Bundling Digital Albums….

Bon Jovi will bundle a digital iTunes copy of the band’s upcoming album “Lost Highway” with purchase of presale tickets for their upcoming stand to open the new Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., which begins Oct. 25. The Bon Jovi deal is the first-ever “all-in” presale that bundles a ticket and a digital album together as a single transaction sold via Ticketmaster.com.

This is a great strategy. Consumers get the album and the ticket. Plus, it doesn’t feel like music is given away for free. It holds value.

Are CD’s really Dead?

CD sales still represent 80% of all album sales. The CD is far from dead. Some say the store that sells CD’s are dead. Basically, its hipper to buy a CD from Starbucks than Target. Read the article here.

Webcasters ask Congress for Help in Royalty Battle…

The CEOs of Yahoo!, RealNetworks, Live365, and Pandora have all signed off on a letter on behalf of the Internet radio industry, asking Congress to take a look at the the Copyright Royalty Board’s decision.

The letter notes that the CRB decision “shocked the industry and neutral analysts” and says that “the CRB-imposed royalties will cause immediate bankruptcy of the majority of the Internet radio industry when it becomes effective July 15, and will actually reduce royalties to record companies and artists as services go dark and royalties are never paid.”