The vaunted 360 deal is basically a land grab.  Challenged financially, major labels are forcing acts to fork over interests in ancillary rights, most notably touring and merchandise, and delivering almost nothing in return.  The future company will have in-house or subcontracted companies that deliver these services.  What was seen as a label today will […]

Last night on "Celebrity Apprentice" Donald Trump said it was all about passion.  That he’d seen plenty of smart, educated, competent people, but what turned him on, what made people shine, was passion. On the freeway this morning, I heard Rod Stewart’s "Handbags &  Gladrags".  I flashed back to my dorm room at Middlebury, listening […]

The job of the deejay is to play that which the audience will embrace.  That doesn’t mean the deejay can’t test the listeners’ limits, just that you don’t play the record for yourself, but those who are tuning in.  That’s what a recommendation service does, turn you on to stuff it thinks you’re going to […]

You can’t convince customers cheaper is better, not in music. This week Apple and Microsoft announced their quarterly results.  Apple’s were staggeringly good.  Mac sales dipped ever so slightly, but iPod sales were up and iPhone sales were humongous.  In other words, people will pay premium prices for perceived quality.  Just like you can’t get […]