Google's plans to launch a music-streaming service would give the record industry a welcome boost on its path to recovery, according to a digital executive at Universal Music Group.
Francis Keeling, global head of digital business at Universal Music Group, said Google's scale could turn millions more music listeners into paying subscribers.
Google is understood to be in negotiations with major music labels about launching a streaming service, similar to Spotify, later this year.
Speaking in London at the launch of industry body IFPI's annual report on Tuesday, Keeling said: "We talk about for subscription services, the need to have a funnel. Google, with its hundreds of millions of users through search, YouTube with its more than 800 million users, arguably is the biggest funnel we could have.
"Clearly if we could get consumers into a legal funnel through that route and encourage them to subscription, that would have a very positive impact on the business."
Google launched a cloud-based music player in the US in 2011 in a bid to compete directly with Apple's iTunes, which commands more than 60% of all digital sales. Last year, the service expanded to the UK, Germany and other European markets.
A move into the fast-growing music-streaming market would be hugely significant for the industry. Google's influence in the smartphone market – its Android software is activated 1m times each day – would give the music player an advantage over rivals such as Deezer, Rdio and Spotify.
Google has declined to confirm the detail of reports about its streaming player, including suggestions that its price plan would mirror the three smaller competitors. Deezer, Rdio and Spotify offer a free, ad-supported service alongside a £9.99-a-month subscription for premium users.
But Google's streaming ambitions still have stumbling blocks to overcome. Music groups remain frustrated that Google and other search engines are slow to downgrade illegal-filesharing sites, which the industry claims are visited by a third of all internet users.
However, Keeling said Universal, home to artists including Nicki Minaj and Justin Bieber, has a "great relationship" with Google.
"Google is a massive organisation with the many parts it operates, such as the search business and the device business and the music business with respect to YouTube and streaming," he said.
"Like all search engines, there is a problem; we're asking all search engines to prioritise legal services. We know that search engines are a primary route for consumers to be able to find music and hope all search engines will implement those changes."
Online subscription services, including Spotify and Rdio, are expected to have contributed more than 10% of the music industry's digital revenue for the first time in 2012 – a sign of their growing influence. They are also being quickly adopted by music fans, as the number of paying subscribers leapt by 44% last year, to 20 million people globally.
The continued rise of digital in 2012 helped the music industry report its first lift in annual revenues since 1999, as the IFPI reported a 0.3% year-on-year increase to $16.5bn (£10.9bn). Digital music revenues were up 9% last year, to $5.6bn, thanks mainly to download stores.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Digital downloads overtake physical music sales in the US for first time
Figures show digital album sales passed the 100m mark for the first time in 2011
Ten years after Steve Jobs promised to reinvent the music industry with the iPod, digital downloads have overtaken physical sales of singles and albums for the first time in the US.
Digital downloads accounted for a record 50.3% of all music sales in the US last year, according to an annual report by Nielsen and Billboard, contributing to a rise in total album sales for the first time since 2004.
The report shows digital album sales passed the 100m mark for the first time in 2011, as London-born Adele dominated the US charts. Individual digital track downloads also set a new record, reaching 1.27bn sales last year – an increase of 100m sales compared to 2010.
However, while music fans flocked to the internet in record numbers, the report shows that vinyl also had something of a resurgence. Vinyl album sales topped 3.9m last year, accounting for a tiny 1.2% of all album sales but shattering the previous record of 2.8m LP sales.
Total US digital sales were up 8.4% year on year in 2011, while physical sales fell 5% to 228m.
According to the report, retail giants such as Walmart and Target remained the most popular place for Americans to buy their music in 2011. Online stores including Amazon and Apple's iTunes accounted for 31% of all album sales last year – with the same proportion of album sales from physical "mass merchant" stores, including Walmart.
British acts including Adele, Mumford & Sons, Radiohead and the Beatles featured prominently in the US best-selling charts, according to the report.
