[WaTunes] - Billboard & The Hollywood Reporter Sold

Source: Hypebot

Are Layoffs Ahead?

(UPDATED) A variety of sources are reporting that Billboard and The Hollywood Reporter have been sold to group led by James Finkelstein and Pluribus Capital Management. Rupert's son, Lachlan Murdoch reportedly dropped out of the purchase group at the 11th hour.  Also included in the sale are Adweek, Mediaweek, Brandweek and Backstage.

www.amaxtalent.com" src="http://www.hypebot.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e20120a67860a0970b-300wi" alt="image from www.amaxtalent.com" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
Estimates of a total purchase price vary, but $70 million is the most common number given for all 6 publications. Editor & Publisher will reportedly be shuttered as part of the deal and a number of staffers from all publications have been summoned to mid-day meetings. Surprisingly, Billboard is one of the group's healthier publications and may experience the lightest staff cuts.

A letter to staff from Nielson Pres. Greg Farrer via Gawker:

Dear Colleagues,

Today, we announced that Nielsen Business Media has reached an agreement with e5 Global Media Holdings, LLC, a new company formed jointly by Pluribus Capital Management and Guggenheim Partners, for the sale of eight brands in the Media and Entertainment Group, including Adweek, Brandweek, Mediaweek, The Clio Awards, Backstage, Billboard, Film Journal International and The Hollywood Reporter. e5 Global Media Holdings has also agreed to acquire our Film Expo business, which includes the ShoWest, ShowEast, Cinema Expo International and CineAsia trade shows.

In addition, we've made the decision to cease operations for Editor & Publisher and Kirkus Reviews.

This move will allow us to strengthen investment in our core businesses – those parts of our portfolio at have the greatest potential for growth – and ensure our long-term success. We remain committed to building our trade show group and affiliated brands. These assets continue to be a key part of The Nielsen Company's overall portfolio and we strongly believe they are positioned to grow as the economy recovers. In addition, we'll continue to assess the strategic fit of our remaining portfolio of publications.

As a result of these decisions, many of our friends and colleagues within these businesses will be leaving the company or will begin to transition to the new ownership immediately. These venerable brands have long been an important part of our Business Media family, and we are pleased that e5 will continue to capitalize on the brands' potential. The transition is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

Pluribus Capital was founded in 2009 by James Finkelstein, George Green and Matthew Doull to focus on acquiring and managing industry leading media properties with high growth potential, particularly those with strong brand recognition across multiple platforms including digital, print and events. Guggenheim Partners is a privately held, diversified financial services firm. Both Pluribus and Guggenheim have strong track records of successfully managing investments in a variety of companies.

I want to take this opportunity to offer heartfelt thanks to our colleagues who will be leaving the company for their dedication and commitment to Nielsen over the years. Please join me in wishing them well in their future endeavors.

Regards,
Greg Farrar
President
Nielsen Business Media

Posted via email from WaTunes

WaTunes Social Platform To Enable Distributor Widgets (PRESS RELEASE)

WaTunes Social Platform To Enable Distributor Widgets
 
DETROIT – December 9th, 2009 –WaTunes, the world’s revolutionary social music service that offers the first ever free online music distribution service into the iTunes Store has announced that it will enable widgets from other distributors on its social music platform. Widgets from music distributors including Nimbit, TuneCore, and ReverbNation have been enabled. This gives artists from each respective service to create their own profiles free and share their music on WaTunes.

“When we first came up with this idea, a lot of people considered us crazy. Nevertheless, our main goal is to create an environment where both majors and independent artists alike are able to communicate with their fans. With new developments surrounding our social platform, we are very excited to be able to offer something new to everyone and provide more alternatives and options.” Says Kevin Rivers, CEO of WaTunes.

The WaTunes social platform enables music artists, labels, and fans to create their very own profile, sync their social sites like Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace, post comments, embed widgets, and make instant calls to friends via Skype. Tony Pytleski, Vice President of WaTunes spoke about the new development saying:

“Our social platform is revolutionary. We wanted to make our services available to all music artists across the world. Now with this new offering, we’re opening the doors to enable artists from other distribution services like TuneCore, Nimbit, and ReverbNation to enhance their exposure and easily connect with their fans on a more social level for free. This is a huge leap as we’re beginning to break the barriers in the industry.”

The WaTunes social platform currently enables its users to buy ringtones. With over 500,000 ringtones from major artists including Taylor Swift, Drake, Toby Keith, Fall Out Boy, and Jay-Z, WaTunes is hoping to gain traction and favor with fans to discover new music using innovative services.

About WaTunes

WaTunes is a social music service that enables music artists and record labels to sell their music to on the iTunes Store entirely free. Artists and labels are able to sell unlimited music on the iTunes Store without any cost and receive 100% of royalties from their music.

WaTunes also provides a whole new social music experience that enables the fans to create their very own profiles, talk instantly via Skype, embed any music and video widgets including YouTube and Myspace, and share profile links.

Contact: press@watunes.com

 

 

Posted via email from WaTunes

PRESS RELEASE: WaTunes Social Platform To Enable Distributor Widgets

Download now or preview on posterous

PRESS RELEASE_120909_1.doc (35 KB)

WaTunes Social Platform To Enable Distributor Widgets
 
DETROIT – December 9th, 2009 –WaTunes, the world’s revolutionary social music service that offers the first ever free online music distribution service into the iTunes Store has announced that it will enable widgets from other distributors on its social music platform. Widgets from music distributors including Nimbit, TuneCore, and ReverbNation have been enabled. This gives artists from each respective service to create their own profiles free and share their music on WaTunes.

“When we first came up with this idea, a lot of people considered us crazy. Nevertheless, our main goal is to create an environment where both majors and independent artists alike are able to communicate with their fans. With new developments surrounding our social platform, we are very excited to be able to offer something new to everyone and provide more alternatives and options.” Says Kevin Rivers, CEO of WaTunes.

The WaTunes social platform enables music artists, labels, and fans to create their very own profile, sync their social sites like Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace, post comments, embed widgets, and make instant calls to friends via Skype. Tony Pytleski, Vice President of WaTunes spoke about the new development saying:

“Our social platform is revolutionary. We wanted to make our services available to all music artists across the world. Now with this new offering, we’re opening the doors to enable artists from other distribution services like TuneCore, Nimbit, and ReverbNation to enhance their exposure and easily connect with their fans on a more social level for free. This is a huge leap as we’re beginning to break the barriers in the industry.”

The WaTunes social platform currently enables its users to buy ringtones. With over 500,000 ringtones from major artists including Taylor Swift, Drake, Toby Keith, Fall Out Boy, and Jay-Z, WaTunes is hoping to gain traction and favor with fans to discover new music using innovative services.

About WaTunes

WaTunes is a social music service that enables music artists and record labels to sell their music to on the iTunes Store entirely free. Artists and labels are able to sell unlimited music on the iTunes Store without any cost and receive 100% of royalties from their music.

WaTunes also provides a whole new social music experience that enables the fans to create their very own profiles, talk instantly via Skype, embed any music and video widgets including YouTube and Myspace, and share profile links.

Contact: press@watunes.com

 

Posted via email from WaTunes

[WaTunes] - Imeem To Be Integrated Within MySpace Music

Source: Hypebot

Beginning today, imeem will quickly cease to exist; with only select remnants finding a new home within MySpace Music. As part of an announcement making it's acquisition of  imeem public, MySpace said that imeem playlists will be temporarily disabled  and users directed to MySpace Music and

Unlike its iLike acquisition, which saw its executives named to key positions at MySpace, just four members of imeem's team have been hired as consultants to help manage the transition: CEO Dalton Caldwell, CTO Brian Berg, COO Ali Aydar and VP of Sales David Wade.

"In the coming weeks, our team will be working as quickly as possible to take aspects of imeem that users love and migrate them to MySpace Music," according to MySpace CEO Own Van Natta. "We’ll start that transition today by redirecting imeem users to MySpace Music to discover their favorite music.   As quickly as possible, we’ll be working to offer users the imeem playlists they’ve created on MySpace Music.""

