Music Biz Academy Digest - Issue #22 - November 2nd, 2001
An update from http://www.musicbizacademy.com.
This is a subscriber only newsletter. If for any reason you wish
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THE MUSIC BIZ ACADEMY
http://www.musicbizacademy.com
FEATURING:
Musician's Online Directory:
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/directory
The Academy (Articles and Tips)
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/articles
The Bookstore
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/bookstore
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IT'S ALL THE RAGE....
Welcome, subscribers to the November 1st edition of the Music Biz
Academy digest. No big news stories to expound upon this issue,
unless you consider the delay of the 'new' Napster until 2002 big
news. By the time they roll out the new release, former Napster
supporters will already be settled into the Next Big Thing,
whatever that turns out to be. Napster will have to do some
creative thinking to win those folks back.
Since we're on the topic you might check out a web site I
ran into this last week. http://www.afternapster.com . You'll
find reviews and ratings for all the alternatives to Napster
available.
In other news, MTV cut nearly 10% of it's work force, America
Online has been forced to stop shipping AOL 6.0 due to MP3
copyright violation, and the European Union is considering
banning PressPlay and MusicNet before they even get off the
ground. More details in the news clips below.
The 2002 MUSICIAN'S ATLAS is HERE!
We've got the brand spanking new 2002 Musician's Atlas in house.
It's been updated with all the contacts you need for your music
career, over 15,000 music business and industry contacts. And
hey, with a new purple cover, it's prettier than ever!
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/bookstore/musiciansatlas.htm
And also available for 2002...
HOW TO PROMOTE YOUR MUSIC SUCCESSFULLY ON THE INTERNET!
New 2002 Edition!!!
The latest edition of my own book is at the print house as I
speak and I should have it in my hands by next Tuesday or
Wednesday. The new edition contains a complete update on MP3.com,
including details on changes to the new Pay4Play structure. Can
you still promote your music on MP3.com? Yes! Also included, a
new section on the best places to promote, sell, and distribute
your music on the Internet. Many other updates and changes as
well. Buy it now from
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/bookstore/htpromotemusic.htm and
we'll ship it to you as soon as we get it from the printer.
By the way, if you purchased the Spring 2001 edition of my book
you will be receiving a FREE PDF file of the new edition of the
book within a week or so. So hang in there. As with our new
policy, anyone who buys the new edition, will automatically get
the PDF version of the next update free.
CAN YOU DO MUSIC FULL TIME? YES!
I have one other announcement, something that all of you, as
fellow musicians, will appreciate. After almost seven years
promoting music on the Internet I have achieved that which I have
reached for most of my adult life: doing music full time. I just
put my notice in at my full time job yesterday. As of December
1st, I'll be working the Internet full time, promoting my music
as well as my online music projects.
How did I manage to get to this point? Read my book. Seriously,
it contains information on everything I did to reach this
milestone.
My book is not full of pipe dreams - someone accused me of that
once. I'm sure that at some point someone told you as a musician,
that you're just dreaming. Maybe your mother-in-law? (mine did!)
Get a real job, they say! The fact is that I am living proof that
if you work hard enough, and if you have the talent, skill,
patience, and create the opportunities, you can accomplish your
goals. You have to be honest with yourself though, and recognize
that it takes hard work, a lot of time, and every ounce of energy
you can muster. Are you up to it?
Thank you all for your support of MusicBizAcademy.com over the
last year. December 15th will mark our 1 year anniversary. What a
great way to look forward to 2002!
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
the work of you host, David Nevue: http://www.mp3.com/davidnevue
Stop by and check out a few tunes.
And now a message from one of our friends and sponsors, Marc Gunn
of The Bard's Crier....
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THE BARDS CRIER: Living the Dream 2001 - http://bardscrier.com/
The Bards Crier is a free guerrilla music marketing and
promotion publication by the Brobdingnagian Bards, Austin's
Original Celtic Renaissance.
I can personally recommend Marc's newsletter. It's just one
musician, providing music promotion advice based on his own life
experience. Some very valuable insights each month.
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Recent Additions/Updates to the Musician's Directory....
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/directory
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FESTIVAL FINDER
http://www.festivalfinder.com/
At FestivalFinder.com, you'll discover the latest details on more
than 2500 music festivals in North America. Festivals are
catagorized by genre, or use the search feature to locate
festivals by date, location, performers or festival name. A quick
browse of each category tells you what's coming up in the next
couple of months. A simple design that provides you the info you
want very quickly.
