Music Filter: Technology

France Pushes For More Open Digital Music Standards

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 20:01:09 GMT

It's no secret that many people, from basic consumers to record labels to technology companies, have wanted Apple to open up their iTunes songs to more devices than just the iPod. The country of France is trying to enact a law to effectively compel this: under the proposed legislation, all digital music sellers would have to allow their sold songs to be converted for use with a range of MP3 players and not just the proprietary players they're normally associated with.

The intent behind the law is to help combat piracy, the thinking being that if people can buy a song from, say, iTunes but then convert it to play on a non-iPod device (this would also apply to songs purchased from, say, Rhapsody but then converted for the iPod). Some analysts think that, if this law passes, Apple might just shut down their French store entirely in order to prevent people from moving the converted songs outside of France. After all, once converted, it's not as if anyone can prevent the songs from being transferred outside the country. So far, Apple has no official comment on the pending French legislation. (Source: Reuters)

A CD Co-op?

Wed, 08 Mar 2006 19:03:02 GMT

We're still trying to understand what exactly the new company lala.com will be doing. According to Coolfer.com, it's a "used CD trading service" and lala themselves describe their service (which launches in July) as "an online music co-op where members trade-in CDs they have for CDs they want from other members." If we understand this correctly, if you join lala, you can list what CDs you have for trade and see what others have to offer and lala will help facilitate a trade between users, asking for $1 per CD as their transaction fee.

Interestingly, lala feels compelled to explain: this is perfectly legal (we didn't realize it might be otherwise but in these days of severe rights management, we can appreciate the desire to make things clear). In any case, while artists are usually not paid off of used CDs, lala promises to set aside 20% of their fee that will go to the artist, a generosity that Coolfer suggests won't be enough, "to keep this company out of bankruptcy."

We think it's an intriguing model but in this age of file-sharing, people do this all the time already, just minus the physical packaging. Especially because lala wants to encourage people to, "remove songs from your iPod or PC if you've agreed to send the CD to another member," we really think they're asking too much from folks,and we're also confused because lala also plans to sell digital downloads. Basically, you're expected to trade CDs, but not make burns of the music to keep on your computer, unless of course you're buying a digital album through lala in which case, you can't trade that anyways (not legally anyhow). We don't want to trash an idea before the site has even launched but seriously, we just don't see how this is supposed to work. What do you all think? (Sources: Coolfer.com,lala.com)

Radio Loses Ground To Cell Phones In the Car

Wed, 08 Mar 2006 18:45:15 GMT

Guess what's contributing to the fall-off of people listening to terrestrial radio in the car? Sure, there's MP3 players and satellite radio competing for people's attentions but as it turns out, conventional radio also has to look out for cell phone users: an obvious though often overlooked demographic. Digital Music News is reporting that the average commuter spends 13.49 minutes on the phone (in the car) a day, which seems surprisingly small given how many times you've probably almost been side-swiped by some jerk, yammering on the phone. That number is up 29% from 2003 however.

It's all bad news for radio operators: 79% of people turn the radio down while making a call while 19% turn the radio off completely (we assume the remaining 2% just yell really loudly). Especially as commute times in major cities only seem to be getting worse, the cell phone increase is only likely to follow as well. Looks like radio stations might need to find creative new ways to get people's attention. Like maybe they could incorporate cell phone blocking technology into their radio signals. Just a thought. (Digital Music News)

MTV2 + YouTube.com

Mon, 06 Mar 2006 17:27:37 GMT

If MySpace was the site that really took off like a bullet in 2005, it's been YouTube's year so far – it's hard for a few days to go by before someone posts or emails a link to some video they saw on YouTube. Of course, this also creates problems for the site since they don't automatically filter what's uploaded, especially for copyright issues. That's why folks like TV networks, or ... Prince ... have to send out a quick cease and desist and get video material removed (which YouTube is very good about complying with).

Sooner or later though, some network was actually going to get smart about things and actually partner with YouTube, thus benefitting from that site's marketing potential. MTV2 has been the first to step up. As Reuters reports:

"MTV2 is seeding YouTube with multiminute clips from a pair of series promoting new seasons and DVD releases this month: "The Andy Milonakis Show" and "Wonder Showzen." The Web site already is home to dozens of other clips drawn from the network but uploaded to YouTube without the network's consent."

The question will be whether more networks (and other content-providers, TV or otherwise) join aboard. For some, YouTube will be seen as a competitor giving away content they would otherwise sell and for that reason, no collaboration would ever prove feasible. Still, we think this could be a turning point (not necessarily for better or for worse) for YouTube and its relationship to the entertainment industry. We suppose the worst case scenario is someone buying it up and turning it into a paid-accesss site; it's happened before. (Source: CNET)

Apple iPod Boombox More Fizz Than Buzz

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 19:36:18 GMT

Look, we really like Apple ok? I know that's slightly blasphemous to say on an MSN blog but there's no question they've made a phenomenal (not to mention popular) product with the iPod. But for Jobs' sake, don't rattle your cage about some big announcement and get press gathered just so you can debut ... an iPod boombox. To call yesterday's announcement anti-climatic would be gross understatement; the idea of an iPod branded boombox is about as sexy as the iPod Socks they sell. Sure, we understand that this means that Apple is starting to move into more iPod branded products that rely on third-party companies to fill in the gaps but this was not really an announcement that anyone was anticipating with baited breath.

No next generation video iPod. No Mac Mini DVR. No Movie iTunes. Just a hifi portable system that looks like a shrunken Scion and $100 leather cases. Boo. (Source: Digital Music News)

Explosion of Music Videos Online Creates Legal Questions

Mon, 06 Feb 2006 16:32:57 GMT

The NY Times ran a piece on Friday looking at the sudden explosion of music videos to be found on YouTube.com. The site really got a boost the other month with the whole "Lazy Sunday" aka "Chronic(les) of Narnia" rap skit that was popularized via the internet once someone had posted the clip to YouTube.com. Since then, the no-frills depository for streamed video downloads has become a prime site for people to upload all kinds of different music videos, from rare concert footage, to your mainstream MTV vids, to strange, off-the-wall performances and recordings. According to the site's marketing director:

"YouTube is now up to more than 10 million videos viewed daily ... streaming 115 videos a second."

