Sign Of The Times - 3 Billion iTunes Downloads
The “Buzz in the Biz” by Benny White
A real sign of the times, Apple has announced that more than three billion songs have been purchased and downloaded from the iTunes Store at itunes .com.
– Monte Conner
###Background
• There is a new website similar to MySpace but way different…,you get PAID to use it. To get started, check out Yuwie.com and sign up for details. What is Yuwie? Well, first of all, it’s free, and is a lot like other “connect with friends” and “social networking” sites. But, there is one major difference. Use Yuwie and you get paid to blog, upload pictures, refer friends, chat, hang out, etc. That’s quite an incentive for struggling artists.
• A real sign of the times, Apple has announced that more than three billion songs have been purchased and downloaded from the iTunes Store at itunes .com. In fact, iTunes recently surpassed Amazon and Target to become the third largest music retailer in the USA.
• Get a piece of Ozzy! Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne are auctioning off furnishings, art and memorabilia. The two-day sale will be held at the Gibson Guitar Enter-tainment Showroom in Beverly Hills on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1st. There is a Public Exhibition, prior to the auction, from Nov. 26 to Nov. 29th. More than 600 lots of memorabilia, costumes, furniture and works of art, from the Osbourne’s gothic style home in Beverly Hills, their shabby chic Malibu abode and their Buckinghamshire mansion in England, will be sold with a portion of the proceeds going to the Sharon Osbourne Colon Cancer Foundation. Ozzy, in his typical fashion, sighed, “I don’t know why we’re selling all of this stuff. I’d like to keep it.” For further details or to register for the auction, you can go to juliensauctions.com, where a catalog for the Sharon & Ozzy Osbourne Collection can be purchased.
• Capitol/EMI has announced the digital release of George Harrison’s solo catalog. Nine albums have been made available and the remainder will follow online in 2008. The release of these albums makes all four Beatles’ solo catalogs digitally available. Harrison’s widow, Olivia Harrison said, “It’s exciting that George’s catalog is finally available for downloading. He had begun the digital remastering of his albums but had no idea how the digital world would change the way we access and listen to music.” For more information on the release of this catalog, visit George Harrison’s official website at georgeharrison.com.
• Time Warner Communications has launched Flipside, a television outlet for music videos. Their Radio-TV channel offers audio tracks on-demand to TV viewers. Due to its success, the cable company is now offering videos. To have your video played, follow these four simple steps: (1) Make sure your video is in miniDV, DVcam, or DVCpro format, (2) Fill out a membership form at stretch theskies.com (STS) where you’ll be provided with a free STS Artist Toolbox to upload your video, (3) Click the Time Warner Radio-TV Tool Tab, and (4) Submit $25 per video. STS and Time Warner believe artists will be thrilled that 25 bucks can get their videos on television — and, they note, it’s a lot less than it costs to get a video on MTV. Currently, Flipside is being broadcast in the New York area. However, Time Warner reports that there are plans to open additional markets soon.
* If you’re a videographer, audio professional, director, developer, editor, producer, visual effects artist, web designer or play any role, big or small, in the rapidly evolving content-creation technology field, you might want to consider attending the Digital Video Expo. This event will take place Dec. 4-6, at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The Expo plans to give techies the tools to power their next digital video project. The seminars will cover trends in new post technology, multi-layered effects in Avid or FCP, HD post essentials, and setting up a cost effective HD suite. For additional information, visit www.dvexpo.com.
* ASCAP will hold its third annual “I Create Music” EXPO on Apr. 10-12, 2008, at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles. By bringing together the world community of leading songwriters, composers, music publishers and professionals with emerging music creators, the ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO offers participants the opportunity to engage in the entire music creation process while acquiring valuable information, skills and insight to strengthen their craft and careers. All songwriters, composers, producers, publishers and other music industry professionals, regardless of affiliation, will benefit from this unique creative experience, which will be presented in a format designed to facilitate personal interaction, education and networking. The EXPO covers all genres of music and includes panels, workshops, master classes, one-on-one sessions, song critiquing, performances, and more. For additional information, visit www.ascap.com.
* It may have taken half a century, but an incredible set of DVDs, Jazz Icons, has finally come to market. Reelin’ in The Years Productions and Naxos have just released the next seven titles in the DVD series featuring performances by John Coltrane, Dave Brubeck, Duke Ellington, Sarah Vaughan, Dexter Gordon, Wes Montgomery, and Charles Mingus. Filmed in Europe between 1958 and 1966, this set of Jazz Icons DVDs features concerts by seven of the most influential jazz artists of the 20th century captured in their prime and accompanied by some of the most legendary sidemen of the day. Previously forgotten or lost in the vaults of TV studios throughout Europe, they are now being made available for the first time. Each DVD also includes a 24-page booklet with essays by noted jazz historians as well as previously unseen photos and memorabilia. For a full preview, visit www.jazzi cons.com.
