Ping, a Social Network for iTunes [
LA TIMES] -
Pretty interesting new edition of iTunes is out today. Biggest change is its' music-centered social network, PING. Basically its a Facebook-like feed of your friends and followees music purchases, reviews and recommendations. Has potential to be a very important new music recommendation service for people and will definitely be huge for Apple as any new music your friend likes, can easily be purchased within iTunes. One cool feature is a sidebar that aggregates the top songs purchased/liked by people in your "network". This probably is not good for one of my favorite companies, Last.FM.
[UPDATE: Scratch that...Ping will die. Just found out it only takes into account music you purchase via iTunes. I can easily say that less than 1% of my collection has come via the iTunes Store]
Live Nation to Power Concert Listings, Ticket Sales in iTunes 10 [
TECHCRUNCH] -
Makes sense that these two massive corporations would get together. I didn't mention it above but the social network will also have concert listings/recommendations.
Why the Music Business Needs a New iTunes [
ALL THINGS DIGITAL] -
Universal Music Group saw sales continue to drop in Q2 (-2.8%) despite increasing digital revenues. Go share some UMG bands with your friends on Ping and make them less sad.
Google Goes Hunting for Music Boss [
ALL THINGS DIGITAL] -
Oh to have a job combining my love of music and Google. Too much pressure and too many expectations though...Lets hope they find someone good.
When Drinking Means You Formed a Band [
HOLIDAY MATINEE] -
I have always been a fan of using a half empty beer bottle as a musical instrument...dying to see what this musically demarcated bottles really sound like. Could be the most amazing or most beautiful night at a bar if every drunkard was harmonizing.
Ashes to Vinyl [
GIZMODO] -
I now know how I want my remains taken care of when I die. Not even joking, I am SO doing this. Great Grandchildren...prepare to listen to OK Computer as heard through my ashes. (I was going for humor but that actually gave me chills...the good kind)
How Pitchfork Struck a Note in Indie Music [
Time] -
I definitely agree that Pitchfork has become a force within the Indie Music scene...yet I hardly ever read any of their stuff. My outside view is that alot of fans find their reviews either uber-critical or too gushing. Either way, Taste-makers like Pitchfork are clearly getting more and more important.
Live Nation posts a second quarter loss on sagging ticket sales [
LA Times] -
Uhoh, maybe the revenue from live shows won't save the music industry. Then again, this is for the quarter leading up to the end of June. Perhaps the 3Q Summer numbers will be more telling. I still feel like they should be reporting Shell Oil kinda numbers with all those damn fees they rape us with.
OMG! Ticketmaster head Irving Azoff throws down a Twitter gauntlet [
LA Times] -
I love when old people try out new technology and totall embarrass themselves :) You have to give it up for old Irving. He's worked hard and built quite a nice little empire there for himself. Nonetheless, seems like a total a**hole. If you want to read more about the rise of Irving and behind the scenes of Ticketmaster/Live Nation monster, check out David Segal's article from the NYT, Calling Almost Everyone's Tune.
