Back in early April of last year, when Groove Armada's record deal expired, they made a pretty big decision; to switch from releasing music on a 'normal' label, to putting their tracks out on a new label developed by Bacardi, and lo and behold, this month sees their first release.
Their new four-track album will be available to download for free via a cunning online plan. The first track of the EP will be released via Bacardi's new 'bliveshare.com' filesharing system. Users share the song with others through various widgets and social media links and in reward for sharing, gain the next track and so on. Groove Armada aren't neglecting that the songs will likely hit P2P sites instantly, but hope that incentives like concert tickets as well as user's feeling good about spreading their music, will keep them under wraps.
Tom of Groove Armada said that he thought the 'sharing thing is nice because I think it encourages people to interact with the music in a slightly deeper way than just nicking and downloading it...This pushes people into a bit of a crusade and opens up a bit of a dialogue with the fans."
InTransit Audio from San Diego spent 10 months self-recording and releasing their debut album, "When The Screws Came Loose". Now they're offering it to everyone for only $1. You can listen to and buy the album at http://www.intransitaudio.com.InTransit Audio from San Diego spent 10 months self-recording and releasing their... more
Walter Yetnikoff, the legendary former head of CBS Records, shares his thoughts at a meeting of the American Bar Association on the tendency of record label management to abandon an artist if they don’t meet with immediate success, instead of working through periods of lower album sales (or revenue) to build a lasting market for that artist’s music. He illustrates his argument with an analysis of the career of Bruce Springsteen, who was on CBS during Yetnikoff’s tenure.Walter Yetnikoff, the legendary former head of CBS Records, shares his thoughts at a... more
There was a time when most aspiring musicians had the same dream: to sign a deal with a major record label.
Now, with the structure of the music business shifting radically, some industry iconoclasts are sidestepping the music giants and inventing new ways for artists to make and market their music — without ever signing a traditional recording contract.
The latest effort comes from Brian Message, manager of the alternative band Radiohead, which gave away its last album, “In Rainbows,” on the Internet. His venture, called Polyphonic, which was announced this month, will look to invest a few hundred thousand dollars in new and rising artists who are not signed to record deals and then help them create their own direct links to audiences over the Internet.
“Artists are at the point where they realize going back to the old model doesn’t make any sense,” Mr. Message said. “There is a hunger for a new way of doing things.”
Polyphonic and similar new ventures are symptomatic of deep shifts in the music business. The major labels — Sony Music, Warner Music, EMI and Universal Music — no longer have such a firm grip on creating and selling professional music and minting hits with prime placement on the radio.
Much of that has to do with the rise of the Internet as a means of promoting and distributing music. Physical album sales fell 20 percent, to 362.6 million last year, according to Nielsen, while sales of individual digital tracks rose 27 percent, to 1.07 billion, failing to compensate for the drop. Mindful of these changes, in the last few years marquee musicians like Trent Reznor, the Beastie Boys and Barenaked Ladies have created their own artist-run labels and reaped significant rewards by keeping a larger share of their revenue.
Under the Polyphonic model, bands that receive investments from the firm will operate like start-up companies, recording their own music and choosing outside contractors to handle their publicity, merchandise and touring.
Instead of receiving an advance and then possibly reaping royalties later if they have a hit, musicians will share in all the profits from their music and touring. In another departure from tradition in the music business, they will also maintain ownership of their own copyrights and master recordings — meaning they and their heirs can keep earning money from their music.There was a time when most aspiring musicians had the same dream: to sign a deal with... more
The mass-produced, cookie cutter, bullsh!t "music" that major labels spoonfeed the masses sucks, and so do their new media business practices. Now that these two factors have lined up, it's only a matter of time before the majors go the way of the dinosaur and Chrysler. This makes me very happy. Come, share my joy.The mass-produced, cookie cutter, bullsh!t "music" that major labels... more
New Music Promote started in April of 2008 to help Independent Musicians, Bands and Indie Record Labels with online promotions and exposure of talent who is not signed or on a major label. We have also opened the doors for Club and Mix DJS on the site so everyone in the music industry can be on a professional network without all the other crap you see on most social networks that started to promote musicians and then they got sold and they changed there whole website around to promote "everything" My site will always be music related and its not backed or funded by major corporations
So if you like Independent Music or Dj Mixes be sure to check out my site and become a music fan or register your talent profile.
