Music Biz Academy Digest - Issue #55 - May 2003
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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Hello subscribers, and welcome to the May edition of the
Music Biz Academy Digest! Another month, another action-packed
issue!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

Everyone, and I mean everyone, is talking about the new iTunes
Music Store (http://www.apple.com/music/store/) just opened by
Steve Jobs and Apple Computing. I don't think Apple has gotten
this much good press since... well, maybe even before anyone
heard of the Internet.

I can almost feel the collective sigh of relief coming from
even the most remote corners of the online music industry. The
euphoric feeling is that maybe, just maybe, a means has been
found to sell and deliver digital music to consumers that *both*
consumers and the recording industry can live with.

So, what's the big deal? The big deal is this: iTunes has been a
HUGE financial success, much more so than anyone anticipated. In
just its first week of operation over one million songs were
purchased and downloaded at a cost of 99 cents each. That's a
million buckaroos in a week. For a project designed just to 'test
the water', iTunes is making big waves.

Here's the amazing part: iTunes is currently only available to
Mac users, and *only* those Mac users running the most current
version of the operating system. That makes up less than 1%
of the PC market! So just 1% of all PC users generated enough
interest to make a million bucks.

Now, extrapolate that out. If iTunes was available to the other
99% of computer users, Apple could *theoretically* bring in 100
million a week. That's over 5.2 billion in cash a year.
Cha-ching! OK, that's quite an unscientific exaggeration, but the
point is, people are using the service by the boatloads and
there's definitely money to be made. The record industry is
taking notice.

On paper, the iTunes service doesn't look like something that
should be anywhere near this popular. iTunes has a limited
catalog of only 200,000 tunes, and there are no streaming
options. It's strictly a download service.

So why has iTunes done so well? Maybe it's just plain easier than
stealing. You can get a high quality download of your favorite
songs fast. And the files you download are much smaller than your
usual MP3's, but still sound amazingly good. A smaller file size
means you can get a LOT more music on your iPod.

In addition to ease of use and it's utter simplicity, iTunes
doesn't set a whole lot of limitations on what you can do with
the music you've purchased. You can play your music on up to
three computers, enjoy unlimited synching with your iPods, burn
unlimited CDs of individual songs, and burn unchanged playlists
up to 10 times each.

Perhaps best of all, there's NO monthly subscription fee, and
believe it or not, all of this has all been OK'd with the
RIAA. So you can enjoy your digital music downloads without fear
of legal action.

OK, so Mac fans are happy. What about the rest of us? We're in
luck! Apple hopes to extend the iTunes service to Windows-based
machines by the end of the year. Until then, I'm sure we'll be
seeing a lot of imitations pop up.

A PLATINUM DEBUT SHOWS ITUNES HAS HIT POTENTIAL
http://tinyurl.com/brg5

APPLE'S ONLINE MUSIC COUP IGNITES A BUDDING INDUSTRY
http://www.startribune.com/stories/535/3875317.html

HOW APPLE GOT MUSIC DOWNLOADING RIGHT
http://tinyurl.com/brg8

APPLE: 'LARGEST ONLINE MUSIC COMPANY IN THE WORLD'
http://www.europemedia.net/shownews.asp?ArticleID=16187

Aside from the stunning debut of iTunes, there was other news of
note during the last month. Here's a rundown what were, in my
view, some of the more interesting stories:

Speculation is growing that record companies are researching new
'countermeasures' to fight piracy, including outright sabotage.

MUSIC INDUSTRY MAY TURN TO ZAPPING THE PIRATES
http://www.iht.com/articles/95218.html

The RIAA settled their lawsuit against four college students who
ran file-sharing networks. The settlement will see each student
making payments to the RIAA totaling between $12,000 and $17,000.

RIAA WINS SETTLEMENT FROM CAMPUS PIRATES
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105_2-999332.html

Morpheus - remember Morpheus? - is back. Streamcast Networks
released a new, highly-touted 3.0 version of their file-trading
software. Will Morpheus reclaim its position as king of the
file-trading software hill? User reviews of version 3.0 at
download.com say no.

MORPHEUS FINDS ITSELF BORN AGAIN
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104_2-999026.html

One good thing, file trading software companies no longer have to
worry about lawsuits from the RIAA. A federal judge ruled that
software companies could not be held liable for what users did
with their software.

JUDGE: FILE-SWAPPING TOOLS ARE LEGAL
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105-998363.html

And on another positive note, Real.com bought Rhapsody's
Listen.com subscription-based music service. As a Rhapsody user
myself (I love it), I'm glad to see that it has a future.

