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IFPI Publishes Digital Music Report 2012 PDF Print E-mail
Written by Staff   
Friday, 27 January 2012 13:45

The digital music business saw unprecedented global expansion in 2011, while key steps forward were taken in several markets to help tackle digital piracy.

With rapid expansion into new markets by services such as iTunes, Spotify and Deezer, the major international digital music services are now present in 58 countries, compared to only 23 at the start of 2011.

Consumers are benefiting from a widening choice of services for experiencing digital music. In 2011, subscription services expanded and linked with new partners to reach new audiences. Meanwhile cloud technology is helping transform the way fans manage and store their music.

Global revenues to record companies grew by an estimated 8 per cent to US$5.2 billion in 2011 - a faster rate than 2010 - with strong consumer demand for both single track downloads (up 11 per cent by volume), digital albums (up 24 per cent by volume) and fast-expanding subscription services. The number of users paying to subscribe to a music service leapt by 65 per cent in 2011 to 13.4 million worldwide, according to IFPI estimates.

In the US, the world's largest music market, digital channels have overtaken physical formats to become the primary source of revenues for record companies. Globally, 32 per cent of music industry revenues come from digital sources, far surpassing the film, newspaper and book sectors. New services launched across Latin America, while in China record companies are working in a landmark partnership with the largest internet company Baidu.

IFPI's Digital Music Report 2012 is published today, providing a comprehensive overview and analysis of the global digital music business at the start of 2012.

Commenting on the Report, Frances Moore, CEO of IFPI, said: "As we enter 2012, there are good reasons for optimism in the world of digital music. Legal services with expanding audiences have reached across the globe and consumer choice has been revolutionised. Meanwhile momentum is building in the fight against piracy as governments and a growing circle of intermediaries engage with our industry.

"Any complacency now, however, would be a great mistake. Our digital business is progressing in spite of the environment in which it operates, not because of it. In 2012 the momentum needs to build further. We need legislation from governments with coordinated measures that deal with piracy effectively and in all its forms. We also need more cooperation from online intermediaries such as search engines and advertisers to support the legal digital music business."

Positive momentum but legal environment remains a huge problem

Piracy remains an enormous barrier to sustainable growth in digital music. Globally, one in four internet users (28%) regularly access unlicensed services, according to IFPI/Nielsen. This is rigging the market for legitimate services, stunting growth and jeopardising investment in music. IFPI advocates an inclusive combination of graduated response, site-blocking and other measures to tackle the problem.

There has been positive momentum in the fight against piracy in 2011. In France, the introduction of the new Hadopi graduated response law has seen peer-to-peer (P2P) piracy levels decline by 26 per cent, with around two million P2P users stopping the activity since warning notices were first sent out in October 2010 according to IFPI/Nielsen.

A newly-published academic study finds evidence that Hadopi has had a positive impact on iTunes sales in France. The analysis, by Danaher et al¹, found that iTunes singles sales were 23 per cent higher than they would have been in the absence of Hadopi.

In the US, a groundbreaking ISP cooperation deal was signed in 2011 and a graduated response program will be implemented in 2012, with most major ISPs signing up to a "copyright alert system". The move follows the closure of the illegal service LimeWire in 2010, which has helped cause a dramatic drop in levels of P2P piracy in the US market.

There was important progress elsewhere too. In New Zealand, a new graduated response law took effect in September 2011, with early indications of impact. In Europe, a string of court judgments has helped reduce copyright infringing activity on major sites like The Pirate Bay. In Belgium and Italy visits to the infringing sites dropped by 70-80 per cent in each case. In Spain a new law came into force to allow the blocking of illegal websites - a positive step, though disappointingly limited in its scope.

Stepped-up cooperation with online intermediaries

The recorded music industry is now working directly with advertisers, payment providers, search engines and website hosts to tackle digital piracy. A partnership struck in 2011 between IFPI, the City of London Police and payment providers MasterCard, Visa and PayPal has prevented more than 60 illegal websites from abusing payment services since it began in March 2011.