During this transition period," he continued, "we invite all imeem users to check out MySpace Music’s extensive catalogue of fully licensed music and video content from major and indie artists, editorial coverage, concerts, and ticket information.

Posted via email from WaTunes

WaTunes Artist Ciara Corr Gets Her Way With An iTunes Spotlight

Hey guys,

As always, we love it when our artists are given opportunities to shine and this week is no different. Ciara Corr of Reverse Spin Records, label of NBA Legend Earl 'The Pearl' Monroe has been given an iTunes Spotlight of her debut single "Get My Way". This track gives off a killer dance vibe as well as a unique vocal ambiance. Check out her iTunes Spotlight in the iTunes (US) store under the 'Dance' - New & Noteworthy section. 

Q: So how do you get an iTunes Spotlight with WaTunes?

Simple! Become a VIP customer! For $12.95 per month, we help you gain features like these to help spruce your sales. Now remember that all marketing and promotional services are editorial based. This means that features like an iTunes Spotlight is never a guaranteed thing but is only considerable to your contents.

So what are you waiting for? Get in on the VIP service & purchase your copy of Ciara Corr's "Get My Way" now on iTunes!

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from WaTunes

Market & Promote Your Music with Music Expand

Ever want to become the next superstar? How about promoting your website or business? Look no further with Music Expand.

So what is Music Expand?

Music Expand is a marketing and public relations firm that works exclusively with musicians, performing artists, groups, record labels, digital distributors, magazines, media companies, and other forms of music & media to help propel their businesses with extensive marketing strategies. Whether you're an artist that wants to achieve megastar status or a music business that wants to drive a tremendous amount of traffic to your website, Music Expand is here to help. Thanks to arrangements with the leading marketing distribution networks and real-world experience, Music Expand will help you reach your goals at affordable prices. Music Expand can develop a customizable solution for nearly every artist needs and budget.

Below are some of the services we can offer to help give you the marketing and exposure you need!

- National Media Campaign
- Press Release Sent to the Associated Press
- Pitch for interviews on Television Talk Shows
- Pitch for feature spreads in Key Mags
- Red Carpet Appearances (events to be determined by calendar)
- Electronic Press Kit & Circulation
- Viral marketing & online promotions
- Pitch for reviews
- Contest/Sweepstakes sponsored by Sony Creative Software (ACIDPlanet)
- Digiwaxx Service
- Mobile Marketing & Development
- Radio Promotions
- Social Site Advertisements (Banner Ads on MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, Hulu, and iMeem)
- Music Video Submissions/Pitch to Key Media Outlets (MTV, VH1, BET, MTV2, Music Choice, etc.)
- Social Marketing Campaign (YouTube, MySpace, Hulu, and iMeem)
- iPhone App & Development

So what are you waiting for? Promote your music with Music Expand today!

Posted via email from WaTunes

WaTunes Launches New TV Commercial!

Hey guys,

Exciting times are near as we enhance our website, give you more updates, and prepare for the New Years. I am very happy to announce our YouTube Promo Ad. Please spread the word about our service as we strive to change the industry, one sector at a time. Please feel free to send us your feedback of our ad via our comment section below.

[WaTunes] - Apple In Advanced Talks To Buy Lala

Source: Hypebot

Apple is reportedly close to acquiring Lala. "Talks are very advanced." according to CNet. "One of the sources said that the sides have already agreed on terms and have only to sign a final agreement."

Exactly what Apple's plans are for Lala remain unclear, but its an indication that the the tech giant finally understands that music consumption is moving to more than the buy an iTunes download model.  Lala's dual focus on free streaming, bolstered by its new relationship with Google, as well as, play anywhere music in the cloud, could both be attractive to Apple.

Neither company has commented yet, but Lala's founder has a strong history of building company's to sell.

Several new sources are adding insights:

• The deal is done; not tentative.
• As I speculated Apple is buying primarily music in the cloud tech and the smart engineers at Lala that created it.
• Apple may have gottent Lala at a bargain price. "One person with knowledge of the deal," a source to the NY Times, "said that the negotiations originated when Lala executives concluded that their prospects for turning a profit in the short term were dim and initiated discussions with Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president in charge of iTunes".

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from WaTunes

Why You Should Be A WaTunes VIP Member!

Hey guys,

I am very happy to see the turnout of the WaTunes VIP service. As more and more features are being added, its evermore the reason why you should get into VIP today!

Q: So Why Go VIP?

 Well, as a VIP customer, you'll be able to experience exciting new features including:

iTunes Expedient Deliveries (Priority Only)
Normally it takes 4-6 weeks for your contents to go live on iTunes. Now get all of your main prioritized titles live on iTunes within 1-4 weeks! Keep in mind that this feature doesn't include all of your contents, so please choose selected titles that you would like to see go live on iTunes ASAP!

FREE iTunes Weekly Trending Reports
Now for the first time in the history of the music industry, know how your sales are doing on iTunes on a weekly basis with iTunes Weekly Trending Reports. WaTunes is the first ever social music service that enables artists to view their iTunes Weekly Trending Repots online. Remember that iTunes Weekly Trending Reports ARE NOT 100% accurate as oppose to your iTunes Financial Reports which are 100% accurate. Please use your iTunes Weekly Trending Reports are market data rather than sales data.

Music Store Placements, Features, & Spotlights (Editorial Only)
As a VIP customer, we want to make sure you get the best of both worlds. Here at WaTunes, we work very closely with the marketing teams at iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, and other digital services to provide possible and considerable spotlight and music placements to help you enhance your marketing power and increase your sales earnings exponentially. We've help hundreds of artists get featured on iTunes and more is yet to come. For extensive marketing services we welcome you to use WaTunes' sister company: Music Expand ( www.musicexpand.com ) which enables you to market and promote your music extensively (including radio play, be on TV, video promotions, ad placements, social site advertisements, mobile marketing, viral marketing, and more!)

Full Suite of Digital Services
As a VIP customer, we put your music contents to all of our digital services including iTunes, Amazon, eMusic, Rhapsody, iLike, MOG, HMV, Zune, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Vodaphone, and even Playstation 3 (Video Contents Only)! Sell unlimited songs and albums whenever you want and keep 100% of all royalties generated!

New Music Store Offerings
Another cool feature is the ability to automatically be placed in the top tiers and new music store services. We make selective decisions based on popularity and revenue generated to help you increase potential sales at each store service. As a VIP customer, any new stores that we offer will automatically be available to you at no additional cost!

So what are you waiting for? Log into your WaTunes account and upgrade to the VIP Membership now!

Posted via email from WaTunes

Why You Should Be A WaTunes VIP Member!

Hey guys,

I am very happy to see the turnout of the WaTunes VIP service. As more and more features are being added, its evermore the reason why you should get into VIP today!

Q: So Why Go VIP?

 Well, as a VIP customer, you'll be able to experience exciting new features including:

iTunes Expedient Deliveries (Priority Only)
Normally it takes 4-6 weeks for your contents to go live on iTunes. Now get all of your main prioritized titles live on iTunes within 1-4 weeks! Keep in mind that this feature doesn't include all of your contents, so please choose selected titles that you would like to see go live on iTunes ASAP!

FREE iTunes Weekly Trending Reports
Now for the first time in the history of the music industry, know how your sales are doing on iTunes on a weekly basis with iTunes Weekly Trending Reports. WaTunes is the first ever social music service that enables artists to view their iTunes Weekly Trending Repots online. Remember that iTunes Weekly Trending Reports ARE NOT 100% accurate as oppose to your iTunes Financial Reports which are 100% accurate. Please use your iTunes Weekly Trending Reports are market data rather than sales data.

Music Store Placements, Features, & Spotlights (Editorial Only)
As a VIP customer, we want to make sure you get the best of both worlds. Here at WaTunes, we work very closely with the marketing teams at iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, and other digital services to provide possible and considerable spotlight and music placements to help you enhance your marketing power and increase your sales earnings exponentially. We've help hundreds of artists get featured on iTunes and more is yet to come. For extensive marketing services we welcome you to use WaTunes' sister company: Music Expand ( www.musicexpand.com ) which enables you to market and promote your music extensively (including radio play, be on TV, video promotions, ad placements, social site advertisements, mobile marketing, viral marketing, and more!)

Full Suite of Digital Services
As a VIP customer, we put your music contents to all of our digital services including iTunes, Amazon, eMusic, Rhapsody, iLike, MOG, HMV, Zune, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Vodaphone, and even Playstation 3 (Video Contents Only)! Sell unlimited songs and albums whenever you want and keep 100% of all royalties generated!

New Music Store Offerings
Another cool feature is the ability to automatically be placed in the top tiers and new music store services. We make selective decisions based on popularity and revenue generated to help you increase potential sales at each store service. As a VIP customer, any new stores that we offer will automatically be available to you at no additional cost!

So what are you waiting for? Log into your WaTunes account and upgrade to the VIP Membership now!

Posted via email from WaTunes

WaTunes Offers MOG service to VIP Artists & Labels

Hey guys,

Kevin here. I am very happy to say that the new MOG service has launched and we're excited to offer VIP content to the service. MOG is powered by MediaNet, one of our digital music store partners and is primed for the WaTunes VIP service. If you are a VIP member, your content will already be available (if not being delivered) to MOG.

Q: So what is the WaTunes VIP Service?

WaTunes VIP is a revolutionary subscription model that enables artists and record labels to sell their music to dozens of music stores, mobile stores, and gaming consoles for just $12.95 per month. As a VIP customer, we give you the ability to sell unlimited songs and albums, receive and view FREE iTunes Weekly Trending Reports, automated new music store offerings, get considered for marketing & promotional services, music store placements, features, and more.

We're now offering VIP as a promotion right now! If you subscribe to the WaTunes VIP from November 23rd through February 28th, we'll add an additional $20 to your sales earnings coming in March. So what are you waiting for? Sign up for the WaTunes VIP service today!

Posted via email from watunes's posterous

[WaTunes] - MOG: A First Look

Source: Hypebot

www.google.com" style="margin: 0px 5px 5px 0px;" />I'll be writing a longer post tomorrow morning that includes my interview with MOG.com CEO David Hyman. But before today gets away from me, I wanted to share a few first impressions of the MOG $5 per month unlimited streaming music service that launched today:

• www.google.com" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px 5px;" /> MOG is more than a streaming service It combines social networking, playlists, blog content and music.
• You can be as passive (like Pandora) or active (like Napster or Spotify) a listener as you want to be.
• High sound quality.  Streaming at 320kps. I believe that is a higher bit rate than any other streaming service.
• Nice interface.  Like anything new that's trying to do a lot, it may take some time to figure it all out, but overall a stellar experience.
• 1 Hour Free Trail. It's nice that you don't have to give up credit card info, but how can the average fan decide if they like MOG an hour? After the hour, you can get 7 days free with a card, but still...
• Europe is next. Look for the UK and then more of the EU by the beginning of Q2 2010.

Posted via email from watunes's posterous

WaTunes To Issue Payments via PayPal-Only

Hey guys,

We're only a month away until the end of the year. We're working on new developments to make your experience with WaTunes better and better. Today I'd like to inform you on an important update. Starting on December 1st, 2009 we will no longer be issuing payments via Checks. Ongoing (or until we launch our Rewards Program), we will only be issuing your payments via PayPal. If you are a customer that has requested for your payments to be issued in Checks. We will issue your last check for this payment cycle. On going you must have a PayPal account for us to issue your payments.


Q: So why PayPal?

We've quickly learned that the majority of WaTunes artists are currently using PayPal. We believe that PayPal is a great and secure way to monitor your payments (at least until we launch our program). Other reasons why we've decided to issue payments through PayPal only includes:

- Easy Processing Time
- Enable us to easily track payments and royalties owed
- Enhances our accounting procedures and protocols.
- Speeds up payment processing and payment delivery
- Quick import to delivery procedures.

Q: So what do I do now?

If you are not a PayPal user, please register for a FREE PayPal account by clicking here. Once signed up, please update your WaTunes account and provide us your PayPal E-mail address (Which would be your primary e-mail address used for PayPal).

Afterwards, our system will be able to keep track and issue your payments. Its that easy!

Q: What if I already have a PayPal account?

If you already have a PayPal account, please update your profile with your PayPal E-mail address. You can do so by following the instructions below:

1: Login to your account and click on 'Edit Profile'
2: In the 'Information' tab input your PayPal E-mail address in the 'Paypal Email' field.
3: Click on 'Update Information'

That's it!

With this new procedure, this will make the process of receiving your payments easier without the hassle of any delays. As always, please post your comments if you have any suggestions, questions, or concerns.

[WaTunes] - Seth Godin: Watch The (Music) Money

Source: Hypebot

"If you're in the music business but you never buy tickets or downloads, can you really empathize with the people you're selling to?

...Money is more than a transfer of value. It's a statement of belief. An ad agency that won't buy ads, a consultant who won't buy consulting, and a waiter who doesn't tip big—it's a sign, and not a good one."

Posted via email from watunes's posterous

As Music Industry Struggles, Artist Income Grows

Source: Hypebot

No Thanksgiving At WMG

Source: Hypebot

Wall Street has another flat day rising just .29% on Wednesday, but that did stop investors from battering Warner Music Group stock once again. WMG fell another 11.29% in pre-turkey day trading to close at $5.50.

On Tuesday, just hours after Warner Music Group reported an $18 million quarterly loss, the company's stock had fallen 18% recovering slightly by the close of trading, ending at $6.20 down 12.8%.
Stock Fall Could Put Edgar's Dream On Hold

image from images.google.com It's no secret that despite improving sales, EMI is struggling under huge debt that Citi recently refused to restructure and that Warner CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr. has long coveted the major label group. But WMG is paying off a $1.1 billion debt of its own at 9.5%; and a 25% two day fall in share value reduces both the chances of a successful stock swap and investor willingness to take on more obligations.

Today Sony Music Entertainment kills, deletes viral video ad for IPHONE by Beyonce and Lady Gaga

Source: Examiner

Vevo music video service hits the Web Dec. 8

Source: USA Today

NEW YORK — Rio Caraeff isn't just preparing to introduce a new company on Dec. 8 when he launches Vevo, a long-awaited online music video service backed by Vivendi's Universal Music and Sony Music.

His effort to build a business around one of the Internet's most popular video genres represents a new focus for the beleaguered music industry – one in which advertisers are more important than retailers.

"In the past, the music business was about selling music," says Caraeff, CEO of the joint venture. "In the future, the music business is about offering great experiences to everybody who loves music. ... It's not a one-size-fits-all proposition anymore."

Other music companies seem to agree.

EMI, which is considering joining the Vevo partnership, last week became the first major music company to offer videos on Hulu. The ad-supported site, best-known for TV shows, will start by creating a channel for singer Norah Jones that includes her videos and concert performances.

Last month, Warner Music formed a partnership with Web ad sales firm Outrigger Media. It's drawing sponsors to musicians' official sites, as well as other destinations that feature their videos.

It's easy to see why music companies want to try something new. Only about $6.9 billion will be spent this year on music including CDs, online and mobile downloads, and ad sales, private-equity firm Veronis Suhler Stevenson estimates. That's down 45.7% from 2004.

Yet Web surfers love music videos, which account for 55% of the viral videos that attract 100 million or more views, according to audience research firm Visible Measures.

"Some music videos get (played) 50 million times-plus on YouTube," says Ronn Werre, EMI's president of music services. That makes them "a pretty viable format" for a new business.

