Music Biz Academy Digest - Issue #33 - April 15th, 2002
An update from http://www.musicbizacademy.com.

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

The 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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Welcome, subscribers to the April 15th edition of the Music Biz
Academy Digest!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT....
It's been a very interesting couple of weeks in the music
business. Perhaps the biggest buzz is over a surge of press
releases coming from the RIAA touting the results of their war
against piracy. In 2001, through raids, seizures, arrests and
convictions, the RIAA has shut down more than 230 distribution
operations and 145 manufacturing operations. They have also
seized 2.8 million unauthorized CD-Rs and 21 million labels.
Convictions are up by 203 percent over the year 2000.

All I can say is, wow, those guys are busy. The RIAA is
essentially, sending a big-time message. To quote Frank
Creighton, Executive Vice President: "Those who illegally
duplicate, distribute, or otherwise steal artists' work will be
pursued and suffer the consequences."

Along similar lines, the RIAA reached a $1 million dollar
settlement with a tech firm that ran a dedicated server
permitting its employees access to thousands of MP3 files over
the network. So, if you're sharing files at work, watch out!

Finally, the RIAA is in a very bad 'MOO'-d over a Gateway
television ad featuring a hip-hop cow expressing it's support for
your right to download and burn music to CD legally. You can view
the offending ad, and listen to the MOOsic at
http://www.gateway.com/home/deals/offers/music/dmz.shtml

Oh, and I had a great week at MP3.com, gaining over 10,000 song
listens in a single day! How did I manage that? I'll tell you in
my next column, appearing at the Music Biz Academy later this
week. Watch for it!

David Nevue
Editor, The Music Biz Academy
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/internet/index.htm
http://www.mp3.com/davidnevue


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HOW TO PROMOTE YOUR MUSIC SUCCESSFULLY ON THE INTERNET
2002 Edition!
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/bookstore/htpromotemusic.htm
Learn the marketing and promotion methods that one musician uses
to bring in over $4000 a month in income from the Internet! There
are no 'pipe dreams' sold here. The author details step-by-step
how he finally said good-bye to his day job and starting spending
more time on his music. Download Version Available for only
$14.95!


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Latest Additions To The Academy
http://musicbizacademy.com/articles/
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COPYRIGHT AND SONGWRITING BASICS
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/knab/articles/copyright.htm
How exactly to you go about copyrighting a song? Is it even
necessary? Here's a brief explanation of the process and the
terms. Article by Chris Knab


MASTERING: WHAT IS IT AND WHY CAN'T I DO IT MYSELF?
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/articles/mastering.htm
What is mastering and why can't you do it yourself? Well to
answer the second part first, who says you can't? The mysteries
of mastering are many and wonderful but with the right equipment
it really is feasible these days to do it all yourself.
"Aaarrgghhhh!!!" I can hear the cries of the audio-Nazis already.
Article by Graeme Kirk.


READY TO PROMOTE YOUR MUSIC THROUGH MORPHEUS?
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/internet/morpheus.htm
MusicCity.com, the heir-apparent to Napster, is seeking to 'level
the playing field' for independent artists and musicians.
Beginning in early April, independent artists will be able to
promote and distribute their music to millions of listeners
through the Morpheus User Network. Updated comments, April 2002


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MUSICDISTRIBUTION.COM
http://www.musicdistribution.com/
MusicDistribution.com aims to help you find the best places to
promote, sell, and distribute your music on the Internet.
Includes our top 10 list, music promotion tips, and
recommended resources.


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Recent Additions/Updates to the Musician's Directory....
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/directory
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SONIC GARDEN
http://www.sonicgarden.com/
Musician's looking for a place to host their music content will
want to check out Sonic Garden, which offers not only a free web
site (with your music, bio, pics and more), but a ton of other
useful promotion tools - all free. Sonic Garden, created in part
by Bryan Jones, former VP of MP3.com, is a very attractive
alternative for musicians and features some incredibly easy setup
tools to get your personal web site up and running very quickly.
Community programs include participation in CD compilations,
soundtracks, retail and radio programs. Sonic Garden has a HUGE
artist roster, and we can see why. There's a lot here to like.


PROREC RECORDING MAGAZINE
http://www.prorec.com/
ProRec is an online music magazine just bursting with helpful
articles on home recording. This fine, easy to navigate site
features not only articles, but an active discussion group, free
software and utility downloads, a classifieds section, bookstore,
news, and product reviews.


