For those of you who swear by Mozilla's Firefox and would shrivel up and die if someone pulled the plug on Web 2.0, do I have a new toy for you! Flock, a Mozilla-based web browser that combines the power or social networking with web browsing and RSS is sure to become the next Web 2.0 hit software wildly popular with early adopters. In fact, it's so good, it could very well become the browser of choice for hardcore surfers who love to multi-task.
Sony Exec Outlines Process for Getting DRM-Free Music
Check out this tongue-planted-squarely-in-cheek news story from bbspot.com on Sony's move to DRM-free downloads. Click to read more at bbspot or check the digg story.
Seth Godin's Music Lessons; Music Industry 101 in a digital world
Seth Godin is an author, entrepreneur, and--according to his blog--an "agent of change." He's written books like The Big Moo and Marketers Are Liars (see widget below for all books by Seth Godin).I recently came across this blog posting, "Music Lessons: Things You Can Learn About The Industry (As It Falls Apart)." I thought it was a smart commentary about what artists and record labels should be aware of as the digital music economy commands market share and CDs become distant memory. Here I have listed Seth's rules of change. You'll have to visit his blog to read the entire article.
Javier…a star in the making? I think so!
When my girlfriend, Missy, and I first started dating over two and a half years ago, she knew a little about my DJ background, but had never really gone out to nightclubs. So, we didn't have much in common in that regard. In fact, the first night we talked, she'd been working at a wedding and hanging around the DJ. Now, no offense to all you wedding DJs out there, but she didn't realize I was a club DJ and had graduated from the wedding circuit many moons ago. in an attempt to connect with my musical sensibilities, she told me about this guy, Javier, her friend Pablo's brother. Missy said something like, "you've gotta hear my friend Pablo's brother...," etc...etc... I thought, yeah, I've heard this before. She told me that Javier was "awesome" and that his music is "so beautiful" and that I would just love it. Always the skeptic, I thought to myself that that it was cute she was trying to impress me by offering up some commonality she thought we might have. Of the hundreds of people who have approached me to tell me about an amazing artist they know--their brother's sister's uncle's neighbor's nephew's daughter's friend from high school--truth be told, only a very, very few have moved me. So, I just nodded my head to appease her and told her I'd take a listen.
Netmix Podcast – Interview with 8tracks.com CEO, David Porter
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:19 — 20.4MB) | Embed
In December, we sat down for an interview with David Porter, CEO of a new online radio service, 8tracks.com. The company provides music fans, amateur DJs or seasoned professional DJs and music programmers alike, tools to create their own, unique Internet radio stations. Users who register with the service can upload any track they wish, sort and create play lists, and then publish those play lists to a streaming radio player. The Flash-based player can then be ported to a blog, web site, or social network like MySpace.
One of the best features is the ability to attach other users play lists to your own, creating a viral opportunity for great programmers to have their mixes heard across the network. Initially, listeners will be able to purchase tracks through Amazon’s download service (when available), but the company hopes to integrate with independent and niche download stores as well.
At this point, the service is in its Alpha testing phase. A beta launch is planned for late Q1 or early Q2 of this year. Netmix has partnered with 8tracks.com and will be switching streaming radio services at the end of the month. For the time being, you’ll be able to listen to both until January 31, when the switch will be complete.
Netmix will also be advising 8tracks on adding first-to-market innovations for professional and amateur mix shows DJs to incorporate into their stations.
Recording Labels to Offer New Online Music Options
I recently "dug" an Associated Press story from Wired.com, which spotlights a few digital models the major record labels are pursuing in 2008. Although MP3's have been around for quite some time now, in the coming months, you'll see all four major labels groups participating in the direct sale of MP3 in varying degrees. Recently, talk of Sony/BMG dropping DRM restrictions in the first quarter, has led the discussion around digital downloads and what effect DRM-free music sales will have on iTunes, Amazon, Napster, Rhapsody, eMusic and other services. Read the AP story @ Wired.com or on Digg.com.
Perfecto goes digital, Oakenfold launches digital imprint
DJ Paul Oakendold's long-running Perfecto Records goes digital with Liam Schachar remix of Leya, "On All My Sunday's" and Adam White's reworking of Nat Monday's "Break & Fall."
Rumor Mill: Apple to sign label deal with Jay-Z
Reports are surfacing that Apple will announce a label deal with Jay-Z during the upcoming MacWorld conference. The speculation is that as record companies influence erodes with artists and consumers alike, recording artists as successful as Jay-Z may simply need online distribution only, while doing away with or limiting production of physical product. Of course, not all artists have the ability to do this, but as key artists shun the confines of the major label system, we’ll see more of these deals in the coming months.
Recently, Jay-Z stepped down as President of Def Jam, which may have been the first step in the transition to Apple. UMG CEO Doug Morris has yet to respond. A departure of this magnitude could shake the foundation of UMG and put Morris in a defensive position. In 2007, Morris lobbed a couple of missiles in at Apple in an attempt to dislodge the company from its position as the digital sales leader. By pulling Jay-Z, Steve Jobs is countering the Morris assault by going directly after talent.
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Netmix Global House Sessions Podcast (December 2007)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:59:59 — 164.8MB) | Embed
After a few starts and stops, I’ve finally gotten around to finishing up my latest 3-hour mix show. Things have been hectic over the last few months and I just didn’t have the time to focus on it. But, it’s finally done!
I love the 3-hour format, because you can really stretch out and program a variety of tunes into the set. So, download to your desktop and transfer to your portable device, or simply just listen to it here.
I’ve also provided links to download each individual track from Beatport.com when available [UPDATE – June 6, 2012 – Beatport’s affilate program with Linkshare is no longer active and the links have been removed]. I know I was hard on Beatport in the past, but the service finally got around to building out a text linking program through their partnerships with Linkshare, an affiliate network that provides companies with the tools to build out affiliate programs. I found most of the tracks, but there were a few I couldn’t track down. It might be because they are new and haven’t pushed an update to Linkshare yet. Beatport have also created an API through LinkShare, which I hope to use in the future. But for now, we’ll just keep it simple.
Would love to know what you think, so please come back and post your comments. Enjoy!
Track Listing:
David Byrne's Survival Strategies for Emerging Artists
Former Talking Head's frontman gives his take on how emerging artists should look at the music industry situation.