THIS
AMAZON AT THE MOVIES: Not willing to take on Apple or Microsoft in digital music distribution, online retailer Amazon.com has chosen to concentrate on a launch of a film and video service, Amazon Digital Video, which will require users to install software on their computers to allow them to buy videos a la carte, likely as part of a download-to-own model, or subscribe to them, like a digital version of Netflix's rental model. While Apple's iTunes commands a 67% share of digital-music sales, Microsoft plans to launch its own service, called Zune, along with a much-buzzed-about Wi-Fi-enabled portable media player.
SPITZER’S PAYOLA WINDFALL: The $30 million-plus collected by N.Y. State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer from the four major record groups is paying off in a big way for the state’s cultural organizations. More than 150 groups are sharing $13 million collected from record companies to settle allegations they improperly sold or traded air time to benefit specific artists. Among the organizations benefiting now include the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, which will use $70,000 for the world premiere recording of a work based on the poems of Bob Dylan and $330,000 to record, archive and broadcast the work of Adirondack-area artists. The Arab American Arts Institute of Brooklyn received $44,000 to tour and perform upstate and ARTSwego in Oswego will put its $38,000 toward a program highlighting the interaction between music and science through unusual instrument creations. In all, 153 nonprofit groups statewide were chosen to receive from $15,000 to $750,000 in last week's first round of payouts from the New York State Music Fund, established as a repository for the payola settlement money. The Fund received 304 applications for the first distribution cycle. Another round of grants will be announced in December.
STONES ON
HILBURN REMEMBERS: Did you miss erstwhile pop music writer Robert Hilburn’s Saturday reminiscence in the L.A. Times about his years covering the scene, with anecdotes about Janis Joplin, John Lennon, Elton John and Johnny Cash? Check it here. Or how about Will Hermes’ superb N.Y. Times piece on the resurrection of the New York Dolls and their terrific new album, the band's first in more than 30 years? See that here.
IDOL CHATTER: The new NBC American Idol-inspired talent show Star Tomorrow, originally a Tommy Mottola project, now taken over by David Foster, has come under fire, with several contestants pulling out because the network is forcing them to sign contracts giving the rights to any songs played at the audition or on the program becoming the property of the show itself. NBC also owns anything the performers submit, including videos and demos, and in addition, aren’t covering any of their expenses while they audition.
JAY-Z UNRETIRED? Following his recent, critically hailed, sold-out
SKYNYRD IN PRIME TIME: Southern rock icons Lynyrd Skynyrd will perform on ABC’s
ON THIS
In 1964: A riot broke out when The Rolling Stones played the English city of
In 1967: The London Times published a petition which called for the legalization of marijuana signed by The Beatles and their manager Brian Epstein.
In 1971: T. Rex’s “Get It On” was the #1 record in the
In 1978: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, starring Peter Frampton, opened in
In 1987: La Bamba, the Ritchie Valens biopic starring Lou Diamond Phillips, opened in theatres.
In 1990: The case against Judas Priest opened in Reno, NV, with the band accused of planting subliminal messages in their album Stained Class, which allegedly led two young fans to attempt suicide. They were later cleared of wrongdoing.
In 2003:
In 2003: The film Masked and Anonymous, which starred Bob Dylan as an enigmatic rock performer, opened in
In 2004: The members of NSYNC reformed for the first time since 2003 to perform the National Anthem at their Challenge for Children basketball tournament in
In 2005: Death Cab for Cutie wrapped up the Lollapalooza Festival in
In 2005: James Blunt topped the U.K. charts with his debut album Back to Bedlam and single “You’re Beautiful.”
BILL'S PASSAGE COULD RESULT IN U.S. TIKTOK BAN
Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill... (4/20a)
BLACKSTONE ASSEMBLING $1.5B BID FOR HIPGNOSIS SONGS FUND
A white-knuckle moment (4/20a)
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THE NEW UMG
Gosh, we hope there are more press releases.
TIKTOK BANNED!
Unless the Senate manages to make this whole thing go away, that is.
THE NEW HUGE COUNTRY ACT
No, not that one.
TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN PLAYLIST
Now 100% unlicensed!
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