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Contests & Competitions
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2002 U.S.A. SONGWRITING COMPETITION
http://www.songwriting.net/
Entries for the 2002 USA Songwriting Competition are now being
accepted. Winning songs will receive airplay on a nationally
syndicated radio program serving over sixty cities in North
America and Canada. This is the first Songwriting Competition
that gives airplay to the winning songs, giving deserving bands,
songwriters the recognition and exposure they deserve. Entrants
stand to win a grand prize of over US$50,000 in cash, merchandise
and exposure. Songs may be entered in fifteen different
categories including Pop, Rock and Country. Entries are accepted
from now through May 31, 2002.


B.E.A.M. GRANT PROGRAM HELPS UNSIGNED MUSICIANS
http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=33162
Making a living in the music world can be a tough goal to
achieve. Many talented musicians go unnoticed because they don't
have the resources needed to display their talents. To help make
some of these life-long dreams come true, Jim Beam® Bourbon will
award another $100,000 in grant money in 2002 to unsigned artists
through the B.E.A.M. (Benefiting Emerging Artists in Music)
program. Final grant deadline is August 30th.


101 ONLINE MUSIC PR SOURCES - FREE TO TWO WINNERS EVERY MONTH
http://www.bob-baker.com/buzz/onlinepr.html
Bob Baker is giving away copies of his new music publicity
resource. "Some professionals hide their secrets, but not Bob,"
says Jeffrey P. Fisher, author of Ruthless Self-Promotion in the
Music Industry. Fisher is referring to Bob Baker's "Online Music
PR Hot List," a new downloadable book that reveals 101 places to
submit press releases, get reviewed, uncover PR connections and
promote your music on the Internet. Every month, Baker will give
away two copies of this new online music PR directory.


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Articles From Around The Net....
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HAS CORPORATE GREED FINALLY DESTROYED THE MAJOR LABELS?
http://pulse.towerrecords.com/contentStory.asp?contentId=5011
The record business is taking a beating. And many music fans are
watching with the kind of glee usually reserved for a schoolyard
bully's comeuppance. Here are the facts...


THE END OF COLLEGE RADIO ON THE INTERNET?
http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=35455
Internet users will face the probable loss of an important
source of diverse audio programming, depending on how the U.S.
Copyright Office implements a landmark federal law.


TUNING INTO ONLINE MUSIC
http://www.tvinsite.com/multi-international/index.asp?
layout=story_stocks&articleid=CA208264
Music may have charms, as the old saying goes, to soothe the
savage breast. The question being asked today, however, is
whether music can soothe the savage bottom line. A spate of new
services indicates that companies are betting that online digital
music will pump up the revenue and profit.


THE KAZAA RULING: WHAT IT MEANS
http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,51457,00.html
Kazaa BV, a Dutch company that licenses the Kazaa file-trading
software, was exonerated last week when an appellate court ruled
file-trading developers weren't liable for copyright infringement
that occurs by people using their applications. But despite the
apparent shifting winds in the courts, the reality is that the
Dutch ruling will do little to help American companies.


THE SOUND AT NAPSTER: TICK, TICK, TICK...
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/02_14/b3777088.htm
It just keeps getting worse for war-weary Napster Inc. The
online-music pioneer, already paralyzed by assaults from the
recording industry, now faces a nasty conflict within its ranks.
On one side is an early backer of the company. On the other side
is Napster and two board members. If they don't resolve their
dispute, it could derail a buyout offer by Bertelsmann AG,
leaving the onetime Internet highflier in dire financial straits.


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Directory Information
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/directory
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BUY & SELL MUSIC GEAR
Whether you need CD recording software, a musical instrument, or
home recording audio equipment, you'll find something in this,
our directory for musician's in need of more 'stuff.'
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/directory/recordingequipment.htm


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Featured Music Industry News
http://www.musicbizacademy.com
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XM SATELLITE RADIO RAISES $154.0 MILLION
http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=35477
XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: XMSR) announced today
that it has priced a public offering of 13,387,000 shares of its
Class A Common Stock at a per share price of $11.50. The
offering, expected to close next week, raises gross proceeds of
$154.0 million. The proceeds will be used primarily for marketing
expenses, systems, and other general corporate purposes, and are
expected to fund company operations into the latter half of the
first quarter of 2003.


RECORDING INDUSTRY SLAMS GATEWAY AD
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A40795-2002Apr12.html
The recording industry is having a cow over an ad campaign that
features a Holstein singing along to a hip-hop cover of a Gordon
Lightfoot tune. The bovine singing "Sundown" is part of Gateway
Inc.'s new campaign to take a stand in the burgeoning battle over
digital music. "Gateway supports your right to enjoy digital
music legally," the ad concludes.