Adele became the first artist to claim the top spot for best-selling artist, album and digital song in the same year, thanks to a string of hits from her album, 21.
London-based folk act Mumford & Sons featured in the top 10 selling albums of the year, ahead of Justin Bieber, Jay Z and Kanye West. Radiohead were the top-selling vinyl artist in 2011, shifting 64,000 copies ahead of the Black Keys and Bon Iver. The Beatles' Abbey Road was the best-selling vinyl album of the year, with 41,000 units sold.
Ten years after Steve Jobs promised to reinvent the music industry with the iPod, digital downloads have overtaken physical sales of singles and albums for the first time in the US.
Digital downloads accounted for a record 50.3% of all music sales in the US last year, according to an annual report by Nielsen and Billboard, contributing to a rise in total album sales for the first time since 2004.
The report shows digital album sales passed the 100m mark for the first time in 2011, as London-born Adele dominated the US charts. Individual digital track downloads also set a new record, reaching 1.27bn sales last year – an increase of 100m sales compared to 2010.
However, while music fans flocked to the internet in record numbers, the report shows that vinyl also had something of a resurgence. Vinyl album sales topped 3.9m last year, accounting for a tiny 1.2% of all album sales but shattering the previous record of 2.8m LP sales.
Total US digital sales were up 8.4% year on year in 2011, while physical sales fell 5% to 228m.
According to the report, retail giants such as Walmart and Target remained the most popular place for Americans to buy their music in 2011. Online stores including Amazon and Apple's iTunes accounted for 31% of all album sales last year – with the same proportion of album sales from physical "mass merchant" stores, including Walmart.
British acts including Adele, Mumford & Sons, Radiohead and the Beatles featured prominently in the US best-selling charts, according to the report.
Adele became the first artist to claim the top spot for best-selling artist, album and digital song in the same year, thanks to a string of hits from her album, 21.
London-based folk act Mumford & Sons featured in the top 10 selling albums of the year, ahead of Justin Bieber, Jay Z and Kanye West. Radiohead were the top-selling vinyl artist in 2011, shifting 64,000 copies ahead of the Black Keys and Bon Iver. The Beatles' Abbey Road was the best-selling vinyl album of the year, with 41,000 units sold.
Online music licensing revenues pass radio for first time
Google Play and Xbox licensing agreements help digital revenues jump 32.2% in 2012, from £39.1m to £51.7m
Ed Sheeran and other UK artists enjoyed a bumper 2012 as digital licensing revenues passed radio for the first time. Photograph: Startraks Photo/Rex Features
Josh Halliday
British songwriters, including acts such as Ed Sheeran and Calvin Harris, netted a record total of £51.7m in UK royalties from digital music services last year, as online licensing revenues eclipsed radio for the first time.
New licensing agreements with Google Play, Microsoft Xbox and other online players helped UK digital revenues soar 32.2% in 2012, from £39.1m in 2011.
Digital music players are now the biggest single source of income for songwriters in the UK, having overtaken radio last year after previously eclipsing live events and pubs, according to the UK royalties body PRS for Music.
The advent of downloads and streaming services, such as Apple iTunes and Spotify, has more than doubled UK online licensing revenues, from £23.3m in 2008.
However, the amount recouped from live events hit a bum note last year as the London Olympics stole the show. Fewer big gigs, including no Glastonbury and the Olympic takeover of London, saw royalties from live events fall 14.2% year on year, to £19.3m.
The return of Glastonbury and the Rolling Stones to Hyde Park this summer is likely to boost the figures this year.
The global success of British artists, including Adele and Mumford & Sons, helped recoup £180.1m in international licensing revenues last year – down 4% on 2011, but still the biggest source of income for UK music creators.
In its full-year results on Thursday, PRS for Music said royalties revenue was at £641.8m in 2012, up 1.2% on the previous year.
Plummeting physical sales saw royalties from DVDs fall 18.7% year on year, to £10.9m, and newspaper and physical cover mounts – popular a decade ago – down 35.7% to £0.9m. Another formerly lucrative source of royalties income, music ringtones, has evaporated since 2008.
