Apple Cuts Prices On Indie Releases: "Next Big Thing"

Trying to maintain a hipster appeal, Apple has started to sell so-called indie albums for as low as $5.99. The promotion is called "Next Big Thing", and deviates from Apple's previous flat-rate $9.99 concept for iTunes sales.

My guess is that the lower album prices are subsidized by the major labels that control these "indie" artists like Peter Bjorn And John (who I heard in The Gap a while back, some of you might remember.

Source: paidcontent.org

Universal Declines To Extend Contract With Apple's iTunes

Universal Music Group has reportedly declined to renew an annual contract with Apple and iTunes to sell songs and albums through the iTunes service. This is not a situation causing imminent threat of danger to iTunes, as the two will likely reach a short-term "at-will" agreement as they negotiate new terms for a new contract; rather, it will take some of the bargaining power away from Apple and allow Universal to remove songs from iTunes as it chooses.

The move is a response by one of the major labels to the growing clout (read: virtual monopoly) Apple has in online music sales. As consumers move away from physical CDs to buying digitally, the labels may continue in Universal's stead and force significant concessions from Apple in future contracts.

Conversely, Apple's iTunes is a major source of sales for labels whose physical sales continue to suffer. iTunes' storefront is a massive source of exposure, and since iPods are incompatible with other download services, labels who do not sell through iTunes will miss out greatly on sales through downloads. This bargaining chip of Apple's fails, however, if Universal and others move to DRM-free MP3 sales through other sites.

Bottom line: If labels are willing to give up DRM and make songs available through multiple outlets (just like brick-and-mortar record stores, what a novel idea!) they will not need to stick to Apple's way of doing things, and can start to take back the ability to shape their own business.

Smashing Pumpkins Bleed Fans Dry With Zeitgeist

When the so-called Smashing Pumpkins (is it really them with just Billy and Jimmy? I don't think so.) release Zeitgeist next month, they intend to release four versions of the album. Repeat: four (4) versions. Best Buy, iTunes, and Target each get their own version with a different bonus track for each retailer, and there is a final, generic version for everyone else (including the independent retailers you should be supporting over the foregoing ones).

The worst detail of this whole debacle is that Target's edition is the only one that gets the title track to the album! I'm sorry, you mean to tell me that if I want the song for which the album is named, I have to go deep into the life-sucking 'burbs to the big red box and buy the album? As little as any of us care about a Smashing Pumpkins reunion sans James Iha or D'Arcy, I, for one, suddenly care less than ever. In fact, I refuse to put a single dollar in the pocket of a big, bald money-sucking vampire like Billy Corgan.

If you do decide to buy, here's the tracklist you're going to get when you avoid Best Buy, iTunes, and Target like the plague:

01 Doomsday Clock
02 7 Shades of Black
03 Bleeding the Orchid
04 That's the Way (My Love Is)
05 Tarantula
06 Starz
07 United States
08 Neverlost
09 Bring the Light
10 (Come On) Let's Go!
11 For God and Country
12 Pomp and Circumstances

Best Buy gets the bonus "Death From Above", Target gets "Zeitgeist", iTunes gets "Stellar". Moreover, iTunes gets a bonus covers set, featuring The Bravery, The Academy Is..., Panic! at the Disco, Test Your Reflex, and +44. I think I just threw up a little.

Throw objects at the Smashing Pumpkins when they play Virgin Fest in Baltimore.

lala.com To Incorporate iTunes, Allowing Users To Store Music Online. . .Free!

Music trading service lala.com has announced a new web-based service that enables users to store their iTunes library online for free. This will allow users to play music from anywhere, share it with anyone (in theory, but what about DRM?) and purchase iTunes music anywhere, anytime.

In addition, lala will allow music fans to:

-- Host an iTunes or any other digital library and have them universally
accessible from any PC or Mac with an Internet connection.
-- Fill an iPod from the Web - a technological first in turning the iPod
into a connected, online device with loading from any
Internet-connected computer.
-- Share a library with friends or stream others' playlists.
-- Try before they buy and listen to full albums without limitations and
purchase music in either CD or digital form for iPods.
-- Future-proof their digital music purchases with the assurance that they
can get the physical CD for a small convenience fee starting at $2.99.

This might do me good as I make the transition from PC to Mac next week. I have all my tunes on an external hard drive that's formatted for PC, but I want to make it all readable (and writable) from my spankin' new Mac. With this new service, I can upload my library online, reformat my external drive, and then re-download it all onto the Mac-formatted drive so I can read and write to the disk. Awesome!

Wal-Mart To Trim Retail Space Dedicated To CDs, Replace With iPod Accessories

In a further blow to the CD industry (particularly of note in a week where Nine Inch Nails and Avril Lavigne are expected to peak at 200,000 units), Wal-Mart is removing approximately half of the square footage dedicated to physical album sales and replacing it with iPod accessories.

I won't buy music at Wal-Mart, nevertheless shop there in the first place. But I can still complain: Not just MP3 player accessories, but only for iPods? Next Wal-Mart will install physical iTunes download stations where I can download edited tracks onto my iPod for 93 cents each. Gotta shave a few pennies off, don't ya, Waltons?

Source: Kings of A&R

Apple partners with EMI to remove DRM from iTunes tracks

Apple is finally stepping up to remove DRM (Digital Rights Management) from its iTunes stronghold on music downloads and has EMI to thank for it.

EMI announced that it will begin offering its entire catalog free of DRM restrictions. iTunes will sell DRM-free tracks for $1.29 each in Apple's AAC format. All tracks will have higher bit rates and therefore better sound quality than current 99-cent downloads. But AAC-formatted songs might not easily be played on devices other than iPod, however, more retailers are expected to come out with DRM-free MP3 and WMA as well in an effort to catch up with iTunes. These developments will make songs compatible with almost any media player, making interoperability between virtually all devices a reality.

Nine Inch Nails Releases "Survivalism" Video, Single Now On iTunes

Nine Inch Nails has posted the "Survivalism" video on the Year Zero site. The "Survivalism" single is now available on iTunes.

iPod & Windows Vista Not Getting Along, Cite Compatibility Issues

A Digital Music News article points out that Windows Vista and Apple iPod are already having difficulties early in the relationship. While one might think iPod is getting jealous of Vista's current attention-grabbing behavior, the fact is, they just might not be compatible, but are perhaps willing to work out the kinks.

I called one relationship counselor, and he had this to say: "Life and love are both four-letter words, and each has one syllable, but they are complex things." That means that anyone who wants Vista should wait for the Service Pack before upgrading, or your iTunes and your iPod could get all screwy.

Apple, Inc. (Computers) and Apple Corps (Records) Resolve Their Long Dispute

Apple Computer and Apple Records have been in a legal dispute over who the real "Apple" is for over 20 years. The most recent fracas involved Apple's iTunes, as Apple Computer agreed in 1991 that, in order to continue using its name, it would not enter the music business. The recent settlement replaces the 1991 agreement and gives Apple Computer ownership of all the trademarks related to "Apple" so it can continue using its name and logos in iTunes. In addition, Apple Computer will license certain of those trademarks back to Apple Corps for their continued use.

No word yet on when the Beatles will be available on iTunes.

"Once Upon A Time" - New Single From Air

"Once Upon A Time", the new single from Air's forthcoming album Pocket Symphony is now available on iTunes. The album is slated for release on March 6 from Astralwerks. To preorder, click the art below: