So the debate about free music is buzzing again since Warner hinted yesterday that it may pull its catalogues from free music steaming sites such as Spotify, after declaring such services were “clearly not positive for the industry.”
Going back to a time before free streaming; the consumer purchased physical music that then became digital. And with that came the age old problem of piracy – a battle the music industry has fought ever since.
As an answer to illegal downloading, in recent years we’ve seen a soar in free music streaming services like Spotify and Last FM. Record labels have had to get involved due to this huge route to market. Adverts via these portals mean consumers can be targeted directly, but a premium paid for services means the listener gets to ignore the ads.
So along came the Subscription model. It’s not just music to be consumed through this model either, as ticket sales and merchandise generates revenue and exposure. But the issue here is that the supplier – the label – has to agree for its music to be made available, if they want their slice of the profit.
So what happens if the label decides to pull out and not to license its music to these streaming services like Warner has suggested it may do?
Warner’s label chief executive Edgar Bronfman has already said it “Is not the kind of approach to business that we will be supporting in future.”
This will not be a good move for Spotify, Last Fm, We7 etc., but maybe this is just the spin the industry needs.
It begs the question whether Spotify will continue to give the label a share of the existing subscriptions. After all, the seven million users Spotify has in six European countries are not to be sniffed at.
Does this mean the labels will stick to the iTunes model, but with a subscription service? Will all the major labels come together and decide to pull out of free streaming services all together?
There has been so much debate in recent years about how artists and everyone else in the music food chain will actually earn money in the industry. Maybe this is it. I feel another change coming on…
As we have been saying for a while now at Poker PR, the world of music and how we listen and purchase is changing.
Spotify and Pandora have changed the way we do this. Now iTunes, leaders in music downloads are rumored to be launching a streaming service to compete in the market.
posted by David Mitchell
Every Friday here at Poker HQ we are going to ask all our fans, followers and friends a question.
So please join us and share you thoughts..It’s what Friday fun is all about!!
Q. If we didn’t have computers in this world. What would you be doing at work right now ?
posted by Dave Mitchell
Azuli Records have enlisted Poker PR’s digital media services to promote their Azuli presents Miami 2010 album.
Our agency will apply a full-scale, targeted mail out for the new album, applying creative ideas for coverage across digital and print media.
It’s a double celebration for Azuli as this album, which notoriously predicts the big tunes to come out of the @Miami Winter Music Conference, is the 10th in its series, and the label itself is celebrating 20 years since its first release in 1990.
There a whopping 7 exclusive releases on this album, due out in March in both download and CD formats (mixed and unmixed), from the likes of @Deadmau5 & @Chris Lake, and @Seamus Haji.
“The CD represents the main styles that’ll happen this year. It’ll be much housier and leaning more to the groovy snares and rolling beats that are around at the moment, rather than the more minimal and chunky electro house grooves of recent years.” David Piccioni, Azuli
Follow Azuli on Facebook to get first hand info on the release.
What a year this is going to be for Social Media Communication…
The Social Media genie is out of the bottle and the world of business will never be the same. Social Media and micro-blogging platforms like FaceBook, LinkedIn, and Twitter are transforming businesses, customers, colleagues and everyone linked to them in revolutionary ways.
We have seen large brands adopt these new communication methods with great success. Brands need to include Social Media at the start of any project, campaign or launch. It’s not an Ad-on anymore.
Here at Poker PR we understand Social Media, why you need it and how to implement it into your online strategy.
The start of this exciting digital decade sees Poker PR launch our free Social Media ‘Check Up’ service. If you think you should be adopting a Social Media strategy, give us a call…
For more information please email us at social@pokerpr.co.uk
Poker PR client www.digitaldoghouse.co.uk has teamed up with www.rivmixx.com to offer you 15% off everything in store. And with Digital Doghouse already being the cheapest place to buy house music online, music has never been cheaper!
