Posts Tagged ‘Music Industry’

I was browsing my usual sites when I read this blog entry from the guys of The Hundreds. It’s about branding – something that is needed if you want to stand out and rise above…and that goes for music, clothing, art, writing, sports, etc. As an up and coming artist, do you hold the characteristics to make yourself in to a brand? Here’s their editorial:

“Branding” is such a hotbutton catchphrase these days, isn’t it?  When I was growing up, it was all about advertising, and then marketing, and now? Branding.  Now that corporate America has numbed our senses with an onslaught of smarmy sales pitches and obnoxious billboards, let’s get back to what’s real.   What’s important.  Connecting with the people (I really wish we had a sarcasm font)!

“Branding” is defined as the establishment of the personality that identifies a product.  So it connotes an element of human relationship, connection, authenticity.  So why are so many brands and companies fixated on branding themselves outside the context of their..selves?

When I spoke at the Action Sports Conference last week, I was asked something that usually comes up from inquisitive The Hundreds fans, fresh upstarts, and mega-conglomerate suits alike.  How did The Hundreds garner such a vast audience? What kind of marketing did we do, what kind of branding strategies did we implement to draw exposure?  Was it Twitter or Facebook or free lollipops or some other trendy of-the-moment social networking platform?

If you’re asking questions like these, you’re already far off the mark.  Again, branding is about personality, and that is what The Hundreds has always understood.  From the start, The Hundreds was formulated as a personal brand, an authentic and intimate lifestyle project.  Meaning that everything you see from us, whether here on the website or in our print magazine, the shoes on your feet or the wallet in your back pocket, has been infused with our own story.  We do, and make, what comes logically from us and our backgrounds and interests, and that complements the sensibility of the brand.  That was never intentional or strategic, as it was natural and organic.  We’re obviously the best at being us, why try to be something we’re not?

Twitter and Facebook and iPad apps aren’t the answer to your company’s brand awareness issues.  These are just tools, they are NOT the solution!  For example, if your company emphasizes community amongst its staff and customers, if the brand is identified around personality, then it might make sense to interact with your base through powerful social tools as these.  But maybe you’re a high-end, exclusive mountain hiking brand that targets a sophisticated niche French clientele with expensive taste.  Perhaps blasting product tweets to 13-year-old girls isn’t the best idea.

The secret to branding is staying authentic to your brand identity, and that comes from closely observing who you (the owners, architects, and staff) are as people, the philosophy by which you run your business, and the effect you want to impress upon your customer.  And every step you make with your brand should go back to reinforcing that identity, whether it’s your website’s background color or the cut of your t-shirt.  Now there’s your answer.

Just keepin’ it real,

by bobbyhundreds

Warner/Chappell Music announced that it has signed a worldwide co-publishing agreement with two members of the Grammy nominated, LA-based production team The Stereotypes. As part of the agreement Warner/Chappell will co-publish and administer the worldwide publishing rights of Jonathan Yip and Jeremy Reeves of The Stereotypes.

The Los Angeles-based production team consists of Jon Yip (aka “Jon Street”), Jeremy Reeves (aka “JermBeats”) and Sony/ATV songwriter Ray Romulus (aka “RayRo”) who, in just a few years, has become one of the most sought-after producers in the business. They first attracted industry-wide attention in 2008 for producing Danity Kane’s smash hit, “Damaged,” from the album, Welcome to the Doll House.  Their success was quickly followed by two Grammy nominations for contributing “Why Does She Stay” to Ne-Yo’s Year of the Gentleman album. The trio has since worked with Natasha Bedingfield on her single, “Again,” Mary J. Blige on “Good Love” (featuring T.I.), Raheem Devaugh on “I Don’t Care,” Justin Bieber on both “Somebody to Love” and “Stuck in the Moment,” and Travie McCoy on the single, “We’ll Be Alright.”

The Stereotypes are currently working on projects with The Cab, Melanie Fiona, Sean Kingston, David Archuleta, Pleasure P, Fantasia, Ne-Yo, Alesha Dixon and Musiq Soulchild, as well as developing the group Far East Movement and producing the single, “Girls on the Dance Floor.”

Warner/Chappell Music announced that it has signed a worldwide co-publishing agreement with up-and-coming Hip-Hop and R&B producer Tyler Williams, professionally known as “T-Minus,” for all of his current and future works.

Only 21-years-old, T-Minus’ recent rise to industry notoriety was launched by Ludacris’ chart-topping single, “How Low,” which T-Minus produced. “How Low,” which now stands as Ludacris’ biggest hit in more than five years, has sold more than one million digital downloads in the U.S., achieved top 10 status on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and topped Billboard’s Rap Songs chart.