The value of revenue from music ringtones for mobile phones has fallen to £900,000 from £5.7m five years ago.
Robert Ashcroft, the PRS for Music chief executive, said: "Copyright remains fundamental to the continued success of our members both at home and abroad, while the ever-increasing importance of licensed online services, such as iTunes and Spotify, underlines the value of music to the internet economy."
Graphic: Paddy Allen for the Guardian
PRS for Music collects royalties for more than 95,000 songwriters and composers in the UK.
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Ed Sheeran and other UK artists enjoyed a bumper 2012 as digital licensing revenues passed radio for the first time. Photograph: Startraks Photo/Rex Features
Josh Halliday
British songwriters, including acts such as Ed Sheeran and Calvin Harris, netted a record total of £51.7m in UK royalties from digital music services last year, as online licensing revenues eclipsed radio for the first time.
New licensing agreements with Google Play, Microsoft Xbox and other online players helped UK digital revenues soar 32.2% in 2012, from £39.1m in 2011.
Digital music players are now the biggest single source of income for songwriters in the UK, having overtaken radio last year after previously eclipsing live events and pubs, according to the UK royalties body PRS for Music.
The advent of downloads and streaming services, such as Apple iTunes and Spotify, has more than doubled UK online licensing revenues, from £23.3m in 2008.
However, the amount recouped from live events hit a bum note last year as the London Olympics stole the show. Fewer big gigs, including no Glastonbury and the Olympic takeover of London, saw royalties from live events fall 14.2% year on year, to £19.3m.
The return of Glastonbury and the Rolling Stones to Hyde Park this summer is likely to boost the figures this year.
The global success of British artists, including Adele and Mumford & Sons, helped recoup £180.1m in international licensing revenues last year – down 4% on 2011, but still the biggest source of income for UK music creators.
In its full-year results on Thursday, PRS for Music said royalties revenue was at £641.8m in 2012, up 1.2% on the previous year.
Plummeting physical sales saw royalties from DVDs fall 18.7% year on year, to £10.9m, and newspaper and physical cover mounts – popular a decade ago – down 35.7% to £0.9m. Another formerly lucrative source of royalties income, music ringtones, has evaporated since 2008.
The value of revenue from music ringtones for mobile phones has fallen to £900,000 from £5.7m five years ago.
Robert Ashcroft, the PRS for Music chief executive, said: "Copyright remains fundamental to the continued success of our members both at home and abroad, while the ever-increasing importance of licensed online services, such as iTunes and Spotify, underlines the value of music to the internet economy."
Graphic: Paddy Allen for the Guardian
PRS for Music collects royalties for more than 95,000 songwriters and composers in the UK.
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Monday, April 1, 2013
Xs10magazine issue #3
Come check out Xs10magazine with Maybach Music VP very own Geter.K.
Download the link
http://issuu.com/xs10magazine/docs/xs10_issue_2i_final/1
Download the link
http://issuu.com/xs10magazine/docs/xs10_issue_2i_final/1
Controversial lyrics from Lil Wayne and Rick Ross result in both rappers being banned by a Michigan radio station
Following news that a particular and heavily controversial lyric from Rick Ross on Rocko’s “U.O.E.N.O (You Ain’t Even Know It)” was enough to warrant a petition, a Michigan radio station has just announced that they plan on banning the Miami rapper’s music unless he issues an apology.
XXLMag.com reports that the radio station, Michigan’s WUVS 103.7, will also ban Lil Wayne and his music unless he too issues an apology.
“Effective immediately Muskegon’s WUVSlp 103.7 the Beat has pulled ALL Lil Wayne and Rick Ross music from rotation. We pride ourselves on playing music that is non-degrading and non-violent. While we believe in freedom of speech, creative writing and individualism, we refuse to be part of the problem by spreading messages that could harm or end someone’s life,” read a statement from WUVS.