MASTERLAB
http://www.masterlab.com/
Masterlab is an all format CD & DVD mastering and duplication
facility, founded by former Marilyn Manson drummer Sara Lee Lucas
and partner Trace, international computer whiz-kid. Aside from
mastering and duplication, Masterlab provides graphic design
services, video for CD & DVD, digital photography, merchandising,
and artist publicr elations. Partial Cient List includes: 69
Boyz, Robert Palmer, Calton Coffie (of Inner Circle), and Mandy
Moore.
NPROCESS
http://www.nprocess.com/
Nprocess is a professional Internet services company focusing on
providing solutions for the music industry. Nprocess can provide
you with not only exceptional web design, but put in place
technologies which encourage online interaction and communition
from your fans. They will work with just about any budget, so
when you see the quality of their work, don't be afraid to ask
for a quote. Clients include Willa Ford, Uncle Kracker, Stone
Temple Pilots, Sugar Ray and others.
SOUNDCLICK
http://www.soundclick.com
SoundClick is one of the Internet's bigger musician communities,
providing hosting for signed and unsigned bands (Alien Ant Farm,
Backstreet Boys, Moby) alike. SoundClick features streaming MP3
for visitors, and a song charting system based on visitors votes
as well as song plays. You can host your music here for free, as
well as sell CDs. There is a small sign up fee, but after that,
there's no commission or percentage to pay SoundClick. Members
also get message boards, news, mailing lists, lyrics and song
story pages included.
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Contests & Competitions
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NATIONAL 'INDIE BAND SEARCH 2002'
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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NO APOLOGIES? THE RIAA SAYS IT'S MISUNDERSTOOD
http://www.zdnet.com/anchordesk/stories/story/0,10738,2819477,00.html
Does the RIAA owe the American public an apology? In a recent
column I made that argument, based on what was reported as the
organization's attempt to slide anti-song swapping legislation
into the anti-terrorism bill before Congress. The RIAA has
responded that no apology is necessary--except maybe from
me--because they did no such thing. In the interest of fairness,
I am happy to present a response prepared by Cary Sherman, the
association's general counsel, who seeks to put the episode into
perspective. Commentary by David Coursey of ZDNet.
ANTHRAX (THE BAND) VS. ANTHRAX (THE DISEASE)
http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=28690
In light of current events, we are changing the name of the band
to something more friendly, "Basket Full Of Puppies". Actually,
just the fact that we are making jokes about our name sucks.
In the twenty years we've been known as "Anthrax", we never
thought the day would come that our name would actually mean what
it really means.
NAPSTER'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ONLINE MUSIC SMACKDOWN
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/newsarticle.asp?nid=14769
The stage is being set for music's equivalent of a WWF Smackdown.
In one corner: free rebel services like Kazaa, MusicCity,
Grokster, and, the powerhouse, Gnutella. In the other: MusicNet
and PressPlay, the industry's two upcoming "legit" (and
competing) online music subscription plans, plus Napster, the
original bad boy now re-launching as a paid service. It's the
ultimate irony in the ever-changing war over music online;
Napster, having seen the light, is about to compete with its
dastardly spawn. And it's still going to have a tough time
surviving.
WHY THE RIAA OWES US ALL AN APOLOGY
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/comment/0,5859,2818346,00.html
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) should issue
a public apology for its attempt last week to lump music swappers
together with terrorists--criminals worthy of special efforts and
restrictions on civil liberties in order to bring them to
justice. What the RIAA did was attempt to get language added to
the PATRIOT anti-terrorism law that would have opened the door
for a full-frontal technological attack on music swappers. This
despicable action trivializes the victims of terrorism, as well
as the men and women who have placed themselves in harm's way to
fight the terrorist menace. Commentary by David Coursey of ZDNet.
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Featured Music Industry News
http://www.musicbizacademy.com
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MTV CUTS 450 JOBS AMID AD DOWNTURN
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,37653,00.html
MTV Networks is laying off 450 employees, or about 9 percent of
its work force, as parent company Viacom Inc. cuts costs amid a
worsening advertising downturn. The cuts, which were detailed in
a memo to staff Monday from MTV Networks chief executive Tom
Freston, will affect all parts of the division, which in addition
to MTV also include Nickelodeon, VH1 and TNN.
COURT: AOL 6.0 VIOLATES COPYRIGHTS
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,5099006,00.html?chkpt=zdnn_nbs_hl
A federal judge has ordered America Online to temporarily stop
distributing a recent version of its popular service, AOL 6.0,
saying the software likely violates copyrights for computer code
used to play back MP3 files. If upheld, the ruling could force
the AOL Time Warner division to pay millions of dollars in
damages, marketing expenses, and costs related to retrieving or
altering existing copies of AOL 6.0.
