News archive items listed by month below (click here).
AEG hopes to achieve all this via a new auction service on their ticketing website where fans the will be able to bid for the most premium seats at venues hosting flagship events. CMU Daily reports that the service aims to compete with unofficial auctions of sought after tickets which take place on websites like eBay, ensuring that if and when fans are willing to pay higher prices for those tickets, the premium revenues secured go to the promoter of the event rather than a third party agent or ticket tout. In a statement outlining the new service AEG said "By introducing an auction system, AEG aims to price touts out of the market as there will be no room for additional mark-up - ticket prices will have already reached their maximum value as decided by the fans. This will make the process much more transparent with fans able to purchase the best seats without having to fund criminal activity and any extra revenues will be ploughed back into making the show better and helping pay artist costs". To be fair, train and aeroplane tickets are usually sold by a controlled 'auction' in the UK as early birds can secure big discounts and on the day travellers pay premiums for travel that day and for open tickets - so consumers are of course used to variable pricing structures. But the initiative by AEG seems to leave official ticket swap site which are 'not for profit' such as those proposed by the Concert Promoters Association in some doubt.
UK ORCHESTRAS AND MUSICIANS' UNION WELCOME LIFTING OF AIR TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS 27/09/06
British orchestras and the Musicians Union have welcomed a move by the Department Of Transport to ease restrictions on musical instruments being taken into aeroplane cabins.
Since terrorist alerts in August, musicians had been banned from taking their instruments onto planes with them, meaning that to take instruments these had to travel in the hold. Many musicians understandably unwilling to take the risk of having priceless
instruments damaged in the hold. The DOT have now lifted this restriction.
BPI CALL FOR TAX BREAKS FOR A&R 27/09/06
The BPI is calling on the government to allow tax break for the label's research and development programme for new artists. Responding to the government's recent review of the creative sector the BPI said that their members invest some 17% of their turnover into developing new talent. BPI boss Peter Jamieson told CMU "We believe the time is right for government, together with industry, to consider closely a tax credit regime for A&R, which is the music business' research and development. Such a system would create incentives for greater investment in our industry, and would put the development of British intellectual property on the same footing as in other industries". Tax systems in the film industry in the UK have been fraught with difficulty and apparent abuse - and have been subject to constant and often confusing change.
JAPANESE CONTENT OWNERS CALL FOR COPYRIGHT EXTENSION 27/09/06
Sixteen copyright organisations in Japan have called on the Japanses government to extend the copyright periods in their country to bring them in line with the length of copyrights elsewhere in the world. Among those organisations calling for the changes were the Recording Industry Association Of Japan and the Music Publishers Association Of Japan. In Europe copyright in original artistic, musicval, literary and dramatic works lasts for the life pof author(s) plus 70 years. In Japan the protection is life of author(s) but then for only 50 years which the cntent owners want extending to 70. Copyright on recorded material in Japan is currently 50 years after release - and this mirrors the UK and Europe although the BPI and IFPI are lobbying for an extension accross Europe (the UK campaign is called 'Extend The Term') to match the USA where copyright in sound recordings can extend to 95 years.
UP AND COMING MUSIC BIZ EVENTS IN THE UK 25/09/06
The BT Digital Musc Awards take place in London on the 3rd October (see www.btyahoo.com/dma06) and the Vodafone Live Music Awards are on the 13th October, again in London (www.vodafonemusic.co.uk). Manchester's In The City conference takes place between the 29th to the 31st October (www.inthecity.co.uk). And Harvey Goldsmith CBE will be the receipient for the 2006 Music Trust Award at a celebration to be held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in support of the BPI's Brit Trust and Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy.
GREAT WHITE CLUB OWNERS REACH PLEA BARGAIN 22/09/06
The owners of the Rhode Island club where pyrotechnic display set off a fire during a Great White concert in 2003 which killed 100 people incuding one band member have confirmed they will plead no contest to involuntary manslaughter charges. It has been confirmed only one of them, Michael Derderian will serve jail time for the tragedy. The brothers had previously denied responsibility for the fire claiming that they had told the Great White's management that they were not allowed to use the pyrotechnics. Michael will serve a four year jail sentence, with eligibility for a work release programme, whilst Jeffrey Deridian will receive a suspended ten year sentence. The bargain comes as jury selection was under way for the planned criminal trials of the two brothers and has angered the families of many of the victims. Great White tour manager Daniel Biechele was jailed for four years in May after pleading guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter for his role in setting off the pyrotechnics at the Station club that night. From CMU daily.
MADONNA GROSS TOPS £193 MILLION 22/09/06
It looks like Madonna's current world tour will be the biggest grossing tour of all time by a female artist. She is set to generate an estimated $193.7M from 60 shows (which drew 1.2M fans) narowlly passing Cher's Farewell tour that grossed $192.5M (though that was across 273 shows between 2002 and 2005). Madonna's growth curve in live has been staggering; her 2001 Drowned World tour grossed $75M while 2004's Re-Invention tour generated $125M. On this touy rather than play numerous countries and venues Madonna opted to play multiple nights in a select number of key markets.