This leads to an obvious question? Why isn't every industry lawyer suing YouTube.com's pants off right now? Well, this is where things get a bit technical. If you offer media for download that's copyrighted by others and do this without permission – that's illegal and prosecutable. If, however, you offer the same media but only make it available as a streaming download, as long as you agree to take down that media when the copyright holder asks you to, it's legal. Because YouTube only deals in streaming media, as long as it's willing to take down illegal uploads upon complaint (which is diligently has been, there's no problem on their end). As one example, Jay Smooth over at hiphopmusic.com notes that Prince has asked that any material related to his Purpleness be removed and YouTube.com has complied.

However, for other groups, they've taken to YouTube, just like they took to myspace.com:

"YouTube's simplicity has been an attraction for bands, too. Plenty of them, or their record labels, have been uploading video footage to YouTube for promotional purposes, YouTube says; they include current groups like We Are Scientists, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Early Man and Taking Back Sunday."

(Source: NY Times)

Apple Sued Over Hearing Loss

Thu, 02 Feb 2006 08:43:21 GMT

We don't know why today has proven so popular with digital music stories but sometimes, it just be's like that. For months now, people have been warning about the possibility of hearing loss that comes with excessive use of loud music over ear-bud style headphones. Not to be cynical, but it was probably only a matter of time before someone who had experienced damage to their hearing was going to sue over this (this is America, after all). Well, that time has arrived.

Digital Music News is reporting that Louisiana resident John Patterson has filed a "product liability suit" against Apple on the grounds that the iPod has damaged his hearing. Patterson is seeking class action status which would allow other users with similar complaints to join with his lawsuit. There are no dollar figures being mentioned yet but Patterson is suing for compensation for his hearing loss plus a demand that Apple re-engineer the iPod to make it safer.

So, just to float the obvious question here but: is there any liability involved? Last time we checked, iPods came with this feature called "volume control." What does it mean to make the iPod safer? Put in a prescribed limit on how loud you can play music? Isn't that for the listener to decide? Not like we're not sympathetic to Patterson's situation, but there's some common sense that should be taken into consideration when it comes to how loud one listens to music. Unless of course, Patterson can prove that the ear-buds that ship with every iPod were engineered to maximize damage even at "normal" volume levels. Expect much, much more to come out of this. (Source: Digital Music News)

Music Label Defends Filesharer Against RIAA

Tue, 31 Jan 2006 19:48:12 GMT

Let the battle begin. A Canadian music label and management company, Nettwerk Music Group, has taken the rare step of defending someone who's being sued by RIAA for filesharing. Among Nettwerk's different clients include Avril Lavigne, Sarah McLaughlin, Barenaked Ladies and Sum 41. They are paying for the legal fees of the family of Texas' David Gruebel, whose 15 year old daughter Elisa was discovered by RIAA, sharing over 600 music files, including at least 9 songs by Nettwerk artists.

In providing the legal defense for the Gruebels, Nettwerk's stance is a big ol' slap in the face of RIAA whose random lawsuits have become an almost weekly occurrence and the source of increasingly bad blood between music consumers and the industry. Says Nettwerk's C.E.O. Terry McBride,

"Suing music fans is not the solution, it's the problem. Litigation is not 'artist development.' Litigation is a deterrent to creativity and passion and it is hurting the business I love. The current actions of the RIAA are not in my artists' best interests."

Charles Lee Mudd Jr., the attorney that Nettwerk hired on behalf of the Gruebels, added in his own statement:

"RIAA has misapplied existing copyright law and improperly employed its protections not as a shield, but as a sword. Many of the individuals targeted by the RIAA are not the 'thieves' the RIAA has made them out to be.

Notably, Nettwerk picked up on this case after Elisa wrote to MC Lars, also a Nettwerk artist, who has a song called "Download This Song." In informing MC Lars that her family had been targeted by RIAA, Lars' staff bumped her email all the way up to Nettwerk. And who says no one reads fan mail?

On a sidenote, Coolfer is surprised (as are we) that no major press outlets have picked up on the story; the most high-profile is likely MTV. (Source: Marketwire.com by way of Coolfer.com)

MTV Networks Add Content For iTunes

Mon, 30 Jan 2006 22:56:37 GMT

Just to show how the current market for digital media commerce creates strange bedfellows, we reported the other month how MTV and Microsoft are teaming up to release URGE, a digital music download site that hopes to compete with iTunes, drawing upon Microsoft's software making abilities and MTV's cache with young people. However, even though MTV will eventually be competing with Apple, that hasn't stopped them joining forces with them too.

The difference here is that Apple won't be licensing music from MTV but rather, video/television programming from MTV's many sub-stations. According to Digital Music News:

"The deal will allow iTunes users to purchase and download videos from channels MTV, MTV2, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and The N. A total of 14 programs are part of the deal, including shows "Punk’d," "South Park," "Dora the Explorer," "SpongeBob SquarePants," and "Laguna Beach."

We hope The Daily Show and The Colbert Report are part of the deal. (Source: Digital Music News)

DJs Taking Aim At Laptop Spinners

Tue, 24 Jan 2006 09:17:06 GMT

With all the chatter about new forms of digital DJing, it was inevitable that a backlash was coming. A collective of five members, calling themselves "DJs Are Alive" are going after so-called "laptop DJs" who have abandoned the traditional, vinyl-based methods of DJing in favor of digital, often-computer based alternatives. Dutch DJ The Scumfrog (Jesse Houk) leads DJs Are Alive and he hasn't held back a candid opinion about laptop spinners:

"Every live electronic music performance I’ve seen in the past year and half has been laptop based. The laptop DJs might be doing rocket science, and creating amazing soundscapes, but it’s totally boring for an audience to watch. To me, 2000 people staring at some guy behind his computer for four hours is crazy."

DJs Are Alive are trying to create an alternative by ... ok, we have to admit, at this part of the story, our eyebrows arched just a little bit ... performing as a group but not necessarily on turntables. Says member D:Fuse, "You know, don some mascara, bang on the drums, and sing a little to the crowd. Maybe even sling bottles of water on 'em."Uh ... wait, is that really better than the laptop dudes? (Source: DJ Magazine)

Napster Signs Up Half a Million

Thu, 19 Jan 2006 08:59:24 GMT

There had been some talk earlier in the week that Napster was facing some severe financial pressures that might even result in lay-offs; apparently their 3rd quarter earnings report was going to show that the company has been losing revenue. However, they just announced that they have a subscriber base of 500,000 – not small number – which represents a growth rate of 100% from the previous year. Says the company's CEO, Chris Gorog,

"Doubling our subscribers over the last twelve months demonstrates the mass market potential of our music subscription model and the powerful appeal of Napster to music fans who want it all.