Better cooperation is being sought with search engines, which are a major channel for consumers to access music. Research in several countries indicates that between a quarter and a half of people illegally downloading access infringing music via search engines. However, many of the top results provided by search engines are linked to unauthorised content or sites which regularly infringe copyright.

 
Rhapsody Acquires Napster International PDF Print E-mail
Written by Staff   
Friday, 27 January 2012 13:29

 

Rhapsody has announced its European expansion through the acquisition of Napster International, the first music subscription service (flat rate) in Europe. Rhapsody will own and operate the service Napster in Germany and United Kingdom.

"The acquisition of Napster and its subscribers in the United Kingdom and Germany gives us an ideal entry to the European market," said Jon Irwin, CEO of Rhapsody. "Through the benefit of scale, the strength of our editorial program and strategic partnerships can be now Napster service to more consumers in a variety of platforms".

The news of the acquisition was very well received by the executives of the the music industry in Europe, who have been ardent supporters of Rhapsody and its business model.

"Rhapsody has played a key role in the definition of music services, which are essential for the future of the entire industry," said Rob Wells, CEO of global digital business of Universal Music Group. "I welcome the arrival of Rhapsody to Europe, where I hope to see its successful to attract subscribers of payment in United States they doubled".

Rhapsody maintains all Napster International employees and carry out its operations under the Napster brand in Germany and United Kingdom, where account wide recognition based on an independent study of brand awareness. Napster subscribers will migrate to the infrastructure of Rhapsody in March, time which will enjoy new features, including improved whilst maintaining the music libraries that have built a new web experience and speed and performance.

"We have always been committed, and will continue to remain so, offering fans the music of a more flexible and convenient way to consume and discovering music - anywhere and at all times wishing", said Thorsten Schliesche, responsible for Napster International general. "The acquisition is another important outstanding achievement." "The combination of Napster International subscribers with the broad base of Rhapsody in United States will serve to strengthen our position as the main music subscription service".

Napster subscribers will benefit immediately from various improvements in the product. In the coming months, consumers will see the improvements of the web clients and mobile applications, improved mainly in offline playback quality and with a greater capacity to manage playlists.

Rhapsody was the first music subscription service, launched in December 2001. Currently, it's the music service subscription premium of larger size in United States, with more than 1 million subscribers of payment and more than 14 million tracks in about 600 genera. The Rhapsody service is available in more than 70 electronic instruments of consumption, including all platforms for smart phones; more than the other services of its kind. Rhapsody subscribers enjoy also contained original Publisher since staff of music composers of prestige, including reviews, features, scheduled playback and more than 200 radio stations and radio playlists.

Last Updated on Friday, 27 January 2012 13:30
 
Did the SOPA/PIPA Protest Prove to be a Success? PDF Print E-mail
Written by Staff   
Friday, 27 January 2012 10:11

If you were among one of the 162 million who tried to visit Wikipedia on Wednesday you would have seen a dark screen explaining their 24-hour blackout in protest of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA).

The site has been restored since then, but a BBC report explains how Wikipedia still plans to actively protest these bills that promote federal censorship of the internet. Though we now understand internet access as a human right , bills like SOPA and PIPA could give federal government the power to limit what we can legally access on the internet.

People who visited Wikipedia during the 24-hour blackout were given a link to find and contact their local politicians regarding these bills. About 8 million people reportedly utilized these links to contact politicians. Google reports that they were able to bring more than 4.5 million signatures to a petition opposing the bills.

Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg also threw himself into the debate on Wednesday urging users to, “Tell your congressmen you want them to be pro-internet. We can't let poorly thought out laws get in the way of the internet's development. Facebook opposes Sopa and Pipa, and we will continue to oppose any laws that will hurt the internet.”

Since yesterday’s protests many lawmakers have withdrawn their initial support of SOPA and PIPA. CNN reports about the bill’s co-sponsor Florida Sen. Marco Rubio statement to withdraw his support. Sen. Rubio took his Facebook to explain why his position changed, writing, “I have decided to withdraw my support for the Protect IP Act. Furthermore, I encourage Senator Reid to abandon his plan to rush the bill to the floor. Instead, we should take more time to address the concerns raised by all sides, and come up with new legislation that addresses Internet piracy while protecting free and open access to the Internet.”