Chicago Music Promotions is my other music site that started my whole website adventure i had that site since 2006 and its mostly for Chicago Local Talent, so that is why i started the New Music Promote site to help talent globally.
MattNew Music Promote started in April of 2008 to help Independent Musicians, Bands and... more
IMPAKT RECORDINGS presents an exclusive mix by Destin Jacobus of Atlanta, Georgia USA for their initial installment of their artist mix series IMPAKT LIVE. IMPAKT LIVE 001 features relaxed and dubby minimal tracks, disjointed and glitched out tech house, bass heavy tech and ends with dark and dirty techno; This live mix expresses an adventurous taste of the variety which IMPAKT is so fond of. Total running time: 1:39:25
Universal Records, Sony Music, Warner Music, and EMI have announced plans to roll out their own file format later this year to replace the popular MP3 format. The labels have joined together to introduce the CMX format.Universal Records, Sony Music, Warner Music, and EMI have announced plans to roll out... more
I E presents Melody & Gift House Honoree for Most Innovative Independent Label in world music for 2008 Ceylon Records and their CD: DeLon UNSTOPPABLE. Talented musician DeLon(who is an American of Sri Lankan origin) & team delivers a great follow up CD to the Connection. One of their hit songs which came to the billoard charts in 2007, Nasty Girl, is on this CD. DeLon is also an activist who speaks up against terrorism & speak up for all groups of his people of Sri Lanka.
This American Companys, Ceylon Records, material is in demand globally. Their music products are carried & featured through several different distribution channels & market segments. This highly creative company thats a few steps away from the big leagues have gotten a few lucrative online deals as well as cultivated & carved a market for themselves in certain retail markets that will not take so-so material even from top names in the music business.
These stores look for quality material that will last. Their motto is something of quality & creativity from an emerging artist on the rise is better than getting material from now i do not hav to put much effort that I ve made it big named bankables of various labels.
UNSTOPPABLE is in the SA marketed by LJEI & distributed by India Emporium. I.E.: is a trusted name in south asian entertainment in the West Coast. They carry a range of CDs from a variety of artists & only carry a selected number of quality musician from emerging & developing genres. on DVDs: only originals-Say no to Piracy. ~how would you like it
if the actors, directors, producers & crew came to your store to steal the payrol & bill paying money.~I E presents Melody & Gift House Honoree for Most Innovative Independent Label in... more
It's unfortunate how all too often amazing musicians get screwed by their record labels. Sly Stone is now living off social security and moves between cheap hotels trying to make ends meet. Maybe he didn't read his contract thoroughly. Artists, especially musicians, should learn by now they need a lawyer with them whenever they sign anything. Thats what we pay lawyers for: read stuff and tell us why we should or should not sign.It's unfortunate how all too often amazing musicians get screwed by their record... more
In order to combat piracy the UK Internet provider Virgin Media has has teamed up with Universal to offer their customers unlimited DRM-free music at a fixed monthly rate. However, as with every innovative music service, some major labels fear that Virgin’s all you can eat plan will cannibalize their existing digital sales.In order to combat piracy the UK Internet provider Virgin Media has has teamed up with... more
Stanley Donwood, the artist who has crated the artwork for all Radiohead's album and poster artwork since 1994, has launched a new record label, Six Inch Records. The label will only release three CDs. Exactly 333 copies of each album will be produced in six-inch square card packages, made by hand. The albums are priced at £6.66 each.Stanley Donwood, the artist who has crated the artwork for all Radiohead's album... more
Veronica Vasicka is a photographer, musician, DJ and founder of the epic record label and on-line music resource Minimal Wave. As one of the founding members of East Village Radio, she managed the station during its pirate days and began collecting obscure and long forgotten gems that fell somewhere between the Cold Wave, Post Punk and Minimal Synth genres. Not knowing what to classify these bands as, she coined the genre Minimal Wave and set up the website Minimalwave.org as an online resource to share her finds with the rest of the world.
