hypebot

Rolling Stones Involve Fans Interactively Via Cell

From CelebrityAccess MediaWire - The Rolling Stones "A Bigger Bang" World Tour will give fans a chance to have their ticket exchanged and upgraded for a seat on stage.

Stones concert goers are encouraged to bring their cell phones to the concert and dial the reserved Rolling Stones code, 25852, and enter the word "Stones" (no additional charges, standard text messaging fee applies). Winners will be chosen through a random draw and will be escorted with one guest onto the stage for the performance. Rolling Stones fans without a cell-phone can also enter to win by filling out an "On-Stage upgrade" ballot which will be available in the lobby of all venues.

The Stones' "A Bigger Bang" World Tour kicks off at Fenway Park, in Boston on August 21st. Ticket sales have reached record highs, with fans already purchasing 98% of all tickets currently available for sale.

DIGITAL MUSIC NEWS - WEEK IN REVIEW

• A slate of second quarter earnings announcements were released this week. RealNetworks posted respectable subscriber, revenue and profit gains, with music helping to bolster gains. Sirius Satellite Radio also posted strong subscriber and revenue gains, though net losses were sizeable. Napster posted doubled revenues, though net loss figures remained worrisome. And Warner Music revealed its earnings card Thursday, showing a modest net loss alongside a small revenue gain. Digital revenues now account for 6 percent of overall sales receipts at the major label. Finally, iRiver-owner Reigncom recently crossed into the black.
• Apple was quite active this week, launching an iTunes Music Store in Japan.
• And HP terminated its iPod co-brand program.
• P2P volume increased in July, with BigChampagne reporting a sharp increase in average simultaneous users.
• MTV was also in the news this week, revealing plans to push concert footage from 50 Cent and Eminem exclusively to broadband viewers. Coverage will then extend to "linear" television, but only after the exclusive broadband window.
• The satellite radio sector was also active. Ford listed several new models that will carry factory-installed Sirius receivers, further intensifying that relationship. And global satellite radio provider WorldSpace fetched $241.5 million in a recent Nasdaq IPO.
• Elsewhere, word of an upcoming Amazon music store circulated this week, with the company seeking a new recruit to manage content licensing.

New Book: "The Art Of Digital Music"

A new book The Art Of Digital Music is getting some buzz and seems worth a read.  We have not seen a full copy yet, but here is an overview from the book's web site:

"Recordable CDs now outsell conventional discs by more than 7 to 1 as millions of music enthusiasts rush to create their own personal soundtracks. Today, nearly every piece of music we hear is touched by digital technology. Following the trajectory of other revolutions such as desktop publishing, musical tools have finally reached that magical intersection of power, ease of use, and standardization that enables the average person to unleash the music that’s within them. And world-class artists have benefited even more from this new creative freedom."

"This book is designed to instruct and inspire two groups of readers: those who want to use technology to make better music, and those who want to learn how technology is changing the way music is created, experienced, and shared. Unlike a typical how-to book, The Art of Digital Music will captivate readers by showing them firsthand how top artists — pioneers such as Alan Parsons, Herbie Hancock, BT, Todd Rundgren, Steve Reich, and Phil Ramone — use digital technology in their work."

"In addition to interviews with artistic pioneers, The Art of Digital Music features lively discussions with...the producers, engineers, software wizards, and Internet visionaries who are shaping the sound of the future. The authors enhance the book with numerous how-to sidebars and provocative pull quotes..."

Amazon has the book on sale at discount here.

AMAZON.COM TAPS DYLAN & NORAH JONES TO CELELBRATE 10TH ANNIVERSARY

With an event that affirms the power of music as a marketing mainstay, Yahoo!Music reports that Amazon.com is sponsoring a concert featuring Bob Dylan and Norah Jones to celebrate the web giant's 10th anniversary next month.

"...The concert will be streamed live on the Internet retailer's home page the evening of July 16 — 10 years after Chairman and CEO Jeff Bezos officially launched the virtual bookstore. "

"Bill Maher will serve as host for the actual concert at Benaroya Hall...Amazon's Seattle-area employees will be invited to attend. Tickets will not be sold to the general public...."

"...In 2004, it posted nearly $7 billion in revenue and its second profitable year selling everything from tools, makeup and gardening supplies to Maine lobsters, cameras and loose diamonds."

New Book "The Future Of Music - A Manifesto For The Digital Music Revolution " An Industry Must Read

THE FUTURE OF MUSIC - A Manifesto For The Digital Music Revolution is a new book that takes a hard and creative look at where the music industry is headed in the digital age.  It is a must read for both professionals and fans who don't want to be left behind by changes in technology and consumer preferences.

