Music Biz Academy Digest - Issue #21 - October 16th, 2001
An update from http://www.musicbizacademy.com.

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THE MUSIC BIZ ACADEMY
http://www.musicbizacademy.com

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Musician's Online Directory:
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http://www.musicbizacademy.com/articles

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http://www.musicbizacademy.com/bookstore

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IT'S ALL THE RAGE....
Welcome, subscribers to the October 16th edition of Music Biz
Academy digest. We've got a lot of interesting news for you this
edition!

As you all know, the big-five record companies have been
repeatedly trying to kill off file-swapping service Napster, which
though not yet quite dead, is certainly gasping for life. Just
when you thought it was all over, Napster's lawyers turned the
tables on the recording industry by bringing up the 'a' word -
anti-trust. Now the Department of Justice is sending civil
subpoenas across the industry, all part of an investigation into
whether or not the major music labels are coordinating their
marketing efforts illegally. This occurs just as the music
industry announces it was going after Napster clones MusicCity,
Kazaa and Grokster. (By the way, Jupiter Media Metrix just
announced file-swapping is up 500% this year as compared to
last). Hang on to your hats, folks, this could get interesting.

In related news, artist Courtney Love scored a big win in court
against Vivendi Universal, and she'll be able to bring evidence
to trial charging breach of contract, fraud, and many other
damaging claims. According to Love's attorney, "This is an
historic case: no artist has ever gone this far in litigation and
no record company has ever faced charges as serious as these."
Score one for the musicians.

Meanwhile, independent record companies are jumping on the CD
Encryption bandwagon, signing up for Soundwrap, a technology
which digitally protects tracks from being copied.

Finally, Coding Technologies, makers of mp3PRO, has a new
marketing partner: MP3.com. For those of you who haven't yet
heard, mp3PRO offers twice the sound quality of current MP3 files
at half the size. The challenge now is to get the new technology
into the market and accepted by the general public. MP3.com is
happy to lend a hand, and we are sure they will be much relieved
to free up some of their server space.

Oh, yes, and teen-pop sensation Hanson filed suit against
MP3.com.

What a week!


SUPPORT YOUR HOST!
MusicBizAcademy.com is free, the articles and directory are free,
but please show your support by trying out our music and support
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Stop by and check out a few tunes.


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Latest Additions To The Academy
http://musicbizacademy.com/articles/
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RADIO PROMOTION 101: AIRPLAY VS. SALES
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/articles/radio/index.htm
Airplay is the most important force in selling large quantities
of CDs, especially in areas where you cannot play live. But I
need to emphasize that the term "selling CDs" does not mean that
your phone will start ringing with orders from websites and
stores. Article by Bryan Farrish.


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Recent Additions/Updates to the Musician's Directory....
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/directory
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BANDRADIO
http://www.bandradio.com/
BandRadio, the 'unsigned band resource,' offers one of the most
complete directories for musicians that we have seen, which
includes agents, clubs, distribution, producers, promoters and
more. They even have a searchable database. Just choose your
category, desired city and state and search. In addition to all
this, you'll find lots of great articles on the music business,
as well as a fantastic collection of sample music business
contracts. Don't miss the regular 'Ask the Pros' column. Very
highly recommended resource.


CAFEPRESS.COM
http://www.cafepress.com
Looking to sell T-Shirts, Mugs, Mouse Pads with your band logo or
photo on them? Look no further than CafePress.com. The process
couldn't be easier... just upload your high quality gif, jpg or
bmp file, click on save changes and you will instantly have your
own store at CafePress.com. Sign up is free, and your only costs
are the costs (base price) of the merchandise you actually sell.
You set your own prices, and you decide your own profit margin by
adding your desired profit to the 'base price'. Link to your
store right from your web site. A simple, elegant solution for
those wanting to sell merchandise in small quantities.


CDSTREET.COM
http://www.cdstreet.com/
Using CDStreet you can sell your music through your web site (as
an E-Commerce solution using provided HTML code) or through
theirs. There’s no set up or monthly fee. CDStreet simply takes
20% of your CD price. If you sell a CD for $12.99, you keep
$10.39. You also have the option of allowing CDStreet to ship
your CDs for you, essentially making them your ‘warehouse.’
There’s no additional fee for this service, other than that
CDStreet will keep the shipping costs. Of all the sites listed
here, CDStreet has one of the most attractive artist page layouts
- very easy on the eyes and with simple navigation. Visitors can
rate your music, post reviews, get news and information and
listen to and purchase your music. Very highly recommended, with
lots of buzz on the ‘street’.