The response to the website was huge and shortly after its launch, Veronica began tracking these artists down and re-issuing their work on the Minimal Wave label. Most of these bands recorded extremely limited copies of their work in their basements and shared their work with the world via John Peel's radio show and a handful of underground music mailings. The music released on the label is a stripped down, DIY and purer approach to mainstream synth pop. Never-the-less, fans of New Wave acts, and bands like Kraftwerk, New Order, and Joy Division who are seeking something a bit different or looking to expand upon the familiar genre, will not be disappointed.
In addition to running Minimal Wave, Veronica launched the Cititrax label as way to expose newer synth-based act as well as obscure House and Italo classics. She DJs bi-monthly around New York City and every Sunday night on her East Village Radio show, Minimal Electronik Plus.
It's no secret that the reign of the record label is over. With the long-standing popularity of independent record labels beginning in the '90's, and the more recent influx of downloading and buying music digitally, the record label empire has suffered from years of declining sales combined with a general lack of executive innovation.It's no secret that the reign of the record label is over. With the long-standing... more
Warner Music Group, one of the first media companies to strike a deal with YouTube, is looking to make more money from online video with the video sharing giant. The label first struck a deal with YouTube back in late September of 2006. Meanwhile, in the present, the label has decided to pull it’s video catalog from YouTube until a new deal is worked out.Warner Music Group, one of the first media companies to strike a deal with YouTube, is... more
Dark Night of the Soul — a project headed up by Danger Mouse, Sparklehorse and David Lynch that features contributions from the Shins’ James Mercer, Black Francis, the Strokes’ Julian Casablancas, the Flaming Lips and Iggy Pop, as well as a 100+ book of Lynch’s photographs — is on sale now at DNotS.com. However, in a weird twist, instead of getting music with the set, buyers instead will receive a blank CD-R.
“All copies will be clearly labeled: ‘For Legal Reasons, enclosed CD-R contains no music. Use it as you will,’ ” a spokesperson for Danger Mouse said. “Due to an ongoing dispute with EMI, Danger Mouse is unable to release the recorded music for Dark Night Of The Soul without fear of being sued by EMI.”
The disagreement between Danger Mouse and EMI likely roots back to the Jay-Z/Beatles mash-up The Grey Album he made in 2004. The brilliant combination of The White Album with The Black Album catapulted DM (real name Brian Burton) from bedroom producer to international star, but it came with a price: it infuriated the massive label group, which controls the rights to the Beatles’ recordings.
Sparklehorse are under contract with EMI, and Danger Mouse produced albums like Gorillaz’s Demon Days and the Good, the Bad and the Queen’s self-titled debut for labels under the EMI umbrella, so it’s unclear why the lawsuit would trouble the release now. “Danger Mouse remains hugely proud of Dark Night Of The Soul and hopes that people lucky enough to hear the music, by whatever means, are as excited by it as he is,” the spokesperson said.Dark Night of the Soul — a project headed up by Danger Mouse, Sparklehorse and... more
the Hiram Social Club (West Atlanta) presents their SPRING FLING MIXTAPE 2009 mixed by Destin Jacobus, Resident DJ. Download for free and enjoy a mix including:
The Clash, Death From Above 1979, New Young Pony Club, The Ting Tings, Radio 4, Bloc Party, The Hives, James Pants, Tommie Sunshine, Britney Spears, Tommy Sparks, Mystery Jets and more!
Invisible DJ was launched from Ron Herman's flagship store on Melrose. Brett Brooks, the heads men's buyer, and Jeremy Wineberg, equipped with the musical savvy, come together to make lifestyle compilations for Ron Herman and Juicy Couture. Also Wineberg recently teamed up with KCRW host Jason Eldredge to produce Accidental Rhythm, a compilation of the best of what's next from around the world. Invisible DJ was launched from Ron Herman's flagship store on Melrose. Brett... more
Have you ever bought a cd you wish you could return? If it's a Ubiquity album you can. I'm sitting by my computer listening to the new Clutchy/Shawn Lee album staring at the case as if that would give me some clue as to who Clutchy Hopkins is...but of course it doesn't. What I did notice though was on the bottom left was "The Ubiquity Guarantee" which states "...if you are unsatisfied with this release for any reason, be it defective disc, broken packaging or the musical content, we will replace it." Send back the cd and receipt and they'll send you an "equal product of your choice guaranteed". Who does that? Have you ever bought a cd you wish you could return? If it's a Ubiquity album... more