One of the smartest and most out-of-the box music industry thinkers we know, Mike Dreese (the co-founder of the Newbury Comics indy music store chain near Boston) says, "Kusek and Leonhard lay out critical visions of the past, present, and future. A must-read for music and media culture futurists."

The authors have also set up a pretty cool blog too that you can check out here.

VERIZON & CLEAR CHANNEL BRING CONCERTS TO CELL PHONES

(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) Verizon Wireless and Clear Channel Entertainment Properties haved launched the V CAST Encore Channel exclusive to Verizon Wireless V CAST customers, broadcasting concert performances from artists in rock, pop, alternative, country, world and hip-hop. Concert performances will be broadcast in the days following select live shows for one week. Artists and songs available for viewing rotate as new performances take place around the country.

The V CAST Encore Channel is a continuation of Verizon Wireless' focus on delivering music to its customers, which began with ringtones and then evolved to Ringback Tones. The V CAST launch earlier this year offered customers full-length music videos. "Our relationship with Clear Channel Entertainment Properties brings a broad range of popular artists to our wireless multimedia service," said John Stratton, vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless. "Clear Channel's unparalleled artist relationships will allow our V CAST customers to see and listen to concert performances from artists they love - regardless of whether their tastes are pop or alternative, country or hip- hop."

...Within days of a recent concert, each participating artist will offer a few of their songs for a limited time on the V CAST Encore Channel in the Entertainment category on Verizon Wireless V CAST-enabled wireless phones. For example, at launch V CAST customers can tune in to watch three songs from Velvet Revolver's May 18 show in Pittsburgh.

For more and a list of upcoming V Cast shows click below.

ARE NEW EXPANDED RANDOM PLALISTS REALLY THE FUTURE OF RADIO?

From The Chicago Sun Times " Calling it a 'redefinition' of its alternative rock music format, WKQX-FM is expanding its playlist from 200 to nearly 1,000 songs and reaching back over 25 years in the genre. Starting at 10 a.m. Friday, the Emmis Communications station will declare that its music is 'on shuffle' -- evoking the jargon of iPods embraced by its primary target audience of listeners between the ages of 25 and 34."

"The format adjustment comes just days after Q-101 posted an all-time low 1.4% audience share in the latest Arbitrends."

"Mike Stern, vice president of programming for Emmis Radio Chicago... emphasized that the playlist expansion has more to do with changing lifestyles and new technology..."

"'As consumers become used to having a wide variety of choices available to them, radio has to find ways to step up to that challenge and remain relevant to our listeners' lives,' Stern said..".

"Q-101 tested the 'on shuffle' playlist concept last weekend and reported overwhelmingly favorable listener response."

HYPEBOT: We've been reading about these kind of expanded playlist formats and recently listening to a more "classics" version of it in LA (JACK-FM formerly The Arrow) and we have to admit that it's fun to hear a broader mix of songs and that the random or shuffle concept leads to some interesting combinations.  But we've heard nothing about how these formats will mix in new music; and isn't it sad that a random computer can mix music more creatively than the jocks and PD's?

These new experiments are interesting and even fun; but they are not the "great radio" needed to keep people tuning in.  The seeds of our bet on the future of broadcast radio can be heard (without commercials) on some of the better XM channels and on a few Internet stations like RadioParadise where the purposely play the Stones next to a new alternative band with some world music in between and make it all make sense.  It is in sharing these kind of moments of discovery that lies radio's best hopes for the future.  Just like in the early days of AOR; listening to radio needs to feel like joining and exclusive club again.

Read the full article here.

Music Retailers Face Tough Holiday Season

From HollywoodReporter.com: "The manager at the front door of the Apple Store in the Grove shopping center in Los Angeles was smiling broadly late Friday afternoon. It was the day after Thanksgiving, the store was swarming with customers and, he said, sales of iPod digital music players were doing very well. "It's been a very good day," said the manager, who declined to identify himself, citing a company prohibition against speaking to the press. "It's probably a good day for all retailers." Not necessarily. While Apple shoppers were banking on music's digital future...things weren't looking merry and bright for conventional music retailers on "Black Friday" - the traditional opening shot of the Christmas shopping season. This holiday season will be critical for the music business. After experiencing some gains beginning in late 2003, the industry has sagged again recently. Album sales for the year to date have increased just 3.2% over last year, according to the most recent figures from Nielsen SoundScan."