Advertisers also have their checkbooks out for online videos: Companies will spend about $1 billion in the U.S. this year for ads in or around Web videos, says Caraeff, who adds, "We think it will continue to double each year to about $3 billion or $4 billion in 2012 or 2013."

But because music accounts for just 5% of that online video ad market, the music giants have a long way to go to turn ad-supported videos into big moneymakers. Caraeff says Universal and Sony collectively spend about $100 million a year on the productions. "We have to reform and recondition the entire marketplace," he says.

Regaining control

Step 1 is to regain control of the videos. They're doing that by ending the practice of distributing them to just about anybody who'd pay a licensing fee, including sites that advertisers consider unacceptably vulgar or cluttered with distractions.

"Music videos haven't been treated as high-quality content," says Outrigger Media CEO Mike Henry. "Now that's changed" as companies stop licensing them to ad-unfriendly sites.

Vevo's videos will appear on its own site and a destination on YouTube. They'll also be widely available, including on the performers' own sites, as long as they run in a Vevo-provided player that carries its ads. "The fan has more choice than ever before, but the advertiser has less choice," Caraeff says. "Now they can only buy this audience (for Universal and Sony videos) from one place."

Companies also have to fight advertiser suspicion that online audiences ignore the ads and listen to music while they do other things, such as exchange e-mails or play games. That perception appears to have hurt some ad-supported audio sites this year: Ruckus and SpiralFrog went out of business while investors accepted fire-sale prices when they sold iLike and Imeem to MySpace.

Caraeff says Vevo will grab people's attention by displaying lyrics, allowing fans to chat with each other and offering picture quality that will often approach HDTV. The site also will feature concerts, interviews and TV-like programs, including many that integrate a sponsor's brand or products.

EMI has a similar plan for its Jones channel on Hulu. "It's a way for the consumer to interact with Norah Jones, to see who she is," Werre says. "There's a full-range concert video. And we have the opportunity to put a lot more visual content up there as we go forward."

There's debate, though, over where to focus audience attention. Warner and Outrigger want people to visit the sites of performers, or other fans, instead of a corporate destination. In addition to being the best way to promote the star, it opens options for ad sales, the companies say. The record company can sell spots on multiple sites that appeal to the consumers that an advertiser wants to reach.

"Most music companies have an enormous amount of marketing information about all of their artists and the audiences that they attract," says Henry. Although this approach is "a little more complicated, in the long run it's going to pay off both for the artist and the brand," he says.

But Caraeff says performers, companies, consumers and advertisers will be better served by Vevo's more centralized approach.

"We're trying to restore the premium luster around music," he says. "And we're trying to show brands that music builds a crowd and draws an audience like it has for thousands of years."

Wall Street hates Warner Music Group's Q4 report

Source: BloggingStocks

Warner Music Group (WMG) was out of favor with the market today. At the time of this writing, shares of the company were down over 16% on big volume. Wall Street did not appreciate the fourth-quarter release.

According to TheStreet.com, a loss, on an adjusted basis, of 3 cents per share was recorded. Analysts were hoping for a profit of 5 cents per share. The cited article goes on to report a not-so-comforting outlook for the near future. And in further bad news, TheFlyOnTheWall.com mentions a downgrade on the stock.


This is the problem with buying low-priced equities. You have to be very careful about the business model. In the case of the model in question, there are serious concerns. Management is still adjusting to the new world of lower-margin digital downloads. Sites run by entities such as Apple (AAPL) and Amazon (AMZN) have rendered distribution via physical media an almost antiquated curiosity undertaken solely for nostalgic value.

It's difficult to say when Warner Music will find its footing, but I can say without hesitation that the stock is not a candidate for a long-term investment portfolio. The company is speculative at best.

As to whether or not there might be a trade after today's action, well, there could be. Although I wouldn't recommend it. Shares have worsened since I began writing this article; my screen now shows them down over 20%. The market doesn't know what to do. It's confused at best, and honestly, that can be a good time to try a little exploitation of volatility for financial gain.

But, the risk is extremely high. Fundamentally, Warner Music is problematic. Technically, the stock may be broken in the short term. This adds up to a situation that should be avoided, even if there is a chance for a bounce in tomorrow's session.

Apple Opens iTunes LP And Extras To Developers

Source: Hypebot

It Was A Bad Day For Warner Music Group

Source: Hypebot

[WaTunes] - Live Nation & iTunes to Offer Concert Downloads

Source: Hypebot

WaTunes Offers Artists New Trending Service & VIP Promotion Event!

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE!

DETROIT – November 20th, 2009 – WaTunes, the world’s revolutionary social music service that offers the first ever free online music distribution service into the iTunes Store has announced its new Online Trend feature. This new feature enables artists view their Trending Reports online. Trending Reports are projected trending data given from iTunes to use for marketing & promotional purposes and give artists a gauge of their projected sales. WaTunes will offer this feature as apart of its VIP service, which is priced at $12.95 per month.

“Traditionally, artists would have to pay a fee to receive this kind of information per report. As apart of the VIP service, we wanted to incorporate a system to where artists will be able to know how their music is doing without the hassle of downloading a report and without paying a fee. With this new feature, artists are now able to view their trending reports online every Monday with great transparency.”

Says Kevin Rivers, CEO of WaTunes.

The WaTunes social platform enables anyone to embed ANY widget including MySpace, YouTube, iMeem, ReverbNation, and other media players into their profiles. WaTunes also gives every user the ability to share their Facebook profiles, post comments to friends, and instantly make calls to each other via Skype for free. WaTunes provides tools for independent artists and labels to showcase their music and put them up for sale on leading digital stores including iTunes, eMusic, Amazon, AT&T, Verizon, and Playstation 3.

Apart from unveiling the new trending system, WaTunes is also launching a new VIP Holiday & New Years promotion initiative. Starting November 23rd, 2009 until February 28th, 2010, newly subscribe VIP artists will receive $20.00 in addition to their February earnings received from digital services like iTunes.

“The VIP service is a revolutionary model that channels the effectiveness of promotion and leverage to any digital music service. This new initiative welcomes new VIP artists to receive a special incentive for becoming an elite customer of WaTunes. We look forward to being able to help more artists with incentives such as this offering in the near future.”

Says Tony Pytleski, Vice President of WaTunes.

About WaTunes

WaTunes is a social music service that enables music artists and record labels to sell their music to on the iTunes Store entirely free. Artists and labels are able to sell unlimited music on the iTunes Store without any cost and receive 100% of royalties from their music.

WaTunes also provides a whole new social music experience that enables the fans to create their very own profiles, talk instantly via Skype, embed any music and video widgets including YouTube and Myspace, and share profile links.

Contact: press@watunes.com

WaTunes CEO Kevin Rivers talks about the new Online Trending Service

WaTunes Opens Revolutionary Trending System to VIP Customers!

Hey guys,

Exciting times ahead as we draw close to the end of the year! I am please to announce that we have our new Online Trending System fully available for VIP Customers!


Q: So what does this mean?

This means that if you're a VIP Customer, you now have the power to view your Trending Reports online! No longer will you have to wait (particularly for me) to send you your reports via e-mail. Now you can login to your WaTunes account ever Monday after 12PM EST and view your Trending data online. Our official press release will go out Monday as we spread news to the world of this great developement!

Q: What if I'm not a VIP member?

If you're not a VIP customer, I urge you to upgrade your account now! For just $12.95 per month, we will deliver your entire catalog of music to all of our digital services including iTunes, Amazon, Rhasody, eMusic, HMV, iLike, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Playstation 3, and so much more! Keep 100% of all royalties made from these stores, sell unlimited songs and albums, and get considered for marketing & promotional services (including music store placements and spotlights!).

Q: How do I become a VIP member and view my Trends?