* Clint Eastwood presents Tony Bennett: The Music Never Ends, a two-disc set on DVD Nov. 13th. This new documentary features an in-depth on-camera interview of the performer, conducted by East-wood himself. Rare archival foot-age and contemporary clips of Bennett performing live throughout his career are interwoven throughout the documentary, as are interviews with celebrities who reminisce about their favorite moments with the singer. On hand are Harry Belafonte, Alec Baldwin, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Christina Aguilera. Performances include Bennett’s famous hits, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” and “For Once in My Life.” The DVD set includes a bonus disc featuring Bennett’s full concert performance at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 2005. The DVD is available at retail. For further information, log on to www.pbs.org.
* Eagle Rock Entertainment has two more major Montreux moments on DVD from its acclaimed Live At Montreux series. Featured is Grammy-winning British band Jamiroquai, Live At Montreux 2003. This 16-song, two hour set includes their signature “acid jazz” as well as a liberal sprinkling of material from their entire career. Also new is Ray Charles with his own Live At Montreux 1997. The hour-long set features saxophonist Al Jackson, the Ray Charles Orchestra and the Raelettes. Featured songs include “Georgia on My Mind” and his No. 1 “I Can’t Stop Loving You.
* The Recording Academy® Los Angeles Chapter and the Producers & Engineers Wing recently presented the ZEPPELIN ENGINEERS PANEL. “The Song Remains The Same; Behind The Board with Led Zeppelin” was an unprecedented event, bringing together three engineers that have all individually worked with the legendary rock band Led Zeppelin. In a riveting Q&A panel discussion with an audience of music makers and fans, they shared their stories and expertise. On the panel were: “Stairway To Heaven” engineer Andy Johns, “Kashmir” engineer Ron Nevison, and “Whole Lotta Love” engineer Eddie Kramer.
* NELSON’S CIRCLE REMAINS UNBROKEN: Willie Nelson and friends performed an exclusive private concert at Hard Rock Cafe New York as part of Hard Rock’s 2007 Ambassadors of Rock Tour. The event, hosted by actors Daryl Hannah and Woody Harrelson, served as the launch of the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance, a non-profit organization founded by Willie’s wife Annie Nelson, Daryl Hannah and members of the sustainable biodiesel community.
* VH1 Classic Records recently released KISSology: Volume Two 1978-1991, the second installment of the definitive three-part collection on DVD. Its No. 1 debut, KISSology Volume 1, went 5x platinum. KISSology: Volume Two 1978-1991 is an expanded three-disc set boasting nearly seven hours of rare or never-before-seen footage featuring notorious television interviews and early KISS music videos. Additionally, this DVD set will include the unseen European theatrical version of the 1978 cult classic film KISS in Attack of the Phantoms complete with scenes not offered in the U.S. version.
* Gibson Guitar’s “Free The Children” Gibson Guitar has announced the Gibson Foundation’s support of “Free The Children,” the world’s largest network of children helping children. The Gibson Foundation has pledged a five-year commitment, during which it will build five, eight-room school houses in five different provinces of China. These schools will aid thousands of children and bring a much needed opportunity for primary education with qualified teachers. Each school will be equipped with textbooks, school furnishings and a playground. The support pledged by Gibson brings together two organizations whose continued mission and goals impact millions each year.
* Warner/Chappell Music has appointed Ann Sweeney to Executive Vice President. In her new role, Sweeney’s primary responsibilities include overseeing worldwide digital revenue, working closely with other senior management executives in identifying and executing U.S.-based catalog acquisitions as well as legislative and other music publishing industry issues. In addition, Sweeney also works with WMG’s Digital Strategy and Business Development team and recorded music labels in expanding Warner/Chappell’s efforts in new media and digital music.
* Walt Disney Records has promoted David Agnew to President and Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Disney Music Group (DMG).
* Clive Davis, Chairman & CEO of the BMG Label Group will be honored by the UJA-Federation of New York Entertainment, Media & Communications Division and Music for Youth at the 2007 Music Visionary of the Year Luncheon. Hundreds of leaders from the worlds of music, entertainment, communications, and business will gather to honor Davis at this premier philanthropic event.