There had been talk of even Microsoft being interested in buying out Napster, though with the new MTV/Microsoft URGE site set to launch later this year, it's not clear what Microsoft's interest would be since Napster's software would largely duplicate the same things that URGE is meant to do. For now, Napster's large subscription base suggests that the format has some wings even if Apple's iTunes dominates the market without one. (Source: Digital Music News)

Digital Music Kiosks Make Their Push

Mon, 16 Jan 2006 17:49:17 GMT

Back in the day (like the late '80s), there was this service we remember using at the mall where you could create custom mixtapes of songs you wanted. (This is so far back, we don't even remember the name of the company). There was a master list of songs you could choose from, you'd input them into a computer and about 15 mintues later, this big machine would produce your custom tape. Voila!

This must seem incredibly anachronistic in an iTunes age where basically, you can do the same thing except 1) faster, 2) cheaper and 3) from the convenience of your own home. However, despite the popularity of home downloading, this hasn't stopped companies from rolling the dice with digital music kiosks, a phenom that's been building and that, according to Billboard's Antony Bruno, is facing a "make-or-break year."

Some patrons of Starbucks Coffee have likely already come into contact with the Hear Music kiosks: a million song library, custom-burned CDs that charge $8.99 for seven songs (and .99/song after that). This is just one example: newer kiosks will have support for digital music players and the fanciest have built-in wireless, allowing users to download songs directly to a computer or MP3 player.

The idea is to have these placed in areas of high foot traffic and attract impulse buyers; not just cafes, but bus stops, convenience stores, college book stores, etc.: "Go in for #2 pencils, leave with a CD!" What makes this model interesting is that it further abandons the idea that music needs to be purchased from a specialized, physical store. Why truck down to the mall if you can go to the corner store instead and get access to the same music?

This sounds all well and good but the obvious question is this: why go to the corner store when there are already easy and cheap ways of acquiring music at home? Kiosks might have made more sense 10 years ago, before the download-at-home revolution. Now with iTunes, Napster, Rhapsody, eMusic, etc. all in play, it seems most convenient to just download whatever you want at home, especially when the music library at many of these sites dwarves what's currently available on the kiosks.

Just to note: that custom cassette thing? Didn't last very long at all. We don't expect the kiosks to either. (Source: AOL News)

What Bloggers Really Listen To

Fri, 13 Jan 2006 18:34:34 GMT

What does it mean to be a blog darling? There's a perception that bloggers have a more forward and eclectic taste in music and that, unlike the soggy banality of so-called "mainstream" tastes, bloggers are more likely to turn to obscure or up-and-coming artists in order to maintain their hipster credibility.

Coolfer.com decided to test this theory out by looking at how often certain bands were mentioned on blogs (via Ice Rocket). He did searches first for two blogerati/hipster favorites, Morningwood and We Are Scientists. The two bands, respectively, averaged 362 and 1,190 mentions over the course of last month; not bad numbers it would seem. However, when Coolfer decided to pop Nickelback in there – and let's just be clear that no one ever associates Nickelback with being a "blog favorite" – that band had 12,689 mentions in the same time period (or almost 10 times what Morningwood and We Are Scientists amassed combined).

What this points out has less to do with whether or not blog hype is real or not but rather, that there's a visible blogosphere that gets validated and celebrated in the media for being forward-thinking and hipper-than-thou but underneath that are zillions of other blogs (think myspace pages or Xanga blogs, etc.) which tend to be ignored for being less than chic yet they're the ones pushing the Nickelbacks of the world even if the more visible blogerati are supposedly jocking the Artic Monkeys this month. (Source: Coolfer.com)

British DJs Deal With Digital Licensing

Fri, 13 Jan 2006 18:09:37 GMT

File this under the many ways music copyright laws make less and less sense with each passing month. In the UK, the BBC is reporting that DJs who play songs copied from CDs on either their laptops or a burned CD (i.e. in MP3 form) have to pay an additional licensing fee that amounts to roughly $300 for a year. This is where it gets kind of confusing so let's try to explain:

If you're a DJ and play a record or CD at a club, there's normally a public performance license that's required. (I'm not sure if this is uniquely a U.S. thing but as a practicing DJ for over 10 years, I don't know of any instance where an American DJ needed any kind of license so this might be uniquely British). Under this new digital performance law, if you take that SAME CD, burn a track onto, say, your iPod and then replay that song from the iPod at a club, you have to pay for the extra license. In essence, it's the same song but the fact that you've created a copy from its original source is what requires the extra licensing.

As you can imagine, UK DJs and promoters are balking. Says DJ Ritesh,

"I think it will be very difficult to enforce, mainly because so many people play out in clubs every weekend. There isn't actually very much money in DJing so to ask someone to shell out £200 is going to be a bit over the top"

Seriously!

Moreover, does the UK's version of RIAA really want to be out clubbing in Bristol on Friday nights, just to see which DJs have a license to play music off their laptops or not? (Source: BBC News by way of boingboing.net)

Indie Labels Selling Vinyl LPs Give Away Free MP3s

Thu, 12 Jan 2006 17:47:09 GMT

Trust that indie record labels are thinking of creative new ways to get around the challenge of selling records in a file-sharing age: labels like Saddle Creek and First Merge Records are offering a set of free MP3s for anyone who buys one of their artists' albums on vinyl. That way the consumer still gets the allure of the physical object but the convenience of a digitized format.

Obviously, this won't necessarily sweep the nation but for more boutique labels and their fans, vinyl releases are making a comeback, long after people declared the medium dead to everyone save DJs and hardcore collectors. It's not like these labels expect to go platinum (or gold. Or even bronze) off sales of these joints vinyl/MP3s but it's a far more creative route to selling records in a digital age than what the major labels are cooking up with their paranoid CD protection software and other bad looks. (Source: EFF.org by way of boingboing.net)

Music Overload Creating Apathy?

Wed, 11 Jan 2006 08:37:28 GMT

Has the digital age of music created too much of a good thing? According to researchers at the University of Leicester in Great Britain, the relative ease of having millions of songs at one's fingertips has lead to listeners becoming "apathetic" about music. In the words of study leader Dr. Adrian North,

"The accessibility of music has meant that it is taken for granted and does not require a deep emotional commitment once associated with music appreciation."