Lil Wayne recently brought about tremendous criticism from fans following the release of Future’s “Karate Chop (Remix).” On the song, Lil Wayne insults slain teen Emmett Till as he raps, “Beat that pussy up like Emmett Till.”
“Karate Chop (Remix)” was ultimately pulled by Future’s label Epic Records, but Lil Wayne has yet to publicly acknowledge his Emmett Till lyric.
XXLMag.com reports that the radio station, Michigan’s WUVS 103.7, will also ban Lil Wayne and his music unless he too issues an apology.
“Effective immediately Muskegon’s WUVSlp 103.7 the Beat has pulled ALL Lil Wayne and Rick Ross music from rotation. We pride ourselves on playing music that is non-degrading and non-violent. While we believe in freedom of speech, creative writing and individualism, we refuse to be part of the problem by spreading messages that could harm or end someone’s life,” read a statement from WUVS.
Lil Wayne recently brought about tremendous criticism from fans following the release of Future’s “Karate Chop (Remix).” On the song, Lil Wayne insults slain teen Emmett Till as he raps, “Beat that pussy up like Emmett Till.”
“Karate Chop (Remix)” was ultimately pulled by Future’s label Epic Records, but Lil Wayne has yet to publicly acknowledge his Emmett Till lyric.
A year ago this month, Joie Manda was appointed Def Jam President. But today, he announced his resignation and new position as President of Urban Music at Interscope Records
No word as to his successor, but in statement he said the following.
“Despite having to move back to Los Angeles for personal reasons, I am truly grateful to Barry, John and Jimmy Iovine (Chairman & CEO, Interscope Geffen A&M) for this exciting new opportunity. I’ve learned a lot from Barry in the last year and am very appreciative of everything he has done for me. I am now looking forward to being part of the Interscope family, a company uniquely positioned for success despite this challenging marketplace.”
“Despite having to move back to Los Angeles for personal reasons, I am truly grateful to Barry, John and Jimmy Iovine (Chairman & CEO, Interscope Geffen A&M) for this exciting new opportunity. I’ve learned a lot from Barry in the last year and am very appreciative of everything he has done for me. I am now looking forward to being part of the Interscope family, a company uniquely positioned for success despite this challenging marketplace.”
RAPPER TRIES TO KILL FRIEND TO JOIN ILLUMINATI & BECOME FAMOUS (wow)
It can be dangerous when a conspiracy theory gets out of hand. For several years, folks who have very little experience with proper research have created videos and books about the Illuminati’s role in hip-hop.
These peeps post ill-advised documents that suggest that all great hip-hop stars had to sacrifice someone or themselves to reach celeb status in the entertainment industry.
Well one inspiring rapper from Richmond, Virginia took the conspiracy theory a bit too far.
According to reports, Wafeeq Sabir El-Amin tried to murder his friend while the two were in the studio. El-Amin told his friend that he needed to sacrifice someone to join the Illuminati and become a famous rap star. Lawda mercy!
Soon after, El-Amin pointed a gun at his friend and fired a shot. The bullet grazed his friend in the arm. The victim was able to wrestle the gun away from El-Amin and shot him in the stomach.
El-Amin is ok because he’s awaiting trial in June.
These peeps post ill-advised documents that suggest that all great hip-hop stars had to sacrifice someone or themselves to reach celeb status in the entertainment industry.
Well one inspiring rapper from Richmond, Virginia took the conspiracy theory a bit too far.
According to reports, Wafeeq Sabir El-Amin tried to murder his friend while the two were in the studio. El-Amin told his friend that he needed to sacrifice someone to join the Illuminati and become a famous rap star. Lawda mercy!
Soon after, El-Amin pointed a gun at his friend and fired a shot. The bullet grazed his friend in the arm. The victim was able to wrestle the gun away from El-Amin and shot him in the stomach.
El-Amin is ok because he’s awaiting trial in June.
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