NEW NAPSTER DELAYED UNTIL NEXT YEAR
http://www.msnbc.com/news/649582.asp
Napster won’t let the music play until some time next year. The
embattled song-swapping service’s chief executive, Konrad
Hilbers, told a technology conference that the company must still
license more major record label music before it can go back
online, “probably in the first quarter of next year.”
ONLINE MUSIC: CRANKING UP THE ANTITRUST VOLUME
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/oct2001/nf20011026_0654.htm
The Justice Dept.'s "preliminary investigation" into the
relationship between the major record labels and their nascent
online digital-delivery services, MusicNet and pressplay, is
moving into high gear, according to sources familiar with the
investigation. And signs are that this may be no fishing
expedition.
NAPSTER SIGNS NEW DEAL WITH BERTELSMANN
http://www.vnunet.com/News/1126411
Napster has signed a fresh deal with German music giant
Bertelsmann to license its file sharing technology. The terms of
the deal will integrate Napster's internet infrastructure, bar
the controversial peer-to-peer architecture, into Bertelsmann
subsidiary BeMusic.
RECORD LABELS FALLING WAY OUT OF TUNE
http://www.nydailynews.com/2001-10-22/News_and_Views/Media_and_Business/a-129367\
.asp
Last week AOL Time Warner released its third quarter numbers and,
once again, record giant Warner Music Group posted steeply
declining profits. Warner Music is far from alone. After years of
robust growth, the music industry is reeling. Nearly every music
giant is singing the blues. "It's probably the worst time I've
ever seen," said Bob Jamieson, who heads the North American
division of music giant BMG Entertainment, whose labels include
Arista, RCA and J Records. "I've never seen so many things
affecting the industry negatively."
ONE BECOMES TWO: MP3.COM SPLITS
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,5098556,00.html?chkpt=zdnnp1tp02
MP3.com said Friday that it will undergo another metamorphosis,
splitting into two entities as it moves to provide technology
support for parent company Vivendi Universal. The San Diego,
Calif.-based company said its MP3.com Web site will still give
customers a place to listen to music. A new division, dubbed MP3
Technologies, will provide the technology for MP3.com and other
Web sites, including the forthcoming Pressplay online
subscription service.
PRESSPLAY SIGNS ONLINE DEALS WITH SIX INDEPENDENT LABELS
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_428126.html?menu=news.technology
Pressplay has announced it has signed licensing agreements with
six independent record companies. The web music venture of
Universal and Sony has signed up Madacy, Navarre, OWIE, Razor and
Tie, Roadrunner and Rounder. This means tracks from artists as
diverse as the Dead Kennedys, Billie Holiday and Kenny Rogers
will be available to subscribers. Pressplay hopes to launch later
this autumn.
MEASURE ON MUSIC CONTRACTS PLANNED
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lobby19oct19.story
A key California state senator is preparing legislation that
could open the door on free agency for recording artists--setting
the stage for a political showdown between the nation's biggest
music stars and the corporations that employ them. Sen. Kevin
Murray (D-Culver City) said he will launch a bill in January
challenging an amendment to the state Labor Code that keeps
recording artists tied to contracts longer than other workers.
That amendment was pushed through the Legislature 14 years ago by
a powerful lobby group representing the five global record
giants--with barely a peep from the artist community.
ONLINE MUSIC WARS INSPIRE NEW WEAPONRY
http://www.business2.com/articles/web/0,,17909,FF.html
The recording industry is experimenting with a new generationof
technology it hopes can stall online song swapping by targeting
music traders' computers directly. As described by sources at the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), one method uses
software to masquerade as a file-swapper online. Once the
software has found a computer offering a certain song, it
attempts to block other potential traders from downloading the
song. Already a potentially contentious plan, the recording
industry inadvertently sparked a further wave of criticism last
week with plans to protect its strategy from being undermined by
a pending antiterrorism bill.
EUROPEAN UNION CONSIDERS BANNING PRESSPLAY AND MUSICNET
http://www.europemedia.net/shownews.asp?ArticleID=6072
Pressplay and Musicnet, the two internet music services to be
launched by the major music groups, may be considered
anti-competitive and, therefore, banned by the European Union
(EU). European Commission (EC) officials are arguing that that
the two music services could potentially create an online music
‘duopoly’. If the EU were to ban the services, the music industry
would be hit hard since online music sales are indispensable to
for the music industry’s growth.
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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 - 2002 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 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
Bible. This fantastic new musicians 'black book' contains 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 $24.95!
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ALSO FROM MIDNIGHT RAIN PRODUCTIONS
If you like this newsletter, please do drop by our network of
sites to see what we're doing.
THE FREE SHEET MUSIC GUIDE
http://www.freesheetmusicguide.com
THE SHEET MUSIC ADDICT
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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