A Tale of Two Formats: Digital Downloads and Vinyl Hit New Sales Records

Posted on 24. Nov, 2009 by refe.

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Last week’s Soundscan numbers tell the unlikely story of two very different formats rising to record breaking heights side by side. According to Billboard three artists (Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga and Black Eyed Peas sold over 10 million tracks each, with Taylor Swift expected to do the same next week. These numbers shatter the previous [...]

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Spotify No More Indie-Friendly than Radio?

Posted on 23. Nov, 2009 by refe.

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When Pandora and Last.fm arrived on the scene and Spotify was still just a twinkle in Daniel Ek’s eye, many independent artists and fans looked to online music streaming as a new beginning. These services promised a more democratic approach to music discovery than traditional radio and offered the chance to wash away the stains [...]

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Backlash: Does Fan-Engagement Do More Harm Than Good?

Posted on 16. Nov, 2009 by refe.

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You can’t really go anywhere in the music industry today without hearing the phrase ‘fan-engagement.’ While most bands have (hopefully) always made an effort to connect with their listeners and fans in a way that goes beyond the music itself, social media has thrust the practice into the spotlight in a big way. Services like [...]

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Social Media and Fan-Driven Promotion

Posted on 11. Nov, 2009 by refe.

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This piece originally appeared as a guest post at Audiolife.com. Social media has brought us into an age where consumers, not companies, determine the market’s perception of brands. This can be frightening for those who are accustomed to doing business at arm’s length with the masses. But there are huge opportunities for those of us [...]

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The Problem With Music Streaming and Why It’s Only the Beginning

Posted on 08. Nov, 2009 by refe.

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There isn’t usually much to talk about when a product is perfect. People may rave for a while, but there’s little to discuss aside from the accusations of a few inevitable dissenters. A product or service that is truly newsworthy, however, is one that is almost perfect – but not quite. An excellent product that [...]

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Mother of All Music Tech Recaps – October Edition

Posted on 02. Nov, 2009 by refe.

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This is a guest post by Gabriel Nijmeh, a business analyst and music technology enthusiast. What a month of news and announcements coming from the digital music and tech world. The big Internet guns (Google, MySpace, Facebook) and a pack of known and new startups were battling for the top digital music business headlines. Funding, [...]