Wednesday Bits & Pieces: Google’s War Chest is Key to Music Service, mSpot Goes Mobile & more…
App Approved
In case anyone had forgotten about Google’s plans to unleash a music service, a reminder comes in the form of new reports that the company is still in the process of negotiating with the labels for a launch next year, and their biggest, and most obvious bargaining chip, is lots of money, tens of millions in fact according to recent speculation. While it was originally thought that Google would first unveil a paid download type of service by the end of this year, similar to iTunes, ahead of moving toward the primary goal of a online music locker, indications now are that they’ll bypass a download store in favor of cloud-based streaming right out of the gate. Reasons for the delay in launch may include infighting over control of the music project, and failure to acquire an already built infrastructure in the form of Spotify or Rhapsody, rather than building something completely new. Matt Rosoff has the scuttlebutt at SAI… Speaking of music streaming, start up mSpot has gotten approval for their free iPhone app, which essentially provides the same desktop-to-mobile music synching feature that everyone is waiting for Apple or Google to launch, though as MediaMemo points out, the company currently has no licenses with the labels. A situation that seems to leave the company in a position to either be targeted for legal action or acquisition… The crux of the digital music dilemma is most often that technology innovators and content holders find themselves at an impasse, with the new distribution system, telecommunication companies, keeping their distance from the wrangle. Looking to the future, comments this week from Jean-Bernard Lévy, CEO of Vivendi, parent company of Universal Music Group among many others, could be seen as revealing. In discussing the company’s expanding umbrella and concentration on new businesses, Lévy said, ”The worlds of telecoms networks and content are merging,” – “And we are in the middle.”… Elsewhere, Yahoo has confirmed the already well documented layoffs, that total 600 staff members, or roughly 4% of its workforce… NBC is planning to launch their own American Idol rival, The Voice of America, which will start airing next spring, well ahead of the planned fall launch of Fox’s other Idolesque series, The X Factor… And MTV in partnership with The Echo Nest has launched a new algorithm-based music discovery site called MTV Music Meter, which puts focus on emerging artists alongside those already established, and is being seen as another step to maintaining the recently achieved online music dominance over Vevo…
07.19.10Apple’s Antennagate & Live Nation’s Slideshow
Become an Arena Act in the time it will take to get your free iPhone 4 Case
Lots of chatter continued over the weekend on the heels of two high profile presentations last week… Steve Jobs addressed the infamous antenna on Apple’s new iPhone 4 with a range of figures and explanations, including a comparison of other popular smartphones that were shown to be equally or more deficient in the same area that is raising huge concerns over the new iPhone. The other phones mentioned included the Blackberry Bold, made by Research in Motion, who following the presentation issued a statement declaring, ”Apple’s claims about RIM products appear to be deliberate attempts to distort the public’s understanding of an antenna design issue and to deflect attention from Apple’s difficult situation.”… Elsewhere Live Nation is facing increased derision, adding to an already highly publicized poor summer concert climate, after last week’s investor presentation from Michael Rapino and Irving Azoff. The presentation included one slide in particular that is getting a lot of industry attention for its illustration of the company’s “new model,” which has an artist’s trajectory going from relative anonymity to arena sell-out in just 3 months…
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In Case You Missed It: Reading Recap
Disney Buys iPhone Music Game Maker Tapulous
Yesterday saw another report declaring that a cloud-based version of iTunes is “definitely happening soon,” though further reporting by CNET’s Media Maverick today has those claims in question as there is nothing indicating Apple has secured the necessary licenses from the four major labels to launch such a service… Disney has bought Tapulous, the maker of popular iPhone music games including their early hit Tap Tap Revenge, such a move seems to indicate the mouses’ plan to move more into the social and mobile game arena… Nettwerk CEO and Lilith Fair co-founder Terry McBride penned an open-letter on Tuesday to all the critics of his struggling tour; this coming ahead of the announcement yesterday of the cancellation of 10 Lilith concert dates… Elsewhere, the expected closure of BBC Radio 6 may not happen, thanks to the large increase in listenership and support for the station since it was first announced that the digital station was marked for termination… And checkout the LA Weekly profile of L.A.’s Saint Motel in the studio…
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Bonnaroo Festival Ups Fan Experience Online
The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival kicks off today in Manchester, Tennessee and while attendance is expected to be healthy once again for Bonnaroo, now in its ninth year running, organizers Superfly and AC Ent. have upped the online experience as well. Throughout the four-day festival there will be live-streams via YouTube, webcasts via NPR and television coverage from Fuse. And of course there’s an iPhone app. This one complete with maps, schedules, sharing features and Bonnaroo Radio, which will play tracks from the artists at this years festival…
05.7.10In Case You Missed It: Reading Recap
One Million + Sold
The clock is ticking for Terra Firma to come up with enough funds to keep control of EMI – recent reports indicate Guy Hands has rallied some of the investment firms’ largest backers in an effort to raise the minimum needed by the fast approaching deadline… Apple announced at the start of the week that they have already sold one-million iPads, that’s less than half the time it took to sell the same amount of iPhones… Elsewhere, Warner Music Group reported a 15% rise in digital revenue in its most recent quarter… Tunecore delivered stats from 2009 that included a total of $35-million in download and streaming income for artists… And The Register takes an interesting look at Beggars Group in an interview with indie label-group head Martin Mills…
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