Death to DRM

Slashdot blog points out that sales go up for CDs with Digital Rights Management encoding. Tjhis is a measure of the lengths that the recording industry has once again failed to foil illegal downloads. What to do? Time for a new business model.

http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/08/29/230216

New Brunswick's Forward Music Group

This story, written by Adam Bowie, enumerates some of the things band managers do to maximize income streams.

http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/opinion/article/401327

Canada's C-61 law meant to protect the record industry

Charlotte Hunter writes for Toronto's Victoria Univesity student newspaper. This is the law meant to fine people who illegally download music from the internet. The law provides for personal transfers of CDs to iPods. The record industry likes the law. Consumers hate it.

http://media.www.thestrand.ca/media/storage/paper404/news/2008/09/01/News/Bill-C61.Takes.Aim.At.Students.Personal.Academic.Lives-3409607.shtml

"The whole performance side of the thing is what people need to learn."

Mikey Bennett is very smart. He also says that ""CD sales are down and we will soon be giving away CDs." The confounding thing about the recording business seems to be that the artist is now more important than the executives. Isn't this what musicians have been wanting for along time? In Jamaica, a leader of the music industry seems to be coming to the conclusion that the recording industry needs to find a way to survive by putting artists first.

Richard Deane is the author of this article in the Jamaica Gleaner.

http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20080831/business/business5.html

Eric Nicoli - someone to follow

If someone were to do a cameo on a music industry mover and shaker, this is one of the guys I would want to focus on. He's been outside of the record industry for a year as part of his multi-million dollar buy-out from EMI. He's coming back in witha new concept. I think he has a good plan. Time for a Google Alert.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/media/article4641190.ece

Cracker Barrel & Kenny Rogers

Interesting approach to marketing a well-known artist's catalogue. Cracker Barrel is a mid-market retailer which has sold more than 3 million units since launching it's "CB Music" label. Take that, Starbucks!

http://www.reuters.com/article/musicNews/idUSN2947082920080829