SONY NOT FREE OF THE ROOTKIT FIASCO YET 22/09/06
SonyBMG whose 'rootkit' DRM caused such as stir after consumers worked out the unwanted and unasked for CD protection software made their computers open to attacks by viruses are not in the clear as yet. Although the Company has a court approved settlement in the US after threats of class action and actions brought by the attorny generals of a number of states, the settlement in Canada is now being opposed. The Ottawa-based Canadian Internet Policy & Public Interest Clinic filed a complaint with regulatory agencies across the country against the recording giant, protesting against details of the settlement, which are far less generous than those offered to U.S. claimants. CIPPIC filed its complaint on the same day that an Ontario court is expected to accept a proposed settlement to a Canadian class-action lawsuit. It was filed with the federal Commissioner of Competition; the director of the Consumer Services Bureau, Consumer Protection Branch, Ministry of Government Services, Ontario; the director of Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authority of British Columbia; the president of the Office de la Protection du Consommateur of Quebec, and the privacy commissioners of Canada, British Columbia, and Alberta.
SINGER LEAVES AFTER JUST ONE YEAR, HAM MANAGES THIRTY SIX! 20/09/06
Two curious music business departures were announced this week. Firstly the MCPS-PRS Alliance announced that Adam Singer, its Chief Executive, was leave the rights organisation. It is expected that he will leave once the imminent Copyright Tribunal hearing is complete. The Tribunal hearing begins on 25 September and is expected to be concluded by 20 October. Singer, who joined the Alliance from the television industry in February 2005 will have been in the job for just over a year. Last year, the Alliance collected record revenues of £530million ($960 millon) for its 50,000 members who are composers, songwriters and publishers. Equally noteworthy is the story that the bearded boogiewoogie rock gurus ZZ Top have parted company with long time manager Bill Ham, of Lone Wolf Management. Ham has represented the band from the word go in 1970, and has worked with the band's Billy F Gibbons since the late sixties. The band have also parted company with SonyBMG.
JENNER PENS NEW PAPER ON MUSIC IN THE DIGITAL AGE 18/09/06
Music Tank have published a new paper by music industry legend Pete Jenner marking the first real attempt from within the
NEW YORK CRACKS DOWN ON CD PIRATES 18/09/06
New York is further cracking down on bootleg CDs often sold at open-air markets with a law aimed at protecting artists and recording industry workers. The music piracy law signed on the 15th September makes a felony of selling 100 or more illegal CDs lowering the threshold of 1,000. The New York City Comptroller's Office estimated the illegal trade cost the city $1 billion in lost tax revenue. More than 1.1 million pirated music CDs were seized in 1,000 arrests statewide in 2005. Welcoming the move the Recording Industry Asssociation of America said that most CDs were of "urban" genre of music.
ROBBIE CANCELS ASIAN LEG OF TOUR 18/09/06
Robbie Williams has called off the Asian leg of his world tour because of "stress and exhaustion". A spokesman has said that to ask Robbie to fulfill his November schedule, which was due to take in China, India and South East Asia, would be "asking too much" after his gruelling run of European and South American dates. The decision means Robbie will now take a break in November before ending his world tour in Australia in
December. Commentators had said that the star had looked jaded at his final UK dates at the Milton Keynes Bowl.
UK ALCOHOL BRANDS DEFEND MUSIC SPONSORSHIP 15/09/06
UK drinks companies were yesterday on the defensive after a public body charged with monitoring drug usage called on the government to introduce controls over the sponsorship of music events by alcohol brands CMU Daily reports. The Advisory Council On The Misuse Of Drugs claimed that alcohol branding and adverts at music venues was a contributing factor in an increase in drinking amongst young people. However, drinks companies yesterday disputed those claims, while pointing out that several major music events could not happen without their sponsorship. Melvin Benn, whose Reading and Leeds festivals are now the 'Carling Weekenders' sensibly added "'It would appear that the government have not got enough to do. Carling have been sponsors of Leeds and Reading for nine years with no downside on the state of the nation as I see it."
BRANSON PLANS EVEN MORE V FESTIVAL SPIN OFFS 15/09/06
As organisers prepare for the first ever V Festival in the US later this month, Virgin
Group boss Richard Branson has confirmed he intends to continue the global
expansion of the V Fest, with Australia, South America and additional European countries all on his priority list. The first spin off event took place in Toronto, Canada earlier this month and the debut US event due to take place in Baltimore on 23 Sep headlined by The Who and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Branson yesterday announced further new events, with ambitions to put together a network of V festivals that bands could tour around.