To put it another way (and perhaps not as negatively), North suggests that music has become part of the everyday fabric of people's lives rather than signposts to mark special moments, though this also leads people to have "a rather passive attitude towards music" according to him.

Honestly, we've been seeing more and more arguments like this being made and while we're not calling the overall insights of the study into question, it just seems a bit alarmist and quick to make a large assumption that might benefit from a more longitudinal study and analysis. Qualitatively speaking, is music any more ubiquitous now than in a previous generation raised on radio and MTV just because iPods have come along? And does this mean that people derive less pleasure from music? (Source: BBC)

Digital Music Has Banner Week To End 2005

Mon, 09 Jan 2006 18:26:55 GMT

For all the woes of the traditional record outlets, the digital realm ended 2005 on the highest of high notes. Fueled by new MP3 players, gift cards and other holiday incentives, people turned out in the millions to pay for downloaded songs during the last week of the year. Between 12/25 and 1/1, there were 20,000,000 downloads made. Yeah, 20,000,000.

Just to put this in perspective, the most downloads in a week was made the week before but that was only 9,500,000. The amount is triple the figure for the same week in 2004. Out of all those, D4L's "Laffy Taffy" came up hard. It was downloaded 175,000 times, easily crushing the previous record of 80,500 made by Kanye West for "Gold Digger."

Those end numbers mean that 2005 showed a 147% increase over 2004; there were some 352 million paid downloads last year. You think that's impressive: the increase in the number of MP3 players sold last year was 200% more than 2004. These are all linked of course: the more iPods being sold means there are more songs being sold to fill them. In the process, MP3 players are now selling better than portable CD players and shelf systems, a mini-revolution that most likely no one paid attention to, just like when CD players decimated the cassette market. (Source: Yahoo News)

HP Dumps iTunes, Signs Up Rhapsody

Thu, 05 Jan 2006 17:49:53 GMT

In the chess game for digital music download domination (try saying that 10 times, really fast), HP has made a notable move. Their computers had been shipping with copies of Apple's iTunes pre-installed but they've decided to dump iTunes and instead, ship out with Real.com's Rhapsody music service software instead. This wasn't a huge surprise: HP already began to break ties with Apple after discontinuing its partnership over the HP-branded iPod (which frankly, never took off).

Rhapsody will now be the default program for music on all new HP laptops and desktop computers. It's a good sign for the upstart company; they're looking to create partnerships with other companies as well, including Cox Communications, the cable conglomerate, which follows on an older deal to work with Comcast, another cable giant. (Source: ZDNet)

For Pete's Sake: Turn Those Headphones Down

Thu, 05 Jan 2006 17:31:45 GMT

For the last half year, doctors and scientists have all been giving the same warning: be careful on how loud you tune your headphones to. It's not like loud volumes have only just been discovered to cause deafness or other forms of hearing loss but the popularity of earbud-style headphones, such as the ones that come pre-packaged with Apple's iPods, have raised concerns higher because they direct more focused sound at sensitive eardrums.

In any case, just to push awareness of the dangers home, Pete Townsend, guitarist for The Who, has come out in public to warn people that listening too loudly can cause serious harm.

"I have unwittingly helped to invent and refine a type of music that makes its principal components deaf. Hearing loss is a terrible thing because it cannot be repaired. If you use an iPod or anything like it, or your child uses one, you MAY be OK ... But my intuition tells me there is terrible trouble ahead."

Townsend should know: his hearing problems – developed over years of prolonged headphone and concert exposure – is bad enough that after recording sessions, he has take a break of up to 36 hours to let his ears recover. (Source: MSNBC)

Intel Boots Up Black Eyed Peas For Branding

Tue, 03 Jan 2006 18:53:49 GMT

As if they weren't everywhere already, the Black Eyes Peas have been invited by computing giant Intel to perform at the launch of two new chips later this week ('cause nothing says "high speed processing" like the Black Eyed Peas!). This is part of a larger image makeover that Intel has been putting in motion over the last few weeks. The company has changed their logo and their motto – no longer will they go by "Intel Inside," now it's all about "Leap Ahead," which is presumably what the Peas will help them do. The group isn't simply performing, but they'll be one key part of Intel's marketing campaign to spread awareness of their new Vilv and Centrino chip brands.

Meanwhile, in other Peas' news, Will.I.Am is setting up his solo album and he's also overseeing the solo albums of the rest of the group. (Sources: Allhiphop.com, MTV News)

Holidays Are Good Business For Music Download Sites

Thu, 29 Dec 2005 17:14:38 GMT

As expected, the holidays turned out to be a major boon to music download sites. With MP3 players, especially the iPod, as big holiday gifts, new owners wasted little time in filling their players with music. Apple's iTunes store saw a 50% jump in sales on Christmas Eve and Day. Hitwise saw their sales 15% higher than the same time a year before.

This is part of a larger trend: Amazon.com posted record sales for the holidays and iPods were a major part of that, forming the biggest electronics-related item sold on the site. Other sites have seen increases too: Sony's Connect is now the #2 download site (sorry Napster, MSN) though it still sees traffic numbers only half of iTunes. (Source: MSNBC)

Record Labels Investigated For Digital Download Price Fixing

Mon, 26 Dec 2005 18:18:23 GMT

New York's attorney general, Elliot Spitzer made a name for himself in 2005 by going after radio/record label payola deals. His new target for investigation are still record labels, but this time, it's over allegations of price-fixing for music downloads. Specifically, Spitzer is investigating Universal, Sony BMG, EMI and Warner, the four biggest music conglomerates in the world. He's trying to determine if there was collusion between the companies to fix prices on songs available for download from sites like iTunes, Napster and others. Currently, most labels make about 70 cents a song for a 99 cent download.

This is part of a larger debate between download sites and the labels over changing from a set price model (i.e. 99 cents) to variable pricing. The industry wants it; iTunes has said no (though there are rumors that they might relax their policies on this). Variable pricing would help increase the coffers of labels selling the most popular songs (which would theoretically sell for more than 99 cents) but others, notably Apple's Steve Jobs, has argued that variable pricing will lead to a decline in sales given lack of consumer interest in a price point above $1/song. (Source: NY Times)

Music Downloads And Players Power Apple's Website Popularity

Wed, 21 Dec 2005 19:08:58 GMT

It's been a good year for Apple (duh) but besides selling a gazillion iPods, the company's website was also the year's fastest growing amongst the marquee sites, outpacing even Google and Amazon. In November, Apple's site saw 30.8 million unique visitors shoot through, a whopping 57% jump from the same time last year. The reason for the traffic is pretty simple: new iPod buyers = new iTunes downloaders = people visiting the Apple website.