REAL BUYS LISTEN.COM FOR $36 MILLION
http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/news/5688485.htm

I also thought I'd pass along a couple of articles that should be
a big encouragement to independent artists everywhere. Business
is booming for indies:

WHAT RECORD INDUSTRY SLUMP?
http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0411/p13s02-almp.html

NO LABEL, NO PROBLEM
http://tinyurl.com/brgi

Finally, I'm happy to announce my participation in a workshop to
be given August 2-3 through Portland State University. The
workshop is entitled, "From the Studio to the Streets: Music
Marketing in a Digital Age". The workshop will feature
Christopher Knab (of FourFront Music and Media) and myself.

FROM THE STUDIO TO THE STREETS: MUSIC MARKETING IN A DIGITAL AGE
http://www.haystack.pdx.edu/music.shtml#marketing
Learn how new and traditional music marketing techniques can be
used to help your CD release stand out from the competition.
Discussions will include live performance, getting airplay,
creating a buzz around your music, Internet marketing, physical
and online distribution, and business and legal issues. For more
information, visit the above link or contact Elizabeth Snyder
at 503-725-4186.

Until next time,

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


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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!


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Latest Additions To The Academy
http://musicbizacademy.com/articles/
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RADIO AIRPLAY 101: COMMERICAL RADIO MYTHS
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/articles/radio/myths.htm
Many independent musicians, particularly those just starting in
the business, have no real idea what goes on at a commercial
radio station. In this article, promoter Bryan Farrish dispels
many commonly held beliefs about the business of radio.


LABELS: MAKE THEM COME TO YOU!
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/articles/cs_labels2u.htm
"Everyone knows how hard it is getting signed to a record label.
With the present state of the business, Internet piracy and lack
of record sales in the music industry, it has never been harder
and seemingly impossible for artists to get signed. Well let me
try to uplift one or two spirits if if I may..." Article by Chris
Standring.


$1000 GIGS: HOW TO MAKE 'EM
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/comment/klove1000gigs.htm
Want to learn how to turn *each* of your future live performances
(starting with your very next gig) into $500-$1,000 profit-makers
(minimum), regardless of what the gig is actually paying you to
perform? Article by Kenny Love.


21 SONGWRITING TIPS
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/articles/songwritingtips.htm
Making something out of nothing can be a challenge. Here are some
great tips from songwriter Ken Hill that will get your creative
juices flowing.


35 TIPS FOR SELF-MANAGEMENT AS A MUSICIAN
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/knab/articles/selfmanage.htm
35 tips are suggested for any musician who wants to manage their
careers as a business. Article by Christopher Knab.


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Popular Archives From The Academy
http://musicbizacademy.com/articles/
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HOW TO WRITE AND SEND A PRESS RELEASE
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/articles/pressrelease.htm

10 REASONS WHY DEMOS ARE REJECTED
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/knab/articles/10demosrejected.htm

PLANNING YOUR MUSIC CAREER
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/knab/articles/careerplanning.htm


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MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND EQUIPMENT - ZZOUNDS.COM
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/zzounds.htm
zZounds is a premier source of recording equipment, guitars,
pianos, keyboards, software, mics, tuners, and music more.
zZounds guarantees to beat any price, and there is a 30 Day price
protection program - so if you find a lower price AFTER you
purchase, zZounds will refund you the difference! zZounds also
offers very low shipping costs on equipment and in many cases
shipping is absolutely free. zZounds also ships your product
immediately - no waiting! Finally, almost every product in the
easy-to-browse catalog has user reviews from previous buyers so
you can be confident of the quality of what you're buying. Very
highly recommended. A great place to buy, or even just get info
on equipment you are interested in.


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Recent Additions/Updates to the Musician's Directory....
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/directory
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THE CELEBRITY CAFE
http://thecelebritycafe.com/interviews/Music/
One of the best ways to learn and understand your craft is to
take note what successful professionals in your line of work have
to say about it. At the Celebrity Cafe, you'll find interviews
with over 200 artists in the industry including David Crosby,
Mick Fleetwood, Bruce Hornsby and others. Good reading and life
experience from those who have gone before us.


ECLIPSNOW!
http://www.eclipsnow.com/
eClipsNow! webcasting solutions specializes in developing media
presentations for the internet, and has much experience working
with musicians. They can record performances live or in studio
and help you provide On-Demand programming, pay-perview, free
streams, or create a video for broadcast distribution. Artists
using their technology include Bush, Third Eye Blind, David
Crosby, and about three dozen more you've no doubt heard of. Lots
of sample footage on their web site for your enjoyment.


IDENTITY LINKS: LIGHT UP PROMO PRODUCTS
http://www.identity-links.com/light-up/
Check out these light up promotional products, including
necklaces, key chains, 'rock glasses', glow wands, fiber-optic
hats, straws, pens and even ice cubes. Imagine the possibilities!
Turn your club gig into a dazzling light show - worn entirely by
your audience!


INDIEMUSICBEAT
http://www.indiemusicbeat.com/
IndieMusicBeat (formerly Gajoob.com's DIY Report) has been
reviewing and publishing collective indie music resources for
about ten years now. Now offered in a downloadable PDF format,
new resources for independent musicians are published every
month. Each issue contains new CD reviews (submit your CD for a
free review), lists of festivals, publications, compilations,
articles and more.