T-Minus is quickly following his success with his production on Asylum/Warner Bros.’ recording artist Lyfe Jennings’ new single “Success,” which is currently climbing both Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and Adult R&B chart.

Although most of his work over the past six years has been devoted to major hip-hop artists, T-Minus’ talent spans multiple genres and has led to his crafting pop rock tracks for Stereos, the winners of the MuchMusic’s reality TV competition, DisBAND. He continues to build his repertoire and is currently involved in collaborations with recording stars such as Donnis, Diggy Simmons and Gucci Mane.

Warner/Chappell Music has signed a worldwide co-publishing agreement with Grammy-nominated, Washington D.C.-based R&B/Pop producer, Jay Fenix, for his current and future works.

Though he has a previous career as a performer that included recording collaborations with Stephanie Mills and Jennifer Love Hewitt, and a stint as keyboardist on the Melissa Etheridge/Rosey tour, Fenix is best known for producing Melanie Fiona’s 2009 hit, “It Kills Me,” which topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Billboard Charts for nine weeks and was in the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100.

Fenix’s soulful R&B lyrics combined with his work as producer earned Fiona a 2010 Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, and led Fenix to win a SESAC award.  Since then, Fenix has become a sought-after producer, and has produced tracks for Fantasia, Musiq Soulchild, Chrisette Michelle and Tamia.  He is currently developing his own all-girl group, Heiress, as well as his own act, Savage Mill.
(source)
- C.A.

A graph makes everything a little bit easier to take in, doesn’t it? Billboard just posted a new article on how artists are not taking the initiative to create as much label-released music anymore.

The graph says a few things: album sales don’t necessarily correlate to people not buying music, but that actual label-signed music artists are being cut drastically – or are being signed and never dropping music via the label.

The trickle down effect extends to labels physically sending out albums to stores. The lack of shipment then affects CD stores, quality releases and actual artists putting out music then affects the stores, hence making them shut down.

But we already knew all that, right?

p.s. anyone remember The Wall cd store?

In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the Hollywood Walk of Fame through the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, Capitol Records are opening their doors to the public for a once in a lifetime opportunity to tour the legendary A and B recording studios this Sunday, July 25th starting at 11:00 am. Capitol Records is located near Hollywood Blvd. and Vine St. in Hollywood, California.

Back in the day not only did Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole conduct recording sessions there, but today’s contemporary artists such as John Mayer and the Beastie Boys have put in time at the famed studio as well. (source)

- C.A.

Looks like investors aren’t too pleased with the service, since ticket sales are down about 12% and earnings are down significantly. How about not charging rape prices for shows and then adding on absurd fees? The ticket service “promises” prices will go down in 2011.

Yesterday, Live nation’s stock tumbled more than 16 percent, bringing the share price down to $10.19, which, coincidentally, is about half the price of an order fee on a Live Nation ticket.

Via

via New York Post

Sony Corp. has quietly started a preliminary search for a new chief of its Sony Music Entertainment division, according to several industry executives.

Current CEO Rolf Schmidt-Holtz, who guided the division to an increased market share in the first half of 2010, splits his time between Germany and the US, and Sony management is said to be looking for a chief who will be based full-time in the states, sources said.

Schmidt-Holtz’ contract runs through March 2011. Sources familiar with the preliminary search said the company has not ruled out standing pat and keeping him in charge.

Sony, whose stable of artists includes Sade and Alicia Keys, posted increased profits for the year ended March 31 and managed to pump up its market share for 2010′s first half — to 28.3 percent from 26.5 percent.

But the CEO’s critics say the improvement came mostly on sales of the Michael Jackson catalog following the pop star’s death and the success of overnight reality TV star Susan Boyle — not through any grand plan.

The man behind the boards crafting hits for Beyonce, Lil Wayne, T.I., Eminem, etc., Jim Jonsin gets a renewed lease on life as EMI Music Publishing announces the extension of their co-publishing agreement with the Floridian based music producer.

Big Jon first signed me without having a song out and he signed our deal off of his vision and appreciation of great music! Loyalty is important to me. A strong relationship goes a long way – and with people like Big Jon Platt, Andrew Gould, and Roger Faxon, my decision was clear.
- Jim Jonsin

We’re all really excited here to be continuing our relationship with Jim Jonsin. From a personal perspective, I’m just happy to have watched his growth as a writer, a producer and an entrepreneur over the last few years. As well as being one of the hottest hit songwriters out there at the moment, he’s also one of the nicest guys working in the business, and it’s an honor to be able to work with him.
- Jon Platt (EMI Music Publishing President of North American Creative)

(source)

- C.A.

Hey Live Nation, why don’t you make ticket prices and fees a little more accessible to the masses so they would have to stop canceling tours because no one can afford to buy tickets for them. Via Pollstar:

Our Top 100 Tours for the first six months have a combined gross of $965.5 million, down $196.8 million, or 17 percent, from the same period one year ago. If you want to find a lower number you’ll have to go back to 2005 when the mid-year gross volume was $730.9 million.

