Digital Music Sales Grow While Industry Freaks Over Pirates

by on January 25, 2012

in Music Discovery,Music Marketing,Music Sales

Give people a choice, and they might pay for digital music, after all.

That’s the takeaway from a new survey from the IFPI, the music industry’s global trade group. It says global digital music sales grew 8 percent last year; that’s the first time that growth rate has increased since 2004, when the IFPI started tracking the statistic.

A good chunk of that increase may have come from subscription music services like Spotify and Deezer. The IFPI says subscription services have 13 million paying users, up from eight million last year.* There are also smaller increases in sales at more conventional outlets like Apple and Amazon, which generate much more revenue for the industry overall.

And while digital music sales still make up a minority of the music industry’s revenue worldwide, they are increasingly important: They now account for 32 percent of sales, up from 29 percent last year. (In the U.S., digital just edged physical last year, for the first time.) Read the rest at All Things D.

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RIP: Three Songs To Celebrate Etta James

by on January 20, 2012

in Blues,Boogie Woogie,Concerts/Performances,Cover Songs,Friday Night Blues,Genre,Gospel,R & B

Etta James, one of the greatest singers of all time, died Friday at the age of 73.

At Last by Etta James

Etta James sings At Last, the song for which she is most famous. Found at YouTube from jdm1978.

I’d Rather Go Blind by Etta James

Found at YouTube from djmane1.

Hoochie Coochie Gal by Etta James (With Keith Richards & Robert Cray)

Keith Richards and Robert Cray back Etta James on Hoochie Coochie Gal as a delighted Chuck Berry watches. Found at YouTube from roosboom.

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Pride (In The Name Of Love) by U2

January 16, 2012
Pride (In The Name Of Love) by U2

Music video for U2′s tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr., Pride (In The Name Of Love).

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The Evolution Of Online Music

January 15, 2012
The Evolution Of Online Music

An excellent concise look at how we got here. PBS takes a look at the massive changes that have transformed the music industry since the advent of the Internet in the 1990s.

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Van Halen’s Concert Rider

January 10, 2012
Van Halen's Concert Rider

Van Halen’s place in rock music history will certainly contain a footnote about the notorious demands in their concert riders.

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Hey, Siri

January 9, 2012
Hey, Siri

Musician Jonathan Mann has earned more than a million views for his Duet With Siri song that has taken advantage of the attention over the newest hit consumer electronics device, the iPhone 4S, and the fascination with it’s virtual personal assistant, Siri.

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John Taylor: World’s Fastest Guitarist

January 8, 2012
John Taylor: World's Fastest Guitarist

One way of getting attention for you or your band is through documented feats of remarkable musicianship, ideally record-setting musicianship.

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Ringtones

January 7, 2012
Ringtones

Ringtones are alive and well, as this infographic can attest.

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Misunderstoood Lyrics

December 28, 2011
Misunderstoood Lyrics

Infographic about misunderstoood lyrics.

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Cover Songs

December 27, 2011

Infographic about cover songs.

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