To get started, login to your account and complete the following instructions:

1: Click on buy under the 'VIP Membership' Profile Essential
2: Submit your $12.95 monthly payment
3: E-mail tech@watunes.com with your e-mail address (that you use to login) and your receipt
4: We'll update your account to VIP status and will also deliver your music to the rest of our digital services
5: Log out and Log back into your account and click on 'Trends'. Now you can view your trending reports Online!

Q: How often are the Trending Reports updated?

We will begin to update and populate your Trending Reports every Monday after 12PM EST. From there, go ahead and login to your WaTunes account, select 'Trends' and view your Trending Report for the past week. Its that easy!

iTunes Weekly Trending Reports On Hold for New Online Trend System

Hey guys,

Only a few days away until Thanksgiving (for some of us that is). As of today, we will no longer be servicing iTunes Weekly Trending Reports via e-mail. At the moment, we are working on something much better. A fresh Online Trending System. This enables you to view your iTunes Weekly Trending Reports on-site (similiar to how you view your sales). The iTunes Weekly Trending System is only available to VIP customers only. You can become a VIP member today for just $12.95 per month and gain access to all sorts of digital services and mobile stores including Amazon, Rhapsody, eMusic, AT&T, Playstation 3, and more!

Q: So what are a few things you SHOULD know about iTunes Weekly Trending Reports?

1: iTunes Weekly Trending Reports ARE NOT 100% accurate data. DO NOT use them as sales data. iTunes Financial Reports received every month are 100% accurate.

2: iTunes Weekly Trending Reports are used for projection purposes of where your sales could be. Its simply an indication to see what areas you should focus on for marketing and promotions.

3: With the launch of the new Trending System, you are able to view a summarized version of your iTunes Weekly Trending Reports on-site for FREE as a VIP customer. You can request a detailed version (which includes ZIP codes, etc.) for $2 per report.

We're moving at lightning speed, working on new features and enhancing our digital distribution and social platforms. As always, please post your comments here about what you think about our services, features, and updates.

WaTunes made simple!

Hey guys,

I hope you guys are enjoying a great weekend. Great new developments are coming in the world of WaTunes. For WaTunes artists and labels, as you can see, we've updated your dashboard a bit to make things more simple by adding two new menus: My Albums, and My Sales.

My Albums: This menu will enable you to upload your content for submission to iTunes and for VIP customers iTunes and our full fleet of digital services and mobile stores. If you have any questions on how to use the My Albums feature, please contact us.

My Sales: This menu will enable you to easily view your sales online from iTunes (other store services are currently in testing).

I hope you guys enjoy these great new features and please let us know if you have any other questions regarding the service.

New Music Store Offerings Scheduled 2010 for VIP Customers!

Hey guys,

With the newly developed VIP service offering for just $12.95 per month, we are working to make the VIP services more appealing by offering more music store services starting in the first quarter of 2010. As your digital distribution service provider, here is my question to you:


Q: What are some digital store services that you would like to see your content made available?

Happy Halloween from WaTunes!

Hey guys,

First off, Happy Halloween to some of you and I hope you guys are enjoying your holidays. Today we have some very great new updates for WaTunes. As you guys know the VIP service has been changed to a monthly subscription service of $12.95 per month. Now I've been getting e-mails from current VIP members on whether or not they have to pay this new monthly fee. The answer is: Nope. If you are a currently active VIP customer, you do not have to pay the newly $12.95 per month and that your yearly subscription fee will be with you until you decide to cancel.


So how do I become a VIP?

Simple. Log in to your WaTunes account, click on 'Add-Ons' and purchase the VIP service. The moment you subscribe, we then check your purchase and your WaTunes account and any content you've delivered to us. Afterwards, your contents will automatically be delivered to the other digital services. No more waiting, no more hassles! A completely new and transparent service with the cheapest limitations. Now for just $12.95 per month, get your music into the world's biggest digital stores, mobile stores, and gaming consoles, keep 100% of your royalties, and more!


Introducing WaTV NET

Got a Music Video, Film, Documentary, TV Show? Now you can subscribe to the new WaTV Net subscription service for just $5.95 per month and submit unlimited video contents to WaTV. We then also automatically place them into our video channels including YouTube, AOL, and more!

So how do you get started?

Simple. Log into your WaTunes account, click on 'Add-Ons' and purchase the WaTV NET subscription service. Afterwards, we'll give you a temporary FTP account where you can deliver your video contents. From there, our WaTV Programming Team will get you started in putting your videos on WaTV and so much more!



Get into the new features and services this Holiday season today! As always, please let us know if you have any questions regarding any new updates on WaTunes!

Announcement: New Updates & Features!

Hey guys,

Exciting times are ahead. Seasons are coming and we're only a few months away until the start of a New Year. Its been a few weeks since WaTunes New Experience has launched and we've been getting great feedback on the new interface. I'm glad to say that this is just only the tip of the iceberg as we'll be rolling out even more features and add-ons to make your music experience pleasant at WaTunes. Today I'd like to share with you new updates of what's happening.


August 2009 Sales

If you are a WaTunes Label partner and have distributed your content through us, your August sales are now available. We will be transferring funds on November 2nd (which takes 3-5 business days) and will be issuing payments immediately after funds are fully transferred. If you have any questions regarding sales & royalties, please contact us.


VIP service to go monthly by November 1st, 2009


Starting on Sunday, November 1st, we will be offering the VIP services only on a monthly subscription basis and will be eliminating the yearly subscription fee. For just $14.95 a month you'll be able to get all the VIP services and much more!

VIP (Cost: $14.95 a month)
- Sell Unlimited Songs & Ringtones
- Get Your Music on iTunes, eMusic, Amazon, Rhapsody, Wal-Mart (and mobile stores like AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Vodaphone, Sprint, and more!)
- Earn 100% of your Royalties
- Sell Your Music on ALL Music Store Services
- Get Considered for Marketing Placements (on-site and at the music stores)
- Fast Delivery to iTunes (1-4 weeks of delivery for Priority Contents).
- Get FREE iTunes Weekly Trending Reports
- New Music Store Offerings
- And More!

New Commenting System & News System

As you can see, we've added new features for your leisure. Now you'll be able to post comments to your favorite artists and your friends. Be able to share information on whats new with other profile users. We also have a new 'News' section that is available on every page on the site to keep you updated on what's happening at WaTunes! These are features that will be able to make your social music experience more pleasant. If you have any questions regarding these new updates, please let us know.

Introducing the new iTunes Sync feature

Hey guys,

Great new features are rolling out as we move forward to the end of the year. One of the great new features we have now is the new iTunes Sync feature. This enables you to sync your iTunes Artist Pages to your WaTunes profile. With this great new development you'll be able to easily draw your fans to buy your music on iTunes directly from your WaTunes Profile.

Q: So how do you get started?


Simple. Log in to your WaTunes account and follow the instructions below:

1: Click on Edit Profile
2: In the Contact Info input your iTunes ID
3: Your iTunes ID is your artist name (For Example: Michael Jackson would be "michaeljackson", The Big Blue Band would be "thebigblueband", etc.).
4: Click on "Update Contact" to update your profile.
5: Click on the "View Profile" link to view your profile with your new iTunes button.

That's it! Now you can drive traffic from your WaTunes profile to iTunes to enable your fans to buy more of your music all in one go. As always please share with us your feedback on any features we add. Your feedback helps us make WaTunes an even greater experience.

New Site Updates + Building Your WaTunes Profile!

Hey guys,

We've updated our website a bit and have enabled a profile based feel. Please by all means, update your profile with as much information as you can as this will help build your presence in WaTunes. Now a lot of people have been asking me:

Q: If I go through another distributor, can I still be apart of WaTunes?

A: The answer is: Absolutely!

WaTunes is a very social driven service and enables anyone and everyone from any distributor or any website to showcase their music, attract new fans, and collaborate with new and interesting artists without using the WaTunes distribution service. Get all of your information from one place through WaTunes and much more.