New products and services are credited with sharp growth at other sites as well. Google was #2 behind Apple, with a 29% climb from the previous year and that was largely due to a bounty of new services including their blog search, street directions and the ever popular satellite mapping so you can ~~spy~~ look at specific places with a bird's eye view.

Just to note: Apple and Google's growth was impressive but it wasn't the most dramatic. Amongst all sites, including many up-and-coming ones, the big booster was PhotoBucket.com which had 15.6 million visitors in November, an increase of 1,492% from the year before. MySpace, not surprisingly, also jumped up: 752% and given their expansion in the music world and other media, expect to see that rate climb even more into 2006. (Source: CNET)

MP3 Players Going Unfilled

Mon, 19 Dec 2005 18:50:30 GMT

Even as MP3 players seem to increase in storage capacity every few weeks – "coming soon, the Gazillionbit iPod Maximo!" – researchers are discovering what many of us already realize: we don't actually use all that capacity. Napster sponsored a study to figure out just how much memory the average MP3 consumer needs for their device and ICM Research came back with the results.

Most consumers only use 58% of their storage capacity; the average amount left unused is 4GB. This seems to support other research that has also suggested that most consumers, at current at least, only use around 4-6 GB total which is why newer flash-based players by Apple and Creative are designed to fill in capacity needs between 2 to 8 GB.

What's also worth noting from this ICM research is the average consumer fills their players with songs burned from their own CDs mostly; only 17% of their stored files are downloaded off the internet. 6% of total respondents admitted to downloading illegally though since that statistic was self-reported, it may be lower than reality. Nonetheless, 17%, whether legal or illegal, isn't as big as many might think in the age of rampant music download sites. Looks like the CD isn't completely dead yet. (Source: Digital Music News)

A Musical Taste Test

Thu, 15 Dec 2005 18:29:17 GMT

Over at the Sacramento Bee, writer Chris Macias decided to round up a team of random folks, blindfold them, and then had them listen to music from a series of different sources: vinyl LP, CD, iPod. The question was: can people really tell the difference? Audiophile stores will swear up and down that you need such-and-such $$$ device to "properly" listen to music and others will swear they can spot the difference between a digital and analog sound source. But is this all real or just musical snobbery? Macias put 'em to the test.

The results should surprise some. For one thing, none of the five people he recruited could correctly identify ALL of the sources through four different songs being played from three different sources. The best did correctly guess 10 out of 12 while the worst only had 2 correctly guessed. The one song that everyone correctly identified was a vinyl version of Miles Davis' "So What." The one song everyone got wrong was a vinyl version of Boston's "More Than a Feeling."

Surprisingly, the source that received the best marks? The iPod. Many reviewers kept commenting on the clarity of the sound and this despite the fact that, technically, the iPod has the most compressed sound of the three. Looks like MP3 players might do to CDs what CDs did to vinyl. (Source: Sacramento Bee by way of Coolfer.com)

Google Launches Music Search Function

Thu, 15 Dec 2005 18:10:15 GMT

The big news today in the digital music world is that Google (some of you may have heard of it), is adding a "music search" tool to their web search page. It works two ways: you can either go directly to http://www.google.com/musicsearch or you can enter in a band name into the normal google search window and you'll notice (if the artist is in the Google database) that the very first result will say, "more music results for [your artist here]."

The Google Music search will provide, among other things, information on albums and songs, including where you can buy them (legally) via Amazon.com, MSN Music, iTunes, etc. We also like how it will provide a page of just reviews of different albums, sort of like a mini Metacritic.com.

According to Google's own blog,

"Right now the music search feature mostly works for artists popular in the U.S. and a more limited number of artists from other countries, but we plan to expand it to classical music, worldwide artists, and lesser-known performers."

Currently, the search function only works with artist names: album or song titles won't work because, as Google puts it, "There are many album names and songs which are also plain English words."

We think this is a cool feature; we can definitely see the advantages of having something that can facilitate, for example, album cover image searching. The bigger question is whether or not this will help drive traffic to specific sites based on the search results. Right now, iTunes, for example, comes up first as the place where you can buy songs or albums: we wondered if it was alphabetical but it's pretty clear that this is a ranked list of retail sites (though no explanation is readily given as to what influences the order).

We will say this much: it's fairly thorough. We tried testing the function by putting in a series of obscure rap artists and most all of them turned up, assuming they had a CD release at some point in the last 10 years or so (Binary Star? Yes. Supreme Nyborn? No).

What's missing? We'd imagine people trying to hunt for MP3s to file share won't find much use of this but obviously, Google's not going to help facilitate that kind of music searching. (Source: Google Blog)

File-Sharing Helps Sales ... Or Does It?

Wed, 14 Dec 2005 16:44:18 GMT

Two recent studies on digital music and downloading don't exactly contradict each other but they paint slightly different sides of the power of downloading and people's interest in it. On one hand, Harvard Law School's Berkman Center for Internet and Society, plus researchers at Gartner Inc. have found data that suggests that online file-sharing of music helps to encourage sales. This has long been a staple of the argument advanced by pro-sharers. According to study co-author Derek Slater, "Word of mouth has always been the most powerful marketing tool." Michael McGuire at Gartner adds,

"Rights holders and policy makers have been distracted by illegal downloading, but sharing isn't equivalent to stealing," says McGuire. ''As labels look at this, some of the people who should be at the forefront of discussions are the A & R [artists and repertoire] and marketing and promotions people. This is an easy way to get attention for a new act or a back catalog, too."

That's all well and good ... except that Neilson Soundscan is confirming that digital downloads from services like iTunes, Napster and others had a slight (.44%) decline in the third quarter of 2005. That's not technically a "slump" but given the sharp climbs in downloading rates from 2004, a plateau is cause for concern. What's the explanation for this leveling? According to Nielsen,

"the justification for the stagnation is placed squarely on file-sharing. iPod and other MP3 owners are opting to fill their players by physically swapping files or by simply downloading them from various P2P networks.

