A2IM has published the “Rules of Engagement” document that evolved from the settlement agreement with the country’s four biggest radio chains. In some ways, it feels like a throwback to twenty years ago. In the pre-web days, to bend the…
Category
Editorial
Where the Internet Radio Ruling Comes From
More about the threat to internet radio from our friends at Kurt Hanson’s shop: First, the SoundExchange guys say, “don’t blame us.” And they’re right. Any time I’ve dealt with the folks there, they’ve always been kind, gracious, and really…
Streaming Radio Shutting Down in the U.S.
A few weeks back, I caught a little heat for using the phrase, “selling older music to older people.” I was actually quoting Jimmy Guterman from PaidContent, who was commenting on the aging hipster element at the Grammy Awards. While…
Thinking Problems
A Chronic Shortage of Music Managers
At a recent music business workshop in Jamaica, some experienced artists and managers remarked that a good manager can cut the amount of time it takes for an artist to become profitable in half. However, many people with the potential…
YP.com Still Sending Sneaky Checks
About once every few days, we get a phone call from an otherwise well intentioned operator from YP.com who wants us to upgrade our business listing. Despite our repeated requests to be removed from their list, they keep calling. And…
The Company You Keep (aka “Burnlounge Sucks”)
I tried hard to be diplomatic, but the volume of hate mail and the truly bizarre comments about Burnlounge have driven me over the edge. Previously, I posted that I did not feel that Burnlounge was a ripoff. It’s a…
Radio Consolidation Causes Unemployment
The guys at MusicBiz.com, with whom I usually agree on a lot of things, are taking an oddly defensive tone to the recent report from the Future of Music Coalition exploring how government-sanctioned consolidation has choked off a once vibrant…
CD Baby Ripping Off Artists?
Either someone’s out astroturfing for a competitor of CD Baby, or somebody must have had a freakishly screwed up order. Someone calling themselves John Miller is sending e-mail and posting forum and blog comments to just about every independent music…
CBGB: Punk’s First Theme Park
[Thanks to a Stereogum commenter for a great headline.] In my books, I’ve written about the ways that baby bands would push hard to get a date at a venue like CBGB, then complain when a talent buyer would insist…
Nobody Here Is Hating on Burnlounge. Yet.
Despite my intention to not stir up debate, a whole mess of folks are rolling through the site looking to defend Burnlounge. Judging by some of the e-mail I have received, some readers might have confused my opinion with what…
Be the Change You Want to See in the Music Industry
Bob Baker’s saying it better than I can, but I’ll elaborate. If you’re sitting around, pissing and moaning about your scene or the business or the A&R guys that don’t get it, you’re never going to succeed as a working…