So if you're a WaTunes user, updating your WaTunes profile is the first step to building exposure in a mature space. Promoting your WaTunes profile is also a great way to gain exposure, increase sales, and give you fans instant interaction through your Profile. Are you on Skype? Then update your WaTunes profile to enable fans and fellow artists to give you an instant call, all for FREE!

Without further delays, I introduce you guys to check out our new updates and have fun building your profiles!

How to Receive Sales Reports & Payments

Hey guys,

I know most of you have been trying to figure out how to view your sales reports and receive payments. Here I will update you guys with information that you MUST KNOW in order for us to post your sales reports to your accounts correctly and issue your payments accordingly.

Step 1 - Making sure your Label Name is correct

When distributing your music through us, make sure that your Label field is filled out. If you are Unsigned, please input your Artist Name. This enables us to have you view your sales reports by your own accord and our system will recognize any content you submit to us through that Label name. You can input your Label Name in the "Label" field by logging into your account, click on "Edit Profile", then under the Information tab, input your Label Name. If you do NOT see a "Label" field in your Information tab, please contact Tech Support and provide them with your e-mail/pass so that they can run your account in Diagnostics and get you on the right track.

Step 2 - Inputting your PayPal E-mail Address

Unless you're receiving payments via Check, it is REQUIRED that you input your PayPal E-mail address into the "PayPal E-mail" field. This enables our system to issue your payments much rapidly and in a timely fashion.

Step 3 - Making sure you're able to view your Sales Reports

Once you've completed the previous steps, make sure that you are able to view your sales reports via the Sales tab. To do this, login to your account and click on "Edit Profile". Next, choose the Sales tab and select the stores you wish to view and choose "Get Dates". If you see information like "Sort by Date", "Sort by Country", "Sort by Label" then you are able to view your sales reports correctly.

If you are unable to view your sales reports via the Sales tab, please contact Tech Support and provide them with your e-mail/pass so that they can run your account in Diagnostics and fix the issue. Once these steps are completed and everything is OK, you are fully enabled to receive your sales reports and payments.

Now here is the question that is on everyone's mind?

Q: What is the payment cycle and when will I get paid?

A: WaTunes posted and issues reports every 60 days after the last day of every month.

Examples:

July Sales = Late September/Early October
August Sales = Late October/Early November
September Sales = Late November/Early December

Please understand that there may be times when we have sales delays and delays in payments. If you have questions, comments, or concerns regarding royalties, please contact us at anytime.

WaTunes (Music Store Listing)

Hey guys,

Alot of you are wondering what music stores we distribute. Below is a full-list of music stores that we service. Remember that we only deliver contents to iTunes for FREE!

iTunes
iTunes US
iTunes EU
iTunes CA
iTunes JP
iTunes NZ
iTunes MX
iTunes AU

eMusic
eMusic US
eMusic UK
eMusic EU
eMusic CA

Rhapsody

Amazon
AmazonMP3
Amazon ON-DEMAND

MediaNet Digital
MOG
iLike
Ultimate Guitar
Zune
Tesco Digital
HMV
iMesh
JVL
Synacor
ClearWire
Road Runner Music
Charter
Echospin
eSnips
FYE
Complete Playlists
Displayware
Tune Wiki
VoiceBox
Jamdown Digital
La Curacao
MixZing
WebTunes
WaTunes
Get Green Music
Our Song
MyMusicSociety
Moozone
J. River

ShockHound

Wal-Mart

VidZone Digital
3 Mobile
AT&T
Bebo
Bell Mobility
Bilka
Bouygues
BTJ
Coca Cola
Deluxe TV
Expert
Fitliving
Gucca
iLoaded
i-Musica
Mediadis
Moviezoo
Movistar
MSN Music
Mueller
Music Station
MUZU
Netmusik
Optimus
Pannon
Play.com
Playstation 3
Prefueled
Serbia Telecom
Shaazam
Siminn
Skivlagret
Sky Songs
PlayNow Arena
Telefonica
Telenor
Telia Sonera
TELUS Mobility
Terra
Tesco Mobile
T-Mobile
Tonlist
Verizon
Virgin Mobile
Vodaphone
Wanadoo

Music Videos Now Available on Playstation 3!

Hey guys,

Exciting times are head. We are updating our new Content Delivery System that will automate the process of deliveries to all music store services as well as to unveil our Music Video distribution service and pricing (Music Video distribution fees do apply to both VIP customers & FREE customers).

With Music Video distribution through WaTunes, you'll have the ability to deliver your Music Videos to iTunes, VidZone, and other music store services that carries video content. Our pricing will include all music video store channels and unlimited inventory.

Another great news is that for those of you who have try out our Music Video distribution service while it was in BETA testing, I am proud to say that your contents are now available at VidZone (Playstation 3).

WaTunes to Offer Free Distribution to itunes!

Recently I had the good fortune of speaking with Kevin Rivers. Kevin is the founder and CEO of WaTunes an online digital media distribution company. At the time, WaTunes was getting ready to launch the next generation of services that they are calling the WaTunes New Experience. I had Kevin walk me through the particulars of the upcoming program. I picked his brain on how the service will work and how it will benefit musicians. He was willing to explain to me, step-by-step, everything about the upcoming WaTunes service and its marketing arm Music Expand. Below is an overview of the company. For a full detailed review click here .

Overview

There are really three parts to the WaTunes experience within two companies. There is WaTunes, which includes both digital distribution and social networking for musicians, music fans, record labels and the like and Music Expand, which handles marketing and promotion. WaTunes describes itself this way:

“WaTunes is a social media distribution service that enables artists, groups, and record labels to sell music, music videos, and audio books through leading online entertainment retailers, including iTunes, ShockHound, and eMusic. Artists and labels can sell unlimited music and earn 100% of their profits – ALL FOR FREE!”

WaTunes was established in 2006. The original concept of WaTunes was as a community forum for music artists to meet together and share their music. This eventually grew into a record label under the name Xeinge (pronounced gee-en-gee). In 2006 Rivers decided to offer distribution to Itunes. Xeinge began to add stores and other distributors to their service, and started to find flaws in the distribution models that they were utilizing. So they decided to handle the distribution themselves. This is when the company WaTunes was created under the parent company Xeinge. In an effort to broaden the services offered by the company Rivers will be adding a social networking concept with a number of innovative features. The hope is that through this addition WaTunes will be able to better cater to musicians and music fans alike. Rivers has also developed services in music marketing and promotion. Music Expand, launched early February of 2009, is a marketing and promotion service that is set up to benefit musicians and musical groups (however, they are reportedly capable of marketing and promoting any business or service through their marketing and promotion specialists). Music Expand offers a wide variety of services that can be chosen individually, and combined to ones specific preference.

Be sure to check out the full review at: http://onlineartistpromotion.com/watunes.

WaTunes Inks Deal with Amazon for new CD service!

Hey guys,

For those who has been itching to get your music on AmazonMP3, not only have your prayers been answered, but it is official that WaTunes has partnered with Amazon to offer you Amazon On-Demand! With Amazon On-Demand, you'll be able to sell physical CDs on the Amazon store as well as digital downloads on AmazonMP3. Now you can take control of your complete music products and bring them into the physical CD world. Even though CD sales are declining, they are still a huge by product of your sales. We highly recommend that you go for Amazon On-Demand if you are selling a full-length (10 tracks or more) album.

Q: So what does this mean for VIP customers?

As a VIP customer, you'll be able to OPT-IN into Amazon On-Demand + AmazonMP3 entirely free as apart of your $29.95 yearly fee. As always, you'll be entitled to earn 100% of your royalties (about 40% paid out to every artist through Amazon On-Demand). If you're a VIP customer and you are selling only singles, you can still OPT-IN into the AmazonMP3 store for digital downloads.

Q: So what does this mean for Free customers?

