shiny dot bulletin

Earlier this year Sony BMG launched a new physical format called the “ringle”. The ringle, in case you missed the mega-hoopla this mega-brain fart created (smell the mega-sarcasm?), consists of three songs: one popular track, a remix, an older track from the same artist and a ringtone.

In my not so humble opinion, the ringle definitely represents one of the most misdirected music industry initiatives of 2007. If only the music industry folks had their own version of the Darwin awards…

Now it looks like Warner France is trying its own hand with the release of the “Artist Box” - a new physical format which bundles a CD with memorabilia such as caps, bracelets and photos.

I’d just like to take a moment to point out that this “memorabilia” (read: schwag) used to be FREE. These promotional items were special and had currency because they were LIMITED and you could only get them if you were in the know… ie: listened to the right radio station, went to the right event, entered an online contest etc etc.

If you’re thinking this all smells a bit 360, you couldn’t be closer to the truth. I too was wanting to compare the Artist Box to the 360 deal but guess what? The dots are already connected - this initiative is actually entrenched in the 360 quagmire already.

“We remain convinced that a large share of the audience also likes to own objects belonging to their artist’s universe,” says Emmanuel Mougin-Pivert, GM of Warner Music France 360-degree division, in a statement.

Yes, they do, but once that t-shirt or trucker hat or autographed photo becomes regular merchandise, it loses all promotional value, provides no ego-hit to the music lover, has zero value for trading among friends… etc. It’s not cool anymore.

This is yet another example of how the majors continue to maniacally suck dry any last remaining magic from music. An Artist Box will run you about $50.

Source: Billboard.com

Technorati Tags: artist box, ringle, schwag, sony bmg, warner france

A bill in the works could cut off federal funding for financial aid if universities don’t stop their students from filesharing.

From Alternet:

On Nov 22 the House Education and Labor Committee approved H.R. 4137, the College Opportunity and Affordability Act (COAA). The name sounds like something everyone can support — but the devil is truly in the details.

Page 411 of this 747-page bill is “Section 494(A): CAMPUS-BASED DIGITAL THEFT PREVENTION” wherein the bill’s meaning takes a serious detour from its title. To prevent college students from illegally accessing copyrighted material, the section says all schools shall (when you see the word “shall” in a law, it’s a requirement, not a suggestion):

1) Have “a plan for offering alternatives to illegal downloading or peer-to-peer distribution of intellectual property” and

2) Have “a plan to explore technology based deterrents to prevent such illegal activity.”

The craziest thing about this is that noncompliant schools would lose all their federal funding, for all their students. No more Pell Grants. No more federal financial aid. No more student loans. This is not just draconian punishment for students who break the law, this punishes all students at that institution even if they did nothing!

Read the rest at Alternet.

Technorati Tags: College Opportunity and Affordability Act, filesharing

Nokia and Universal sitting in a tree, music still not d-r-m-f-r-e-e…

Story number one: Nokia’s Plan for Unlimited Music Rocks Industry

FRANKFURT/AMSTERDAM, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Nokia’s plan to offer customers unlimited music on cell phones challenges the dominant pay-per-track model and could upset carriers already worried that it is poaching their customers.

The world’s biggest cell phone maker said on Tuesday it agreed with top record label Universal Music Group to give buyers of particular Nokia devices unlimited access to millions of tracks for a year and let them to keep the music afterwards.

Nokia hopes the deal with the unit of Vivendi, whose artists include 50 Cent, Sting and Mariah Carey, will be followed by agreements with the remaining three major labels, to whom it is already talking.

Sounds great, right? Makes you rethink that anti-Universal stance… sure - that is until you read story number two:

Devilish Details Emerge on Nokia, Universal Music Pact

Nokia is seriously expanding its music content offering, but users may be disappointed by a number of restrictions. The new initiative, called “Nokia Comes With Music,” was first disclosed Tuesday morning during a larger presentation in Amsterdam. The first taker is Universal Music Group, which is offering access to its entire catalog to buyers of certain high-end Nokia devices. Users will be able to download music from the Universal library, but most importantly, they will be allowed to keep downloads after a one-year trial subscription.

If that sounds too good to be true, the reason is that it is. In an article published Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal added new details, and pointed to a number of restrictions. As expected, the tracks themselves will be wrapped in DRM, though the Journal notes that users “won’t be able to make multiple copies,” though they can transfers tracks between the device and a PC. But the experience excludes the transfer of songs to portable music players like the iPod, and prohibits the burning of songs to CD-Rs or the sharing of content with friends - all freedoms allowed by MP3s.

“Almost” only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

Technorati Tags: nokia, universal

via mypoproks

Daniel Lanois, best known for his production work with U2, announced that he will release his new album “Here Is What Is” as a digital download via RedFloorRecords.com on December 15th.

[snip]

Lanois is also planning to release a 6 album series of unreleased material from his career called the “Omni Series.” He is currently in the studio producing U2’s new album with Brian Eno.

This is all VERY EXCITING news… all of it. I think Lanois is terribly understated in our culture’s musical bag of tricks and as for collaboration, maybe, just maybe, we’ll get a U2 album with some soul… I’m holding out for Joshua Tree Pt. 2.

Technorati Tags: brian+eno, daniel+lanois, U2

Proves the point that animals should be seen, not heard.

‘Jingle Bells’ in Dog Barks? No Thanks
By ALEX MINDLIN,
The New York Times
Posted: 2007-12-03 10:06:39

(Dec. 3) — America’s least-loved Christmas song is a Danish recording of “Jingle Bells,” performed in dog barks. The song — which enjoyed brief success in the United States in 1955 and 1970 — took last place in a test of 579 Christmas recordings, performed by Edison Media Research. Edison played the songs for a national sample of 200 women aged 30 to 49, recruited via e-mail, who said that they either liked or loved Christmas music.

Source: AOL

No wonder the sample size was so dreadfully small… could you imagine having to sit through 579 audio clips of Christmas music?

We kind of already suspected that, but it feels good to have Radiohead confirm it, non?

Ed O’Brien tells The Observer in an interview to be published next week that the band did want to renue [sic] their contract with EMI, but found it impossible to strike a deal with the label’s new owner Guy Hands, head of private equity company Terra Firma.

He explains, “EMI is in a state of flux. It’s been taken over by somebody who’s never owned a record company before, Guy Hands and Terra Firma, and they don’t realise what they’re dealing with.

“It was really sad to leave all the people. But he wouldn’t give us what we wanted. He didn’t know what to offer us. Terra Firma doesn’t understand the music industry.”

Source: gigwise.com

There should be no surprises here - Terra Firma were never in this for the love of music.

From Saturday’s digital music news:

Private equity firms are specialists in plucking distressed companies, revitalizing business lines, and flipping rich profits in the process. That is the rough roadmap for Terra Firma, which purchased EMI Group several months ago but is now sitting on a potential lemon.

Just recently, London-based Times Online disclosed more details on the ongoing strategy. Terra is reportedly planning to install a chief executive by the end of January, but seeking an outside figure. Additionally, the company is planning to flip the company by 2012 for £9.4 billion ($19.3 billion), more than triple the buying price of £2.4 billion ($4.94 billion), which does not include a considerable debt assumption.

That is a rather lofty expectation, especially in light of current downturns, though Terra may be considering a massive model overhaul. Terra also aims to chip £100 million ($205.7 million) in annual costs, according to the report.

Technorati Tags: emi, guy+hands, radiohead, terra+firma