Samsung Ships Out Jay-Z
True to its tagline, it looks like Samsung is intent on being “The Next Big Thing.” What better way for Samsung to establish itself as such than partnering with one of the world’s most influential solo...
View ArticleArtists and Publishers in a Bind
In a recent court case between ASCAP, the oldest PRO in the United States, and Pandora, the first and most storied music Internet radio station, a judge in the United States District Court in Manhattan...
View ArticleMoney, Music, and Molly
The business of electronic dance music is undoubtedly booming. Worth globally $4.5 billion1, large-scale electronic dance music festivals often exemplify the industry’s increasing success. Dayglow,...
View ArticleThe Peddling of Recording Rights
Recent negotiations between Clear Channel Communications and Warner Music Group have sent shockwaves throughout the recording industry. For the first time on a major scale, the broadcast giant will pay...
View ArticleJayce Varden on PledgeMusic
Musician and businessman Jayce Varden co-founded PledgeMusic a few years ago. The company’s practice of crowdfunding is novel because it emphasizes an unprecedented customer service and targets...
View ArticleA Copyright Extension for EU Recordings
On November 1, 2013, all European Union Member States were required to make legally effective the Directive 2011/77/EU. The Directive, an amendment of the 2006 version, extends the copyright term of...
View ArticleRebel Music
Vladimir Putin, leader of one of the most powerful governments in the world, has found himself scared of a 24-year-old girl. Her name is Nadezhda Tolokonnikova. Tolokonnikova, a Russian prisoner, was...
View ArticleThe Economics of EDM
The EDM industry has exploded into a lucrative business platform. Attendance at the top twenty global festivals jumped from 1.9 million in 2009 to over 3.4 million in 2013. As well, digital sales of...
View ArticleStreaming’s Global Momentum
In January, various speakers at the MIDEM Show in Cannes suggested that music streaming may no longer be considered a complement to traditional music sales but the new way to access music. The momentum...
View ArticleUnderstanding Crowdfunding
Musicians, artists, and music business entrepreneurs need cash to start a project and nurture it to fruition. They are hardly unique in this respect, and face many of the considerations that the...
View ArticleMusic Intelligence for Sale
Information is changing the music industry; not only in the ways we consume and discover music, but as well in the ways companies are arming themselves for competition. Streaming services see gold in...
View ArticleA Trojan Horse
Amazon, one of the most storied online companies ever, may soon add music streaming to the list of services and industries it is a player in. Since January of this year, reports have been surfacing...
View ArticlePre-1972 Sound Recordings
Certain sound recordings from decades ago are still considered commercially viable today. In fact, songs by Frank Sinatra, Etta James, and the Beatles are still heard on the radio. However, it has...
View ArticleA Hybrid Record Label
In February of 2014, Warner Music Group and Shazam announced that they would enter into a “strategic collaboration” in which Warner would have access to Shazam’s user data and Shazam would have access...
View ArticleA DIY Playbook: I
Editor’s Note: This is the first of two installments dealing with DIY issues in music production, distribution, and promotion. The article will continue next time with a discussion of performance...
View ArticleMusic and Equity Crowdfunding
Over the last fifteen years, since the advent of the worldwide web, there has been a revolution in the world of finance. More money is being raised online today than ever before from crowds of...
View ArticleSmart Artists, Smart Fans
The Internet age has drastically altered the dynamics of the interaction between corporations and their customers. Talking down at consumers, for instance, is less preferable than engaging them in a...
View ArticleApple as a Record Label
Apple unveiled new products as usual, and this year it put out the iWatch and a new iPhone. But its partnership with Irish rockers U2 garnered all the headlines and pulled off the largest album...
View ArticleConflict over Consent Decrees
In early June, the United States Department of Justice announced that it would be launching a review of the consent decrees governing the nation’s two largest performing rights organizations, ASCAP and...
View ArticleThe Power of False Pretense
They say that money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy likes, views, shares, or followers. From the beginning of social media, users have sought to expand their networks for professional clout,...
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