As a Free customer, you now have the option to OPT-IN into the Amazon On-Demand + AmazonMP3 service for $10 per album. Normally, you are able to sell your music entirely free into iTunes, eMusic, and ShockHound. Now, you'll be able to optimize your music into physical CDs and sell them on Amazon at the lowest cost possible with no annual fees. As always, you'll be entitled to earn 100% of your royalties (about 40% paid out to every artist through Amazon On-Demand). If you only want to OPT-IN into AmazonMP3 you can still do so for $10 per album (including singles).

WaTunes Marketing Partner Launches New Store!

Hey guys,

I am proud to say that our sister company Music Expand has re-launched into a brand new marketing store! Now you'll be able to shop for your own marketing & promotional services. Need radio promotions? Not a problem! Music Expand can get the job done! Need PR Distribution? No sweat! Music Expand works with leading PR Networks to expand your web presence. Need ad placements? Easy! Music Expand works with leading social sites including Facebook to get your banners available to the masses! If you guys need some marketing & promotions for the low cost, now you can get it at Music Expand with ease. WaTunes artists, I'd advise you guys to check it out!

Simon Adams of MyMusicSuccess.com Shares His Experience with WaTunes!

Kandystand Website | Kandystand on iTunes

WaTunes Now Offers iTunes Daily Trending Reports!

Hey guys,

Wow what a day! Been creating and developing here and there for WaTunes New Experience, it's becoming a handful...No I'm just kidding. Anyways, we got some very great announcements. As of today, WaTunes is among the first offer iTunes Daily Trending Reports to both Free Users and VIPs for just $1.99 per report. Now you'll be able to see how your sales are doing on a day-to-day basis. No longer do you have to wait a week or even a month to see your sales.

So how do you get started?

Simple. Login to your WaTunes account, click on our new 'Sales/Trend Report' page which will take you to the sales page. Finally submit your $1.99 fee and request to receive your iTunes Daily Trending Report from up to 7 days. So for example, today is July 17th, you can request your Trending Report from as early as July 10th. So why wait? Request your daily reports and see how your sales are doing on a day-to-day today!

The Real Camilly on ACIDPlanet.com

WaTunes gives hot new artists spotlight on iTunes!

As you already know, WaTunes is a place not only for online music distribution, but also a place to share your music with your fans. One of the key things that really makes a difference with WaTunes is that our goal is to not only distribute your music, but to provide possible marketing opportunities whenever we see the window. I am very excited to say that WaTunes has secured more features for our customers on iTunes and the show has only just begun. First off, Freakshow:



For those who may not know, Freakshow is one of the most anticipated rock/metal groups hailing from British Columbia, Canada. The group features Markus Allen Christopher (of M!SS CRAZY), Jeff La Bar (of Cinderella), Tony Franklin (of The Firm & Blue Murder), and the legendary Frank Banali (of Quiet Riot). Their debut album "Freakshow" by Retrospect Records as received critical acclaim from around the world. Here at WaTunes, we'd like to welcome them into our family and showcase their iTunes feature this week! If you're a rock fan, pick up your copy of Freakshow today!



Another unique artist coming into the shine is Jab:



Jab (also known as Joseph Gamache) is a entertainer with major proportions. Hailing from Flint, Michigan, Jab has delivered his lyrical works from touring cross country, providing a new twist in Hip-Hop to his fans. Signed to the refreshing and innovative label FrontStreet Records, Jab releases his latest single "Alright" and he won't stop there. Expect to see more from this artist and the label. We're happy to spread him some iTunes love and give him a spotlight feature! Pick up your copy of "Alright" today!

Enter the Michael Jackson Flash Mob!

Enjoy this video!

Radiohead Manager Start Label

Radiohead' manager's agency company, Nettwerk Music Group and MAMA Music Group are joining together to launch a new-model record label.

Radiohead manager Brian Message and company will launch Polyphonic Records, a label that reworks the standard industry structures. The label, which will put its emphasis on digital distribution, allows its artists to hold onto their copyrights, and plans to pay out royalty rates starting at about 50 percent, according to London's Telegraph.

Polyphonic is also considering using the free online distribution methods similar to Radiohead's online launch of In Rainbows, which brings those enormous royalty rates into focus a little better.

Lumberjack Mordam Music Group Goes Under. WaTunes Paves The Way For Digital Distribution for Lumberjack labels!

For those who aren't aware, (which is probably quite a few, since they are keeping it hush hush) our distributor, Lumberjack Mordam Music Group,, the once admirable and most independent minded punk rock distributor around, as well as the largest independent punk rock distributor, has recently shut their doors.

What does this mean?

Well, for one we have been ripped off for a lot of money.

Comparatively we made out quite well, as they started doing a piss poor job in the distribution dept anyway.(example; we sold approximately 700% more records before we signed with them, than after) But some labels have been taken for phenomenal amounts of money, enough to put any smaller label out of business.

We have been affected quite a bit by this, they have not only opted to NOT pay ANY of the money which was worked very hard for, but they also still maintain control of a lot of ours and other labels digital distro, which gives them the opportunity to continue to steal in perpetuity. We have sent numerous E mails, and hope to at least have them drop any digital distro that they have of ours.

But... on a slightly brighter note, we did get all of our physical product back, which was around 8000 bucks worth of stuff!, Unfortunately I know a few other labels that have not received any of their inventory back:(.
Obviously this has been a setback for us, as well as most other small independent punk labels.

We are (and will be) fine(which we are grateful for) we have 2 releases getting ready to come out, and a third release out in Oct. But nevertheless we can't hide the fact that this has, very much negatively affected our business.

When I first started this label about 5 years ago, I was a bit more naive, I was under the impression that D.I.Y punk rock was still alive and that the punk rock ethos were still firmly in place for those of us who believed, and tried to stay true to the culture of unity, non major or commercial interference, and the general respect, morals, and ethics that drew me to punk rock almost 20 years ago.

I can truly say now, after being involved in the business aspects (for this short 5 years), that the scene as I, and many others once knew it, is all but completely dead. Some of the things I have witnessed, or been asked to be a part of since starting this label, I can not describe in any other way than just plain "despicable". Pay to play magazines are "business as usual", most labels are out to bite the heads off of their comrades in the name of money, and places like Choke, Redeye, and LMMG, are/were nothing more than a way to monetize(at any cost) a scene that people like us, and labels like Asian Man, Alternative Tentacles, and many more great places and people have struggled to keep honest, accountable, DIY, and grounded as a counter culture movement of ethics, integrity, transparency and honesty.

As a whole (not as individual companies or people) I now find that punk rock has become not much more than a major label practice hiding in independent clothing.
Now please don't get me wrong. I still believe that there is a good percentage of great labels and business out there, that still struggle to maintain this spirit, zines like Razorcake, labels like "It's Alive", "Asian Man", "A.T" and way too many more too begin to mention. But from the inside looking out, the scene as a whole is a sad state of affairs.

Michael McCarty Joins Publisher Ole as President

Michael McCarty, who resigned from EMI Music Publishing Canada last week, has resurfaced this week as president of ole, a leading independent music publisher headquartered in Toronto. In his new job, McCarty reports to ole chairman and CEO Robert Ott.

McCarty, who had been president of EMI Music Publishing Canada since 1992 (Billboard.biz, July 3), began his publishing career as a creative manager at ATV Music Group Canada, and eventually became A&R director of SBK records and Publishing, based in Los Angeles.

After beginning his music career as a recording engineer and producer who worked with record producers like Bob Ezrin and Jack Richardson, he moved into music publishing where he played a key role in developing the careers of such artists and songwriters as Sum 41, Three Days Grace, Billy Talent, Alexisonfire, City and Colour, among others, according to the ole statement on his hiring. Also, McCarty was involved in the direct signing of Nelly Furtado to a U.S. deal.

"The entry of Michael as president marks a new era in the evolution of ole and we are fortunate to add an executive of his experience and integrity to our operation, ole's Ott said in a statement. "Michael is a bona fide music publisher with a real passion for songs and Creative development and we look forward to his contribution to ole's continued growth."