GARAGEBAND.COM
http://www.garageband.com
A great idea who’s time has com. GarageBand.com, promoted and
supported by such well known producers as Brian Eno, George
Martin (The Beatles) and Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads), puts the
success of it’s artists in the hands of not only the artists
themselves, but the listeners. Your success is based not only on
your own promotion, but on the calibre of reviews your music
receives from visitors to the site. Every month, the track
finishing #1 in the rankings (based on reviews) gets the band an
automatic invitation into ‘The New Deal’. As a New Deal artist,
you have the opportunity to meet very specific sales goals which,
in the end, can lead to a $250,000 recording contract with
GarageBand records. See http://www.garageband.com/newdeal for
more information on this fascinating concept. GarageBand.com has
the backing and support most web sites only dream of. A definite
must for serious musicians seeking the opportunity to be heard.


GUITAR 9 RECORDS
http://www.guitar9.com/
Guitar Music 9 is a hosting service/online store for independent
artists/bands that feature the guitar as their dominant
instrument. If you're not already familiar with Guitar 9, we urge
you (particularly if you're a guitarist with a CD to market) to
take a look at Guitar 9's fine site. Guitar 9 Records has been
around for years, and they have consistently stayed true to their
purpose - promoting independent guitar music on the Internet.
Some of the finest undiscovered guitar players in the world can
be found here.


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Contests & Competitions
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NATIONAL 'INDIE BAND SEARCH 2002' BEGINS OCT. 29TH
http://www.indiebandsearch.com/
ModMusic Records is proud to announce the Indie Band Search 2002.
The Indie Band Search is a national contest that gives
independent musicians, artists, songwriters, and bands a chance
to be heard by entertainment industry professionals and compete
for prizes worth over $10,000. *Deadline for entries is February
14, 2002.


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Articles From Around The Net....
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RIAA EXPLAINS THE PRICE OF CDS
http://www.dmusic.com/news/news.php?id=5845
Someone sent an email today about this article from the RIAA web
site about the price of CDs. The only words in the email from the
sender read, “hahahahahaha,” and rightly so. I started laughing
during the first paragraph. Commentary by Simon S. Foust.


INTERVIEW WITH 150,000-UNIT SELLING INDIE ARTIST, DONNA MICHAEL
http://www.musicdish.com/mag/?id=4598
Songwriter Anne Freeman interviews Donna Michael, a very
successful independent recording artist who's making music
without the majors.


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Featured Music Industry News
http://www.musicbizacademy.com
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RIAA WANTS TO HACK YOUR PC
http://www.wired.com/news/conflict/0,2100,47552,00.html
Look out, music pirates: The recording industry wants the right
to hack into your computer and delete your stolen MP3s. It's no
joke. Lobbyists for the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA) tried to glue this hacking-authorization amendment onto a
mammoth anti-terrorism bill that Congress approved last week.
An RIAA-drafted amendment according to a draft obtained by Wired
News would immunize all copyright holders -- including the movie
and e-book industry -- for any data losses caused by their
hacking efforts or other computer intrusions "that are reasonably
intended to impede or prevent" electronic piracy.


DOJ EXPANDS ONLINE MUSIC PROBE
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2817926,00.html?chkpt=zdnnp1tp02
The Justice Department widened its antitrust investigation of the
online music business, sending civil subpoenas across the
industry that focused on alleged use of copyright rules and
licensing practices to control distribution. The subpoenas,
formally known as civil investigative demands, were issued late
last week and disclose a broad federal investigation into
"anticompetitive licensing of intellectual property rights
associated with provision of music over the Internet." The probe
encompasses the two new online-music ventures backed by the
industry's five major recording labels.


INDIE LABELS SIGN UP FOR CD-PROTECTION SERVICE
http://www.netimperative.com/media/newsarticle.asp?ArticleID=12741&ChannelID=9&A\
rticleType=1
Four independent music labels have become the first to sign up
with a new secure music distribution method aimed at stamping out
digital music piracy and file sharing. The new service – which
effectively digitally shrink-wraps music tracks with a locked
file to protect them from being copied – has been developed
through UK digital rights management firm Soundwrap, for use
either online or via CD-Rom.


RIAA RELEASES MID-YEAR ANTI-PIRACY STATISTICS
http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=28376
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) announced
today that its anti-piracy efforts in the first half of 2001 led
to record arrests, illegal product seizures and guilty pleas and
convictions. Of particular note, seizures of illegal compact
disc-recordables (CD-Rs) increased significantly in comparison to
CD-Rs seized in the first half of 2000.


USERS OF FILE-SWAPPING ALTERNATIVES INCREASE 500 PERCENT
http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?e25971948&e=6454
Jupiter Media Metrix (NASDAQ: JMXI), the global leader in
Internet and new technology analysis and measurement, today
reports that the number of users of file-swapping applications
other than Napster grew 492 percent. The number of unique users
at home in the U.S. increased from 1.2 million in March 2001, the
first time any alternatives appeared in the Media Metrix audience
ratings, to 6.9 million in August 2001.