Basically, file-sharing helps boost music sales ... but not from online music downloading sites? We'll have to see if the 4th quarter bumps up sales at all and evaluate from there. (Sources: Boston Globe, Slyck.com)

Microsoft and MTV Get the "Urge"

Tue, 13 Dec 2005 22:11:35 GMT

MTV and Microsoft are joining forces to launch a joint music download site named Urge. Both sites have already had similar services (or at least, had them in the works) but by embarking on this joint venture, it's seems fairly clear that both Microsoft and MTV are looking to step into the arena currently being tussled over by Apple, Napster, eMusic and others. There are not too many specific details about Urge yet except that pricing will likely be split between paid downloads (like iTunes) and subscriptions (like Napster).

Microsoft is committing to bundling Urge with the next launch of their Windows Media Player which will give it instant exposure but on the other hand, music downloaded through Urge will not be compatible with iTunes or the iPod. Such is the case with other services too but as digital media researcher Michael Gartenberg at Jupiter Research notes, "The biggest paradox is the people who are most likely interested in an MTV-branded music experience are also probably the demographic that has the highest interest in the iPod."

Though Microsoft is building the Urge software, it will be MTV who will ultimately own and run the service. It's yet unknown how this will affect Microsoft's MSN Music download service. (Source: SJ Mercury News)

Digital Music Becoming a "Habit"

Tue, 13 Dec 2005 20:47:56 GMT

Scottish researchers are looking at the effect of the deluge of digital music on listening habits. What they're finding shouldn't come as a big surprise if you really think about your daily listening trends: "new technology has widened people's access to music, [but] they pay less attention to it."

Listening to music has become "habit," rather than an activity done with a specific purpose. Out of a poll of 350 people, from age 13 to 78, 30% said that their music listening was out of habit, 50% noted that listened to music while multi-tasking. According to the University of Leicester's Adrian North,

""The data suggests that on most occasions when participants chose to listen music, they did so with little thought and seemed to opt deliberately to be subjected to a form of 'sonic wallpaper' that formed the undemanding backdrop to some other task. More simply there is a generally unengaged attitude towards the music."

Has the wealth of music in a digital age watered down your listening habits? Discuss! (Source: Scotsman by way of Digtal Music News)

'Tis the Season ... For Buying MP3 Players

Tue, 13 Dec 2005 20:12:04 GMT

You don't have to be a marketing major to predict that the iPod, in whatever variation, is going to be a hot seller this holiday season. It's so hot though that even the discontinued iPod Mini, dumped in order to make room for the iPod Nano, is selling for hundreds more then their original listing price. CNET spoke to a few such consumers willing to pay more, trying to understand their logic. In one case, a man who spent $75 over listing price for a Mini said it was to fulfill his girlfriend's wish of owning the Mini specifically: "She had her heart set on an iPod Mini mainly because they are discontinued, so not many people would have them." (Rarity sells: not an unknown economic phenomenon, though a bit unusual for technology since most people can't move fast enough to dump tech toys they think are outdated).

In terms of iPod sales though, there's some discrepancy over who's selling what, where. One of Apple's main competitors in the MP3 player market is Korea's Creative Technologies and they're claiming that, worldwide, Creative will claim 20% of the market share (compared to Apple's 60%). However, in the U.S., outside researchers at the NDP Group peg Creative's market share at a slightly over 3%. That's a fairly huge difference, especially since the U.S. market is the biggest in the world. Are Apple's sales being overstated? Or Creative's? In any case, Digital Music News' analyst Richard Menta suggests that the so-called iPod killer is largely a myth:

"If the iPod dominance is to be seriously challenged, it will instead come through a gradual chipping away, as savvy shoppers evaluate more-than-competent alternatives from Creative, iRiver, Sony, Samsung, Toshiba and others."

(Sources: CNET by way of digg.net, Digital Music News)

Dean Grey Tuesday

Tue, 13 Dec 2005 19:55:48 GMT

The war around mash-ups continue. Mirroring what happened last year when different websites around the internet uploaded copies of DJ Danger Mouse's Grey Album (a mash-up between Jay-Z's Black Album and the Beatles' White Album) to protest the recording industry's attempts to shut it down, this ear, there's another protest day, called "Dean Grey Tuesday" in effect today.

This time, sites are drawing attention to a remixed/mashed-up Green Day album called American Edit. Warner Bros., which controls the copyright for Green Day's songs, tried to shut down the album almost a week after it came out. So far, at least eight sites have joined up for Dean Grey Tuesday. Not only do they offer downloads for the songs, but DIY album art too. (Source: Boingboing.net)

Who Cares About Illegal Downlolading? Apparently, No One.

Mon, 12 Dec 2005 18:23:40 GMT

No one should be surprised by this but research done by Ipsos-Reid says that only 2% of music downloaders care about the legalities surrounding digital filesharing. This comes despite waves of high-profile lawsuits and other industry admonishments. MP3newswire.net makes the point here plain:

"These lawsuits are part of a dubious awareness plan among the major record labels to take control of online music delivery. According to the Ipsos research, either consumers are rejecting that notion or the word is not getting out enough."

We would surmise it's probably the first reason: no one cares. File-sharing is so insanely easy that thinking of it as "illegal" probably just doesn't register for most people and as MP3newswire.net says, "Your personal chances of being sued by the RIAA are equal to winning the lottery. Divide 15,000 lawsuits by over 70 million US file sharers and the odds of being selected are pretty remote," which only serves to further embolden people's sense of entitlement to be able to trade sound files as they damn well please.

This all said, some people have been lucky enough to been chosen for the lawsuits for at least one person, a Chicago mom, an appeals court has mandated that she owes $22,500 in fines for her file-sharing activities. Ouch. (Sources: MP3newswire.net by way of boingboing.net, Digital Music News)

Music Industry Targets Score/Lyrics Web Sites for Lawsuits

Fri, 09 Dec 2005 18:11:59 GMT

As if it wasn't bad enough to have the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) breathing down everyone's neck over copyright violations, now the Music Publishers Association (MPA) is about to do the same with internet sites that publish song scores and lyrics without permission. In fact, MPA President, Lauren Kelser doesn't just want lawsuits – he's asking for jail time, suggesting that if the police, "throw in some jail time I think we'll be a little more effective". Pardon our french but jesus, what a d***.

Here's what we don't get: I can understand going after sites that publish song scores since sheet music is an actual industry that other artists patronize. However, song lyrics don't exactly require a background in musicology to transcribe. While quoting a song lyric in another song without permission might be grounds for an intellectual property violation, we really fail to see how posting the lyrics publicly is an issue here. It's not like the debate over Google's desire to digitize books: in that case, you could claim such an act would prevent people from buying the books. But in the case of lyrics, just because I know what the chorus to "Since You've Been Gone" is based on a web site doesn't mean I wouldn't go out and buy the song/album. Moreover, it's not like you're going to be able to sell lyrics to people: they can just sit and transcribe it for themselves if it really comes to that.