Any other reasons you think tour $$ is down? What can ticket brokers and other means of touring do to help boost revenue for the second part of 2010?

Now, none of these charts and graphs are ever completely accurate, but they give a decently portrayed scale on just how little the artist actually makes. Even less, they break it down if you’re in a full band. Click the link below to get an even more detailed breakdown:

Read the rest of this entry »

Before you disregard this, manager Scooter Braun (Asher Roth, Justin Bieber) makes great points about the process of really making and breaking an artist. It just so happens that it’s this Bieber kid, but think about what Braun says just in general terms. He speaks on the power of the internet and the fans to help build an artist, etc. Oh, and disregard Perez Hilton’s annoying-ness.

Last night, the 23rd Annual ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Awards were held in Beverly Hills, CA where Dr. Dre was honored with the ASCAP Founders Award. Previous recipients include Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Smokey Robinson, Paul McCartney, Ashford & Simpson, and Berry Gordy Jr. and Motown Industries.

Eminem was also on hand to present the award to his partner in crime, Dr. Dre.
See the footage here – courtesy of Rap-Up

-C.A.

Obviously just speculation based on some projections and current trends, but it’s interesting to think that the downfall of the compact disc is in motion in front of our very eyes. Here’s what analyst PriceWaterHouseCooper has to say, via Billboard:

PricewaterhouseCoopers’ “Entertainment and Media Outlook for 2010-2014″ projects global spending on recorded music of $27.9 billion by 2014.

Digital sales will overtake physical purchases in 2011 in the U.S., the report said.  It also stated that anti-piracy measures by governments will help “stabilize” the industry.

Digital purchases are projected to rise to $17 billion in 2014, from $8.1 billion in 2009, according to “Entertainment and Media Outlook for 2010-2014.” Physical sales will fall to $10.9 billion in 2014, a decline of 66% from 2005, according to the report.

Via Wired

The record labels have told a federal judge LimeWire is liable for possibly “over a billion dollars” — the latest sign that the industry is seeking to annihilate the New York-based file sharing company.

The Recording Industry Association of America’s court filing Monday comes a week after the labels asked U.S. District Judge Kimba M. Wood to shutter LimeWire (.pdf). Weeks before, the New York judge ruled LimeWire’s users commit a “substantial amount of copyright infringement” (.pdf) and that the Lime Group, the company behind the application, “has not taken meaningful steps to mitigate infringement.”

“The amount of statutory damages awarded in this case easily could be in the hundreds of millions of dollars (if not over a billion dollars),” the RIAA wrote to Wood, in seeking a court order to freeze LimeWire’s assets (.pdf). The Napster case eventually settled for more than $300 million.

The RIAA’s latest court filings underscore that the record labels are seeking to shutter and financially decimate the company. Two weeks ago, Zeeshan Zaidi, LimeWire’s chief operating officer, said he was hoping to work out a licensing deal with the labels to enable them to sell their music on LimeWire’s online store.

The Copyright Act allows fines of up to $150,000 per infringement.

Check out Billboard’s latest numbers for album sales and other facts & figures after the link:

Read the rest of this entry »

The sheer absurdity of this boggles my mind, but it also proves what lengths artists and labels are going to to get their royalties. Truthfully, I didn’t even know that this kind of royalty business went on in gyms. I thought class instructors just play mixes off of their iPod or something…

After a long court battle between the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA) and Fitness Australia, the Copyright Tribunal increased the fee per fitness class from 96.8 cents to an optional tariff of $15 or $1 per class attendee.

Lauretta Stace, an executive for Fitness First, which is one of Australia’s largest fitness chains, said in a statement that for an average-sized fitness centre with 1,500 members running 30 classes per week, the cost will increase by over $20,000 per year.

The decision has prompted Fitness First to move towards playing unlicensed music, a decision that Stace claims will be common amongst many fitness operators and one that will prove to be detrimental to the music industry.

Maybe it’s just me, but I just feel like like charging fees to play music during spin class is absurd. Charging 1500% more than the normal fee it is right now? C’mon man….

Full Story.

The never-ending debate about the fine line between labels and blogs continues, with Dr. Justin Blaze XVIII. I dunno, folks.

I’m just doing this for a hobby and I happen to have a solid following. My corporate job > these 24/7  tired-looking blogger dweebs. Just so happens that my way of displaying music and presenting culture is entertaining to people in high places, which is why I get most of the same content as the top tier sites. Just don’t have time to post it all, which is why, sometimes, it comes out looking pretty robotic or I’m trying to catch up to the material I have in my possession.

Do you agree with what Blaze says?