McCarty is a member of the Board of Directors of SOCAN, the Canadian Music Publishers Association (CMPA), the Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA), and was a founding director of the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.

R&B Group, Ju-Taun, Announces Release of Debut Album, Love Changes Things on iTunes!

New York -- New York, NY - July 7, 2009 - Ju-Taun, most notable for their exuberant, richly orchestrated, fusion of vintage soul and contemporary R&B/Pop, have announced the release of their highly-anticipated debut album, Love Changes Things, available June 30th worldwide. The high-energy dance track "Get @ Me," will be the lead single. The album
is being distributed by BFM Digital ( http://www.bfmdigital.com ), a leading digital music aggregator and distributor of independent music.

Ju-Taun are known well for performing live along with Chris Brown, Ashanti, Avant, Life Jennings, Jagged Edge, Mary Mary, 112, Tyrese, Carl Thomas and fellow New Jersey native, Jaheim. They have also been noted as "#1 MTV's Top Pop Group Personality" by lamonmtv.com and listed as the "Top 10 new R&B artist" by Billboard.com.

The tracks off of Love Changes Things, combine powerful, story-centric lyrics that have captured the hearts of fans and the praise of critics. "If nothing else, our desire is that those who listen to this album will truly feel the love that flows from it," says Jamie of Ju-Taun.

Possessing a repertoire of lyrical and musical talent far beyond their years, Ju-Taun has toured with the likes of noteworthy musical icons such as Bloodstone, Enchantment, Atlantic Star, Instant Funk, Rose Royce, SOS Band, and the world renowned Temptations.

For more information on Ju-Taun, please see: www.myspace.com/jutaun


About BFM Digital, Inc.
BFM Digital is a global digital music company committed to serving the independent music community and delivering quality music, spoken word and video content to leading online retailers worldwide. Representing a diverse catalog of indie labels, artists and publishers, BFM distributes to all of the major music services including iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, eMusic, Napster, Walmart, Nokia and many more. With an unparalleled commitment to personalized service, BFM works closely with their content.

Xeinge Offers Labels a Digital Direct Delivery Platform

From Hypebot:

Xeinge, the parent company of WaTunes and Music Expand, has added a proffessional digital delivery platform to its portfolio dubbed Vidyps. The goal is to make direct digital delivery affordable for record companies and distributors amd to help manage and deliver those assets. iTunes, eMusic, Napster, Rhapsody, MediaNet, and Urfilez are already compatible with the platform.

“With Vidyps, we’ve pushed the envelope, making our delivery technology open to any record company or distributor. Now every company has the ability to be able to easily delivery mass amounts of content to their digital media partners with easy usability. We are very excited to be able to offer this technology to other record companies and distributors worldwide. ” said Kevin Rivers, Founder and CEO of Xeinge.

“Vidyps makes delivering your music to the music stores faster, easier, and more convenient. Now any record label who has a direct agreement with a digital service can easily deliver their music contents automatically, using this state-of-the-art technology.” said Vladimir Milicev, Senior Vice President of Technology of Xeinge

Michael Jackson sales surge expected to last months

NEW YORK/DENVER (Billboard) - In the days following Michael Jackson's June 25 death, fans flocked to record stores and digital music outlets to purchase one last memory. And merchants say they expect the Jackson sales surge to last for weeks -- maybe even months.

"With the around-the-clock coverage and questions about his death, this story will keep going, with every development giving it a new bit of life," says Kerry Fly, vice president of purchasing and marketing at wholesaler Eurpac.

Jackson's solo album sales in the United States skyrocketed from 10,000 copies in the week before his death to 422,000 in the week ended June 28, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

During the same period, U.S. track downloads surged from about 48,000 copies to 2.6 million. The week of his death, the best-selling track was "Thriller" at 167,000 copies, and the top-selling album was "Number Ones" at 108,000.

In the United Kingdom, Jackson held 11 of the top 200 album positions and 43 of the top 200 singles based on sales monitored by the Official Charts Co. for the week ended June 27. Despite the inclusion of only two full days of sales after Jackson's death, "Number Ones" topped the OCC album chart after selling 46,400 physical copies and 10,000 downloads. "Thriller" also reached the top 10 for album at No. 7, with combined physical and digital sales of 14,900.

Among Jackson's best-selling albums in the United States during the week ended June 28, the split was sharp between physical and digital retailers, which appeared to relate to the availability of titles at physical retailers. Anticipation of a Sony price cut on catalog titles appeared to prompt U.S. retailers to stock popular greatest-hits collections like "Number Ones" instead of studio albums like "Thriller" or less popular compilations like "The Essential Michael Jackson."

From the day of Jackson's death until the following Tuesday (June 30), U.S. retailers of physical CDs had ordered about 3 million of his Sony Music Entertainment albums, while international orders hovered around 5 million copies, sources say. Although Sony had to scramble to meet demand, it got high marks for getting Jackson product to stores June 29, after most retailers had sold out of the artist's inventory during the weekend.

Universal Music Group, which owns the Motown label, caught a break when it experienced a smaller run on the Jackson 5 catalog: It had already shipped plenty of product as part of its Motown 50th-anniversary promotions.

"By dumb luck, we weren't completely caught off guard," says Universal Music Group Distribution president/CEO Jim Urie. He notes that the company also shipped the rest of its Jackson 5 inventory and had U.S. orders for 300,000 album copies as of June 30, which will be back-ordered until July 6.

ALLOCATING LIMITED SUPPLIES

Sony wasn't as lucky. The supply of solo Jackson CDs in the U.S. market was relatively low at the time of his death because 13 of his albums were part of the major's previously announced move to reduce prices on 8,000 catalog titles. The price cuts, which kicked in June 29, lowered the wholesale cost of the standard version of "Thriller" and "Off the Wall" from $9 and $7.81, respectively, to $6.40 and $5.40.

With the price change imminent, retailers had been waiting to reorder product at the new price. But when Jackson died, those pricing considerations went out the window.

"On Friday morning, I got out of bed and went straight to my computer to order Jackson product," says Dedry Jones, owner of indie retailer the Music Experience in Chicago. "I didn't care about old price/new price. People aren't asking price on Jackson. They are just buying it."

Faced with massive demand, Sony decided to ration product rather than try to fulfill entire orders, according to retail sources. So the entire account base received enough product to get through June 29, with new shipments arriving the next day.

"Sony is rationing Jackson product, but they did right by us," says Carl Mello, head of purchasing for New England-based retailer Newbury Comics. "Of course, they didn't ship us what we ordered, but they got us in more than I expected. The rest of our order will come in during the week." Continued...

Sony Music, IODA Partners for Digital Distribution Network

Sony Music Entertainment has entered into a global partnership with IODA to create a new distribution and services network for independent rights holders. As part of the partnership, Sony Music has made a strategic investment in IODA, a company that handles digital distribution, marketing and technology for the independent music industry. With a catalog of almost two million tracks from thousands of labels, IODA represents a diverse catalog of music spanning all genres.

This agreement underscores Sony Music's commitment to expanding its service capabilities for independent labels, in keeping with its independent distribution subsidiary, RED. With distinct areas of expertise and market focus, RED and IODA will build on their complementary technologies and increase the scope of sales and promotional opportunities that each currently offers to its existing customer base.

"Sony Music is committed to offering independent labels and distributors the most compelling package of distribution services in the industry," said Thomas Hesse, President, Global Digital Business, U.S. Sales and Corporate Strategy, Sony Music Entertainment. "IODA has proven it has the expertise and ability to lead the independent market with groundbreaking digital solutions. We look forward to collaborating with [IODA Founder and CEO] Kevin Arnold and his team on this strategic partnership to develop new and innovative ways to help our respective clients grow their businesses."

Arnold added, "Sony really impressed us with their respect for, and understanding of the needs of the independent community. We remain, as we always have, fully dedicated to helping independent content owners succeed in the digital world. This alliance will greatly enhance IODA’s ability to continue delivering effective solutions for Independents.