THE MUSICIAN'S PLACE
http://www.themusiciansplace.com/index.phtml
For just a bit more exposure, add your band to the Musician's
Place database for free. Search the database for clubs, venues,
studios, and stores. Register and get free use of a way-cool Gig
Calendar and Recording Log.


TAXI
http://www.taxi.com
TAXI has been around forever (well, since 1992), helping unsigned
bands, artists and songwriters get their demos to A&R people at
major record labels, publishers, and into film and TV projects.
Every month, TAXI lists dozens of opportunities for musicians to
get connected with labels, publishers, and producers seeking new
talent. Once signed up, you can submit your songs for
consideration for the listings offered. TAXI will review your
material, and if they feel it's right for the listed project,
forward it to the appropriate contact. Whether your song is
accepted or rejected, TAXI will provide you with written feedback
about your song. TAXI works with over 600 major companies
including Arista, Atlantic, Capitol, Columbia, Disney, Dreamworks
SKG, EMI, Epic, MCA, RCA, Universal, Virgin, Warner Brothers and
many others. There is a yearly membership fee of $300, plus small
submission fee ($5) for each song.


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Contests, Competitions, and Opportunities
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The Music Biz Academy has no connection with the below contests
or opportunies. They simply looked interesting to us, so we
thought they'd be interesting to you. Participate at your own
risk.


THE 2003 USA SONGWRITING COMPETITION
http://www.songwriting.net/
It's back! Entries for the 2003 USA Songwriting Competition are
now being accepted. Overall Grand Prize winner will receive
$50,000 worth of cash, merchandise and services. Overall 2nd
Prize winner will receive $7,000 worth of cash and merchandise,
Overall 3rd Prize winner will receive $5,800 worth of cash and
merchandise. First 1,000 entries will each receive a FREE
subscription from Singer magazine. Entries must be postmarked by
May 30th, 2003.


THE COCA COLA NEW MUSIC AWARD
http://www.newmusicaward.com/
The Coca-Cola Company, The American Music Awards (AMA), dick
clark communications (DCC), and The CMJ Network (CMJ) are
announcing a call for entries to the third annual "The American
Music Awards Presents The Coca-Cola New Music Award" competition.
The winner of this nationwide competition for unsigned bands will
perform live on the 31st Annual "American Music Awards" telecast
in November on ABC-TV. To enter "The Coca-Cola New Music Award"
competition, individual artists and bands are asked to submit
three original songs along with a biography, photo and lyrics.
Submissions may be sent either digitally to www.newmusicaward.com
or by mail on audiocassette or CD. Online entries must be
received by June 23, 2003, and mail-in entries must be received
by June 30, 2003. NO ENTRY FEE.


THE 2003 WINDRIFT MUSIC SONGWRITING COMPETITION
http://www.windriftmusic.com/2003/index.htm?mba
Over $30,000 in cash and prizes to be won!!! Fabulous Sponsors
and Industry Professional Judges. Open now till July 31st, 2003
deadline. FREE e-Book, & Music Industry Discounts with every
entry! Monthly spot-prizes, Early Bird Bonuses & FREE entries
available! Enter online or by mail. $20 entry fee.


INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITING COMPETITION
http://www.songwritingcompetition.com/
$100,000 in cash and prizes to be given away. 68 winners in 13
categories. Overall Grand Prize Winner - $10,000 cash and $25,000
merchandise. Judges include Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20, Monte
Lipman - President of Universal Records, Tina Davis - Sr. VP of
A&R Def Jam, Rose Noone - Sr. VP of A&R at Epic Records and more.
All entries must be postmarked on or before September 15, 2003.
$30 entry fee.


SHOWCASE ON TV IN NASHVILLE
http://www.nashvilleconnection.com/countrytalentsearch1.html
Talent Search TV (TSTV), a monthly competition, is giving artists
a chance for much needed exposure in Music City. The last weekend
of each month, starting March 29, TSTV will begin the first of
eight competitions that will run through October. Contestants
will compete for the $100 monthly winner position and advance to
the Grand Finals in November. The Grand Prize includes $1000
cash; a two song recording session; a music video to be aired on
Travlin' Music Television's American Music Showcase shown to
536,000 homes; A photo shoot; an Epiphone acoustic guitar; a
showcase at THE TRAP & Nashville's Legendary Hall of Fame Lounge
and Hotel accommodations in Nashville For 4 nights on Music Row.