To claim your 15% off, all you need to do is click here for your exclusive promo code, then head to Digital Doghouse and simply enter the code at the check out.
If you haven’t yet visited Digital Doghouse, you are about to get first hand experience of the site’s user friendly navigation, content rich editorial, and library of quality, underground house music.
Merry Christmas from Digital Doghouse!
Out today on Dutch imprint, Adapt Recordings is the label’s last release of the year - ‘All Because of You’ by Bastian Creon
With the soulful vocals of UK artist Tasita D’amour and co producers Paul Sissons and Daan van Joolen on board, Adapt 004 is fresh, funky and tantalising, and is yet another example of the diverse sounds on this label.
There’s an extensive remix package with a sound to suit most tastes from Firebeatz & SOL Soundsystem, Howard D, Marten Fisher & James Nidecke, Jesse Voorn and two mixes from label boss Jørgensen.
Check it out here www.adaptrecordings.com
Supported by: Axwell, Syke ‘n’ Sugarstarr (aka SE:SA), StoneBridge, Soul Avengerz, Gabriel Castellon, Jim ‘Shaft’ Ryan, Prok & Fitch and Sarah Main.
ADAPT TO THIS!
Buy from www.beatport.com
www.digitaldoghouse.co.uk [DDH] is an al a carte digital music download store, dedicated to selling a choice selection of dance music from industry leading labels and artists.
It’s genre specific selling house music in its many forms. In store you’ll find the likes of Mau5trap, Get Physical, Moon Harbor Dance 2 Dance and a whole lot more!
We are thrilled to be working on the launch of this brand. DDH has the fastest downloads speeds around, it sells supreme quality MP3 and .WAV files at the cheapest prices, has a no nonsense easy to navigate site, excellent customer service and content rich editorial. It’s also the first electronic music store to introduce the ecard – buy music in just one click and with no minimum spend!
Record label’s will be bowled over too as DDH offers flexible contracts, competitive royalty rates, and bespoke promotion for labels in store.
Check it out now www.digitaldoghouse.co.uk
Roll out the red carpet Pacha – it’s time to make merry as the effortlessly cool Hat-Club gears up for its 5th birthday party on 21st November!
Blending tech house, chunky bass lines and big vocals all night long are Soul Avengerz, Filthy Rich, Hat-Club resident’s DJ Roo and Damien Stone, and much more.
Fans of Hat Club have two things in common: a passion for house music and a penchant for funky head gear. Combine the two, and you get an atmosphere like no other…
The luxurious Pacha will be fit to burst on this night if the 4th birthday is anything to go by – it was one-in-one-out by 11pm! Get your ticket now from www.hat-club.com and come raise a glass to another successful Hat-Club year!
Dance music-magazine giant and Poker client Mixmag, is currently on its biggest UK tour ever.
Already its covered some serious mileage and there’s no sign of it slowing down. From Glasgow to Leeds, Derby and London, the tour has been a sell out across cities, all down to its top-notch line-ups that have so far included DJ sets from Friendly Fires and Hot Chip, Radio1’s Kissy Sell Out, and a 3D disco at Matter in London!
If you’ve missed out on the action so far, do no fret. There are some more cracking parties coming to a city near you! Here are the highlights:
30 Oct @ Honeyclub, Brighton. Halloween Special – Riton & D.Ramirez
7 Nov @ The Loft, Maidstone - Zane Lowe & Jaymo & Andy George
20 Nov @ o2 Academy, Oxford – Zane Lowe, DJ Marky & MJ Cole
4 Dec @ Honeyclub, Brighton – Fool’s Gold Showcase
4 Dec @ Matter, London. Tour closing party – Fat Boy Slim!
If there’s not something there that whets your appetite then get yourself checked over by your GP! Early bird £12 tickets are available for all events, but you gotta be quick as they sell out fast. Get yours now from www.dontstayin.com
For full details on the tour, head to www.mixmag.net
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