Apple

"Look who has learned one of the most important lessons of the music industry’s love-hate relationship with iTunes: Apple. The music labels love iTunes because it gave them a new revenue stream while CD sales withered away. And the music labels hate iTunes because it helped CD sales wither away by giving consumers the chance to replace $15 discs with $1 songs." (via All Things Digital)

Universal Music Expands Direct To Fan Mobile Efforts With Netbiscuits

"Universal Music Group is expanding its direct-to-consumer efforts via a deal with mobile publishing platform Netbiscuits. UMG will leverage Netbiscuits' B2B web software platform to launch mobile websites and services. Through artist-branded mobile websites, UMG will offer fan to fan interaction and the ability to make purchases directly from smartphones across the iPhone, Android, and Windows Mobile platforms. UMG also plans to  utilize the text messaging service integrated within the Netbiscuits platform."

(via Hypebot)

 The Best of 2009!

2009 was Indaba Music's biggest year to date. And, with incredible growth to over 400,000 members, we forge boldly into 2010 with the wind at our backs. Let's take a look at the past year's highlights: 

Amazing Experiences for Indaba Musicians

In August, Indaba Music member Mike Gannon received the shock of his life while meeting the Derek Trucks Band after winning their contest. While watching the band perform from off stage, the stage manager asked Mike if he had his guitar with him. Mike said that he did not, so the stage manager thrust one of Derek Trucks' guitars into his hands and pushed him onto the stage to perform with the band. Suddenly, Mike was on stage playing for thousands of people with his favorite band backing him up- not bad for a first gig. 

In late December '08, famed Cello virtuoso Yo-Yo-Ma hosted a duet contest here on Indaba for the song "Dona Nobis Pacem". From hundreds of entries, two were selected; Toshi O., and Kevin McChesney with the Pikes Peak Ringers- and one year later, in December of '09, they had the chance to go into the recording studio with Yo-Yo-Ma and collaborate with the master in person.

In November '08, Indaba Music members were set loose on Canadian rapper K-OS’ new album "Yes!". The winners of this contest received a generous cash prize and were included on the official K-OS remix album released by Universal Music Canada "Yes! It's Yours" which was released to great reviews on March 31st. 

In January, Stephen Colbert urged watchers of the "Colbert Report" not to remix his words. Quick to rebuke the quip, Indaba Music users began remixing Colbert's words in many diifferent ways. Colbert was so impressed with the remixes, he played Chris Lewis' and Dostah Shilailee's remixes on the air, and invited Indaba founder and co-CEO Dan Zaccagnino on the air to talk about the remixes.  

Currently, the Marcy Playground remix companion album to Leaving Wonderland...In a Fit of Rage featuring the winners of the Marcy Playground Studio Access program is in the works. Look for this album in 2010!

Members Use Indaba Music to Create

In late November, the Indaba Music born collaborative team the Paper Cha$erz dropped their first mixtape, comprised of performances and tracks created completely on Indaba Music. With this successful release, the Paper Cha$erz are already at it again, scouting talent and compiling music for their second release, Paper Cha$erz 2.0.  

Indaba Public Radio was begun in early December by Indaba member Dr. Brimstone, in an attempt to bring music created by users to the attention  the community. The good doctor has already released several installments of the broadcast, including a genre specific Hip-Hop broadcast, and an interactive interview with the community using the session platform.

Early in the year, Indaba Muisc users from the UK Steve Small and Jeff Davis, met on the site, began creating music on Indaba Music, formed the band Felsite, and got signed! They now use the internet as their main launch pad, and have garnered a great response.   

And then there's you! We can only imagine the great things Indaba Music members will come up with in 2010! 

Indaba Music's Member Philanthropy

The Peace Partners are a group of Indaba Music members dedicated to creating music for the proliferation of peace and freedom throughout the world. Headed by Patrick Lajeunesse, the Peace Partners have amassed a great number of songs, and hope to release an album benefitting the Amnesty International Canada and War Child Canada charities. You can listen to a member created interview with the Peace Partners creator here. 

The Upanishad Project is an effort started by Dale Crowley that is on a mission to produce an album of 14 songs, based on the ancient Upanishad scripture, whose proceeds will be donated to the Smile Train charity. Currently, there are six sessions, well on their way toward completion.   

Site Redesign

June saw the unveiling of our redesign and the Indaba Console 2.0, the web based, Java FX powered, CD quality, cloud recording software!  

In addition, 2009 saw the unveiling of the clips library, a repository of over 8,500 clips licensed under Creative Commons. 

Superstar Artists Work With Indaba Music 

This years contests started with the Yo-Yo-Ma Duet, continued with the K-OS fan album, and only got bigger from there.  Indaba members had the opportunity to work with Stephen Colbert, PBS, IntraHealth, Filter Magazine, The Derek Trucks Band, The Alkaline Trio, Rivers Cuomo, Erik Truffaz, The Sounds, Menya, Coalesce, The Crystal Method, Classified, Carmen and Camille, NASA, Har Mar Superstar, John Legend, and T-Pain! In 2010, the list will only continue to grow, affording Indaba Music members countless more opportunities to be heard by and create music with some of the biggest names in the business.

Launch of the Artist in Residence Program 

In order to bring mentorship to the Indaba Music community, we launched the Artist in Residence program this year. Industry professionals were given a blog and free range over which topics to cover and how to run their program. Whether it was Frank Portalatin 'teeking songs, Greg Osby raising jazz controversy, Jackie King giving Guitar pointers, Phil Moffa explaining the ins and outs of electronic music production, or the Scratch DJ Academy providing an education on spinning, these artists have given members access to substantial musical information.

We hope you are looking forward to 2010 as much as we are. So, go collaborate, make music, meet musicians, or try to find that new sound and the music world will be all the better for it.

Weighing We7: Will a Premium Push WorK?

"Ad-supported models just aren't cutting it financially, and that is shifting the focus back towards premium.  After slogging through an ad-supported concept for years, We7 is now opening a pair of premium tiers.  But will anyone pay for modest upgrades?" (via Digital Music News)

@MIDEM: Attendance Down 10%

"As the MIDEM convention winds down, the organization confirmed that attendance was about 7,200 - slightly ahead of its initial forecast of 7,000 - representing a 10% attendance decline from the previous year. But participants relayed to Billboard.biz that while there were fewer delegates attending the convention, those in attendance were anxious to do deals." (via Billboard.biz)

Abba Members Attend Abbawoworld London Premire

"Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Björn Ulvaeus, one half of the legendary Swedish pop group ABBA, made a rare joint appearance last night (Jan. 27) to mark the official opening of Abbaworld - a grandiose interactive exhibition staged at London's Earl's Court venue."

(via Billboard.biz)

Apple unveils the iPad – at last

"All the naysayers can feel free to eat their hats. Today Apple finally revealed the device we’ve all been whispering about for a good year or more. The Sasquatch of gadgets is real. We’ll update this with all the details as they happen; in the meantime, follow our live coverage."

(via Crunch Gear)

Quincy Jones, John Mayer to Headline LA Music Expo

"Quincy Jones, John Mayer and retired soul singer Bill Withers will headline performing rights group ASCAP's annual songwriters convention in Hollywood on April 22-24, organizers said. The trio will share the secrets of their success and craft during Q&A sessions at the fifth annual "I Create Music" Expo, once again taking place at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel."

(via Billboard.com)

Baidu Cleared of Piracy in Deep-linking Case

"Chinese search engine Baidu has prevailed in its battle with the music industry over ‘deep-linking’ to copyright-infringing music downloads." (via Music Ally)