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GET YOUR MUSIC HEARD!
http://www.rainmusic.com/tonos.htm
Our friends at Tonos have blown the door of opportunity open for
more than a few musicians and songwriters. Founded by legendary
music makers Carole Bayer Sager, David Foster and Kenneth
"Babyface" Edmonds (all three Grammy winners), Tonos gives many
artists the chance to get their music into the hands of the A&R
folks that matter. On a regular basis, record labels,
film/television music supervisors, producers, managers, and other
music industry entities contact Tonos when they're looking for
specific musical talents. For example, Steve Lillywhite, producer
of albums by U2, Dave Matthews and the Rolling Stones, used Tonos
to find the first artist he signed for his new record label. And
he's not alone. On a constant basis, there are new opportunites
listed. Click link above to view current listings.


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Tonos Opportunities
http://www.rainmusic.com/tonos.htm
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XM RADIO LOOKING FOR GREAT SONGS FOR AIRPLAY!
XM satellite radio has 101 coast-to-coast digital channels and
has a emerging artist radio show called Radio Unsigned. Radio
Unsigned is the first, and only, national audio platform
dedicated to unsigned, independent and emerging artists and plays
music across all genres. They are accepting performances of all
genres. Deadline is Friday May 23rd, 2003


MAJOR PUBLISHER SEEKING SONGS FOR MAJOR MALE ARTIST!
Major music publisher will accept songs for a major label male
artist with Top Ten successes in the past two years. The
publisher executive is looking for R&B/pop hits ONLY!! Deadline
is Monday May 26th, 2003


HITMAKER BYRON GALLIMORE LOOKING FOR SONGS FOR TIM MCGRAW
Top country music producer Byron Gallimore is currently reviewing
songs for Tim McGraw's next album. The actual recording sessions
aren't slated to begin until the fall, but the search for songs
is currently underway. Deadline is Friday May 30th, 2003


ROCK BANDS, SINGER-SONGWRITERS WANTED BY L.A. PRODUCTION COMPANY
A Grammy-winning engineer/mixer, whose credits include Carlos
Santana, Guns N' Roses and Adam Cohen, is seeking new bands
and/or artists (a la Beth Orton and Jeff Buckley) for production
deals. Deadline is Friday June 6th, 2003


MAJOR LABEL LOOKING FOR FEMALE POP/R&B ARTISTS FOR GROUP
Wisdom Entertainment is looking for female singers between the
ages of 15-23 years old for two different groups they are
forming; one is a Pop/R&B group and the other is an R&B group.
All ethnicites are welcome. Deadline is Friday June 13th, 2003


For more info on the above opportunities, please visit
http://www.rainmusic.com/tonos.htm


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Articles From Around The Net....
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A PLATINUM DEBUT SHOWS ITUNES HAS HIT POTENTIAL
http://tinyurl.com/brg5
When Apple opened its online iTunes Music Store last month with
200,000 digital album tracks for sale at 99 cents each, the
company said it expected to sell a million songs in its first
month. Instead, customers downloaded a million tunes in the first
week. That's an astounding figure, considering that Macs with the
latest version of Apple's operating system - the only computers
that can access the store - account for less than 1 percent of
the nation's PCs.


APPLE'S ONLINE MUSIC COUP IGNITES A BUDDING INDUSTRY
http://www.startribune.com/stories/535/3875317.html
Allen Evans of Middlesex, Vt., is no stranger to digital music.
About two-thirds of his music collection comes from free copies
on file-swapping networks. The remainder was ripped from CDs he
and his family already owned. Recently, Evans downloaded four
songs -- and gladly paid for them. The 19-year-old's purchases,
along with 1 million other tracks sold in the first week of
business for Apple Computer Incorporated's online music store,
mark a refreshing turn of events for the ailing music industry.
Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO and the closest thing Silicon Valley has
to a rock star, has succeeded in an important coup, forcing
tectonic change in an industry notorious for its dinosaur pace
and dragon tactics.


RECORD INDUSTRY CUTTING OFF NOSE TO SPITE FACE
http://www.silicon.com/news/500019/1/4071.html
New research has confirmed what many already suspected - music
download services such as Napster and KaZaA are a major factor in
driving CD sales. Many music fans use services such as KaZaA, and
previously the now defunct Napster, in a 'try before you buy'
capacity - finding out what new music they like before going out
and buying a CD. Critics of the Recording Industry Association of
America and its hard line of file sharing have long suggested
this to be the case and now research from Nielsen/NetRatings
supports the claim.


ONLINE MUSIC'S HIDDEN ENDGAME?
http://www.msnbc.com/news/767146.asp
Apple and Steve Jobs have clearly made a usability breakthrough
with iTunes 4 and Music Store and the music industry should be
grateful. The press, as usual, has treated Music Store as the
Second Coming, which is part of that old black magic that Steve
Jobs weaves so well. Mac enthusiasts, having something that no
one else does, are in heaven. Now, however, some quibbles about
selection and pricing are emerging, and Slashdot has a lengthy
thread that includes some mixed reviews and even some speculation
about piracy possibilities.