Here's a suggestion: maybe the MPA should seek out the most popular lyric sites and exchange free advertising for greater access to lyric libraries. MPA gets its artists some free exposure, the sites get more lyrics, is that not the "win-win"? (Source: BBC News)

A Sensible Perspective on File Sharing

Wed, 07 Dec 2005 18:03:32 GMT

It's always good to hear some sensible insights around file sharing coming from the people for whom this matters most: the artists themselves. All this hang-wringing over Sony's disastrous Digital Rights Management system and the continue paranoia around MP3 downloads and file sharing has tended to neglect the voice of the musicians but OK Go's lead singer, Damian Kulash Jr. wrote in a NY Times op-ed piece yesterday that as an artist, file sharing isn't a simple black/white issue. (His piece was an adaptation of something he had already written for Coolfer.com).

The gist of Kulash's argument was this:

"Before a million people can buy our record, a million people have to hear our music and like it enough to go looking for it. That won't happen without a lot of people playing us for their friends, which, in turn, won't happen without a fair amount of file sharing."

There's nothing particularly revolutionary about that view but for whatever reason, labels have taken a very narrow hardline on the issue and haven't been quick to understand that the more restrictions you place on music's ability to move around, the less likely people will hear it, ergo, fewer album sales. Kulash makes that point clear when he writes,

"The more a record gets listened to, the more successful it is. This is not just our megalomania, it's Marketing 101 ... It doesn't do us much good if people buy our records and promptly shelve them; we need them to fall in love with our songs and listen to them over and over. A record that you can't transfer to your iPod is a record you're less likely to listen to, less likely to get obsessed with and less likely to tell your friends about."

In other words, DRM blows and in doing so, it hurts everyone: the label, the artist, the consumer. Like Kulash says, "It's much better to have copies of albums on lots of iPods, even if only half of them have been paid for, than to have a few CD's sitting on a shelf and not being played."Indeed.

Radio Losing More Ground to Internet/MP3s

Tue, 06 Dec 2005 18:52:08 GMT

It should come as little surprise that today's older teens and younger 20-somethings have turned to digital media to get their musical fix but a new poll by Bridge Ratings highlights just how bad it is for conventional (terrestial) radio. For folks between 18-24, a whopping 85% of them prefer their MP3 players to listening to traditional radio. Not only that, but the study also reconfirms that among younger people, the Internet has become the source of choice for new music exposure. Of those polled, 54% said they preferred to listen to music over the Internet while only 30% preferred the radio.

Half of the study's subjects reported that they listen to some kind of Internet radio and of that group, only 29% listen to a streaming form of a traditional radio station. Satellite radio hasn't made a big penetration yet however: only 2% of respondents noted that they subscribe to any kind of satellite service.

According to Bridge Ratings President Dave Van Dyke, "This comprehensive study has revealed some important keys radio can use to attract 12 to 24-year-olds to spend more time with music radio," but we're not at all clear what those things might be. The whole reason why Internet and MP3 listening is preferable to radio is because it allows the user to customize their experience: pick out what they want to listen to. Radio is largely a consensus-driven medium: stations play what they think is most popular amongst their listeners and as a result, customization would seem to run counter to that impulse. I'm not suggesting radio is doomed entirely but if I were to draw any conclusions from this data, it'd be that radio needs to take a lead in exposing new music rather than rehashing what's already popular since that fix can be found via downloads and Internet sites. (Source: FMBQ)

David Byrne Loves Missy, Alarms RIAA

Thu, 01 Dec 2005 17:52:41 GMT

The Recording Industry Institute of America (RIAA) must really not have much else to do except for go after college students, mash-up sites and ... David Byrne? The former Talking Heads leader was recently warned by RIAA for playing too many Missy Elliot songs during Byrne's internet radio show. What exactly is the problem here?

Basically, under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998, you are not supposed to play a single artist more than four times in three hours in a streaming audio format. On Byrne's own site, he surmises that the logic behind this is:

"they are afraid that even if it’s not downloadable somehow if a fan knows there will be 3 Missy songs at a given time they can prepare their gear and tape them. The assumption being that sale is lost."

The reasoning behind this is beyond baffling; call us crazy but we thought one of the reasons that things like radio, whether broadcast or internet, existed was to play artist's music as a way to help promote them. Especially in Byrne's case with Missy: he was playing different songs from different albums which would most certainly seem to be in a "promotional" context. As usual, copyright laws like these function so poorly in the real world, it's amazing anyone took them seriously to begin with. (Source: Boingboing.net)

Air Guitar Gets Real

Tue, 29 Nov 2005 18:59:02 GMT

Air guitar rockers rejoice: The New Scientist reports that Finnish computer scientists have found a way to translate your wanna-be hair metal axe grinding into actual guitar sounds. Developed at the Helsinki University of Technology, meet the Virtual Air Guitar:

"Using a computer to monitor the hand movements of a "player", the system adds riffs and licks to match frantic mid-air finger work. By responding instantly to a wide variety of gestures it promises to turn even the least musically gifted air guitarist to a virtual fret board virtuoso."

The VAG uses a simple set-up, a computer for processing, a video camera, and a pair of special gloves that translate all your frantic finger and arm wailings into sound:

"As a player moves their left hand along the neck of their virtual guitar, the computer will run through the scale. Holding it one place while strumming frenetically produces fret board tricks such as hammer-ons – where slapping a finger onto an already vibrating string produces a higher note – and blues bends, which give a distinctive rock twang. And a floor pedal can also be used to switch the system into mode that plays several different chords."

Virtual drummer accompaniment not included but the aspiration is to package the VAG into a mass market piece of software that will work with an ordinary webcam and your home computer, thereby giving a legion of bedroom air guitar gods their own space to rule. (Source: del.icio.us)

RIAA Targets Mash-Ups

Tue, 29 Nov 2005 18:38:21 GMT

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has picked its latest target for potential lawsuits: mash-up internet sites. For the uninitiated, mash-ups are the collision of two or more different songs to create a remix of sorts. For example, Stereogum has a list of new mash-ups that include Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl" combined with Cameo's "Word Up."