RECORD LABELS TARGETED IN NAPSTER SUIT
http://investor.cnet.com/investor/news/newsitem/0-9900-1028-7479309-0.html?tag=a\
ts
Record company attorneys seeking a quick end to their copyright
suit against Napster on Wednesday instead found themselves
fielding pointed questions from a federal judge over planned
music subscription services. Prompted by arguments presented by
Napster's legal team, U.S. District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel
grilled music industry lawyers about antitrust concerns related
to MusicNet and Pressplay, joint ventures between two groups of
major record labels to distribute their music online. "I'm really
confused as to why the plaintiffs came upon this way of getting
together in a joint venture," Patel said. "Even if it passes
antitrust analysis, it looks bad, sounds bad, smells bad."


RIAA: PIRACY SEIZURES, ARRESTS WAY UP
http://www.billboard.com/billboard/daily/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1076\
156
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) says that
its anti-piracy efforts in the first half of the year led to
record numbers for seizures, arrests, and convictions, Billboard
Bulletin reports. The trade group assisted in seizing 1.26
million illegal recordable CDs (CD-Rs) in the first six months of
2001, up 133% from the first half of 2000. It also aided in 1,762
arrests and indictments for selling illegal CDs or CD-Rs, an 89%
increase.


NAPSTER, MUSIC INDUSTRY RETURN TO COURT
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-7445627.html?tag=ch_mh
Recording giants will head to federal court in San Francisco
Wednesday to request a summary judgment against Napster in their
long-running copyright infringement lawsuit against the
song-swapping company, lawyers for the companies said.
"We will argue in front of Judge (Marilyn Hall) Patel on
Wednesday, seeking a summary judgment against Napster on the
issue of liability, which would in essence leave for trial only
the amount of damages and the nature of the injunction," said
Russell Frackman, an attorney for the record industry.


‘BREAKTHROUGH’ DEAL ON WEB MUSIC
http://www.msnbc.com/news/640183.asp
The National Music Publishers Association, The Harry Fox Agency
Inc. and the RIAA have reached a “breakthrough agreement” on the
licensing of musical works for new subscription services on the
Internet, the RIAA said on Tuesday. “This agreement removes a
major legal roadblock for the new online subscription services,”
Hilary Rosen, RIAA’s president and chief executive officer, said
in a statement. “The coming subscription services may now begin
licensing thousands of musical works immediately. For consumers,
this will essentially mean they will have access to more and
better on-line music options, sooner.”


THOMSON MULTIMEDIA AND MP3.COM LAUNCH MP3PRO
http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=28228
Thomson Multimedia (Paris Euroclear: 18453) (NYSE: TMS), the
exclusive licensing representative of mp3 patents under the
patent portfolio of Fraunhofer IIS-A and Thomson Multimedia and
MP3.com, the Internet's #1 music destination, have joined forces
to launch the high fidelity mp3PRO Codec on the globally-renowned
web site. Representing the next generation of the world's most
popular codec, mp3PRO compresses twice as much information in the
same amount of memory as standard mp3 files while providing a
higher fidelity mode than standard mp3.


BRIAN ENO'S EMAIL COMPOSITION MAKES HISTORY
http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=28227
SSEYO®, world leader in software platforms for wireless
interactive audio, announces today a forwardable, embedded email
composition by Brian Eno, producer of many U2 albums and
acclaimed music pioneer. This is released as a Freesense sonified
email, which includes a musical work actually embedded within the
html email. With his composition "Wander", Eno has created the
world's first Freesense Sonified Email to be released by a major
artist.


LOVE WINS MAJOR VICTORY, RIGHT TO PROCEED IN UNIVERSAL LAWSUIT
http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=28241
In a stunning setback for Vivendi Universal, Judge Fumiko
Wasserman has ruled that Courtney Love can proceed to trial with
the most damaging claims in her case against the French utiltiy
and entertainment conglomerate. "This is an historic case: no
artist has ever gone this far in litigation and no record company
has ever faced charges as serious as these," said A. Barry
Cappello, Love's attorney. A jury will now be allowed to hear
evidence on the ten most damaging claims from Love's original
cross-complaint filed on February 28th.


RECORD LABELS MULL CD VENTURES
http://www.msnbc.com/news/638330.asp
Several big record companies are negotiating to form joint
ventures for manufacturing compact discs, as the industry looks
for ways to cut costs. Spurred in part by the failure of recent
merger proposals in the music industry as well as deteriorating
market conditions, at least four of the five companies have had
talks about several different possible combinations, people
familiar with the talks say. The joint ventures would take over
CD manufacturing and some of the distribution functions such as
warehousing and shipping. Joint ventures would allow record
concerns to close some of their CD factories in the U.S. and
reduce overcapacity.