HOW APPLE GOT MUSIC DOWNLOADING RIGHT
http://tinyurl.com/brg8
After nearly a week of playing with Apple's new iTunes Music
Store and downloading dozens of songs, I've come to the
conclusion that I'm creeping toward bankruptcy, one buck at a
time. Apple's new online store provides what I think many people
have been looking for: a legal way to buy music over the
Internet, with few restrictions over what can be done with those
tunes. At 99 cents a song, the price is right, even if it will
lead susceptible people like me to financial ruin.


WHY THE RECORDING INDUSTRY LOVES TECH
http://www.business2.com/articles/mag/0,1640,48752,00.html
As head of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA),
I've been the public face for an industry that's endured
significant -- some would say tumultuous -- changes during the
last few years. It seems widely assumed that we at the RIAA revel
in our role in stamping out music pirates. True, it's a necessary
part of the job, and also the right thing to do -- if you
believe, as I do, that misusing someone's copyrighted property is
wrong. But here's something that may surprise you: I'm every bit
as passionate about music as you are.


RECORD LABELS' LATEST NAPSTER SUIT UNNERVES VENTURE CAPITALISTS
http://tinyurl.com/brgc
Venture capitalists didn't need another reason to avoid high-tech
investments — but two major record labels have given them one
anyway. Still seeking retribution for Napster's online
file-swapping system, industry giants Universal Music and EMI
broke are trying to break new legal ground by suing the venture
capital firm that helped finance the revolutionary Internet
service. Napster failed last year, but the discord about the
service and all the free music that it distributed is far from
over. The music industry's latest legal assault would push the
boundaries of blame by holding investors liable for the actions
of a company and its management. It's a showdown venture
capitalists have long dreaded.


APPLE: LEADER OF THE DIGITAL MUSIC PACK?
http://tinyurl.com/brgg
Steve Jobs has just created what is easily the most promising
legal digital music service on the market. Now that Apple has
gotten the music industry to support its pay-per-download iTunes
Music Store, nearly all of its Wintel PC-based rivals say they
will augment their subscription businesses with similar
offerings. "Steve's pushing the ball forward here," concedes Rob
Glaser, CEO of RealNetworks, which owns nearly 40% of MusicNet
and plans to purchase Listen.com's well-regarded Rhapsody
subscription service. But Glaser insists that Apple is ignoring a
significant part of the digital music market by offering just
downloading. He says Rhapsody users spend 72% of their time
listening to streaming music. Only 13% pay $1 to burn cuts onto
CDs. "if you make a really cool playlist of 200 songs on
Rhapsody, you pay only $9.95 a month," he says. "If you use
Apple, it's $200. Maybe guys like Steve and me can afford that,
but I'm trying to run a service for everyone else too."


WHAT RECORD INDUSTRY SLUMP?
http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0411/p13s02-almp.html
While executives at major labels wail about the industry's
imminent collapse, indie labels and artists are singing a much
happier tune. Profits are up - in some cases by 50 to 100
percent. That's in contrast to overall album sales, which dropped
about 11 percent in 2002. "We don't do too much crying over
here," Cameron Strang, founder of New West Records, admits
proudly. The home of artists like Delbert McClinton, the
Flatlanders, and John Hiatt has doubled its business for the past
three years and is projecting a $10 million income in 2003. You
won't hear many of these labels' artists on pop radio - and
ironically, that's one of the secrets to their success.


NO LABEL, NO PROBLEM
http://tinyurl.com/brgi
The struggle for autonomy in the pop world has broken out all
over the map. While the corporate music machine grinds on, too
big for what was once considered a street art, musicians of all
types are shipping out to parts unknown to produce and market
their own albums. In the old days, the goal of most would-be
music stars was to enlist with one of the dozen or so major
labels that sold popular music to the masses. But with just five
money-losing global corporations dominating mainstream music,
self-sufficiency has become the mantra of performers who find
they can live just as well or better setting up shop on the
Internet, at gigs or through independent distributors.



WEB MUSIC GETS ITS ACT TOGETHER
http://tinyurl.com/apzy
Pay-to-play digital music services aren't perfect, but they're
improving. Here's how Business Week Online rates the best -- and
the rest...


DIGITAL MUSIC: STILL SCORES LEFT TO SETTLE
http://tinyurl.com/brgn
Randall Wixen represents some of the biggest names in music --
and he's not shy about defending their copyrights. Wixen the
services are a ruse by the labels to give artists and publishers
a smaller piece of the profits: "I'm all in favor of new delivery
systems," he says, "but it shouldn't change the relationship so
that we get less and the labels get more."


MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – A 2ND EDITION OF THE MUSIC BUSINESS
http://www.musicdish.com/mag/?id=7776
I am a serious movie fan, and so the other night I had a bizarre
dream: I was catapulted into the opening scene of my own sequel
of 'Mission: Impossible', and the mission – should I chose to
accept it - was to rebuild the music business from scratch. The
industry we know was "Gone with the Wind," and it was my job to
reassemble it. The next morning I awoke and felt that I had to
try to deliver what I promised, dream or not. So, here is my
10-step program for the Impossible Mission of restructuring the
music business, 'Men in Black' notwithstanding.


UNLIKE NAPSTER, KAZAA CAN RUN AND IT CAN HIDE
http://tinyurl.com/brgz
Kazaa Media Desktop, the new king of Napster-like Internet
file-sharing programs, is proving as hard to ignore as it is to
destroy. With 60 million users worldwide, 22 million of them in
the United States, advertisers are dumping millions into
Kazaa.com coffers. Meanwhile, the Recording Industry Association
of America is shelling out similar amounts to decipher Kazaa's
labyrinthine corporate structure and stop unauthorized trading in
copyrighted music, games, software, and movies. Stopping Napster
was a no-brainer by comparison.



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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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Featured Music Industry News
http://www.musicbizacademy.com
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RIAA SENDS OUT ERRONEOUS LETTERS
http://www.msnbc.com/news/913204.asp
The music industry’s antipiracy efforts took an embarrassing turn
Tuesday when the Recording Industry Association of America
acknowledged it has erroneously sent dozens of copyright
infringement notices. The RIAA said on Tuesday that a temporary
worker was responsible for firing off legal notifications last
week that invoked the Digital Millennium Copyright Act without
confirming that any copyrighted files were actually being offered
for download. “We have sent two dozen withdrawal notices — all
appear related to this particular temp,” the RIAA said in a
statement. “We apologize for any inconvenience this may have
caused.”


APPLE: 'LARGEST ONLINE MUSIC COMPANY IN THE WORLD'
http://www.europemedia.net/shownews.asp?ArticleID=16187
Following reports that Apple’s online iTunes Music Store had sold
an estimated 275,000 tracks during its first 18 hours of
operation, Apple has announced it has now reached another major
milestone – over 1m songs sold by the end of the first week.
Significantly, over half the songs sold online were purchased in
the form of albums, helping to alleviate concerns that
facilitating music being sold on a per-track basis would be the
death of album sales. Also interesting was that over half half of
the the 200,000 songs offered on the iTunes Music Store were
purchased at least once.


MUSIC INDUSTRY MAY TURN TO ZAPPING THE PIRATES
http://www.iht.com/articles/95218.html
Some of the world's biggest record companies, facing rampant
online piracy, are quietly financing the development and testing
of software programs that would sabotage the computers and
Internet connections of people who download pirated music,
according to industry executives. The record companies are
thinking about new countermeasures, of varying degrees of
legality, to deter online theft: from attacking personal Internet
connections, so as to slow or halt the downloading of pirated
music, to overwhelming the distribution networks with potentially
malicious programs that masquerade as music files.


RIAA WINS SETTLEMENT FROM CAMPUS PIRATES
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105_2-999332.html
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) sued four
students separately last month for running services that searched
computers connected to their college networks for MP3 song files.
The students also shared copyrighted music from own machines. The
lawsuits marked the first time that the RIAA directly sued
students, as opposed to companies, associated with peer-to-peer
piracy. The settlements will see each student making payments to
the RIAA totaling between $12,000 and $17,000, split into annual
installments between 2003 and 2006. The lawsuits as filed could
have entailed damages (in theory) of up to $100 million.


APPLE TAKES BIG BITE INTO DIGITAL MUSIC INDUSTRY
http://www.europemedia.net/shownews.asp?ArticleID=16161
Apple Computer is describing the launch of its digital music
service iTunes Music Store as a trmedous success – and with an
estimated 275,000 tracks sold at almost a buck apiece in the
first 18 hours of operation, who’s going to disagree with them?
The figure was first released on Billboard and has been compiled
by the major record labels who have selling their wares through
Apple’s new service. The number of transactions has been
considered especially impressive given the limited customer base
Apple can reach through the Mac universe. The race is now on to
replicate Apple’s success in the much more extensive
Windows-based PC market.


MORPHEUS FINDS ITSELF BORN AGAIN
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104_2-999026.html
StreamCast Networks' Morpheus, once the Net's most popular
file-swapping software, is being reborn yet again with new
technology, and StreamCast also has a new CEO: Former Chief
Executive Michael Weiss. StreamCast said Wednesday it would
release a wholly new version of its file-trading software May 1.
The announcement came just days after a federal judge made a
surprise ruling that StreamCast was not liable for copyright
infringement that took place using its software, giving the
struggling company a new lease on life. "It's a new day for us,"
Weiss said. The ruling "allows us to expand the company, and
perhaps reach out to artists who would like to directly connect
with users. It really allows us to come out of the shadows and
move the way we'd always wanted to."