RIAA went after mashuptown.com, a site that collected various solicited and submitted mash-up tracks, apparently for violating the copyright usage on the songs being used to create these cuts. Boingboing.net clowns the case, saying,

"There's just no universe in which someone who downloads a mashup of Prince's 1999 and the Benny Goodman orchestra performing "In the Mood" thinks, Well, now I've heard that, I have no need to buy the CDs those songs originated on."

While sympathetic to their view, I don't think that's what's at issue here. It's not the same argument around illegal downloading (i.e. that it takes away from sales); this is more an issue of intellectual property rights. Most likely artists have complained to RIAA that their original works are now being remade in ways that they weren't intended and though very, very few people actually make money off of mash-ups, I presume that it's more of a legal principle at stake here. (Sources: Stereogum, boingboing.net)

Mom and Pop Stores Struggle In the Digital Age

Tue, 29 Nov 2005 18:34:07 GMT

The Lowell Sun in Massachusetts is writing on the (grim) future awaiting mom and pop record stores in a digital download age. That these kind of small stores are suffering under the one-two punch of large chains like Walmart and download sites like iTunes is not surprising but the article does a good job of looking at what's changed and what needs to change if some of these stores hope to stay around.

One notable statistic is that in 2004, so-called "mass merchant" stores like Best Buy and Walmart saw their albums sales increase by 15% but in that same time, independent stores suffered a 44% drop. This suggest that while digital download sales have rocketed off, their net effect on the biggest chains has been muted but they haven't helped the mom and pops to weather the storm.

In order to survive, the policy director at the Future of Music Coalition, Michael Bracy, suggests that these small stores need to reinvent themselves and take a leading role in helping consumers filter through the seemingly endless flood of music that's in the market:

"To survive, [Bracy] said, local shops must offer more than a bin of the latest top-40 hits. The new generation of record stores needs to be more like the old generation of record stores – ones that thrived before the big chains moved in. That means offering something people still can't get online: a friendly exchange with a customer, a live in-store performance by a local band, a recommendation of a hidden gem that perfectly fits a person's taste.

However, in that process, they also have to embrace the digital age and try to make their stock accessible to online shoppers. This last point seems to be a key trend: in my own travels around the Midwest in 2002, I was amazed at how many mom and pop stores sold on eBay. In some cases, the brick and mortar store was just there as a placeholder: the store owners made the bulk of their sales online.

However, it's most likely that the next five years will see a wave of small stores closing down, or at least, moving online exclusively, especially in cities where the overhead of operating a physical store becomes a burden. Bad for pedestrian consumers ... good for the internet diggers. (Source: Coolfer.com)

Vinyl Avoids the Final Resting Place

Mon, 28 Nov 2005 19:11:34 GMT

Vinyl records are making an unlikely comeback, at least in England. London's Guardian newspaper reports how vinyl sales are actually up in 2005 so far, way up: 87.3%. In some cases, the paper notes that vinyl sales rival that of CD sales and are far ahead of digital downloads. They identify indie rock as one force behind this trend with more and more artists releasing limited edition 7"s and albums on vinyl designed to appeal to collectors, completionists and audiophiles alike. According to Toby L., who works for a label specializing in 7" singles (Transgressive), the desire for vinyl comes in direct response to digital files that don't appeal to those who actually want to be able to hold their music in their hands:

"More and more people want something that's a collectors' item. The current rise in the trend is due to downloaders seeking more for their money, and better quality."

Of course, as The Guardian points out,

"Vinyl is sexy, hip and real, if slightly inconvenient. You can't go jogging with a record player strapped to your neck."

(Not yet anyways).
(Source: The Guardian, UK)

Online Stores Reshuffle Music Retailers

Wed, 23 Nov 2005 00:34:19 GMT

The NDP research group tracks the biggest music retailers and have updated their list based on 3rd quarter data. The big surprise: iTunes has now catapulted into the top 10, jumping from #14 to #7. Though traditional retail outlets like Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Target are still at the top (people buy music from Target? Seriously, I did not know this), iTunes surge, coupled with Amazon.com's #4 spot (unchanged from last quarter) suggests that online retail is making a hard press on physical stores. It's notable that iTunes places two spots ahead of Sam Goody, despite the frequency of those stores around the country.

No one expects iTunes to bring down Wal-Mart any time soon but given how lopsided the online download market still is, it will be interesting to see how much further iTunes rises in Q4 (especially given what you can expect to be brisk sales of new iPods during the holiday season) and whether any other online sites like Microsoft, Napster or emusic will manage to work their way into the upper echelon.

1. Wal-Mart
2. Best Buy
3. Target
4. Amazon.com
5. FYE
6. Circuit City
7. iTunes
8. Tower Records
9. Sam Goody
10. Border
(Source: Coolfer.com)

Sony Recalls "Infected" CDs

Thu, 17 Nov 2005 06:27:13 GMT

Things are just getting worse and worse for Sony BMG every day. Their experiment in DRM (digital rights management) has blown up in their face. First, after being roundly criticized by everyone on the planet, they were forced to suspend production of new CDs with DRM software installed (called "XCP" by the company). Now they're instituting a recall of 4 million CDs, sure to be a huge blow to both their coffers and public image.

In a press release, Sony BMG state,

"We share the concerns of consumers regarding these discs, and we are instituting a program that will allow consumers to exchange any CD with XCP software for the same CD without copy protection. We also have asked our retail partners to remove all unsold CDs with XCP software from their store shelves and inventory. We will make further details of this program available shortly.

Just to make matters even worse, Wired estimates that at least 500,000 computers have already been "infected" by the software, making them susceptible to hacking and further chaos. (Sources: HITS, Wired)

(By the way, no Bits and Pieces today. Kind of a slow news day. Expect it to return tomorrow).

iTunes to Raise Prices?

Thu, 17 Nov 2005 06:26:33 GMT

According to executives in the EMI Music Group, Apple will soon change their pricing structure for iTunes downloads, something that the music industry and fans have been pushing the company on. What would be the most likely scenario is that Apple will begin to price their more popular songs at higher prices while simultaneously pricing down less popular selections. This is, more or less, the structure that many in the industry have been asking for as a way to capitalize on big-selling songs while helping to move smaller, so-called "long tail" catalog items.

If this rumor turns out to be true, it will represent a large reversal in policy. For months, Steve Jobs has been sticking to his guns around changing Apple's $1/song rate and given iTunes popularity, they could afford to draw a line in the sand. It's hard to say what's pushing Apple's change of heart though it raises the question of how other download sites will follow, if they choose to. (Source: antiMUSIC)