What do you think of the recent protests of SOPA and PIPA?

Do you think Wikipedia made the right move by going black for 24 hours?

 
Rihanna Goes THUG LIFE PDF Print E-mail
Written by Westside   
Friday, 27 January 2012 13:11

 

Many hip hop, rap and pop stars have gotten a THUG LIFE tattoo in honor of one of hip hop’s best rap artists Tupac Shakur, but when pop princess Rihanna got one; and then Tweeted about it – many were surprised. Comment boards and message boards lite up with ‘this girl is no thug’, apparently missing the point of the Tupac inspired tattoo.

Rihanna’s twitter tweets started with -

"I #LOVE my new tattoo!!! Can't wait for yall to see it!!! I got it in 'Tibetan' this time!!! #approved," she wrote of her white-toned tat, an homage to rapper Tupac.”

"I'm thinking I shoulda got a tear drop instead!!! #THUGLIFE maybe next time," Rihanna later tweeted, joking about the possibility of getting the traditional prison tat on her famous face. "All eyes on Rih, betta picture me rollin' #THUGLIFE."

And even on Twitter fans and followers started to tweet "You're not a thug. stop it."

Granted most of Rihanna’s fans were probably born after 2Pac was assassinated, but the meaning of THUG LIFE is not a thug. Since she said it was in homage to one of hip hop’s greatest MC’s Tupac Shakur THUG LIFE would mean by 2Pacs definition: THE HATE U GIVE LITTLE INFANTS F*CKS EVERYONE. It is more of a social statement than a statement of thugism.

Later on Rihanna tweeted "#RIHPac back!!!," she continued to go on her tat-driven Twitter spree, adding, "I can't deny it, ima riot..u don't wanna f--- with me!"

In another tweet, the star said, "NEVER!!! RT @Fiend4sports: @rihanna Thug Life!! Don't let Pac memory ever die."

Rihanna met most criticism with "Chill babes #noshade. Err'body has an opinion, but yall know what yall can do with them!!! #THUGLIFE," she wrote, showing a humorous side to the whole thing.

I don’t see the big deal. Rihanna has many other tattoos. She has 15 now as a matter of fact, so why the big deal over THUG LIFE? To me it brings back a more memorable time in hip hop when the G.O.A.T. – Tupac Shakur (2Pac) walked among us. ---- Peace

Last Updated on Friday, 27 January 2012 13:12
 
JAY Z Carnegie Hall Concert Tickets PDF Print E-mail
Written by Staff   
Friday, 27 January 2012 07:35

In his most intimate performances in years, hip hop rapper Shawn "JAY Z" Carter will headline at Carnegie Hall, in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, raising money for United Way of New York City and the Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation on February 6, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. and February 7, 2012 at 9:30 p.m. Tickets will go on sale to the public on Monday, January 30 at 11:00 a.m. EST. Concert goers will get a once in a lifetime experience as JAY Z takes the stage at the New York landmark to raise dollars that will help fight poverty, boost on-time graduation rates in underserved New York City schools, and put college within reach for low-income students across the five boroughs.

Tickets will be available on Monday, January 30 at 11:00 AM EST at www.carnegiehall.org, CarnegieCharge: 212-247-7800, or at Carnegie Hall's Box Office at 57th Street and Seventh Avenue. VIP ticket packages that offer exclusive access to pre- and post-events are also available during the public ticket sale. For information on sponsorship opportunities or VIP tickets, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Poverty has the strongest correlation to dropout rates. New York City has the largest income gap in the U.S., and thirty percent of children in New York City live in poverty. Because of statistics like these, coupled with the fact that thirty-nine percent of New York City students who enter high school will not graduate on time, United Way of New York City, The Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation and Shawn "JAY Z" Carter are coming together to get children and youth the education they deserve and to put higher education within reach.

 
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