RIAA TO FILE SWAPPERS--WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105-998825.html
The recording industry is turning file-swappers' own tools
against them with a new campaign that is sending warnings to
people who are offering copyrighted materials online. Tapping
into the chat functions built into software programs such as
Kazaa and Grokster, the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA) on Tuesday started sending automatic messages to people
who are providing copyrighted songs online, warning them that
they're breaking the law. About 200,000 users of the Grokster and
Kazaa file-sharing services received the warning notice on
Tuesday and millions more will get notices in coming weeks, said
Cary Sherman, president of the Recording Industry Association of
America, the trade group for the music companies.


APPLE LAUNCHES THE ITUNES MUSIC STORE
http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=51045
Apple today (April 28th) launched the iTunes Music Store, a
revolutionary online music store that lets customers quickly
find, purchase and download the music they want for just 99 cents
per song, without subscription fees. The iTunes Music Store
offers groundbreaking personal use rights, including burning
songs onto an unlimited number of CDs for personal use, listening
to songs on an unlimited number of iPods, playing songs on up to
three Macintosh computers, and using songs in any application on
the Mac, including iPhoto, iMovie and iDVD.


MUSIC INDUSTRY ACCEPTS APPLE'S ONLINE SERVICE
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/business/5739215.htm
-Two years after angering the recording industry with its "Rip.
Mix. Burn" ad campaign, Apple Computer Inc. has won its
cooperation in creating the Internet's least restrictive
commercial music service yet. The iTunes Music Store announced by
Apple chief executive officer Steve Jobs yesterday draws from all
five major labels in offering more than 200,000 songs at 99 cents
a download - and includes some big-name artists who previously
shunned online distribution. Unlike its competitors, the service
has virtually no copy-protection - a major concession to consumer
demand.


XM INTRODUCES FIRST SATELLITE RADIO RECEIVER FOR A PC
http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=51026
XM Satellite Radio, America's #1 satellite radio service, today
announced the introduction of the first satellite radio receiver
designed for personal computers. The XM PC Receiver, or "XM PCR,"
makes the tremendous breadth of XM's 101 digital music,
entertainment and news channels available to computer users at
home, work, school and on the go without the need for an Internet
connection.


JUDGE: FILE-SWAPPING TOOLS ARE LEGAL
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105-998363.html
A federal judge in Los Angeles has handed a stunning court
victory to file-swapping services Streamcast Networks and
Grokster, dismissing much of the record industry and movie
studios' lawsuit against the two companies. In an almost complete
reversal of previous victories for the record labels and movie
studios, federal court Judge Stephen Wilson ruled that
Streamcast--parent of the Morpheus software--and Grokster were
not liable for copyright infringements that took place using
their software. "Defendants distribute and support software, the
users of which can and do choose to employ it for both lawful and
unlawful ends," Wilson wrote in his opinion, released Friday.


PRIVACY GROUPS ASSAIL RIAA V. VERIZON RULING
http://boston.internet.com/news/article.php/2196891
If the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)
ultimately prevails in its legal effort to force Verizon to
reveal the names of customers suspected of illegally downloading
music, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) says alleged
copyright infringers will be deemed guilty until proven innocent.
The EFF is leading a group of 28 consumer and privacy groups,
including the Consumers Union, ACLU and the Competitive
Enterprise Institute, along with a number of Internet service
providers (ISPs) and ISP organizations, in support of Verizon's
position that the RIAA is unfairly using the subpoena power
provision of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).
So far, though, it has been losing battle for Verizon and the EFF
coalition.


VERIZON VOWS TO CONTINUE TO PROTECT SUBSCRIBER PRIVACY
http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=50899
Verizon today said it would immediately ask a U.S. Appeals Court
for a stay of a lower court ruling forcing the company to reveal
the identity of an Internet subscriber accused of music piracy.
Verizon is seeking to protect a subscriber's privacy following a
decision today by U.S. District Court Judge John Bates to deny
the company's original request for a stay. The case stems from a
subpoena filed last summer by the Recording Industry Association
of America (RIAA) demanding that Verizon Online turn over the
name of a customer whom the RIAA alleges possesses illegal copies
of copyrighted music files on the customer's personal computer.


POLICE CLOSE DOWN MAJOR ONLINE PIRATE SITE IN AUSTRALIA
http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=50898
Federal police in Australia have raided one of the biggest
suppliers of infringing music files on the Internet. An
Australian-based website, MP3 WMA land, was the hub of a massive
exchange of music and other digital files across the world. The
site attracted over 7 million visitors, placing it among the top
10% of infringing Internet sites worldwide, and is the largest
instance of online music piracy ever detected in Australia.


