You all remember Spotify, the free online music service from Sweden? I posted about it a few weeks ago, and I have been having a blast with it ever since. Well, recent news coverage suggests that Facebook plans on unveiling a free online music service using Spotify, MOG, and Rdio. This is amazing news. Assuming that this service launches globally, 750 million people on Facebook would suddenly have access to free music. My only thought is how the revenue model works out on this. Actually, I imagine that this might be the only thing that could hold up this deal as the record companies could possibly decide to go back on the offer if they suddenly feel a sense of unease. I can’t wait to find out. Has anyone been using Spotify, MOG, and/or Rdio? What are your thoughts on these services, and what are your thoughts on receiveing free music via Facebook?
Rebecca Black Is Bullied Out Of School
Posted: August 16, 2011 in NewsTags: Black, Friday, Moment, My, Rebecca, YouTube
Do you all remember this hideous piece of crap?
How many thought it was terrible and made fun of Rebecca Black for this video? Well, you are not alone because there were a lot of kids at her school who thought the same thing, and they let her know it. According to Rebecca,
“When I walk by [bullies will] start singing ‘Friday’ in a really nasally voice,” [said Black.] “Or, you know, they’ll be like, ‘Oh hey, Rebecca, guess what day it is?'”
Being 13 can be hard, and this didn’t make it any easier. So, Rebecca left her school and is now being taught at home by her mother. Her mom now says that she is relieved because Rebecca can now focus on her career. Well, she is going to need a lot of time to work on her career with crap like her new turd, ‘My Moment’:
“Tastes so good, make a grown man cry…”
Posted: August 15, 2011 in NewsTags: Comfort, Hills, Inn, Jani, Lane, Warrant, Woodland
If you hadn’t heard already, Jani Lane of Warrant fame passed away August 11 at the age of 47. He was found at the Comfort Inn hotel in Woodland Hills, CA. At this time the cause of death is unknown, but it should be determined when toxicology and other test results are received, which could take up to two months.
One thing that I can’t get out of my mind though – how many lap dances were given this week with this song playing in remembrance?
Have You Seen This Island?
Posted: August 10, 2011 in NewsTags: Art, Britain, Burning, Cockings, College, Czech, Garden, Is Land, Laurence, Man, Party, Republic, Royal, Sarah, Secret, Symonds
Photo: Nick Caro
Has anyone seen my dream island? Word is that it’s floating in the sky anywhere from Britain to the Czech Republic. ‘Is Land’ is a seven meter wide, helium filled, polyurethane art project that was put together by two Royal College of Art graduates, Sarah Cockings and Laurence Symonds. The two artists created Is Land for about £9,000 and were flying it at the Secret Garden Party when, according to their website,
“Due to ignorant vandals, the original Is Land is currently floating at an unknown height somewhere within the atmosphere.”
Using atmospheric data, the creators have predicted that Is Land could be as far away as the Czech Republic, but there really haven’t been any positive sightings yet and they are hopeful that it is still floating above Britain somewhere.
Cockings and Symonds are hopeful that their creation will be found soon as they intended to pack it up and send it to the US for Burning Man in a few weeks. Regardless as to whether they find it or not, they have started work on a new creation with financial donations from the Secret Garden Party and gracious donors on their website, http://www.is-land.co.uk.
Spotify Has Landed In The US!
Posted: August 1, 2011 in NewsTags: digital, Europe, music, Pop, Rome, Spotify, Sublime, Sweden, Swedish, Truly, Yours
If you are in the know, then you have probably heard about Spotify. Spotify is a wonderful Swedish digital music service that was started in 2008 in an effort to offer a legal alternative to online piracy. It has been popular for while in Europe and now it has finally made it here to the US!
Spotify lets users listen to over 15 million songs on their computers and mobile devices and allows the users to upload their own music to add to the ever-growing library. Users can also create a profile to set their music preferences, to favorite artists and playlists, and to even share their playlists with their friends for them to listen to.
The best thing about Spotify is that it’s free. That’s right, you can listen to almost any current song for free. There are actually three different plans that you can choose from. Spotify currently offers a free, ad-supported version and two other subscription plans that do not display ads. A $5 per month plan lets users access Spotify on their computers without ads, and a $10 per month version allows users to also access music on their mobile devices.
I have been using Spotify for a couple of weeks now to check out new music that I would not usually listen to. It has opened my ears to some new Pop, which I’ll admit has been nice. Today, I was also listening to Sublime with Rome‘s new album, Yours Truly, and I think I might pick it up now based on what I heard.
If you decide to check out Spotify then hit me up on there. I would love to hear what music you are into. My account is, of course, “MusicSumo.” Hope to hear ya around!
More about Spotify:
Trouble with YouTube? You’re not alone!
Posted: July 31, 2011 in NewsTags: copyright, Fuji, GaGa, Interscope, Lady, TV, violations, YouTube
Have you ever had trouble uploading videos to YouTube? Ever have the sound muted due to copyright violations? Ever have your account suspended? Well, you’re not alone! Seems Lady GaGa had one of her YouTube accounts suspended as well:
This makes me feel a little better about my personal videos being taken down, etc. Still sucks though.
“US Music Sales Rise For The First Time Since 2004”
Posted: July 31, 2011 in NewsTags: Business, iTunes, Nielsen, Report, sales, SFGate, SoundScan, store
Running into this article on the SFGate Business Report gave me some hope for the future of music sales. Seems the industry is finally figuring out a model that is being embraced by the consumer.
Tracking firm Nielsen SoundScan said Wednesday that overall album sales rose nearly 4 percent to 221.5 million units, from 213.6 million a year ago.
Only time will tell if music sales will continue to increase again.
With this in mind, how do you get most of your music these days? Do you purchase it physically in a store still, do you purchase your music online via iTunes or some other online store, or do you obtain your music from copies online and/or from friends?
Where’s the best place to get music these days?
It’s a scene seen at almost every large show these days… Hundreds, or even thousands of fans holding up their smart phones to record snippets of the show and then post them online and/or send them to their friends in real-time. Well, with Apple obtaining a massive foothold on the smartphone market, this occurance might be a thing of the past. Why? Seems Apple has filed for a patent for their iPhone that will prevent users from recording video with the device at live shows.
“A patent application filed by Apple revealed how the technology would work.
If an iPhone were held up and used to film during a concert infra-red sensors would detect it.
These sensors would then contact the iPhone and automatically disable its camera function.
People would still be able to send text messages and make calls.
The new technology is seen as an attempt to protect the interests of event organisers and broadcasters who have exclusive rights to concerts.”
Seems like a good thing for the business side of the performer and their management, but a bummer for fans.
You can read more about this news, here.
What are your thoughts about this? Is this a good thing, a bad thing, or both?
Posted: July 31, 2011 in News
Tags: Apple, concert, film, iPhone, patent, US
It seems someone is a little late to the party in trying to shut down Milli Vanilli.
Coming across this article was a little disturbing…
Do you like lip-syncing youself, or watching others do lip-syncing videos on YouTube? Well, those days might be somewhat numbered as Senate Bill 978 makes it illegal to lip-sync. In doing so, you:
‘(2) shall be imprisoned not more than 5 years, fined in the amount set forth in this title, or both, if–
‘(A) the offense consists of 10 or more public performances by electronic means, during any 180-day period, of 1 or more copyrighted works; and
‘(B)(i) the total retail value of the performances, or the total economic value of such public performances to the infringer or to the copyright owner, would exceed $2,500; or
‘(ii) the total fair market value of licenses to offer performances of those works would exceed $5,000;
Pretty crazy, huh?
What are your thoughts?
Music Sumo 