• Clear Channel agrees to $19 billion takeover…
  Clear Channel has agreed to be acquired for about $18.7 billion by an investment group. Clear Channel also said it plans to sell 448 of its radio stations, all located outside the top 100 markets, as well as its 42-station television group, which are also located in smaller markets. Clear Channel has instituted several measures to try to win listeners back, including cutting back on the number of commercials.

Too late to win back listeners, many kids tuned out and too late to win them back. It’s amazing Clear Channel didn’t see the brick wall, so instead they ran into it head first.

• Rock band Faktion has been dropped by Roadrunner.
• Moby on CNN..
  The Scene: What do you love most about New York?
  Moby: New York without Central Park would be like some big terrifying Asian city thatdoesn’t breathe. No city planner would ever think of building it now – a park that’s five miles by one mile of the most expensive real estate in the world

• The Most Digitally Advanced Music Company?
  Control Room, a digital entertainment specialist, announced a deal with Universal Music Group, which would give Control Room the right to stream live concerts of UMG artists. The deal is the latest in a string of digital agreements involving Universal Music, which is challenging Warner Music Group for the not-yet-established Grammy category of Most Digitally Advanced Music Company.
• Many insiders feel that Elton John’s anti religion speeches is severely effecting his carreer and fan base. His unsuccessful 2004 studio album, “Peachtree Road” is on of his lowest-selling albums of all time
• UPDATE: Clear Channel sale auction down to the wire…
• EMI Posts First Half Net Loss
  EMI Group has reported a first-half net loss of $57.9 million, which it says is due to a soft album release schedule in the first half of the fiscal year, ended September 30

Check out the new track Always Something from California alternative band
I Hate Kate. For more information contact Justin Maximov.

• Copeland signs to Columbia after a successful stint with Militia Group.
• Kate Voegele from Cleveland who KOAR has featured in the past has signed with Myspace Records.
• Six major airlines put iPod docks on passenger jets
• Check out the article ‘Beware The Label Tax” in Forbes.
  Hardware manufacturers will have to pay flat per-unit royalties to labels (aka the “Label Tax”), whether or not the consumer purchaser ever buys a track from that label
• With 30,000 CD releases within a year, its tough job to seek through the clutter. Hence, this is one of many reasons why people stopped buying music. No one is looking out for you. With that said, check out the new Incubus video for their track Anna Molly. If you were disappointed like we were by their last CD; this video and track may win you back. It won us back. The song is original and the video has a well executed story line that captured the band personality. Welcome Back.
• Google has set aside more than $200 million in its just-completed takeover of YouTube Inc. as a financial cushion to cover losses or possible legal bills for the frequent copyright violations on YouTube’s video-sharing site. (AP)

Nations from around the world have been choosing musical outfits and sending them to the biggest music markets abroad in hopes of raising their international profile and generating export sales.

Sweden Attempts to Rock.
In 2002, the Hives, a calculated tailored garage-rock band from Fagersta, Sweden, seized the spotlight. Then came Division of Laura Lee and Sahara Hotnights. Their home country got the credit: “Sweden Rocks,� declared Rolling Stone.

Canada Wants to Rock.
The year 2004 unquestionably belonged to Canada, which bred indie-rock bands like the Arcade Fire, Stars and Broken Social Scene just in time to draw praise from the emerging music blogosphere.

Could the Goverment’s Determine the Next Big Thing?
government trade and culture officials, attend American music festivals, organize junkets for critics and record executives, and arrange coaching and subsidies for their homegrown acts.

In Canada, artists can apply for an array of grants or loans to finance up to 75 percent of recording costs, advertising, marketing or touring expenses. Heather Ostertag, chief executive of Factor, the public-private Canadian agency that oversees music funds, said it controls a budget of roughly $12.4 million. Broken Social Scene and its label, for example, have been offered more than $140,000, she said. The Arcade Fire and Stars were also beneficiaries.

The government recognizes the importance of a cultural spend for a cultural identity,� Ms. Ostertag said. “I think that we struggle as Canadians for our own Canadian identity. American dominance is so prevalent wherever you go.� Part of maintaining the nation’s place on the cultural map, she added, “is happening through identifying ourselves through the success of other Canadians.�

Australia Wants to Rock
In Australia state and federal governments offer a series of programs. The country’s main export program offers to cover up to 50 percent of an act’s costs above the equivalent of $11,600. Over the last year trade officials provided roughly $1.8 million in grants to 80 recipients aimed at exporting their music.

The School of Rock – No Goverment Please.
Samuel Scott, a singer and guitarist in a New Zealand rock band called the Phoenix Foundation, sympathizes. “I think that image, that rock ’n’ roll is a thing of rebellion and that you should be flipping the bird to the government, is prevalent,� he said.

• Clear Channel bids due in coming days…
  Bids are due in the coming days for Clear Channel, the largest U.S. radio company.
  Clear Channel, which has about 1,150 stations, said last month in response to reports that it was considering offers to be taken private that it had hired investment bank Goldman Sachs & Co. Clear Channel has been challenged to develop new formats and technology in the face of growing competition from satellite radio, the Internet and personal digital music players.
• Alternative rock band Ashes of Soma (Canada) will be performing at the Mercury Lounge November 13th. Labels are expected to attend. For more information contact lawyer Dan Friedman.
• Rock act Of Sound Mind (Kentucky) will be performing at Arlenes Grocery (NYC)November 30th. Check out the track Born to Be which was co-written with producer Brian Howes (Hinder). For more information email
  Scott Frazier or legal Dave Chidekel.
• Unsigned alternative rock band The October (in the vein of Snow Patrol/ColdPlay) sells out Big Apple in Murray Kentucky at Murray State University.
• Are you a new artist without signing up for BMI? Sign up now and get paid for your art. Click on the link/banner below.

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