EMI TO SELL 200,000 MP3 TRACKS ONLINE
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/story/0,,t269-s2133775,00.html
Songs from artists such as Lenny Kravitz and Pink Floyd will be
available online after a deal between EMI and music distributors
EMI says it has signed deals with 20 digital music distributors
to sell its music on the Internet, in the most wide-ranging
online push by a major music company in Europe. Songs by Norah
Jones, Pink Floyd and David Bowie will be among 140,000 tracks
made available for downloading through 20 European Web sites
including Wanadoo, MSN, music channel MTV and retailer HMV. Under
the EMI deal, consumers will be able to make permanent copies of
songs and transfer them to recordable CDs, portable music players
and their computer hard drives.


REAL BUYS LISTEN.COM FOR $36 MILLION
http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/news/5688485.htm
Streaming media giant RealNetworks said Monday that it will
acquire independent music service Listen.com in a stock and cash
transaction valued at $36 million. RealNetworks said the
acquisition brings it Rhapsody, an acclaimed Internet music
service that would augment RealNetwork's own premium news and
entertainment offering, and distribution deals with key
high-speed access providers including Time Warner Cable, Charter
Communications and Verizon Online.


FEDS FAVORS RECORD LABELS OVER VERIZON
http://news.com.com/2100-1027-997568.html
The U.S. government positioned itself with the recording industry
in its dispute with Verizon Communications on Friday, saying a
digital-copyright law invoked by record labels to track down
Internet song-swappers did not violate the U.S. Constitution. The
move, while expected, came as a blow to the Internet access
provider as it struggles to shield its customers. "We would have
expected they would have recognized there are important privacy
and safety issues beyond the narrow copyright claims here," said
Verizon Vice President Sarah Deutsch, who is also associate
general counsel.


CLEAR CHANNEL CUTS TIES WITH INDEPENDENT PROMOTERS
http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=50241
Clear Channel announced today that its radio stations would no
longer work with independent promoters after several prominent
members of Congress expressed concern over the longstanding
industry practice. Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Orrin Hatch
(R-UT) and Russ Feingold (D-WI) each have raised questions about
whether radio station contracts with record company "middlemen"
affect the amount of airplay given to particular songs. "We heard
Senator McCain and Senator Hatch loud and clear," said Clear
Channel President and Chief Operating Officer Mark Mays. "And we
now recognize that these relationships may appear to be something
they're not. We have zero tolerance for 'pay for play,' but want
to avoid even the suggestion that such a practice takes place
within our company."


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Recommended Resources
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HOW TO PROMOTE YOUR MUSIC SUCCESSFULLY ON THE INTERNET
2003 Edition!
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Learn the marketing and promotion methods that one musician uses
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THE MUSICIAN'S ATLAS - 2003 Edition! - DISCOUNTED!
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Created by The Music Resource Group, this 368-page volume
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hard copy to Music Biz Academy visitors for only $26.95!


THE INDIE BIBLE - The Fourth Edition!
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Need to create some BUZZ about your music? Looking for reviewers?
Radio station contacts? Promotion services? Then grab The Indie
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filled with contacts with publications and radio programmers all
over the world. These are people who actively look for music to
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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
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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 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
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THE INDIE MUSICIAN'S PDF POWER PACK!
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Get three of our best-selling books for one low price! Set
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Services available through the Music Biz Academy!
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These are partnerships we've created though channels and
connections we've established over the years. In other words, we
recommend them because we trust them. If you're looking for help
in any of the following areas, these should be strongly
considered.


CD MANUFACTURING and DUPLICATION
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/cdmanufacturing.htm
MusicBizAcademy.com has teamed up with Northwestern Media to
bring you quality CD manufacturing and duplication at a very
reasonable price. Why NW Media? Because this is the company we
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You simply cannot do much better, on quality, service, or price.


GET REPRESENTATION
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/representation.htm
The Music Biz Academy has partnered with NOMA music, a very
well-established song placement and promotion agency, to help you
get your music heard. The mission statement of NOMA Music is
threefold:

1) Placing bands, songwriters, instrumentalists, and solo artists
with established record labels.
2) Placing and licensing songs and music into television, film,
commercials, video, and animation projects.
3) Representing up and coming film and TV composers.

NOMA works with a large network of over 400 production companies.
Recent successes include client song placement in MTV's The
Osbournes, FX's The Shield, three songs in the upcoming film
Employee of the Month starring John Doe from the band X, music in
the upcoming file Paris starring Karen Black. Placements with
Naxos Audio Books, Tokyo Pop Animation Company; Xtremeride Sports
Video, an NHL Hockey video, and others. One of NOMA's World Music
acts recently inked a recording contract with Naxos Records. As
you can see, NOMA provides an aggressive program to get your
music into the right hands.


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.
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 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’. There is a
one-time $29.95 set up fee, but no recurring or hidden charges. A
fantastic deal on a high-visibility, high-class web site.


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!


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THE GALARIS MUSICIANS DIRECTORY: 2003 Edition
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The ultimate tool for the connected musician. Booking Agents,
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ADVERTISE HERE!
Yes, you can advertise your web site or service here at rates
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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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