RECORD INDUSTRY SUES NAPSTER CLONES
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,5097762,00.html?chkpt=zdnn_nbs_hl
Adding a new challenge to their list of legal attacks, the record
industry and Hollywood studios have joined forces to sue
MusicCity, Kazaa and Grokster, which together form one of the
most popular file-trading networks to spring up in Napster's
wake. The suit marks the fourth major legal action the copyright
holders have filed in their attempt to restrain millions of
people from trading copies of songs and movies online. So far
they have been successful, shutting down Scour, stopping trades
on Napster, and putting smaller outfit Aimster on the financial
ropes.


MAJOR LABELS CONFIRM ENCRYPTION SECURITY SOFTWARE ON CDS
http://www.europemedia.net/shownews.asp?ArticleID=5755
Major record labels have confirmed that they have already
released or are preparing to release music CDs with inscribed
encryption security software. Universal Music Group, owned by
multimedia giant Vivendi Universal, has stated that it is
preparing to release a number of CDs that contain technology that
will prevent consumers from making digital copies. Though the
company has not revealed what technology it will be using, they
have declared that it "will not impede the consumer experience."


HANSON FILES SUIT VS. MP3.COM
http://www.billboard.com/billboard/daily/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1065\
011
Chrysalis Records and teen pop outfit Hanson have filed copyright
infringement lawsuits against Vivendi Universal's online
subsidiary MP3.com, Billboard Bulletin reports. The suits, which
were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of
California in Los Angeles, join a similar complaint filed May 7
against the San Diego-based music file-sharing service by Tom
Waits, Randy Newman, and the group Heart.


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Recommended Resources
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HOW TO PROMOTE YOUR MUSIC SUCCESSFULLY ON THE INTERNET
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/bookstore/htpromotemusic.htm
If you want to sell your music on the net in any form, this book
will teach you how to design and market a web site that will SELL
YOUR MUSIC and bring in that extra income you need to boost and
financially support your music career! The author is currently
making over $4000 a month selling music related products and
advertising on the internet. 'How to Promote Your Music
Successfully on the Internet' shows you exactly how he did it,
step by step! Download Version Available for only $14.95!


MUSIC IS YOUR BUSINESS
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/bookstore/musiciyb.htm
Used as the official textbook for the Art Institute of Seattle's
Audio program, this invaluable book is filled with insights into
the music business and tactics for marketing your music. It
includes examples of industry marketing documents, a sample of an
artist bio and fact sheet, and checklists for starting your
career and running your own record label. Available in hard copy
for $34.95!


101 MUSIC BUSINESS CONTRACTS
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/bookstore/101contracts.htm
Can’t afford a lawyer? That’s OK. We’re here to help, with 101
Industry Standard Contracts available for instant download, or on
CD, or printed in a binder just for you. All for less than what
you would pay an Entertainment Lawyer for 15 minutes worth of his
time.


THE GUERRILLA MUSIC MARKETING HANDBOOK
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/bookstore/guerrillamusic.htm
This guide to independent music success features over 175 ways to
thrive and prosper with your own band or record label. Download
Version Available! The PDF version of this great book is now only
$29.95!


THE MUSICIAN'S ATLAS - 2001 Edition
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/bookstore/musiciansatlas.htm
Created by The Music Resource Group, this 368-page volume
provides access to over 15,000 music businesses and key industry
contacts in more than 25 categories. Current names, phone and fax
numbers, e-mail and website addresses, detailed submission
policies and the styles of music preferred is just some of the
information you'll find on every page of The Atlas. Available in
hard copy for only $24.95!


THE INDIE CONTACT BIBLE
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/bookstore/indiecontactbible.htm
Need to create some BUZZ about your music? Looking for reviewers?
Radio station contacts? Promotion services? Then grab The Indie
Contact Bible. This fantastic new musicians 'black book' contains
350 pages filled with contacts with publications and radio
programmers all over the world. These are people who actively
look for music to review! Download or Hard Copy Version Available
for $19.95!


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ALSO FROM MIDNIGHT RAIN PRODUCTIONS

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http://www.sheetmusicaddict.com

WHISPERINGS: SOLO PIANO RADIO
http://www.mp3.com/stations/whisperings

Thanks for your continued support of The Music Biz Academy!

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The Music Biz Academy Digest is brought to you by The Music
Biz Academy (http://www.musicbizacademy.com) . It is a resource
designed for musicians promoting or selling music on the
internet. Each week we feature news, articles, and reviews
related to the art of online music promotion and music related
product sales.

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