MARIANNE FAITHFULL DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER 15/09/06
Marianne Faithfull has been diagnosed with breast cancer, though the singer
has released a statement in which she says she is hopeful of making a full
recovery in due course, She has cancelled all touring as a result of the diagnosis. Christine Fogg, chief executive of the Breast Cancer Care charity, says:"Kylie Minogue's experience of the disease has helped get the breast
awareness message out to more people. We hope Marianne's experience helps
reach even more". Fingers crosssed for Marianne from everone at the ILMC. Other tour cancellations this week include White Rose Movement's UK tour (singer Finn Vine has lost his voice) and INXS - guitarist Tim Farriss has to have surgery on his knee. Gigs in The Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Norway, France, Belgium, Poland, Switzerland and Spain are all affected. The band's agent, Keith Naisbitt, says he hopes to reschedule
the concerts as soon as possible
MUSE TOP FANS FESTIVAL FAVES 08/09/06
Muse have topped a poll by the UK's NME magazine with 26% of festival goers voting them the best live band for 2005. Radiohead were second (12%), the Arctic Monkeys third (8%) and the Kooks fourth (6%) with Franz Ferdinand following closely in fith place. New band faves included the Klaxons, Wolfmother, Gogol Bordello, The View and the Young Knives. In the abscence of Glastonbury the Reading and Leeds Carling Weekender was the favourite UK festival winning a whopping 64% of all votes.
BERTLESMANN TO SETTLE NAPSTER LITIGATION WITH UNIVERSAL 07/09/06
After the announcement that Vivendi was buying BMG Music Publishing from Bertlesmann it seems that as part of the deal Bertelsmann is paying Universal $60M to settle the long-running dispute over its investment in the original Napster. However it seems that the German media company was very careful not to admit any liability. In 2003, a $17B lawsuit was filed against Bertelsmann, claiming that its $100M investment in Napster kept it alive and fuelled file-sharing. Other publishers and songwriters are continuing their legal action against Bertlesmann but EMI is now the only major label involved. Other news on the proposed Universal Music - BMG Music Publishing tie up is that IMPALA, the European indies association who brought the action against the SonyBMG merger deecision, are planning to oppose the sale. Impala argue that merging of publishing interests on this scale would damage competition and extend the collective dominance of the main players:
AEG FACE ANTI-TRUST SUIT OVER CONCERT BOOKINGS 07/09/06
The Hollywood Reporter leads with a story that Forum Enterprises Inc have filed a federal lawsuit against a subsidiary of Anschutz Entertainment Group claiming that the company failed to book enough acts at the Forum Arena and diverted potential business to crosstown venue Staples Center. The complaint filed in U.S. District Court names Denver based Anschutz Corp. and several subsidiaries, including its live entertainment unit, AEG as defendants. Forum Enterprises Inc. operates the Forum in Inglewood on behalf of owner Faithful Central Bible Church. The suit claims violations of antitrust law, breach of contract and unfair business practices. It seeks $5 million. The Hollywood reporter says that AEG spokesman Michael Roth denied the allegations and said the lawsuit was an effort to circumvent AEG's exclusive right to book acts for the Forum.http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/music/brief_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003117925
NY MET TO BEAM SHOWS INTO CINEMAS 07/09/06
The Metropolitan Opera in New York will transmit six live performances to cinemas in North America and Europe later this year. On top of this, over 100 shows will be broadcast online and via digital radio.
FORUM TO LOOK AT ONLINE ROYALTIES
UNIVERSAL BUYS BMG MUSIC PUBLISHING 06/09/06
Vivendi (Universal Music Group's parent company) is paying US $2.1 Billion (E1.6 Billion) to acquire BMG Music Publishing. If approved, this, along with its ownership of Universal Music Publishing, will give Vivendi control of the biggest publisher in the world, eclipsing both EMI Music Publishing and Warner/Chappell. Estimates gave EMI a 16.7% share in 2005 and Warner/ Chappell with 15.1%. BMG Music was in third place with 13.4% but combining this with Univresal Music Publishing could see its market share leap to 25.7% (based on last year’s figures) eclipsing the other market players. BMG Music Publishing generated E81M in profits last year. Competition issues remain to be overcome: concerns over concentration in publishing interests prevented EMI and Warner merging in 2000 and with the European Court Of First Instance’s recent ruling overturning the EC's approval of the SonyBMG label merger the EC's competition regulators will be looking at the proposed merger very carefully indeed.
VIACOM DRIVES OF RIVAL PIMPS 04/09/06
Viacom, owner of MTV who in turn broadcast the 'Pimp My Ride' series fronted by Tim Westwood have sent out legal letters to a pet shop (Pimp My Pet) and internet food recepie site (Pimp My Snack) claiming trade mark infringement. MTV have apparently registerd 'Pimp My' and Pimp My Ride as Community Trade Marks - despite the fact that a classic definition of 'pimp' is someone who "finds and manages clients for a prostitute and engages them in prostitution" and in the UK there is a ground to refuse a trade mark if this is against public policy or public morality. Both of the offending businesses have changed their names.
UK SUPERMARKETS HAVE A QUARTER OF ALL CD SALES 04/09/06
UK supermarkets like Asda and Tesco now have a quarter of all UK CD sales and spoecialist music retailers sucha s Virgin and HMV have seen their market share shrink from 52% in 2001 to just 44% in 2006. Figures from the IFPI also show that sales of rock music have steadily increased from 28% in 2001 to 36% in 2006 whilst sale sof pop music have declined from 32% in 2001 to 26% now. The worlds top selling album in 2005 was Coldplay's "X&Y" followed by Maria Carey's "the Emancipation of Mimi.
News Archive. Simply click on a month to view.
August 2006