DATAPLAY DISCS PUT A NEW SPIN ON DIGITAL MUSIC
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42176-2002Apr13.html
Compact discs are small, durable, digital and, with the right
hardware, even recordable. So why wouldn't an even smaller
digital music disc be a better idea? A Boulder, Colo., company
called DataPlay Inc. has been working since 1998 to find an
answer to that question.


NAPSTER STARING DEATH IN THE FACE
http://www.silicon.com/a52652
Napster bosses have been forced to make another round of job cuts
as the controversial file-swapping service teeters close to the
brink of collapse. Against a backdrop of legal suits which forbid
Napster from running its service, founder Shaun Fanning has had
to make 30 people redundant. It is estimated that this latest
round of staff cuts reduces headcount by a third.


RIAA RELEASES 2001 PHYSICAL ANTI-PIRACY FIGURES
http://www.riaa.com/News_Story.cfm?id=503
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) announced
today that its physical anti-piracy efforts in 2001 led to a
record number of arrests, raids, illegal product seizures, guilty
pleas and convictions.


GATEWAY SUPPORTS CONSUMERS' DIGITAL MUSIC RIGHTS
http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=35390
Gateway, Inc. today will publicly take a stand with consumers on
the digital music debate, launching the first mainstream
marketing campaign by a technology company supporting consumers'
right to enjoy digital music legally.


BMG TO ISSUE PROMO CDS WITH COPY PROTECTIONS
http://www.bizreport.com/./article.php?art_id=3255
Major record label BMG will soon begin sending its promotional
CDs with anti-copying measures as a way to help stem unauthorized
distribution of copyrighted music, the company said today.
Promotional recordings are sent to radio stations, retailers and
music journalists free of charge in advance of scheduled release
dates. These CDs have been suspected as the source of songs that
were put on the Internet before they were released.


RIAA COLLECTS $3.2 MILLION FROM CD COPYING PLANT MANUFACTURING
UNLICENSED RECORDINGS
http://www.riaa.com/PR_Story.cfm?id=504
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), on behalf
of its member companies, today announced a $3.2 million
settlement with DOCdata USA, a CD manufacturing facility, to
resolve claims of copyright infringement. As a result of the
RIAA's anti-piracy investigations around the country, the
organization determined that DOCdata USA had pressed dozens of
infringing CDs.


RIAA COLLECTS $1 MILLION FROM COMPANY RUNNING INTERNAL SERVER
OFFERING THOUSANDS OF SONGS
http://www.riaa.com/PR_Story.cfm?id=505
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) announced
today that they recently reached an out-of-court settlement for
$1 million with Integrated Information Systems, Inc. (IIS), a
high tech company that ran a dedicated server permitting its
employees to access and distribute thousands of infringing MP3
files over the corporate network.


NAPSTER GOES LEGIT: TAKEOVER PLANS CONFIRMED
http://www.silicon.com/a52478
Napster, the music sharing site and one-time symbol of people
power on the web, is set to end its days as an independent
concern after Bertlesmann confirmed plans for a takeover.
Bertlesmann, the German media conglomerate which initially
invested in Napster back in 2000, is ready to spend up to £20m to
acquire the service, according to chief executive Thomas
Middelhoff.


CELINE DION'S CD CAN CRASH PCS
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/entertainment/new_media/newsid_191200
0/1912466.stm
Buyers of Celine Dion's new album are being warned - do not play
the CD on your computer or it will crash. European versions of
her CD, A New Day Has Come, carry warnings that it should not be
played on PCs as it is embedded with copy protection technology.
It is used to prevent songs being uploading onto the internet.
The CD, which entered the UK and US album charts at number one
last weekend, is the first copy-protected release by music giant
Sony.


PIRACY PILLAGES MUSIC INDUSTRY
http://www.usatoday.com/money/covers/2002-04-05-music-piracy.htm
Crystal Wong, a 24-year-old rarely visits record stores anymore.
She downloads most music she wants from the Web without paying
music companies a dime. She doesn't consider this wrong. "Artists
make money other ways" including from concerts, she says. "I'm
sure they're taken care of." But it scares the pants off music
companies and others who see digital downloading and copying
spinning out of control.


MP3.COM CELEBRATES 200,000TH ARTIST MILESTONE
http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=34963
MP3.com, Inc., home to one of the world's largest collections of
streaming and downloadable music, today announced that its vast
artist community has reached a historic milestone with the
addition of its 200,000th artist.


