Wednesday, February 27th, 2008
Daily News: Wednesday
Should P2P filesharers be paid? “A novel idea has been proposed to take the fight to the RIAA and the BPI. Since P2P filesharing has a discovery element which permits people to discover new music at no cost - why shouldn’t filesharers be compensated for filesharing? The idea was floated on the Open Rights Group discussion list earlier this month.” (via The Register)
Cohen likely to go - more on Nickelback/Warner deal: “There’s a provocative backstory to the negotiations now taking place between Warner Music and Nickelback, as the company finds itself in the unenviable position of having to shell out elephant bucks in order to keep the band (represented by attorney John Branca) or chalk up another bad deal, alongside Bad Boy, Bulldog, the Eagles and Madonna. Warner is in this predicament as the result of the Lyor Cohen-initiated 2007 purchase of 73% of Roadrunner for $73 million, during which Cohen neglected to consider the fact that Nickelback owed just one more album (not three, as he’s been spinning in the press). That costly screw-up may prove to be the final nail in the coffin for Cohen, as insiders say it’s highly unlikely the WMG board will extend the executive’s current deal, which expires in May 2009, thereby ending a sad chapter in the history of a once-mighty record company.” (via Hits)
iTunes Number Two Music Retailer in the US: “Apple today announced that iTunes (www.itunes.com) is now the number two music retailer in the US, behind only Wal-Mart, based on the latest data from the NPD Group*. Apple also announced that there are now over 50 million iTunes Store customers. iTunes has sold over four billion songs, with an incredible 20 million songs sold on Christmas Day 2007 alone, and offers the world’s largest music catalog of over six million songs from all of the major and thousands of independent labels.” (via Apple)
Ozzfest Rumors: “Ozzfest, the long-running touring metal package, is rumored to be morphing into a two-day “destination festival” in Dallas. There has been no official word yet on what format Ozzfest will take or who will be on the bill. The rumors come in the wake of this year’s arrival of the metal-oriented Rockstar Energy Mayhem Tour, which will play 30 North American amphitheaters during July and August, the time when Ozzfest is traditionally making its rounds.” (via Roadrunner)
Media Response Re Potential Hilton/Warner Deal: “Perez has an odd but very real following on the Web, so there’s a bona fide marketing benefit right there. And if that $100k a year really is an advance, and not a salary, it’s a pittance by big label standards. It’s easy enough to beat up the labels for the real bone-headed mistakes they make. But this deal doesn’t seem like one of them.” (via Sillicon Valley Insider)
Motown & Hearst Partner For ‘The Ultimate Prom’: “Universal Motown and Hearst Magazines Digital Media are partnering for the first time to present “The Ultimate Prom,” a multi-platform, interactive promotion. Universal Motown artists Jojo, Drake Bell, Lloyd, Suai and Jada — as well as a surprise marquee artist — will perform at the first “Ultimate Prom” for the senior class of St. Francis Preparatory School in Queens, N.Y., Billboard.biz has learned. The affair is being staged May 30 at the Grand Hyatt in Manhattan.” (via Billboard)
