“MTV, the US cable television music channel owned by Viacom, will launch a digital music download service on Wednesday designed to compete with Apple Computer’s highly popular iTunes service.”

“The service, called ‘Urge’, will use Microsoft’s latest Media Player technology and represents perhaps the most serious challenge to Apple’s dominance of the legal digital music download market to date.”

“While other rival music download services have had limited success, none has had the marketing muscle of MTV behind it or been as tightly integrated with Microsoft’s technology – the latest version of Windows Media Player software will launch along with Urge this week.” Read the full article.

Somewhere between indie and mainstream, between emo and pop/rock, you’ll find My Favorite Highway. Quickly expanding their fanbase through polished and exhilirating performances as well as the spread of their self-released EP ‘The Pre-Release,’ My Favorite Highway are rapidly becoming the unsigned band to watch. With their unique spin, MFH somehow sound like The Rocket Summer, Coheed and Cambria, Saves The Day and a number of others without sounding anything like them. Currently in the process of releasing a full-length album and preparing for a tour this summer. For more information contact legal Daniel R. Friedman at 314.497.1060

Recommended Listening

Murder On The Radio

Expect The Red Hot Chili Peppers’  Stadium Arcadium to top 400K+. Looks like the calculated press and public break up will pay off for Nick Lachey who is expected to reach 160k+. KOAR mentioned artist The Outline has signed to Capitol/Fearless.

Hotspur will be showcasing this Wednesday (May 17) at Kenny’s Castaways in NYC with multiple labels attending, Hollywood, Octone, Warner & Virgin just to name a few.

Fermata will be releasing their new cd ‘Vessel’ this Thursday (May 18) at The Whiskey in LA. Open to industry. Fermata takes the stage at 10pm. For more information, contact Steve Augustyn

 

A propulsive blend of hook-heavy alternative rock combined with solid lyrics and a killer live show have Seattle-based rock band Glimpse catching the attention of many in the industry with their self-released album ‘Sessions From The Garage’, produced by Rick Parashar (Pearl Jam, Nickelback, 3 Doors Down). Songs from the release have been making their way into television and film, being featured on the WB’s “One Tree Hill” and “Cruel Intentions 3.” The first single, ‘Nothin’ spent 3 months in regular rotation on KISW, and has made appearances on stations across the country, facilitating their upcoming US tour this summer. No management attached. For more information, contact legal Kent Marcus of Zumwalt Alman and Hayes at 615.256.7200

Check out the tracks Nothin and Before You

We all know the Myspace can be manipulated, the government calls this “fuzzy math”. MTV’s TRL can be manipulated as well….

Taken from FOX News:

“Nevertheless, the record company persisted. A series of e-mails in June 2005 shows what was happening — a manipulation of MTV’s “Total Request Liveâ€? show that airs every afternoon and can seriously affect a new record’s fortunes.”

UMG, according to Spitzer’s reports, was spending money at radio stations and for “TRL� to “stuff the ballot box� (my words) and turn losers into winners.

The memo series is all about one subject: “We are hiring a request company starting Monday to jack TRL for Lindsay…Guys this is a no win situation how should I respond…there is no airplay we have been pursuing…â€?

Even more troubling, but not surprising, is a group called Dream originally found by Sean “Diddy” Combs. A July 2003 e-mail tells the story:

“Okay, this is not fun for me. I’ve been consumed all day with calls with etc bitching about our radio picture on Dream. Confidentially pop has spent $196,000 and r/c has spent $72,000 … This is embarrassing a total lack of accountability. We have gotten ripped off beyond belief, we better turn this thing around or it’s our a**. That’s almost $300,000 and they are looking for some heads…bad bad bad…If I find out that deals were cut with lack of airplay and overnight spins starting with the nationals, as they say heads are gonna roll, including mine.â€?

“Of course, the record companies are not alone in creating this atmosphere of payola. The radio stations have encouraged and accepted it.”

Seriously, if your going to put that type of money into a song, please..make sure its a “hit”, or somewhat of a “hit”. No excuse for that!