Even More On Music
Posted by anastasia on 01-22-2007
As an addendum to Paul’s look at the future of music, I’m going to round up a few big music stories happening today. First off BusinessWeek reports that Ruckus is expanding to offer its free legal music service to anyone with a valid .edu email address. The company hopes to wean young people off illegal music in college and then upsell them to a paid service once they graduate. Problem is, the service still doesn’t work with iPods, eliminating the majority of its potential customers.
Next up, the New York Times, reg. required, follows up its reporting on the arrest of DJ Drama with a look at how the music industry is simultaneously benefiting from the promotion and buzz building mixed tapes offer while trying to shut down large distributors. Sounds like the same tension between the legal and marketing departments in TV land, no?
The Associated Press is reporting that indie labels are signing up with Merlin, “a non-profit licensing agency that will cut deals on their behalf with download sites and mobile services.” Merlin will partner with SnoCap to sell these songs on MySpace. For incredibly detailed coverage of the music conference in Cannes where these announcements are coming from, check out Paid Content.
Wired is reporting that Other Music, a little record store in Manhattan, will soon sell “high-quality MP3s from Pitchfork-friendly bands, without using digital rights management of any kind” in late February. There is also an interview with Other Music co-owner Josh Madell. Sign up for updates here.
Finally the Washington Post, reg. required, is reporting that Paula DeAnda star is on the rise…”what sets her apart from other R&B-inflected popsters is her relatability, poise and relative wholesomeness.” She is also being compared to Selena. And, if you haven’t heard of Lilly Allen, the 21-year-old from Britain whose website should be the poster child for music 2.0, check her out. She’s also a sneakerhead and is being considered for an upcoming Nike campaign.
Update: The New York Times, reg. required, is reporting that a few big labels are considering releasing some music DRM-free…
Categorized under: Movies & Music