RECORDING INDUSTRY 'LOSING THE WAR'
http://www.osopinion.com/perl/story/17054.html
Even as the courts keep Napster down, online swapping of
copyrighted music and video files continues almost unabated.
AfterNapster.com, a Web site devoted to Internet file-swapping
utilities, lists more than 100 alternatives to the pioneering
Napster. These include Kazaa, Morpheus, Blubster, Audio Galaxy,
eDonkey 2000 and WinMX.


INTERNET RADIO BROADCASTERS STREAM MORE HOURS DESPITE MUSIC
ROYALTIES PROPOSAL, REPORTS MEASURECAST
http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=34875
MeasureCast, Inc., the first company to provide Internet radio
broadcasters with next-day streaming audience size and
demographic data, today reported that Webcasters streamed more
hours of on-line radio programming during the week of March 18
than they did the previous week, despite the recent controversy
surrounding royalty fees recommended by the Copyright Arbitration
Royalty Panel (CARP).


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Recommended Resources
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HOW TO PROMOTE YOUR MUSIC SUCCESSFULLY ON THE INTERNET
2002 Edition!
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/bookstore/htpromotemusic.htm
Learn the marketing and promotion methods that one musician uses
to bring in over $4000 a month in income from the Internet! There
are no 'pipe dreams' sold here. The author details step-by-step
how he finally said good-bye to his day job and starting spending
more time on his music. Download Version Available for only
$14.95!


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!


MUSIC IS YOUR BUSINESS
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/bookstore/musiciyb.htm
This great offering from music biz consultant Christopher Knab is
now available in PDF format! Find out why so many musicians fail
and how you can get the 'edge'. Learn how to attract
distributors, radio play, and how to create a demand for your
music. Music Is Your Business includes excellent flowcharts and
graphs, demonstrating in simple terms how the industry operates.
Sample artist bio, fact sheet, and checklists for jump-starting
your career and/or running your own record label! PDF Edition
only $19.95!


THE INDIE MUSICIAN'S PDF POWER PACK!
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/bookstore/index.htm
Get three of our best-selling books for one low price! Set
includes 'How to Promote Your Music Successfully on the
Internet', 'The Indie Bible' and 'Music is Your Business' - All
for only $49.95 emailed to your inbox!


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Services
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GET YOUR MUSIC ONLINE!
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/cdstreet.htm
We've partnered with CDStreet to offer one of the best deals on
the net for musicians looking to sell their music via the web.
There are NO set up fees or hidden charges. CDStreet simply takes
20% of your CD price. If you sell a CD for $12.99, you keep
$10.39. If you need to ecommerce enable your existing web site
(as in, you need a shopping cart), you can use CDStreet to do
that as well. 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'.


MUSIC CAREER CONSULTING
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/consulting.htm
If you'd like some help getting your music career off the ground
or preparing for that next step, contact our expert music
consultant, Christopher Knab. Chris has been called "One of the
Most Influential People in the Northwest Music Industry." by
Seattle's Rocket Magazine. He is owner of FourFront Media and
Music, a consultation service based in Seattle that helps
musicians develop marketing and career plans.


RADIO & RETAIL PROMOTION
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/radiopromo.htm
If you're looking to promote your music either via radio or
through retail, we've teamed up with a radio promoter who has
quarterbacked campaigns for RadioHead (before they were stars),
Lit (Malicious Vinyl), and others. Our contact will help arrange
on-air interviews, CD reviews, and create a custom campaign
custom designed for your music.


ART DESIGN - CDs, Posters, One-Sheets, and Web Sites
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/artdesign/
In this business of music, image means everything! You know it,
we know it, the music industry knows it. Our hand-picked graphic
designers will help you make a powerful statement about your
music! Whether you need art design for your CD package, or just a
quick logo, it's all here. Check out the very cool one-sheet
designs, the perfect item to make your press kit stand out!


INSIDE SESSIONS: LEARN FROM THE PROS
http://www.qksrv.net/click-1043288-5834908
Brought to you by the Universal Music Group, the largest record
company in the world, InsideSessions is an Internet-based program
that teaches you everything you need to know to transform your
passion for music into a successful career as a recording artist
or industry professional. The online 10 session course features
instruction from artists Sting, Sheryl Crow & Nelly, record
executives Jimmy Iovine and Russell Simmons, producer Glen
Ballard and many others. Once you sign up, Universal guarantees
their A&R executives will listen to your demo, and even provide
you written feedback if you select that option.


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THE MUSIC BIZ ACADEMY is brought to you by
Midnight Rain Productions / http://www.rainmusic.com
Drop by our network of sites to see what we're doing.

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http://www.musicdistribution.com

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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