Wasn’t the ipod-generation that bought music online suppose to kill off CD’s and no doubt the vinyl?
Latest figures show a big jump in vinyl sales in the first half of this year, confirming the anecdotal evidence from specialist shops throughout the UK.
According to a report, Teenagers and students are developing a taste for records and are turning away from the clinical method of downloading music on to an MP3 player.
7in vinyl sales were up 13% in the first half, with the White Stripes’ Icky Thump the best seller. (data released by BPI)
Two-thirds of all singles in the UK now come out on in the 7in format, with sales topping 1m.
Record Stores are preparing for this new trend….
“The student population seem to be loving the 7in,” says Stuart Smith, who runs Seismic Records in eamington Spa, Warwickshire. He sells 300-600 records a week and is preparing to launch an online store.
I’m still not sure about the MP3 generation. You can have a full hard drive and nothing to show for it. Record collections are very personal. You can view into a person’s soul really,” he says.
The White Stripes’ ‘Icky Thump’ has just touched the highest weekly sales for a 7in single for more than 20 years.
It’s not unusual for fans to buy a 7in but have nothing to play it on, says Paul Williams at industry magazine Music Week. “It’s about the kind of acts that have very loyal fan bases that want everything to do with that act,” he says. “They maybe will buy the download to listen to, but they get the vinyl to own. It’s looked at like artwork.”
“Labels have realised that it’s cool for bands to release their music on vinyl, especially in limited edition form, which makes it highly collectible,” he says.
Bottom Line: I believe consumers who are loyal fans will buy vinyls as collector items. In fact, it could be a good idea for ‘some’ artists’ to sell vinyls at live shows along with other merchandise. Of course, this will only work with credible artists’ that have built a loyal community.
The new album by Prince is being launched as a free CD with a national Sunday newspaper that has drawn widespread criticism from music retailers.
If you study the history of Prince, you will realize that he took full reigns of his career. If he failed, it was because of him alone.
In the beginning, he signed a three-album deal and blew the budget for all three albums on the first one, and this after insisting that he play all the instruments himself, record all the vocals himself – and produce it himself. He had assumed full artistic control from the off and he has never relinquished it.
Prince also had a bizarre fashion sense. He performed in Y-fronts and fishnet stockings, and took the stage once wearing a violet mackintosh, black pants and stockings and stiletto ankle boots.
Why is Prince Giving his new CD away?
A spokesman for Prince said: ‘Prince feels that charts are just music industry constructions and have little or no relevance to fans or even artists today. Prince’s only aim is to get music direct to those what want to hear it. Prince famously took a stand against Warner Records in the Nineties when he went on strike and appeared with the world “slave” drawn on his cheek. Subsequently, he regained control of the publishing right to his work and broke down the existing system through his innovation.’
He never really took to the traditional label-artist relationship.
In 1995 he told an interviewer: ‘Once the internet is a reality the music business is finished. There won’t be any need for record companies. If I can send you my record direct, what’s the point of having the business? I don’t even have a manager any more. Would you want somebody living off your work?’
When record company executives warned him against releasing Sign O’ The Times as a double album, he ignored their wishes and it became his most critically acclaimed work.
‘These are the same people who would tell Mozart he writes too many notes or say that Citizen Kane is a long movie,’ he said at the time
 
Janet Jackson has followed her boyfriend Jermaine Dupri from Virgin to Island Def Jam, according to Billboard. “She’s on Island, but it’s more or less [Def Jam CEO Antonio “L.A.” Reid’s] project,” Dupri says. “I let him deal with that on a day-to-day basis. He’s going to A&R that project, too. Janet’s record is one that he’s wanted to do for a long time. He’s very passionate about it. Jackson left Virgin after her two records failed to react with the public. Will her third record be any different? Will Janet come back on a steam boat?
AFI has a side project called Blaqk Audio that will be release August 16th. Check out the track Bitter for Sweet.
Its been said that Live Nation and Madonna have finalized a touring, merchandising, and recording arrangement. Live Nation model continues to move past live performance revenues. (DigitalMusicNews)
The stars of American Idol have landed their own jeans line. The heads at FreeMantle Media have struck a new deal with Lyric Jeans to create a lyric-inspired American Idol branded apparel line for department stores.
The European Commission cleared Terra Firma’s takeover bid of EMI
Microsoft has applied for a patent titled “Off-line Economies for Digital Media” that allows owners to generate revenue by sharing music. According to the patent, Microsoft would like to erect a system by which pirated music can be transferred to other Zune devices, and the sender can be paid a sales commission. The system would allow illegal music converted into legal music. (Coolfer)
Good news for web casters, or at least temporary good news. SoundExchange will not enforce the new royalty rates. Webcasters will stay online, as new rates are hammered out.
Bad Religion who will be performing at Vans Warped Tour recently released a new disc called “Maps of Hell”. Pick up the new record for sure. Check out the track Honest Goodbye.
Warner Music will now stream All Its music online for free….
Warner Music and online community Imeem have partnered to stream ad-supported music and video on Imeem’s free social media networking site.
 
Kelly Clarkson who insisted on writing her own songs despite Clive’s recommendation to use professional songwriters cannot hold back any longer.
In the August issue of Blender, Clarkson says she told Davis: “I don’t know you very well, and I am not a bull-[bleep]er. I get [that] you don’t like the album. You’re 80; you’re not supposed to like my album.” She also said: “I literally got told to my face that it wouldn’t sell more than 600,000 copies. And I got lied to. One reason I don’t like working with people at the label is that they lie . . . If you’re going with the flow and not fighting, that’s settling. I can’t take that. Life is just too short to be a
pushover.”
Clarkson also fired her manager and cancelled her summer tour.
This is probably one of the most heated controversy between artist and label head in recent memory.
(NYPOST)
Kelly Clarkson drops 60 percent…
Kelly Clarkson’s “My December” dropped off 60 percent in sales for its second week (116k), bringing the total to 416,000 copies. Sober recently went to radio. Will it resonate with the public? not only that, according to insiders RCA pulled Clarkson’s summer campaign off of tv and print spots and have moved on to Underwood’s much anticipated fall release.
Will Bruce Springsteen save Columbia Records?
Springsteen is planning an album release for late fall. Former Sony Music CEO Andy Lack helped Bruce land a contract worth $100 million over several years. Insiders are claiming that layoffs are continuing, with several departments in publicity and marketing gutted. (Fox)
The new Smashing Pumpkins record ‘Zeitgeist’ could sell 150k in its first week.
Union Entertainment Group who manages Nickelback has struck a deal with EMI Music to form a joint venture record label to go through Caroline Music. The first artists signed to the label include the rock bands Cinder Road and The Black Summer Crush.
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